What is a Job Description? Understanding Purpose, Importance, and How to Write One

Job Description Definition

To define job description meaning in the simplest of terms, a job description is a detailed document that outlines the roles/responsibilities of a job applicant and provides a comprehensive overview of the business. 

It is a crucial component of the talent recruitment process that specifies the employment status between an employee and an employer.

Purpose of a Job Description

The main objectives/purpose of the job description and responsibilities include,

• Clearly and accurately explaining the responsibilities of a given role within a business.
• Outlining the essential employee skills and knowledge and providing necessary training and professional development opportunities.
• Promoting and emphasizing the mission, values, and goals of the organization. 
• Determining the nature of an individual's employment status (contingency workers vs. permanent employees).
• Evaluating an individual’s performance and measuring their success in the role. 
• Including a description of the occupation including main duties and responsibilities.

What is an Essential Element of a Job Description?

Honestly, there is no one element of a job description. It entails different components, such as the job title, purpose, duties and responsibilities, qualifications, and so on. 

When hiring individuals, whether remote workers or full-time employees, proper inclusion of all such different elements in the job description is extremely important.

A detailed overview of the same is mentioned below.

How to Write a Good Job Description

Now that you know what a job description is and its importance, let’s move on to this next segment, where we will discuss a few rules about writing a good job description so you can learn how to create a job description.

• Start with a Job Title and Summary

Always remember that when job applicants scan a job board at your website or an aggregator’s, they won’t read your posting until and unless the first few sentences and the title pull them in. 

Therefore, you must use a clear and concise job title that accurately reflects the position. Additionally, start with a compelling summary of the role and the company to give candidates a crystal clear idea of the job position.

• Detail Duties and Responsibilities

Listing job duties and responsibilities is not just about compiling different tasks. It is more about clearly establishing the role's purpose and what you expect from the position. It is advisable to start with the core responsibilities and avoid overloading the list with non-essential tasks. 

Additionally, when crafting an effective job description, consider a typical day for an employee in the position. This will include the expected outcomes, how they must perform the tasks and other similar specifics. 

• List Necessary Qualifications

A long list of requirements is not always a good idea, even if they are titled as preferred qualifications. Therefore, try to weed out unnecessary details as much as possible, especially expectations that are primarily not skills but advanced degrees that are not specific to the job role. Furthermore, try to be realistic about background and experience requirements. 

• Add Working Conditions, Benefits and Expectations

Be very particular about adding the details of the physical work setting, such as an office, remote, or field-based environment. If the job roles involve using any particular tools/equipment or technology, add that information. 

Furthermore, remember to include the salary range or pay grade for the position. The job role description must also include any other critical information about associated benefits, incentives, or perks.

Additional Tips

• Avoid using expressions such as ninjas, rockstar, or other similar cliches.
• Use clear and action-oriented language to make the job description engaging and exciting. 
• Try to use keywords related to the job and the industry in the job description to make it stand out in search results.
• Be crystal clear about the location in the job description.
• Avoid using gender-specific language such as he or she.

Job Description Examples and Templates

Here is a fantastic example to explain job description template and an example of job description summary, you can utilize the next time you hire candidates for specific job roles in your organization. 
‍

Additionally, here is another job description that you can refer to for your next recruitment. 
‍

Hope this answers the question - ‘what does a job description look like’.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Job Descriptions

Hiring candidates, especially on an international scale, is challenging. But why make things even more difficult by drafting poor and vague job descriptions?

To make things easier, a few common mistakes are mentioned below that you must avoid if you wish to enjoy a smooth recruitment process. 

• Avoid using paragraph format when writing about job duties and responsibilities. Instead, use bullet points whenever applicable to make reading easier for your job applicants.

• A company that prioritizes DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) practices automatically attracts a wider range of diverse, qualified candidates. However, not all organizations emphasize DEI in their job descriptions. To attract quality talent, make sure to include a paragraph or two about your DEI initiatives.

• Most companies often use third-person language when writing a job description. What they fail to realize is that it feels impersonal and disconnected. Instead, practice speaking directly to your job applicants as a company representative.

• Try to avoid using words such as ‘hardworking,’ ‘driven,’ ‘fast-paced,’ or ‘multi-tasker’ in the job description. These phrases have been used so much over the years that they have lost their meaning.

• Avoid using company jargon or acronyms that are unique to your business alone. For example, most candidates might not know what a ‘TPS report’ is. Instead, use simple language so that job applicants do not get confused.

Job Descriptions in Resumes

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on tailoring your resume to show you can fulfill a particular job role. 

• Review the Job Description

The first step is to carefully review the job description and understand the employer's needs and the qualifications required to perform the job. If there are any specific requirements, such as an academic degree or a training certificate, make sure to note them. 

Additionally, look at the order of the job responsibilities to understand which ones carry the most importance.

• Compare and Update your Resume

Once you know what the employer seeks, you can review your resume and tailor it accordingly. For example, look at the experiences listed in your resume and assess which previous roles are the most relevant to the current job description.

Also, remember to update the summary section of your resume. It is usually the first thing that a hiring manager sees, so use it to showcase your most relevant skills and experience.

• Customize your Work History 

Customize your work history based on an employer's job description. For example, if you have a long work history, make sure to remove any positions that do not match the job requirements.

• Include Measurable Results

Using quantifiable data in your resume can be a great way to set yourself apart from other competitors. Always remember that hiring managers are more interested in seeing specific results than generic sentences such as ‘created a successful marketing campaign.’

• Update your Skills Section

Understand the employer’s most prioritized skills and include them accordingly in your resume if you possess them. For example, it can include expertise in a specific technology or certain technical and soft skills.

• Proofread your Resume

Finally, before submitting your resume, check it thoroughly, not just for grammatical or spelling errors, but also to ensure you have used the employer’s keywords and phrases. This will enable you to pass a potential applicant tracking system and showcase to your employer that you understand their needs and can fulfill the job’s responsibilities.

Conclusion

Drafting clear and effective job descriptions is just one aspect of the international hiring journey. 

From complying with local labor laws to adhering to tax requirements, various tasks are involved when expanding your business in any new region. 

Without proper expertise, all these responsibilities can become very difficult to handle. This is why so many businesses rely on employer-of-record solutions. 

An employer of record (EOR) is a third-party service provider who handles all administrative and legal responsibilities on your behalf. In this way, you can focus on other important business issues.

Skuad’s EOR solution is a one-stop destination for all your international hiring needs. With expertise in over 160 countries, we streamline the global hiring journey by providing various benefits, such as payroll in 100+ currencies, efficient background checks, dedicated customer support, bullet-proof privacy, and more. 

To know more about our services, talk to our experts today.

FAQs

1)  What is a job description?

A job description is a written document that details the essential responsibilities and requirements of a vacant job position. This also accounts for the definition of job description.

2) What is the purpose of a job description?

One of the primary objectives of a job description is to create job advertisements that accurately represent the role and ensure that job applicants are fully aware of what the job entails and what qualifications are required.