How to Write a Good Job Description

Job Description Management

A Step-by-Step Guide for HR & Compensation Teams (2026 Update)

As AI continues to rapidly reshape job requirements in 2026, job descriptions are becoming more of a strategic tool to define roles, guide workforce planning, and ensure fair, future-ready compensation decisions. A well-crafted job description (JD) serves multiple purposes: it attracts the right candidates, clarifies expectations, defines success, supports performance management, aligns with compensation and classification, and helps mitigate legal risk.

What’s changed since earlier years:

The explosion of remote / hybrid work means jobs may span jurisdictions and bring new nuances.
Pay-transparency laws are proliferating (state, local, sometimes global) and candidates increasingly expect compensation clarity.
Classification issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) – exempt vs non-exempt – continue to be a major compliance area.
Skills-first and competency-based hiring is gaining ground: JDs that focus purely on “degree X, years Y” are being challenged.
Employer brand and candidate experience matter more: the JD is often a candidate’s first real impression of you.
AI and automation in hiring are growing which means your job posting language gets parsed, searched and filtered more than ever.

This guide is for HR & compensation teams who want to update their job descriptions within 2026.

This step-by-step guide cuts through the noise with practical advice, key legal-compliance musts, and 2026-specific trends to help you finally modernize your job descriptions this year.

Key Takeaways

Job descriptions have become strategic infrastructure: As competition continues to grow for top tier skills clarity and alignment are more critical than ever.
AI and automation are rapidly reshaping job requirements: forcing organizations to review and update JDs more frequently to keep pace with evolving responsibilities, skills, tools, and decision-making expectations.
Pay transparency and remote/hybrid complexity are redefining JD standards: Requiring clear salary ranges, location eligibility, and compliance with multi-jurisdiction laws.
Skills-first hiring is accelerating: Organizations are moving away from rigid degree/years requirements and toward competencies, measurable outcomes, and essential functions validated by SMEs. Job descriptions need to shift away from traditional degree-based requirements.
Compliance pressures continue to grow: Particularly around FLSA classification, ADA considerations, and inclusive language reinforcing the need for structured governance, version control, and regular JD maintenance.

Step 0: Clarify Purpose & Audience

Before writing the JD, answer three questions:

Why are we writing/updating this job description? (New role? Reclassification? Fixing pay-band mis-alignment? Hiring? Performance-management alignment? Changes to job requirements?)
- Be clear internally: is it for posting, internal role management, classification, pay banding?
Who is the audience & what is the objective?
- There are technically 3 job documents an organization should have that all need to align but are slightly different in their design based on the audience and the objective. Reference the chart below from designed by comp expert Shari Nornes before starting to identify which document is most appropriate to write or update.

How does this role align with the broader organizational strategy or function? (If new)
- What business problem does this role solve? What value does it deliver?
- How does it support our employer brand and culture?

Clarifying purpose and audience early ensures the job description is structured to achieve the desired objective, relevant, and meets the needs of all stakeholders.

Step 1: Define the Role at a High Level

This section sets the context. Key elements:

Job Title

Choose a title that reflects common market terminology & the required work (so it’s searchable, common enough where people generally know what the role entails, and aligns well with market data) rather than internal jargon or “creative” buzzwords.
Avoid titles like “rock-star developer”, “ninja marketer” as they may alienate candidates, filter out talent, and create confusion around what the job actually entails.
Ensure consistency across your organization (i.e., role hierarchies, levels).

Job Summary / Purpose

In 2-4 sentences, summarize why this role exists: the key objective/impact.
Example: “The Senior Data Analyst reports to the Head of Business Intelligence and delivers actionable insights across product, marketing and operations to drive revenue growth.”
Be clear about the reporting line, team, functional area.

Org Context & Scope

Specify where the role sits: department, team, function.
Clarify whether it’s an individual contributor or has direct reports. This will be important later when it comes to job design and FLSA determinations.
Indicate span of control or key relationships (internal and external).
Example: “This role collaborates with product, marketing, finance, and oversees a team of two junior analysts.”

