How to write a job description that attracts the right people
A job description does two jobs. It attracts people who would be good at the role, and it discourages people who would not. Most descriptions do neither, because they are written as internal documents and posted as advertisements.
Start with what the person will actually do
Before writing anything, answer one question: what will this person have accomplished in six months if the hire goes well?
Write that down. It becomes the spine of the description, it tells you which requirements are real, and it gives you the criteria you will interview against. If you cannot answer it, the role is not ready to post.
The structure that works
Title
Use the title the market uses, not your internal one. Nobody searches for "Customer Happiness Ninja" or "Associate II, Client Solutions". If the market calls it a Customer Support Specialist, call it that.
The opening
Two or three sentences on what the company does and why the role exists. Skip the corporate mission statement. Candidates want to know what they would be joining and what problem they would own.
What you will do
Five to seven bullets, written as outcomes rather than duties. "Own the monthly close for three entities" is better than "Assist with accounting tasks as needed."
What we are looking for
This is where most descriptions go wrong. Split it honestly into requirements and preferences, and be strict about what goes in the first list.
A long list of requirements does not raise your standards, it shrinks your pool, and it shrinks it unevenly. Research on hiring has repeatedly found that candidates from under represented groups are more likely to self select out when they do not meet every listed requirement, while others apply anyway. A padded requirements list quietly filters for confidence rather than capability.
Ask of each item: would we genuinely reject an otherwise excellent candidate for missing this? If not, it is a preference.
Practical details
Location and whether it is remote, hybrid, or on site. Schedule, including whether it follows another country's hours. Language requirements stated precisely. And the salary range.
Publish the salary range
This is the single highest leverage change most employers can make.
Without a range, you get applications from people far outside your budget, you spend interview hours discovering that, and you lose candidates at the offer stage. With a range, the mismatches filter themselves out before anyone wastes time.
If you are uncomfortable publishing it, that discomfort is usually a signal that the range is not competitive. That is worth knowing before you start, not after two months of searching.
Language that helps and language that hurts
- Cut the clichés. "Fast paced environment", "wear many hats", and "rockstar" are so common they carry no information, and the first two often read as a warning about workload.
- Be concrete about the team. Who they report to, how big the team is, who they work with daily.
- Watch the tone. Descriptions loaded with aggressive or competitive language measurably narrow the applicant pool.
- Keep it short. Anything over about 700 words loses people. The description is an advertisement, not a contract.
Write for the country you are hiring in
If you are hiring in Costa Rica from head office abroad, do not copy a posting from your home market. Seniority labels do not map cleanly, benefits expectations differ, and statutory entitlements are already law rather than perks. Listing the thirteenth month as a benefit tells a Costa Rican candidate that you do not know the market.
A quick test before you post
Read it as a strong candidate who is currently employed and not desperate. Is it clear what they would own? Is it clear whether they qualify? Is there any reason to be interested beyond needing a job? If any answer is no, revise before posting.
We write and calibrate role definitions with clients as part of the search. It is usually the cheapest hour in the whole process.