When sourcing ideal candidates for an open role, HR teams can encounter a few hurdles, including crafting the perfect job description.
How do you create a job description that attracts the right talent for the role and effectively communicates your company’s needs? The answer: Using a straightforward yet comprehensive job description template.
A job description template streamlines one of the most important HR functions–recruiting top talent—by simplifying the process of creating the description, filtering out candidates, and ensuring consistency across job postings.
<<Download our free job description template to speed up hiring time.>>
Key insights
- The free job description template helps streamline recruiting by ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment across all job postings
- Adapt the template to highlight specific responsibilities, required skills, and company culture—helping attract the right candidates
- Download the job description template to save time, support compliance, and enhance your employer brand throughout the hiring process
What is a job description?
A job description provides a summary of the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, expectations, and compensation details associated with an open role. It usually starts with a company overview, then dives into the role, what the company is looking for, and how to apply.
Job descriptions help potential candidates understand whether they meet the qualifications for the role and whether the organization is a good culture fit. This can help your organization attract the right candidates and set clear expectations about each open role. They also provide protection from potential legal issues through clear definitions of the job requirements.
Accurate and thorough job descriptions improve the initial candidate experience, create a first impression of your company culture, and match ideal applicants to the role. Later on, teams can also refer to job descriptions in performance management reviews.
What is the purpose of a job description template?
A job description template guides HR professionals in creating a thorough, detailed job description. It helps move the process along and ensures all essential elements are included in the final job description.
Plus, the clarity of a job description can determine the quality of the applicant pool.
<<Download our free job description template.>>
How to create an informative job description
A clear job description uses precise language and an easy-to-follow format. It includes all the following elements to address potential questions from job seekers:
1. Include the job title at the top
A job title communicates a lot of information very quickly so that candidates skimming openings can find the ones that fit their experience and goals. Use a job title that people will recognize easily.
For example, when posting a job opening for a creative copywriter who will write your advertisements, you’ll see better results with the job title “direct response copywriter” than a clever but less clear title like “captivating and creative wordsmith.”
2. Create a “job overview” section
The job overview section summarizes the role. It acts as a quick snapshot of the role and how it fits into the overall organization’s goals. This is also a good place to describe how the role fits into a broader career path.
A successful job overview section is concise and clear but also showcases the organization’s voice and personality. Your language will present who you are as a company and reflect your culture, which can impact who applies. Be sure to include the location where the candidate is expected to be based.
For example, a more laid-back workplace might begin its job overview section with, “Hey! Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to collaborate with others and hone your data analysis skills?”
Or, a more formal organization might start with: “This role will involve migrating and analyzing data.” How you present the information serves as its own form of information for applicants.
3. Add “responsibilities” under job overview
Once you’ve given a quick overview of the role, it’s time to outline the core responsibilities. Use bullet points to make this section easy to read and prioritize clarity over creativity. Begin each bullet with a verb and nest bullets beneath separate headings.
Ideally, applicants can read over this section and immediately grasp the duties they’ll be responsible for if they pursue this role. Use this section to address the type of working environment and duties applicants can expect.
4. Create a “requirements and skills” section
Make a section where you list out the requirements and desired skills for the open role. Use as many or as few sections as you like here. You may find it helpful to break out “requirements,” “skills,” and “desired competencies” so applicants can see which aspects of the requirements list are non-negotiables and which are “nice to have.”
Ensure this section explains all requirements thoroughly and accurately since applicants will use it to decide whether it’s worth their time to apply for the role based on their qualifications.
5. Add a “reports to”
Clarify the reporting expectations for potential applicants and help them understand the place of the specific role within the team’s structure.
This detail also provides insight into the size of a team. For example, an HR generalist might report directly to the chief people officer (CPO) in a smaller organization. In a larger organization, the HR generalist might report to an HR manager, who reports to an HR director, who reports to the CPO.
Candidates can understand a great deal about your organization when you include this quick and simple detail.
6. Describe your company
Applicants want to know about the company they’ll be working for. Include a quick overview of your company, including your long-and short-term goals and how this particular position will help you work toward those goals. Weave in your company history, an overview of your company culture, and your mission statement.
Infuse this section with your company’s unique voice and personality to attract applicants who are an authentic fit. You can tweak this section based on team or department or keep this section of the template static for any job description.
7. Save your job description template
Now that you’ve created a reusable job description template, save it in an easily accessible digital location. Communicate with all applicable teams so that every department can agree on its use.
This way, you’ll ensure that all job descriptions your organization posts are thorough, clear, and high-quality—a crucial aspect of your brand as an employer.
Free job description template
Print and use this blank template to write your own job descriptions. For more details, reference the example below of this exact template with the sections already completed for a human resource job.
<<Download our free job description template to speed up hiring time.>>
Job description example
Reference this job description example to create your own optimized job description template.
Human resources generalist
Job title
Human resources manager
Job overview
The human resources generalist provides in-depth support to the HR management team. They collaborate with various internal teams to assist with recruitment, improve employee engagement, and support HR operations. A successful human resources generalist loves working with people, handles interpersonal relationships with ease, and is highly organized and motivated.
Responsibilities
- Ensure compliance with labor laws
- Guide hiring processes
- Lead onboarding initiatives
- Support learning and development projects
- Mediate team member concerns and conflicts
- Track recruiting metrics
- Manage performance reviews
Requirements
- Minimum of four years of HR experience
- Understanding of benefits, compensation programs, and performance management
- Experience onboarding new team members
- Team mindset
- Commitment to a safe, inclusive work environment
Skills
- Familiarity with HRIS software
- Knowledge of common applicant tracking systems
- Policy and procedure development
- Expert knowledge of MS Office
Desired competencies
- Workforce management
- Training and development
- Conflict resolution
- Problem-solving
Company overview
At Tech Teachers, we’re all about creating technology that makes learning more fun. Our mission is to bring students and teachers together with the same learning goals, driven by interactive lessons and user-friendly reports. We’re driven by a belief that all kids care about their learning and want to succeed.
How to apply
To be considered for the role, please complete the application and attach your resume and cover letter.
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Benefits of using a free job description template
HR teams and department leads can use a free job description template to speed up the hiring process, avoid errors, and ensure a high-quality and clear job description every time. The benefits of using a free job description template include:
- Shorter time to hire: A free job template allows organizations to post open roles quicker, minimizing the amount of time a role sits open
- Consistency: When organizations adopt a go-to job description template, they eliminate confusion and add standardization to their external materials
- Cost savings: Filling roles more quickly and accurately leads to cost savings over time, and using a free tool to achieve these goals means ROI is truly limitless
- Accuracy: Teams can use a free job description template to ensure no details slip through the cracks
- Compliance: A template allows for a uniform approach to ensure that legal disclaimers always make it into the final version of the job posting
Streamline recruiting with a free job description template
Make the most of your team’s time using tools like this free job description template. Instead of allowing repetitive tasks that slow down key processes, leverage our free job description template to jumpstart your hiring process.
When you free up time and mental space for more strategic tasks, your HR teams will improve your operations and team member engagement.
<<Download our free job description template to speed up hiring time.>>