By doing this, you set up clarity for both internal stakeholders and potential candidates so there are no surprises.

Step 2: Outline Key Responsibilities & Scope

This is the heart of the job description. It describes the “what” of the job.

Define Essential Functions

Capture the major duties – those tasks that take up the majority of time and are critical to success. The best way to capture this information is to work with subject matter experts to get this information or conduct a job analysis. Then you can use that data to influence your first draft job description or job update.
Use action verbs (Lead, Develop, Manage, Analyse, Collaborate, Resolve).
Be specific about outcomes or metrics where possible (e.g., “manage month-end close process within 3 business days”, “increase conversion rate by X%”).
If helpful, you can show approximate time weighting (e.g., “40%: Data modelling & insight generation”).
Distinguish “essential” vs “non-essential” tasks – useful for accommodations/ADA.

Scope & Decision-Making

Clarify level of autonomy: “makes independent decisions”, “works with minimal supervision”, “reports to manager with oversight”.
Show decision-making authority (budget, hires, strategy, vendor selection) if applicable.
Describe the breadth of impact: “serves a global function”, “supports 5 markets”, “owns a $2 m budget”.
Highlight collaboration: who this role interacts with (cross-functional teams, senior leadership, external partners).

Avoid Pitfalls

Too vague (“other duties as assigned”) without context – leave room, but not at the expense of clarity.
Over-listing many low-impact or rarely used tasks – make sure they reflect the role as performed. The position description is a document that can be used internally to be more descriptive about the position. The aim of the core job description is to keep it concise.
Outdated or mismatched responsibilities (especially in evolving roles) – this is a good time to refresh. The standard in past years was to review job descriptions every year for accuracy or on an “as needed” basis. With the evolution of AI – many jobs may need to be evaluated multiple times a year to account for changes.

Step 3: Capture Qualifications & Competencies

Describe the “who” – what skills the role holder needs to possess.

Required vs Preferred

Required Qualifications: non-negotiables (e.g., “Bachelor’s in Accounting”, “5 + years of audit experience”).
Preferred Qualifications: nice-to-haves (e.g., “MBA”, “experience in fintech”).
Be mindful: overly strict “required” lists can shrink your candidate pool when recruiting unnecessarily, especially in “skills-first” trends. As a best practice – keep your required skills list as tight as possible – 5 stop skills is a great target.

Skills & Competencies

Technical/hard skills: e.g., “SQL, PowerBI, Tableau”, “German language proficiency”, “CMA certification”.
Behavioral/soft competencies: e.g., “excellent stakeholder management”, “comfortable with ambiguity”, “strong analytical mindset”.
Consider competency-based phrasing (so the job description aligns with performance and development frameworks).

Education & Experience

If you require specific degrees, ensure there’s logical alignment with the role. 4-year degree requirements in many industries for certain jobs are becoming antiquated as alternative education options become more plentiful and the 4-year degree becomes less of a predictive metric for success as it used to be.
Consider whether you might include “or equivalent experience” to broaden candidate pools.
Specify experience level in terms of direct relevant scope, complexity, scale of responsibilities (e.g., “3–5 years managing global teams of finance professionals”).

Legal/Compliance Notes

Avoid discriminatory phrasing (e.g., age, gender, marital status, unrelated personal traits).
If there are licensure/certification requirements that are legally protected, ensure you provide context.
Align qualification requirements with internal banding, pay-level expectations and career progression.

Step 4: Working Conditions, Context & Logistics

More than mere “fine print”, this section helps candidates and internal teams understand the realistic context of the role.

Location & Remote/Hybrid

Specify where the job is based (city/state, remote, hybrid).
If remote, clarify eligibility (e.g., “US only”, “must live in Eastern time zone”, “must be eligible to work in the US”).
If travel is required, note approximate % of time (e.g., “up to 20% travel domestically”).

