The clarity of job descriptions and specifications is a decisive resource in recruitment. 72% of hiring managers believe their job descriptions and specifications are clear, but only 36% of candidates agree with that. And this disconnect costs time, money, and top talent.
Want 44% more applicants? Include salary info.
Losing 60% of candidates to lengthy applications? Streamline your process.
When you master job descriptions and specifications by optimizing recruiting posts, you’ll cut through the noise and land the right people. This guide will spell out the key differences between a job description and specification and show you how to craft listings that speak directly to your ideal candidates.
As a bonus, you will also get a free job analysis template that will equip you to craft well-written job descriptions and specifications. Let’s dive right in.
What is a Job Description?
A job description is a document that outlines a role’s scope and requirements. It also includes the company’s culture, vision, and values to get the right fit for the business. A well-written job description includes:
- Responsibilities associated with the job role
- Duties expected of the candidate
- Necessary skills
- Performance standards
A job description is a great guide for applicant interviews, new hire onboarding, and performance reviews.
How To Write An Effective Job Description?
Incorporate the following aspects to write a job description that conveys your company’s objectives.
- Job title: Most job seekers (43%) use job boards with SEO strategies. So, make sure you use the ranking industry-standard terms in your job listings. Also, use accurate terms to attract qualified candidates.
| 💡Vague titles like “Sales Ninja” might sound cool, but a clear “Inside Sales Representative” is what you need to attract the best talent. |
- Company mission: Add two to four lines about your company’s mission. 72% of candidates proceed with the application only if they understand the company statement. But be concise because people applying for multiple roles may skip elaborate company descriptions.
| 💡If you feel your applicants must grasp your core values before proceeding, direct them to your company’s profile. |
- Job responsibilities: Top-performing job descriptions outline responsibilities and tasks for candidates to measure performance goals against.
- Use full sentences to define responsibilities.
- 5-10 bullet points of daily tasks and expectations.
- Be detailed enough to set clear expectations on KPIs and results expected
| 💡Use action verbs to be impactful. For example,Weak: “Responsible for managing social media accounts.”Strong: “Develop and execute engaging social media campaigns to drive brand awareness and engagement.” |
- Must-have skills: Most job posts have eight key qualifications. List the required skills in 5-7 bullet points.
- List critical skills and years of experience.
- State any application requirements such as portfolios, resumes, or cover letters.
- Detail education, experience, certifications, and familiarity with specific platforms.
- Compensation: Although 61% of job seekers put salary first, 99% of top job descriptions leave it out. Providing compensation info will attract more applicants.
| 💡If you’re not in a position to add exact numbers, add a salary range,Example: “$80,000 – $100,000, based on experience”. |
- Time: Be clear about the working hours, including flexibility, time zone, or industry-specific schedules.
- Location: Mention whether it’s an Onsite or remote role; if Onsite, add details like preferred location and relocation preferences.
| 💡Embed Google Maps to your website to guide potential applicants. A map provides insight into the surrounding area and helps out-of-town applicants understand the local environment. |
- Work Culture and Environment: Describe the working conditions clearly. Include physical requirements, dress code, and work environment. This information sets clear expectations for applicants and helps them decide if the job suits them.
Suggested read: 5 Ways to Lead a Transparent Culture in the Workplace
- Call-to-action: End your job description with specific application instructions, such as “To apply, email your resume and cover letter to hiring@company.com.” A clear CTA makes sure interested candidates know exactly how to proceed.
| 💡It’s recommended to have an “Apply Now” button that takes the applicant to the job portal. Pro tip: Add contact information to offer them a way to get back for any clarification or doubts |
📜A Quick Guide to Improve Your Job Descriptions |
Job Description Example of Us + Brands
Social Media Manager
About Us:
At [ Company Name ], we’re on a mission to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and everyday users. Our team is passionate about making complex tech simple and accessible for everyone. We’re looking for a creative and data-driven Social Media Manager to join our marketing team and help us spread our message across digital platforms.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute engaging social media campaigns to drive brand awareness and engagement across multiple platforms (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok)
- Create and curate compelling content that resonates with our tech-savvy audience and aligns with our brand voice
- Analyze social media metrics and provide actionable insights to continuously improve our social media strategy
- Collaborate with the product and content teams to showcase our latest innovations and educate our audience
- Manage community engagement, responding to comments and messages in a timely and on-brand manner
- Stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends and platform updates, implementing new features as appropriate
- Coordinate with influencers and industry partners for collaborative content and campaigns
Must-Have Skills:
- 3+ years of experience in social media management, preferably in the tech industry
- Proficiency in social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Sprout Social)
- Strong copywriting skills with the ability to adapt tone for different platforms and audiences
- Experience with social media advertising and budget management
- Basic graphic design skills (Canva proficiency is a plus)
- Analytical mindset with experience in social media metrics and reporting
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field
Compensation:
$65,000 – $85,000 per year, depending on experience.
*We offer performance-based bonuses and stock options.
