How to Write Great Job Titles and Job Descriptions for Jobs on Indeed

When it comes to attracting qualified job seekers to your listing, your job title and description are as important as your budget. Indeed is a powerful search engine that uses job details to match individual listings to the search criteria specified by job seekers. A clear, concise job title and a thoughtfully detailed job description will help your job appear in the most relevant search results and can discourage unqualified candidates from applying. Here are some tips to help create job content that maximizes your results:

Do Your Homework

Once you’ve decided to hire for a particular role, do some research for clues that will help you create a stand-out job description. Make note of the job titles, qualifications and requirements that you see in listings for jobs similar to yours. Be aware of both terms you should include and ways that you can distinguish your listing from others that candidates will see.

Think like a job seeker

The key to using a search engine to recruit successfully is to consider what a qualified candidate would search for in order to find a listing like yours. Avoid catchy buzzwords that are eye-catching, but rarely searched. A certified meeting planner would not likely search for “Conference Ninja” job. On other job sites, an eye-catching title and exclamation points might help a job seeker take notice. Clear, descriptive job details work best on Indeed.

Indeed data provides insights into what kinds of job content attracts the right candidates. In general, avoid jargon and shorthand that people outside your company wouldn’t understand. Take care to represent the seniority of a position in clear terms. For example, “Accountant II” might better be described as “Senior Accountant.”  

Don’t forget the three R’s

Responsibilities. This is an obvious element of any good job description, but the details are important. Describe the eventual employee’s goals as well as the day-to-day functions of the role. Examples of job responsibilities include:

Requirements. What experience, qualifications, degrees and certifications does the job require and which would be nice to have? Does the role require fluency in another language? The more detail you provide, the more likely you are to get qualified applicants. Examples of job requirements include:

Rewards. List all the compensation, perks and benefits your company has to offer. Salary and health insurance are obvious, but does your company also offer flexible hours or a great location? Public transportation subsidies, office snacks and on-site gym equipment are just some of the ways to highlight how your company takes care of its team. Examples of job rewards and benefits include:

Sample Job Descriptions

Not sure where to start? Here are some sample job descriptions for commonly recruited roles. Use them as a starting point, adding the relevant details of your open position.

A-C    D-H    I-L    M-P    Q-S    T-Z

Indeed’s Client Services team can help you plan and make adjustments to your job titles and descriptions to help you maximize your hiring results.