Environment, Physical & Mental Demands

Note relevant physical demands if applicable (lifting, standing, travel, field work).
Note schedule expectations: shift work? weekend hours? On-call?
Clarify any special context: high-growth startup pace? Fast-moving deadlines? Multiple stakeholders?

Tools & Systems

Mention key systems used or expected (e.g., “Salesforce CRM”, “SAP”, “Jira/Confluence”).
Note collaboration tools, remote communication expectations.

Team & Culture Context (Job Posting)

Describe the team environment (fast-paced, agile, start-up culture, matrix team, global).
Highlight key values or behaviors (e.g., “we work cross-functionally with minimal hierarchy”, “we value data-driven decision-making”).
These help candidates self-select and align expectation with reality.

Step 5: Compensation & Benefits (Including New Job Description Compliance Realities)

In the modern market, compensation transparency and clarity are part of the candidate value-proposition and legal reality.

Salary/Pay Range

If the law or internal policy requires it, include a salary or hourly pay range and potentially benefit information depending on the states or local governments mandated requirements.. Many jurisdictions now mandate pay transparency and more legislation is being introduced. If you are based in the US – we’ve set up a state by state pay transparency tracker to help keep you up to date.
Even if not legally required, including a range builds trust and helps screen candidates upfront. Research from Recruitics shows posting ranges leads to more applicants and higher quality of applicant pool.
The range should be “in good faith” and aligned with internal pay bands and market benchmarking.

Bonus / Incentives / Equity (Job Posting/Interviews)

Explain whether bonuses, commissions or incentives apply (e.g., “up to 15% annual bonus tied to KPI achievement”).
If equity or long-term incentives are part of the package, mention at a summary level (“Equity eligible”, “RSU grant after first year”).
Highlight the total-reward context (so the JD reflects more than base salary).

Benefits and Growth Path (Job Posting/Interviews)

Provide a brief overview of benefits: healthcare, retirement plan, PTO, wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, growth opportunities.
Signal career progression (e.g., “This role is level III with opportunity to move into Manager level after two years”).
Use this as a recruiting asset: “why this role and why this company”.

Compliance/Legal Caveats

If you are subject to pay-transparency laws, ensure your wording meets those requirements (salary ranges, benefits disclosure, explanation of variability).
For remote roles, remember that different jurisdictions may impact how you present pay and benefit expectations (multi-state tax implications, cost of labor adjustment).
Ensure consistency between what’s in the JD and what will be offered upon hire (to avoid mis-expectation or exposure).

Step 6: Legal / Compliance Considerations

Certain elements of your job descriptions & postings serve dual purposes: recruitment and compliance. Missing or mis-writing them can expose your organization to risk.

FLSA Classification (Exempt vs Non-Exempt)

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), eligibility for overtime and minimum-wage protections hinges on three tests: salary level, salary basis, and job duties.
Job descriptions are an important document when classifying a role as exempt – especially for “white-collar” exemptions (executive, administrative, professional).
Best practice: the duties section of the JD should reflect the actual work and support the exemption rationale (if exempt). If the job is mis-classified, you risk back pay, fines and audits.
If the role may shift over time (more or less exempt duties), build in review triggers (see Step 8).

Pay Transparency & Disclosure Laws

As noted earlier, states/localities increasingly require job postings to include salary ranges, benefits or a pay scale, or at least to provide this information upon request.
Remote jobs complicate things: you may need to comply in the jurisdictions where the work may be performed.
Non-compliance can lead to penalties, private rights of action or reputational damage.

Equal Employment Opportunity, ADA, Inclusive Language

Ensure your job descriptions and postings avoids discriminatory language (age, gender, race, disability, familial status).
Focus on essential functions to support accommodation obligations. Clear descriptions help with ADA compliance.
Use inclusive, bias-free language: avoid terms that may discourage applicants (e.g., “young and energetic”) or embed unnecessary barriers (e.g., “must have X degree” when equivalent experience would suffice).
Align with your organization’s DE&I values and initiatives.

