How do you discover the ideal candidates for a position? The initial step to locating exceptional candidates is to have outstanding job descriptions that attract and motivate top applicants to submit their applications. We’re here to assist with this collection of job description advice for formulating the finest JDs.
Let’s jump in!
Begin with your JDs
Securing elite talent for a position starts with an impressive job description. To assist you in getting started, here are some suggestions to guarantee your JDs are nearly flawless:
Maintain consistency in section order
The sequence of your sections should always remain unchanged. It’s likely that applicants will review multiple job postings on your website, and ensuring your sections follow the same order enhances readability and conveys professionalism. For instance, if you position your About Us section at the top of your JD, make sure it’s in the same spot in your other JDs.
Select a single point of view (POV)
Another valuable job description tip is to select your POV. You can opt for the first person (us, we), second person (you), or third person perspective for your JDs. It’s crucial to choose a POV and remain consistent with it across all your JDs. Utilizing multiple POVs in your JDs can make your organization appear disorganized, contradictory, and unprofessional to your audience.
A sound suggestion is to utilize the first or second point of view as it renders your JD more personalized. The third POV, while usable, may render your JD feeling distant and impersonal.
Ensure consistency in your boilerplate copy
The boilerplate segments of your job descriptions (Your About Us, Benefits, Diversity Statement, Company Mission, etc.) should feature identical text in all your JDs, as this enhances your company’s polished and professional image. A copywriter can draft your ad copy, obtain approval from your legal or corporate department, and maintain consistency in those sections.
Keep your JDs concise and straightforward
Less is indeed more. Candidates are not reading your JD verbatim but instead scanning it. Every sentence that fails to assist them in determining whether to apply works against you. Eliminate filler, trim corporate jargon, and get straight to the point.
A good rule of thumb: if a line doesn’t clarify the role, the requirements, or why someone would want the position, remove it.
Steer clear of jargon
When you’ve been in the same field for some time, it’s easy to let jargon creep into your JDs. Research shows that 38% of job advertisements contain jargon. Jargon or “corporate speak” can confuse entry-level candidates or job seekers trying to break into a new field.
Make your job titles meaningful
To ensure candidates can discover your JDs, it’s beneficial to create a straightforward yet searchable job title. Here are some points to consider:
- Select a job title that ranks high in Google searches. For instance, job titles like Marketing Coordinator and Marketing Analyst are searched more frequently than Marketing Specialist, so opting for the former two makes sense. Software like Ongig Text Analyzer evaluates your job titles and aids you in selecting the best job title for your JD.
- Keep it brief. Limit your job titles to between 1 to 3 words, under 20 syllables, and no more than 60 characters – longer job titles may get truncated on search engines.
- Keep it straightforward and avoid excessive creativity. For example, “Kickass Marketing Manager” or “Software Ninja” may seem appealing and fun, but they won’t assist in making your JDs searchable.
- Avoid using parentheses in your job title. The inclusion of parentheses in your job title can create ambiguity and require further clarification.
- Refrain from including levels or tiers in your job titles. Numerous job postings feature tiers – like the example below.
Unless candidates are fully aware of your internal levels or tiers, it’s advisable to keep it basic. In this context, Sales Apprentice is adequate.
Incorporate Salary
According to an Indeed survey, almost one in four job seekers states that compensation is the most crucial aspect of the job description. Most US job listings now feature pay details. At present, 16 US states have implemented pay transparency regulations.
You aren’t required to specify the precise salary you’re offering in your job announcement. A salary range would suffice.
Showcase your company perks
Being transparent regarding salary is an effective method to attract candidates, but detailing the perks and benefits your organization provides gives candidates an extra incentive to consider employment with your company. Benefits such as paid vacation, monthly bonuses, or a flexible work schedule can entice more candidates to apply.
Embrace Inclusivity
You should broaden your search to attract a diverse array of candidates. To achieve this, make sure your JDs are free from bias. The Oxford Dictionary defines bias as the “Tendency to favour or dislike a person or thing, especially as a result of a preconceived opinion; partiality, prejudice.”