Work Environment:
- Full-time position, Monday to Friday
- Hybrid work model: 2 days in-office, 3 days remote
- Office located in downtown Seattle, WA
Perks and Benefits:
- Flexible work hours
- Unlimited PTO
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) matching
- Monthly tech stipend
- Professional development budget
How to Apply:
Ready to join our team? Click the “Apply Now” button below to submit your resume, portfolio, and a brief cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.
Have questions? Contact our HR team at careers@techconnect.com
[ Company Name ] is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
* Don’t just tell us about your social media experience – show us! Include links to your best social media campaigns or profiles you’ve managed in your application.
[Apply Now]
👉Let’s look at a few real-time examples of well-written job descriptions.
Glassdoor’s Job Description – A Fine Balance
This job description from Glassdoor nails it. It’s clear about what they need.
- Clear, specific requirements (like 4+ years of Android experience)
- Balances technical needs with company culture info
- Uses bullet points for easy scanning
Those are the kinds of things that make people want to apply.
Amgen Job Description – A creative approach
Here’s another example from a popular company’s job description. Amgen employs subheadings like “WIN” to showcase the role’s required and desired skills, “LIVE” to describe the position, and “THRIVE” to highlight some of its advantages and perks for employees.
It has also added a call to action: “Apply now for a career that defies imagination.” Applicants who have become tired of the same old boring headlines in all the job ads would appreciate this creativity.
What is a Job Specification?
Job specification details the skills and attributes needed to carry out a job successfully. They draw attention to the qualities, competencies, training, and professional background an applicant must possess to perform the duties outlined in the job description.
Job specification is also known as person specification or employee specification and lays out all the hard and soft skills that successful candidates will possess. They help:
- To help applicants determine if they qualify for a position
- To assist the hiring team in the candidate selection process
- To record details about the position and the abilities needed to perform it
- To record the position’s objectives and the individual’s expected conduct in different work situations.
How To Write An Effective Job Specification?
Here are the main components of a well-written job specification with tips to optimize it for your job roles.
1. Educational qualifications
Add the specific educational background you expect your employees to have here. You can be specific but not overly restrictive. Sometimes, experience can outdo formal education.
👉 Example: “Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field. We’re also excited about candidates with unconventional backgrounds who can demonstrate relevant skills.”
2. Skill set
What other skills must your candidates possess? List both hard and soft skills required. Add a “Nice-to-have skills” section to attract top talents. Keep this section short and optional.
| 💡Quick Tip: Use a visual scale to indicate proficiency levels for each skill. Example: Python: ●●●●○ Communication: ●●●●● Project Management: ●●●○○ |
3. Experience level
Specify the type and extent of experience required. If the role is flexible, indicate a range (e.g., 2-5 years) and mention if equivalent roles or industry experience can compensate. Include examples of project types or roles that would be ideal precursors for the position to help candidates visualize their career trajectory aligning with this role.
4. Personality traits
In this section, you can add all the traits your employee needs to thrive in your work environment. These traits could be adaptability, creativity, and time management – anything that makes them a cultural fit for the team and speaks volumes to the clients, customers, or business partners.
| 💡Quick Tip: Try to present these traits in a ‘Day in the Life’ scenario where you describe how these traits play out in daily interactions and tasks. |
Here’s An Example Of A Job Specification of Us + Brands
Digital Marketing Manager
Educational Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Digital Communications, or related field.
*We’re also excited about candidates with unconventional backgrounds who can demonstrate relevant skills and experience.
Required Skills:
- Digital Marketing Strategy: ●●●●●
- SEO/SEM: ●●●●○
- Social Media Marketing: ●●●●●
- Content Creation: ●●●○○
- Data Analytics: ●●●●○
- Project Management: ●●●●○
Nice-to-have Skills:
- Graphic Design: ●●○○○
- Video Production: ●●○○○
*Proficiency levels – ● Beginner, ●● Basic, ●●● Intermediate, ●●●● Advanced, ●●●●● Expert
Experience Level:
3-5 years of experience in digital marketing roles. We’re particularly interested in candidates who have:
- Led successful multi-channel marketing campaigns
- Managed a marketing budget of $10,000+
- Experience in B2B SaaS marketing is a plus
* Experience in digital communications or online brand management will also be considered.
Personality Traits:
We’re looking for someone who is:
- Creative and innovative
- Adaptable to rapidly changing digital trends
- A strong communicator and team player
- Data-driven and results-oriented
- Proactive and self-motivated
👉 We have a few real-time examples of job specifications.
Parsyl’s job specification – Simple yet detailed
Take a look at Parsyl’s job specification for an Underwriter role. Here’s what we liked
- Organizes requirements into distinct categories (e.g., Experience and Expertise, Innovative Underwriting Skills)
- Uses bullet points to break down key requirements
- Includes a “bonus” section for additional desirable skills
OneMain Financial job specifications – Stands out from the crowd.
