How to write a good job description? Our complete guide

Writing a strong job description is the first and most important step in a successful recruitment process. In order to make sure you run an effective, efficient and successful recruitment process, attracting the very best talent for the job, it’s crucial to get your job description right. 

So, how do you write the perfect job description?  

This guide will give you all of the tools you need to write a good job description: 

• Our simple “funnel” job description structure
• A downloadable job description template, with examples, that you can edit with your job’s information  
• The opportunity to contact our expert digital marketing recruitment specialists for personalised support in writing your job descriptions 

Read on to receive all of this and more and make writing effective job descriptions easy with 3Search. 

What is a job description? 

A job description is a document that clearly describes a role’s responsibilities, requirements, and objectives. The document should be considered an overview of the entire job, which will be used to inform all relevant parties about the position.

As a result, effective job descriptions should include all information relevant to the role you're hiring for, such as business and team information, responsibilities and compensation.

Job descriptions should not be confused with job adverts, which are written specifically to attract qualified candidates to apply. Job ads highlight specific pieces of information to encourage more applicants to the job. Learn more about their differences by reading our blog, 'What is the difference between a job advert and job description?'

Why is a job description important? 

A good job description allows employers to hire the right talent for the job - they are the most important part of a talent search.  

The job description informs the direction of the entire talent search. From writing job adverts to briefing recruitment consultants on the role and informing colleagues of the new hire’s responsibilities. As a result, it’s important that your job descriptions clearly define the job’s responsibilities and the ideal candidate profile. 

How to write a job description 

Our specialist recruitment consultants have read thousands of job descriptions throughout their careers, coming from a wide variety of industries and levels. From Marketing Executive through to CMO, they have seen the very best and very worst of job descriptions.  

To help you write strong job descriptions, our recruitment consultants have developed this simple funnel structure for employers to follow.  

Using this funnel ensures that you cover all necessary points of a job description, looking at the bigger picture before scaling down into the finer details of the role.  

What should a job description include?

There are six parts to an effective job description: 

1. Introduction to the business 
2. Overview of the team 
3. Overview of the role 
4. Responsibilities 
5. Requirements  
6. Compensation package and benefits 

Including all six points in your job description will give internal and external talent teams the information they need in order to source the right candidates for the job.

For more detail on each step, including writing prompts, click here to receive a free PDF of our full guide to writing a good job description. 

Looking for more? Download our job description template 

To help employers start their talent search off right, we’ve put together a job description template that you can adapt to your business. No matter if you’re recruiting for marketing jobs, e-commerce jobs, product jobs or bids jobs, this job description template can be adapted to meet your recruitment needs. 

Download our job description template here.

Contact our expert recruiters 

For more detailed and personalised support with writing your job descriptions, get in touch with our expert recruiters.  

3Search Directors, Charlie Rawstron and Michael Judkins, are ready to guide hiring managers through the job description writing process. Set up a meeting with them today: 

Contact Charlie for marketing recruitment and product recruitment 

Contact Michael for digital recruitment and e-commerce recruitment 

Five top tips for writing job descriptions 

To close off our guide to writing job descriptions, we thought we’d leave you with some final top tips to keep in mind when writing your job descriptions: 

1. Avoid using internal jargon 
2. Check for discriminatory language  
3. Prioritise honesty  
4. Keep it short  
5. Make it engaging  

These tips will help elevate your job descriptions, ensuring that you’re ready to attract the very best in your talent search. 

1. Avoid using internal jargon  

It can be easy to fall into this trap. Remember that this document will be seen by internal and external people. Make sure to use plain language that can be easily understood by everyone who accesses this document, no matter if they’re a part of your team/business or not. 

2. Check for discriminatory language 

Certain words or phrases can be off-putting to under-represented groups of people. To run an inclusive talent search, it’s important to be aware of any discriminatory language in your job description. 

There are several tools available that can help eradicate discriminatory language from your job descriptions, including: 

• Gender Decoder, Katmatfield 
• The Gender Decoder, Applied  
• Language Analytics, Datapeople 

3. Prioritise honesty  

It’s crucial to make your job description as accurate as possible in order to find the best talent for the role. Making the description honest will ensure that your desired candidate understands the job clearly and is onboard from the very beginning. 

4. Keep it short 

A job description should be easy to digest. Like a CV, the document should be no longer than two pages. 

5. Make it engaging 

Making the job description engaging will make it easier to sell the role to recruitment consultants, internal talent teams and job seekers. If the hiring manager can’t make a job sound exciting, how can an external recruitment consultant sell the position?  

Ready to write job descriptions? 

Now, you should be ready to write job descriptions and start your recruitment journey.  

3Search is a digital marketing recruitment agency, with specialist recruitment consultants in marketing, digital, e-commerce, product and bids jobs. Upload your vacancy to start your talent search with us today, and receive the best recruitment experience you will ever have!