Here are some biases you may want to keep an eye out for:
- Race bias – terms like blacklist, Latino(a), Oriental, Illegal Aliens, English native speakers
- Age bias – phrases like recent graduate, millennial, digital native, energetic individuals
- Disability bias – terms like walk, stand, lift, read
- Gender bias – expressions like man-made, heroic, manpower, salesman, spokesman, weatherman
- LGBTQ bias – pronouns like he or she
- and more
You may filter out these terms, but personal biases often obstruct clarity. Seek assistance from impartial and objective software like Ongig Text Analyzer. This software aids in highlighting biases and suggests more inclusive alternatives.
Keep your key requirements concise and precise
Did you realize the average candidate only spends 14 seconds reviewing a JD before deciding to apply? Ensure the roles’ responsibilities and requirements are clear when they glance at it.
LinkedIn’s Gender Insights revealed that women apply to 20% fewer positions than men and are 16% less inclined to apply after viewing the same role.
Focus on skills, not just qualifications
“Bachelor’s degree required.” It appears in countless JDs. But does your position genuinely need a degree? Or does it need someone capable of accomplishing the work?
70% of employers are now utilizing skills-based hiring, an increase from 65% the previous year, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 survey. NACE The transition is evident, and your JDs must reflect this shift.
Here’s how that manifests in reality. Rather than enumerating credentials, outline what the individual will genuinely accomplish and the knowledge required to excel at it. Replace “5 years of experience necessary” with the precise abilities that those 5 years were likely fostering. Eliminate degree prerequisites unless the position is truly governed or licensed.
Why does it hold significance? When U.S. firms assess candidates based on abilities instead of designations or qualifications, the talent pool expands almost 19 times, as per LinkedIn. That’s not a minor adjustment but a considerably larger candidate pipeline stemming from the same job listing. LinkedIn noted that a skills-first hiring strategy results in an average 9.4x rise in qualified applicants across all positions.
Tackle AI-generated JDs (and the associated threats)
Currently, most recruitment teams are utilizing AI to compose JDs. This is not an issue — unless the output is published without human oversight.
Here’s what can go awry when it happens:
- Fabricated requirements. AI tools sometimes create certifications, tools, or years of experience that don’t correlate with the actual role. Candidates pick up on this. So do regulators.
- Exaggerated credentials. AI often defaults to “Bachelor’s degree necessary” even when your team would willingly hire without one. This presents a bias issue — and it reduces your talent pool.
- Generic phrasing that resembles every other JD. If your AI prompt is unclear, you’ll receive an unclear JD. “Exceptional communication skills necessary” isn’t a requirement — it’s merely filler.
The solution isn’t to cease using AI. It’s to evaluate what it generates.
Run every AI-created JD through a bias analyzer (like Ongig’s Text Analyzer) prior to publication. Specifically, look for requirements that were absent in your original brief, gendered language that the AI might have defaulted to, and credential thresholds that don’t represent how your team truly recruits.
One more point: some organizations are beginning to reveal when job postings utilize AI assistance. There’s no legal obligation to do this in the majority of markets currently — but it’s worth noting the dialogue is ongoing.
Incorporate your company’s DEI statement
One of the most impactful methods to demonstrate your company’s dedication to DEI is to integrate your company’s DEI statement into your JDs. A useful suggestion is to craft a compassionate and bespoke statement instead of the typical boilerplate “We’re an equal opportunity employer” (derived from the 1964 Civil Rights Act).
Ensure to spell and grammar check your JDs
When producing numerous JDs, it’s simple to allow a few grammatical and spelling mistakes to slip into your content. However, with editing tools like Grammarly, having poor grammar and spelling is now a relic of the past.
While verifying grammar and spelling, you should also assess your text for readability (or how effectively your audience comprehends it) using the free software Hemingway. A good guideline when crafting for the general public is to target a readability score of 8 or lower.
Enhance your job descriptions
Alongside inclusivity and an excellent layout, a JD must also be enticing to job seekers so they are motivated to apply. Make your JDs more captivating and appealing to prospective candidates with these tried-and-true suggestions:
Incorporate a map
Including a map (you can accomplish this by utilizing Google’s Maps API) assists your candidates in visualizing where they’ll be working – whether the office is downtown or situated on the fringes of the city. This incredibly straightforward trick guarantees longer engagement and time on your JDs since your candidates won’t need to exit the page to discover where your office is located on the map.
