A good job description does two jobs: it attracts the right candidates and gives everyone a clear picture of what the role really is.
| Job description | Job posting (ad) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Defines the role internally | Attracts applicants |
| Audience | Employees, managers, HR | Job seekers |
| Tone | Precise and complete | Engaging and persuasive |
| Content | Duties, qualifications, reporting, physical demands, classification | Highlights of the role, pay, benefits, culture, how to apply |
| Lifespan | Updated when the job changes | Runs for the hiring period |
Most small businesses write one document that serves both purposes. That works, as long as it is accurate.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Job title | A clear, common title candidates search for, such as “Line Cook” not “Culinary Ninja” |
| Summary | Two or three sentences on why the role exists and what success looks like |
| Essential duties | The main tasks, starting with the most important and most time-consuming |
| Qualifications | Required skills, licenses, certifications and experience; separate required from preferred |
| Physical requirements and work environment | Lifting, standing, heat, noise, outdoor work, travel |
| Schedule | Full-time or part-time, shifts, weekends, holidays, on-call |
| Location | Site, multiple sites, remote or hybrid |
| Reports to | Supervisor title |
| Pay and benefits | Pay range or rate, tips if relevant, and key benefits |
| Classification | Exempt or non-exempt, full-time or part-time (often internal only) |
| EEO statement | Equal opportunity employer statement and how to request accommodations |
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which applies to employers with 15 or more employees, a person with a disability is qualified if they can perform the job’s essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. A written job description prepared before advertising or interviewing is one piece of evidence of what the essential functions are. Make sure the duties you list are real, and describe physical requirements by what must be accomplished (for example, “move cases of product weighing up to 50 pounds”) rather than how.
Include a line inviting applicants to request accommodations during the hiring process.
A growing number of states and cities require employers to include a good-faith pay range in job postings, provide ranges on request or disclose them at certain stages of hiring. Some also require a general description of benefits. Rules differ on employer size, which postings are covered and whether remote roles count. Check the laws where your job is located and where applicants may live. Many jurisdictions also ban asking candidates about salary history.
Whether a job is exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act depends on the actual duties and how the person is paid, not the title. Most exemptions require a salary at or above a threshold and duties that meet specific tests for executive, administrative, professional or certain other roles. Hourly frontline jobs are generally non-exempt and eligible for overtime over 40 hours in a workweek. Some states have stricter tests. Get this right when you write the description, because misclassification is costly.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| “Young, energetic team” | “Fast-paced, friendly team” |
| “Rockstar,” “ninja,” “guru” | The actual job title |
| “Native English speaker” | “Communicates clearly in English with customers” (if truly required) |
| “Must have a car” | “Must have reliable transportation to the job site” (if truly required) |
| “Clean-shaven” or appearance rules | Describe the real safety or hygiene requirement and note accommodations |
| “10+ years of experience” | The skills that experience gives, unless the years are truly required |
Age, sex, race, national origin, religion, disability and other protected characteristics should never appear as requirements. See our guide to building an inclusive workplace.
Copy and adapt this outline:
For role-specific examples, see our cleaner job description and construction worker job description.
Here is a short example to show the template in action. Adapt the details to your kitchen.
Jobs change. Review descriptions at least once a year and whenever duties change significantly, such as after new equipment or a reorganization. Use them in performance reviews, career paths and training plans. Store signed copies in the digital employee file so employees can find their own.
A job title, summary, essential duties, qualifications, physical requirements and working conditions, schedule, location, reporting line, pay and benefits, and an equal opportunity statement.
Usually 300 to 700 words. Long enough to be clear and accurate, short enough to read on a phone.
In a growing number of states and cities, yes: pay transparency laws require a good-faith pay range in postings. Even where it is not required, including pay usually increases applications.
The fundamental duties of the job that a person must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. Under the ADA, a written job description prepared before hiring is one piece of evidence of what those functions are.
No. Exempt status under the FLSA depends on the job’s actual duties and pay, not the title.
Review them at least annually and whenever the job changes significantly.
Yes. Writing it first clarifies what you need, helps you screen fairly and gives you a reference point for interviews, onboarding and performance reviews.
Field staff clock in from the EZTime app with a GPS stamp, and geofencing can limit clock-ins to approved locations. See current plans and what each one includes on the pricing page.