Hiring · July 19, 2026 · 7 min read
How to write a job description that attracts the right candidates
A vague or bloated job description filters out the people you want and attracts the ones you don't. A practical guide to writing JDs that are clear, inclusive, and set up a fair assessment.
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The job description is the first filter in hiring, and most of them filter for the wrong thing. A bloated wish-list scares off capable people and rewards those who are good at matching keywords. A clear, honest one does the opposite — it attracts people who can do the work and sets up a fair way to check.
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves
The single biggest fix: split the requirements. Most JDs list ten 'requirements' when three are actually essential. Every extra must-have narrows your funnel — and it narrows it unevenly, because research on job-ad language finds under-represented candidates are more likely to opt out when they don't meet 100% of a long list. Keep must-haves to what the person genuinely cannot start without; move the rest to 'nice to have'.
If you would still interview a candidate who lacked a given line, it is not a requirement. Move it down.
Describe outcomes, not a person
List what the role will actually do in its first six to twelve months, not a personality portrait. 'Ship and own the billing service' tells a candidate more than 'rockstar self-starter'. Outcomes also make the next step obvious: they tell you what to assess.
Write it to be fair
Neutral, specific language widens the pool. Drop degree requirements where a skill would do; a résumé credential predicts performance far more weakly than a work sample. Watch for wording that skews the applicant mix, and — because the JD feeds your screening — make sure the process it leads into is monitored for fairness (the four-fifths rule is the standard check; more in our guide to reducing bias in hiring).
Let the JD set up the assessment
A clear JD is also the input to a good assessment. Once you know the role's real skills and level, you can test them directly — weighting domain skill, judgement and the other pillars of a hire to match the job — instead of running everyone through the same generic quiz.
Write the job description you would want to receive: honest about the work, short on the wish list, and clear about how you'll decide.
Written by
Aayesha Patel · Co-founder, Hanzomon Inc
Co-founder of Hanzomon. Writes about skills-based hiring, fair assessment and building a better candidate experience.