Be interactive
Nowadays, interactivity is essential on web pages, so why should your JDs be any different? You can enable candidates to connect with you through various channels – Instant Messages (IM), Texts, Emails, or even a chatbot. You can also utilize LinkedIn’s API to engage with prospective candidates.
Embed videos or images
Video is an extremely effective medium for making your JDs more engaging. You can embed a video about your company, the position, the locale, or anything you deem relevant to the role being advertised.
If video is not an option, consider enhancing your JDs with photos or an infographic. Images can be particularly powerful in distinguishing your JDs from companies that don’t leverage them to capture (and maintain) the attention of your potential candidates.
Be open about your application process
Often, the application process of each company appears enigmatic to job seekers. Differentiate your company by informing your candidates about what transpires during the hiring process.
Google excels with its application procedure. Their dedicated “How We Hire” page guides candidates through each phase, from resume submission to receiving an offer. It’s a straightforward action that minimizes drop-off and fosters trust prior to any interviews being scheduled. It even includes an Interview Prep section that shares optimal practices, guidance, and tips, assisting candidates in preparing to discuss themselves and the role.
Indicate the job location
On-site. Hybrid. Fully remote. These three terms can be decisive in whether a candidate decides to apply. 6 in 10 employees with remote-capable roles prefer a hybrid setup, according to Gallup, and less than 10% wish to be entirely on-site. Yet numerous job listings still omit any mention of work location. That’s a quick way to alienate candidates who have already concluded that flexibility is non-negotiable.
Avoid making candidates speculate. If it’s hybrid, clarify how many days in the office and which are flexible. If it’s on-site, explain why. Context adds value. If it’s completely remote, specify whether there are time zone requirements or occasional travel expectations.
Many candidates withdraw from interviews if a company’s flexible policy is ambiguous or absent. An unclear “flexible working options available” isn’t a selling point. It’s a red flag.
Incorporate testimonials from your employees
There’s nothing more genuine than hearing about the experience of working for your company from the individuals who are already part of it. Create a video, or have your employees share their experiences with your company and feature it on your business’s job website.
Automate your JDs!
When you’re crafting numerous JDs and collaborating with a team, it’s easy to become disoriented and overwhelmed.
Luckily, many of
software can assist in automating certain aspects of your JDs. This ensures that each job advertisement remains professional, refined, impartial, and engaging. Here are several job description suggestions to aid in automating your JDs.
Utilize templates
You ought to utilize templates if you’re composing a significant number of JDs each month. Templates guarantee the consistency of your JDs, additionally, they’re simple to store and retrieve. Here are some (downloadable) templates to help you get started.
Microsoft Word JD Template
Google Docs Job Templates
Employ job description crafting tools
Utilize job description software that assists you in composing effective and inclusive JDs, accelerates your writing process, and develops reusable templates for your team. Here are a few to initiate your journey:
- Ongig Text Analyzer. This job description instrument aids you in formulating inclusive job advertisements and serves as a repository so your team can effortlessly access approved JDs. It reviews your JDs for bias, complicated terms, absent sections, templates JDs, and beyond.
- Jobsoid Job Description Generator. Jobsoid boasts a FREE job description creator with over 1000+ templates for you to utilize in crafting an exceptional job description. Each template offers an overview, general responsibilities, and job prerequisites.
- Workable’s Free Job Description Generator – provides 1000+ job description templates. Simply input the Job Title, select the Industry and Tone (optional). You can modify your job descriptions in real-time, including line-by-line AI variations.
Reason for this composition:
Ongig strives to assist you and your team in producing excellent and inclusive JDs to draw in remarkable and diverse candidates. Contact our team to discover more.
My references:
- Skills First Reimagining the Labor Market and Breaking Down Barriers (by LinkedIn)
- Survey: How to Enhance Your Job Advertisements to Attract Superior Candidates (by Indeed)
- 2026 Pay Transparency Laws by State (by Paycor)
- Gender Insights Report (by LinkedIn)
- Job Outlook 2026 (by NACE)
- Skills First: Reimagining the Labor Market and Breaking Down Barriers (by LinkedIn)
- Indicators: Hybrid Work (by Gallup)