What to include in a job description

Our experience helping employers attract quality candidates has helped us understand what job seekers are looking for in a job description.

Here are the top six items to consider including in your Indeed job descriptions:

• Pay range
• Benefits
• Shift info
• Location (or remote)
• Required qualifications
• Type of job: full-time or part-time

Think like a job seeker

Consider taking the job seeker’s perspective when writing your job description. The simpler and easier-to-read you can make your job post, the more likely you may be to attract the right candidates.

Here are a few suggestions for achieving this:

• Break up text into bite-size paragraphs of three or four sentences
• Keep your vocabulary simple enough for anyone to understand
• Use lists and bullet points to make info easy to scan

Writing a job title

Consider using a job title that job seekers are most likely to search for—preferably a clear, industry-standard term.

For example, “Senior Data Analyst” is more descriptive than job titles like “Level 4 Data Analyst III” or “Data Analyst Rockstar.”

When you use standard job titles, you’ll be more likely to reach the quality candidates you’re looking for.

Why a good job title is important

A good job title on Indeed can make a big difference in your recruitment process, as it can help determine whether candidates can find your job post and which candidates are likely to apply.

A good job title can:

• Potentially improve your job post’s visibility, helping job seekers find relevant roles quickly.
• Set accurate expectations about the role’s duties and responsibilities to give job seekers an immediate understanding of what the role entails. This can help reduce mismatched applications.
• Avoid your job post getting flagged or hidden on Indeed, which may happen when you use a job title that is not allowed on Indeed (e.g., “waitress” instead of “server”).

What to avoid in a job title

There are a number of key things that could be worth avoiding when writing a job title. The following guidance on what to avoid can help you attract more great candidates.

• Excessive details. When you use long, overly detailed job titles (e.g., “Person Responsible for Managing Digital Content Across Platforms”) instead of simple, standard ones (e.g., “Content Manager”), candidates may be less likely to find your job post. Additionally, avoid including details about perks, benefits, job requirements and qualifications in the title. Instead, save this info for the job description.
• Internal jargon and unsearchable language. Avoid using internal acronyms, reference numbers and abbreviations in job titles, as they’re unlikely to be helpful or recognizable to job seekers.
• Clickbait and attention-grabbing elements. Exclamation points, clickbait all caps or symbols may make job titles seem like spam to candidates and discourage them from applying. For example, avoid language like “sign on bonus offered!”, “HIRING IMMEDIATELY,” or “snacks provided” in the job title. This info may prevent your job post from appearing in candidates’ searches.
• Gendered terms. Gendered job titles can unintentionally exclude or discourage certain candidates. For example, consider using titles like businessperson instead of businessman, artisan instead of craftsman and door attendant instead of doorman.

A good practice is to think of the Indeed job title field as the title of the role you’re hiring for and nothing more.

Writing a job description

Candidates may respond best to job descriptions written in a conversational, yet professional tone. It’s also best to use common language and avoid using jargon.

We recommend structuring your job description with the 3 R’s:

1. Requirements. Start with your requirements and qualifications. By keeping this information at the top, job seekers can quickly determine whether they have the background needed to be considered for the job. Requirements can include qualifications, skills, degrees, certifications, language fluency or anything else that’s a must-have to be successful in the role.
2. Responsibilities. Next, talk about what day-to-day life will be like for the person who’s hired for the job. This can be anything from specific tasks to overall employee goals.
3. Rewards. End with compensation, perks and benefits of the role. Pay range is especially important for a job post. In fact, 90% of new jobs posted directly on Indeed provide salary information. Include any other benefits your company offers, such as educational assistance, work-from-home options or wellness programs.

It can also be a good idea to use inclusive language in job descriptions to help appeal to a wider range of candidates. 

Indeed’s AI job description generator

It can be time-consuming to write job descriptions, but Indeed’s free AI Job Description Generator tool can help. It combines OpenAI’s GPT with Indeed’s proprietary AI to help you create and fine-tune job descriptions quickly.

Add the job title and location, and the tool does the rest. The job descriptions the tool generates are easy to edit, so you can review and customize them to fit your specific job and company. The tool also leverages Indeed’s machine learning and job description database to suggest certain phrases and details that may help your job description attract the right candidates.

Sample job description templates

The advice above and Indeed’s AI job description generator will both help you get started in creating a quality job description.

If you need more inspiration, check out the sample job descriptions below or our job description list for the jobs we see every day on Indeed. Use them as a foundation for writing a job post of your own.

You can also use our job description generator or check out these tips for making your job descriptions more effective.

Indeed job description FAQs

How do you post a job description?

Once you’ve written the job description, it’s easy to post it on Indeed. You’ll be prompted to add your job description to the correct section when you post your job on Indeed. Check out our guide to how to post a job on Indeed to learn the specific steps.

What is the difference between a job description and a job post?

A job description is the part of a job post that describes the role, responsibilities, benefits and other details about the position. A job post promotes the job to potential applicants. It typically includes the job title, the job description and information about how to apply.

Can I use ChatGPT to write a job description?

Yes, you can use ChatGPT to write a job description. However, it’s important to check the AI job description carefully and make any edits as needed.

Indeed’s AI Job Description Generator combines the benefits of OpenAI’s GPT (the creator of ChatGPT) with Indeed’s own proprietary AI to help you quickly create job descriptions for roles across all industries. 

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