How to Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Candidates

Focus on the right information in your job description

Be specific about required and preferred qualifications

Many candidates scan the qualifications section first to decide whether to keep reading or apply. Clear, concrete requirements can help people quickly understand whether they may be a match, while ‘nice to have’ details can encourage others to consider applying.

As you define qualifications, you might:

• separate required and preferred criteria so candidates can easily see the difference
• use clear experience ranges, for example ‘several years of experience in customer service’ instead of ‘some experience’
• name relevant tools and skills a person will use in the role
• focus on job-related skills and outcomes rather than an exhaustive list of preferences.

The more precisely you describe qualifications, the easier it can be for people who are a potential fit to recognise themselves in the role and decide whether to apply. Indeed’s matching and sourcing tools can then use those details to suggest candidates whose skills and experience are closer to what you need, helping you focus your time on the most relevant applicants.

Salary range and career progression in your job posting

Pay information is often one of the first details candidates look for in a job posting. When possible, sharing a realistic pay range can help set expectations early and support more informed decisions on both sides. In some locations, employers may also have legal requirements related to pay transparency, so consider checking local guidance if you’re unsure.

You might:

• include a clear salary range that reflects what your organisation expects to pay for the role
• explain how pay is structured, such as whether bonuses, commission or other incentives may apply
• highlight potential progression opportunities, such as chances to take on more responsibility, build skills or move into related roles over time.

Being open about pay and progression can help you attract candidates whose expectations are more closely aligned with what you offer. Indeed’s labour market data and insights can also help you compare your range against typical benchmarks in your area and adjust as needed.

Share what it’s like to work at your company

Alongside job duties and pay, many candidates want to understand what day-to-day life might feel like at your organisation. A short ‘About us’ or ‘Work environment’ section in the job description can help provide that context.

You may want to describe:

• work style and location, for example whether the role is on-site, hybrid or remote, and what a typical schedule looks like
• work–life balance and wellbeing, including any practices or programs that support time away from work, manageable workloads or sustainable performance
• benefits and time off, such as high-level information about benefits, holiday or paid time off and any additional perks your organisation chooses to offer
• how performance is evaluated, including how you share feedback, recognise strong work and support growth
• how this role connects to your company’s mission or goals, so candidates can see the impact of their work.

Aim for straightforward language you might use when emailing a co-worker. If your organisation/organisation has an Indeed Company Page, you can reinforce this story with photos, reviews and additional details about your workplace, or refer readers to your Company Page from the job description.

Use Indeed tools to support your job description

If you’re starting from a blank page or updating an existing role, Indeed’s AI Job Description Generator* can quickly create a clear, scannable draft based on your role details. You can then review the suggestions, adjust the language to match your culture and add specifics like pay range, benefits and screening questions before you post.

Use screening questions and hiring tools effectively

Once your job description is clear, Indeed tools can help you spend more time with candidates who may meet your minimum criteria.

When you post a job on Indeed, you can:

• use screening questions so Indeed can help surface applicants who are more closely aligned with your needs, based on the criteria you set. Job seekers respond to the specific questions as part of the apply flow, giving you further insights into their qualifications and background alongside their application
• enable Indeed Apply so candidates can apply quickly using their Indeed profile, which can help reduce drop-off during the application process.

For ongoing roles or harder-to-fill positions, you can also use Indeed Smart Sourcing to search broader talent pools, see matches based on your criteria and invite promising candidates to apply. You can learn more about these options in the Hiring with Indeed resource centre

Make your job description easy to scan

Many people skim job postings on a phone or between other tasks. Formatting your description so that it is easy to scan can help candidates quickly find the details that matter most to them.

Consider:

• using clear headings such as ‘Job summary’, ‘Responsibilities’, ‘Qualifications’ and ‘Benefits’ so readers can jump to what they need
• keeping paragraphs short and using bullet points for responsibilities and requirements
• putting key details such as location, work pattern, pay information and top qualifications near the top of the description
• avoiding internal jargon and acronyms that may be unclear to candidates.

Clean, organised formatting can make your job description easier to understand at a glance and may encourage more qualified candidates to complete their application.

Align your job description with your hiring process

Your job description doesn’t have to stand alone. When you use it consistently across your career site, your ATS and Indeed tools such as Smart Sourcing and screening questions, you create a single, clear view of the role for both candidates and your team. This alignment can make it easier to compare applicants fairly, track performance and adjust future job postings as your needs change.

You might:

• use the same core description on your career site, in your ATS and on Indeed so candidates see a consistent view of the role wherever they find it
• keep requirements and responsibilities synchronised with tools like Smart Sourcing so matching and recommendations reflect your current needs
• review performance regularly with Indeed’s analytics and hiring insights tools to see which descriptions appear to drive the most relevant applications and where you may want to adjust
• capture learnings from each job posting cycle and update your templates so future postings start from the strongest version of your description to date.

Putting it all together

A well-structured job description can support a more efficient hiring process by helping candidates decide whether to apply and helping you focus on applications that are more likely to be a match. Reviewing your existing job posts with these ideas in mind, and pairing them with Indeed hiring tools and AI features, can help you refine future job postings over time.

*Available only in the US

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