Write Your Job Description
Three quick steps and your job description is ready to copy. Text in [brackets] shows what's still missing, and your draft is saved in this browser.
1The Role
Pick from nearly 200 roles, or type any job title.
Seniority
Hiring from
Work setup
2Your Company
3Pay
Employment type
What they will do
What they need
Nice to have
Tools and tech
Benefits
Hiring steps
- 1Pick the role.The title, seniority and hiring region set the responsibilities, requirements and suggested pay.
- 2Add your details.Your company, the first project and the pay range. Open "Customize More" to edit the lists.
- 3Copy and post."Copy formatted" keeps headings and bullets for job boards. "Copy plain text" works anywhere.
How to Write a Job Description That Gets the Right Applicants
A good job description tells the right person, in under two minutes, what the job is, what they need to have done before, what it pays and how to apply. It also helps the wrong people rule themselves out. The generator above handles the structure and the wording. This guide explains what each part should say, the rules US employers need to follow, and the mistakes that cost you strong candidates.
Key takeaways
- Lead with the work: what the person will do in their first months matters more than a list of adjectives.
- Keep must-haves to four to seven. Put everything else under "nice to have."
- Include a pay range. Many US states now require one in job posts.
- Aim for 300 to 800 words, with clear headings and short bullets.
What to Include in a Job Description
Most strong job descriptions follow the same format. Candidates skim, so each section should have a clear heading and get to the point.
How to Write a Job Description, Step by Step
- 01Start with the outcome.Before you write anything, answer one question: what does this person need to get done in their first six months? That answer becomes your "About the role" section and your first project.
- 02Use a title people actually search for."Python Developer" gets found. "Code Ninja" or an internal title does not. Add the level and the setup, and keep it short.
- 03List responsibilities as actions.Start each bullet with a verb and describe real work: "Design and maintain the APIs our mobile app uses" says more than "Responsible for back-end development."
- 04Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.Every must-have should be something you would actually reject a candidate for missing. If you would still hire someone without it, move it down.
- 05Be specific about experience, not age or degrees.Ask for the skills and years of experience the work needs. Only require a degree when the job truly needs one.
- 06Say what you pay.Give a real range for the level you are hiring. Candidates skip posts without one, and in many states it is the law.
- 07Explain the process.List the interview steps so candidates know what to expect and how long it takes.
- 08Read it as a candidate.Cut filler, check the length and make sure someone outside your company would understand every line.
Free Job Description Template
If you would rather write it yourself, copy this template and fill in the brackets. It follows the same format the generator uses.
Pay Transparency Laws: When a Salary Range Is Required
A growing number of US states and cities require employers to include a pay range in job postings. As of 2026, that includes California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington and Washington, DC, and more states have passed similar laws. Each law has its own rules on employer size, what counts as a posting and what else to disclose, such as benefits.
Pay range required in job posts, as of 2026
- California
- Colorado
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- Vermont
- Washington
- Washington, DC
More states have passed similar laws. Rules on employer size and remote roles vary.
Several of these laws also cover remote jobs that could be done from that state, so a fully remote post can fall under them even if your company is based elsewhere. The simplest way to stay safe is to include an honest range in every post. It also saves time: people who apply already know the range, so fewer late-stage conversations fall apart over pay.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state and city rules, or ask an employment attorney, before you post.
Words to Avoid in a Job Description
Some wording puts off good candidates, and some can create legal risk. Watch for these:
Age-coded language
digital nativeyoung and energeticrecent graduate
These phrases can suggest an age preference. Federal law bars job notices that show a preference based on age for workers 40 and over.
Gender-coded words
rockstarninjadominate
Terms like these can discourage some applicants. Describe the work instead.
Vague filler
fast-paced environmentself-starterwears many hats
These say little. Replace them with what the job actually involves.
Unneeded physical requirements
Only list physical tasks that are truly part of the job. Under the ADA, a written job description prepared before you advertise can be used as evidence of a job's essential functions, so make it accurate.
Inflated requirements
Ten years of experience for a mid-level role, or a degree for work that does not need one, shrinks your pool without improving it.
Job Description vs Job Posting
The two terms are often used as if they mean the same thing, but there is a difference.
Job description
The internal document that defines the role: duties, requirements, reporting lines and how the job is measured.
Job posting
The public ad you put on job boards and your careers page. It is shorter, written for candidates and focused on why they should apply.
The generator above writes a job posting built on a solid job description, so you can use it for both.
Writing a Job Description for a Remote Role in Latin America
More US companies now hire remote talent in Latin America, where time zones overlap with US business hours. If you are hiring there, the job description needs a few changes:
1State the time zone overlap.
Say how many hours a day the person needs to share with your team, and which time zone.
2Say how and in what currency you pay.
Candidates want to know if pay is in US dollars and whether it is a contractor or employee arrangement.
3Set the English level clearly.
Say whether the role needs written English for async work, spoken English for customer calls, or both.
4Use a realistic salary range.
Use a range for the Latin America market, not the US range. Set "Hiring from" to Latin America in the generator to get a suggested range.
If you would rather skip the job post altogether, we can send you a shortlist of vetted candidates instead. See the roles we hire for, including AI and machine learning talent, or use our H-1B vs nearshore cost calculator to compare the cost with a US hire.
LatamCent by the numbers
What hiring looks like when we do the searching for you:



