How to write a job description that attracts the right candidates
A good job description does half your screening for you. Use this structure and template to write job posts with a searchable title, honest pay, real requirements and far fewer irrelevant applications.
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Quick answer: A job description that attracts the right people has a job title candidates actually search for, the location and work mode, a salary range, two lines on why the role exists, four to six responsibilities written as outcomes, a short list of must-have skills kept apart from the nice-to-haves, and a clear note on how you hire and how fast. Write it for the person you want to hire, not for the whole internet.
A vague job post brings hundreds of applications from people who can't do the job, and misses the people who can, because they couldn't tell the job was for them. A clear one works the other way: the right people recognise themselves, and the wrong ones skip it. That makes the job description the cheapest screening tool you have.
The 8 parts of a strong job description
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Job title | The words candidates type into a search, plus the level | "Senior Accountant", not "Numbers Ninja" |
| 2. Location and work mode | City and area; on-site, hybrid or remote | "Okhla, New Delhi. On-site, six days a week" |
| 3. Pay | A monthly or yearly range, and what is fixed or variable | "₹30,000 to ₹38,000 a month fixed, plus incentives" |
| 4. Summary | Two or three lines on the team and why the role matters | "You will look after our 200 retail customers…" |
| 5. Responsibilities | Four to six outcomes the person will own | "Close the books by the 5th of every month" |
| 6. Requirements | Three to five must-haves; nice-to-haves listed separately | "Tally and GST returns: must have" |
| 7. Benefits and conditions | Hours, weekly off, PF and ESI, travel, incentives, growth | "Health cover from day one; 10 to 7, Monday to Saturday" |
| 8. How you hire | The steps and the timeline | "Phone call, a 30-minute task, one interview. Offer within a week" |
Why you should show the salary
- It filters for you. People whose expectations are far above your budget don't apply, so fewer interviews end in a mismatch at the offer stage.
- It builds trust. A job post with no pay looks like it is hiding something, especially to experienced candidates.
- It helps you get found. Google's job search reads the job title, location, employment type and pay from job pages that publish them as structured data. Workafy job pages include these details automatically, so complete every field when you post.
If you truly can't share a number, give a band ("₹4 to 5 lakh a year") or say what it depends on. "Best in industry" is not a salary.
Write responsibilities as outcomes, not chores
Duties describe activity. Outcomes describe success, which helps candidates judge whether they can do the job and gives you something to measure later.
| Chore | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Handle accounts | Close the monthly books by the 5th and file GST returns on time |
| Do field sales | Visit 6 to 8 shops a day in South Delhi and bring in 15 new accounts a month |
| Manage social media | Plan and post 12 pieces a month on Instagram and LinkedIn and report what worked |
| Customer support | Answer customer chats within 10 minutes during working hours and resolve most on the first reply |
Requirements: cut the wish list
For each requirement, ask: "Would I reject an excellent candidate who doesn't have this?" If not, it is a nice-to-have, so move it down or delete it.
- Experience as a range. "2 to 4 years" says more than "minimum 3 years" and lets strong people with 2 apply.
- Degrees only when needed. An accountant may need a commerce degree; a sales executive usually doesn't.
- Skills over pedigree. "Can make 60 calls a day and keep notes in a CRM" beats "from a reputed college".
- Leave out gender, age, religion, caste and home state. They shut out good people. Asking for one gender for the same work also goes against the Code on Wages, which prohibits discrimination on the ground of sex in recruitment, except where a law restricts women's employment in that work.
Job description template
Copy this, then fill in the brackets.
Pay: ₹[min] to ₹[max] a [month/year] [fixed], plus [incentives/bonus if any]
Type: [Full-time / Part-time / Contract / Internship] Experience: [x to y years / Freshers welcome]
About the role
[Two or three lines: what your business does, what this person will look after, and why it matters.]
What you will do
- [Outcome 1]
- [Outcome 2]
- [Outcome 3]
- [Outcome 4]
What you need
- [Must-have skill 1]
- [Must-have skill 2]
- [Must-have skill 3]
Good to have
- [Nice-to-have 1]
- [Nice-to-have 2]
What we offer
- [Working hours and weekly off]
- [PF, ESI or health cover; leave]
- [Training, incentives, growth path]
How we hire
[Step 1], [Step 2], [Step 3]. We reply to every applicant within [x] days.
Example: Sales Executive (B2B), New Delhi
Pay: ₹25,000 to ₹32,000 a month fixed, plus monthly incentives
Type: Full-time Experience: 1 to 3 years in field or inside sales
About the role
We supply packaging to 300 restaurants and cloud kitchens across Delhi NCR. You will win new restaurant accounts in South Delhi and look after them in their first three months.
What you will do
- Visit 6 to 8 restaurants a day and pitch our products
- Bring in 15 new accounts a month
- Keep every lead and visit updated in our CRM the same day
- Hand each new account to the support team with complete details
What you need
- At least one year of selling to businesses
- Comfortable speaking Hindi and English with owners and managers
- Two-wheeler and a valid licence (fuel is reimbursed)
What we offer
- 10 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday
- PF, ESI and paid leave
- Training in your first two weeks
How we hire
A 15-minute phone call, a short role-play, and one meeting with the founder. Offer within 7 days.
Mistakes that cost you good applicants
- A creative job title nobody searches for
- No pay, or "as per industry standards"
- Twenty requirements for an entry-level role
- A wall of text with no headings or bullets
- Internal jargon and abbreviations only your team understands
- No word on what happens after someone applies
Before you publish
- The title is what a candidate would type into a search box
- Pay, location, work mode and job type are all filled in
- Responsibilities are outcomes, and there are no more than six
- Must-haves are separate from nice-to-haves
- Someone outside your team has read it and understood the job
Next, plan how you will judge the applicants with our structured interview guide, and if this is your first hire, follow the first employee checklist. Ready to go? Post your job free on Workafy.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Job posting structured data (how job details appear in Google's job search)
- Code on Wages, 2019: Section 3, prohibition of discrimination on ground of gender
Frequently asked questions
How long should a job description be?
Around 300 to 700 words is enough for most roles. Cover the title, location and work mode, pay, a short summary, four to six responsibilities, the must-have skills and how you hire. Anything longer is usually a wish list.
Should I include the salary in a job post in India?
Yes. Candidates filter and decide on pay, so a clear range brings applicants whose expectations fit and saves you interviews that end at the offer stage. Google's job search can also show the pay when the job page includes it.
What is the difference between a job description and a job post?
A job description sets out the role for your own records: duties, reporting line and requirements. A job post is the advertisement built from it, written to attract the right people, with the pay, the location and how to apply.
Can I ask for only male or only female candidates?
Not for the same work. The Code on Wages prohibits discrimination on the ground of sex when recruiting for the same or similar work, except where a law restricts women's employment in that work. Describe the work and its requirements instead.