Job specifications from OneMain Financial distinguish it from a regular job specification. It starts with a concise, impactful overview of the role’s purpose and includes a “Success Profile” section to highlight desired traits. Note how it balances detailed responsibilities with brief, clear requirements.
The Success Profile is a standout feature. It uses a colorful pie chart to represent key traits visually, making the desired qualities more memorable and helping candidates quickly assess their fit.
Job Description Vs. Job Specification
You now know how job descriptions and job specifications work. They are integral to a job analysis. Let’s look at a quick summary of their differences.
| Component | Job Description | Job Specification |
| Motive | Outlines what the job entails | Details who should do the job |
| Focus | Tasks and responsibilities | Qualifications and attributes |
| Content | Daily duties, reporting structure, objectives | Education, skills, experience, personality traits |
| Recruitment usage | Attracts candidates, sets role expectations | Screens applicants, guides interview questions |
| Perspective | Company’s view of the role | Ideal candidate’s profile |
| Flexibility | Can change with company needs | Typically more fixed |
| Performance evaluation | Basis for job performance metrics | Helps assess cultural fit and skill match |
| Time orientation | Present and near-future focused | Past (experience) and present (skills) focused |
| Updating frequency | Often updated with role changes | Updated less frequently, usually during major role revisions |
Here’s Your Bonus Template
As promised, here is a job analysis template you can use right away. Note this is a basic template — feel free to tweak it according to your company’s needs.
| [Clear, searchable job title] About [Company Name]: [2-3 sentences about company mission, culture, and what makes it unique] Job Summary: We’re seeking a [job title] to join our team and [main purpose of the role]. You’ll be responsible for [brief overview of key responsibilities]. What You’ll Do: (a) [Key responsibility 1] (b) [Key responsibility 2] (c) [Key responsibility 3] (d) [Continue as needed, aim for 6-10 points] What You’ll Bring: (a) [Essential qualification 1] (b) [Essential qualification 2] (c) [Essential qualification 3] (d) [Continue as needed] Bonus Points: (a) [Nice-to-have skill 1] (b) [Nice-to-have skill 2] Why [Company Name]: (a) [Key benefit or perk 1] (b) [Key benefit or perk 2] (c)[Key benefit or perk 3] A Day in the Life: [Brief description of what a typical day might look like in this role] Salary Range: [Include if possible] Ready to Join Us? [Clear instructions on how to apply] [Company Name] is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. [Apply Now] |
Enhance Your Job Descriptions with Peoplebox
Crafting effective job descriptions is essential for attracting the right talent. Peoplebox helps organizations streamline the process of creating clear, engaging, and goal-oriented job descriptions that align with their strategic objectives. By integrating job descriptions with performance management, Peoplebox ensures that each role is positioned for success from the start.
Key Features of Peoplebox for Job Descriptions:
- Automated candidate screening: Peoplebox can automate the whole process of filtering and shortlisting resumes of applicants for the required post. It can do tasks on thousands of applications with accuracy in just a matter of seconds.
- Role Clarity and Competency Mapping: Map your job roles with the required competencies and see their relevance in terms of organizational goals.
- Alignment with other platforms: More than 50+ HRIS, ATS, and Communication platforms natively integrate with Peoplebox, so you now manage the entire recruitment plan.
- Resume Screening Scoring and Shortlisting: The AI Resume screening automatically grades and shortlists candidates based on the core matching and attributes.
What makes Peoplebox unique is its integration of job descriptions with performance management, ensuring that each role is not only well-defined but also strategically aligned with your organization’s objectives. By using Peoplebox, you can create job descriptions that attract the right candidates while setting the groundwork for their future success.
Get a glimpse of how Peoplebox make performance reviews painless, actionable and fair
Summing Up
We hope this guide has given you an understanding about the roles of job descriptions and job specifications. These are two different concepts that work together to complete an impactful job posting.
By clearly outlining responsibilities, required skills, and company culture, you’ll draw in applicants who are super excited about the role. And don’t forget to update your job specification and descriptions through feedback and outcomes. Your next great hire could be just one well-written job description away.
FAQs
1. What are job description and job specifications?
A job description lists general information about the job — such as the specific job title and summary, who the candidate reports to, compensation and benefits information, core duties, etc. A job specification is a part of the description that lists the educational qualifications, technical skills, and personal attributes that the ideal candidate is expected to have.
2. What is the difference between a job description and a person specification?
Job description and person specification are important tools in the recruitment process. A job description details the complete purpose of a job role and the primary tasks to be performed. The person specification included within the description details the necessary skills and capabilities needed to carry out the job efficiently.
3. How do you write a job description and job specification example?
Writing a job description and specification requires a thorough job analysis. The hiring managers should list the title, required qualifications, specialized knowledge, and details of compensation and benefits relevant to a particular job and the department.
4. What is a job description and example?
A job description lists the essential details of jobs posted on behalf of an organization. An example of this post in recruiting involves adding a clear job summary, required technical abilities, terms of salary increases or benefits, responsibilities, and working conditions. It is a part of job analysis and involves understanding the necessary training needs.
