Writing a Job Description (JD)
Turn 'a bit of everything' into criteria that actually filter
You're the hiring lead. Write the JD for [role title]. Inputs: team situation [one sentence], what this person must solve [1–2 things], budget [range]. Requirements: 1) the first paragraph explains why this role exists — no company boilerplate; 2) write 4–6 responsibilities as the concrete actions they'll actually take; 3) no more than 5 must-haves, each verifiable in an interview, with nice-to-haves listed separately; 4) explicitly state the profiles you won't accept; 5) no unverifiable phrases like 'works well under pressure' or 'takes ownership'.
How to use
Fewer, more specific must-haves filter better — a long JD raises screening cost instead of lowering it.
Good for
- A new headcount opens, nobody on the team has done the role, and you need to write down what this person is here to solve before deciding what to interview for.
- One posting brings a flood of resumes that are good at a bit of everything; you need verifiable must-haves for the first screen.
Not for
- It is a confidential replacement and the incumbent is still employed — a public JD reveals the intent; go through internal moves or a recruiter first.
- The role's content is not settled and the budget is not approved — writing the JD now locks in the org design; have the role-design discussion first.
Example
Input
Team: four backend engineers, nobody owns data. This hire needs to take tracking from 30 events to 120, and make reports filterable by channel. Budget 35 to 45k.
What you get
Open with why the role exists — reporting numbers are not trusted and channel spend cannot be attributed — not a company blurb. Write 4 to 6 responsibilities as concrete actions: design the tracking plan, ship it with frontend, validate the reports, document metric definitions. Keep must-haves to five or fewer, all interviewable, list who you will not accept (numbers-only, waits for tickets), and never use 'works well under pressure' or 'responsible'.
Common mistakes
- Copying a competitor's JD and changing the title — you inherit must-haves like 'familiar with the big-data ecosystem' that no interview question can verify.
- Listing a dozen 'ideally knows everything' requirements — candidates apply on their strongest match and screening gets more expensive, not less.
Try tweaking it like this
- Add 'Give me five questions that verify the must-haves in a 30-minute interview', so the JD hands off straight into an interview plan.
- Add 'Write a 50-word version for recruiters and referrals', since the public posting and the private ask need different tones.