Remote/Multi-Jurisdiction Considerations

For remote jobs: clarify if location matters (home office, state, time zone). Remote across many states may trigger different tax, pay, benefits, and jurisdiction laws.
Be consistent in how you describe location, travel, eligibility.
Remember: a remote job that is “capable of being performed” in a particular state may still bring that state’s laws into play.

Record-Keeping, Review & Documentation

Keep approved JDs in a central repository (HRIS, or Job Description Software).
Track version, date, approved by, and note when review is due. (Job description software will do this for you natively.)
Document changes when roles evolve – both for compliance and internal clarity.

Step 7: Format, Language & Employer Branding

How you write the job description & job posting matters. When it comes to job postings, readability, tone, clarity, and branding all affect candidate perception and internal usability. Clarity is also important to internal job documents to ensure employees understand what the role entails, what it takes to be successful, and their opportunities for growth.

Structure & Readability

Use clean, consistent section headings (e.g., Job Title / Summary / Responsibilities / Qualifications / Location / Compensation).
Use bullet points for responsibilities and qualifications – makes scanning easier.
Keep sentences concise. Avoid long paragraphs full of jargon.
Consider including approximate percentage weights for major responsibilities if helpful.

Tone & Branding (Job Postings)

Reflect your employer brand: the job posting is often a first point of contact with candidates.
Use “you”-centric language where appropriate (e.g., “You will…”), but keep professional.
Balance marketing (why join) with realism (what you’ll actually do). Candidates appreciate authenticity. (Job posting specific)
Highlight what makes the role and company special (culture, mission, impact).

Inclusive & Bias-Free Language

Avoid gender-coded words (e.g., “aggressive”, “rock-star”), overly exclusive language.
Be mindful of requesting “physical demands” only where necessary and conveyed clearly.
Consider accessibility: use plain language, avoid unnecessary complexity.
Ensure the “required vs preferred” language doesn’t inadvertently reduce diversity of applicants (e.g., listing 10 “required” skills might discourage qualified candidates in job postings).

Search-Optimisation / Talent Attraction (Job Postings)

Use keywords candidates are likely to use (for SEO and ATS).
Use clear titles; avoid internal codes or obscure titles.
Include location/remote keywords, function keywords, software/skills.
Ensure the JD is mobile-friendly (many candidates view on phones).

Step 8: Review, Approval & Maintenance

Writing job descriptions, postings, and position descriptions is just the start – maintaining accuracy, alignment and compliance is just as important.

Stakeholder Review & Approval

Ensure job documents are reviewed by: hiring managers, HR/compensation, legal/compliance (especially for classification/pay transparency) before publishing and posting.
Confirm alignment with pay band/grade, classification (exempt/non-exempt), budget.
Approvals and version control: date the job description, note “last updated”, maintain archive of prior versions. If you use job description software this will be done for you; saving time and keeping things organized.

Maintenance & Trigger Events

You should set a review cycle (e.g., annually, bi-annually) and review whenever:

The role’s scope, responsibilities or team structure change significantly.
Market or business strategy shifts (new products, new geographies).
Compensation banding changes or pay transparency laws/requirements change.
Remote/hybrid policy or location eligibility changes.

Job Description Library & Versioning

Store all approved job descriptions in a central HRIS, job description system, or shared repository.
Track metadata: date approved, version number, job code, pay band, FLSA status.
Ensure that all teams are using the latest version (so job postings, onboarding, performance management align).

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

Monitor metrics post-launch: time-to-fill, candidate quality, number of applicants, diversity of applicant pool.
Solicit feedback from hiring managers and new hires: does the job description accurately reflect the role?
Use findings to iterate and refine your job description templates and process.

Top Trends & 2026-Specific Considerations

To stay ahead, here are the key trends shaping job descriptions now:

1. Pay Transparency Is Becoming Table Stakes

More states/localities require salary ranges or pay-scale disclosures.
Candidates increasingly expect transparency; including salary ranges can improve applicant volume and quality.
Organizations that adopt transparent pay philosophies gain trust, improve equity and strengthen employer brand.

2. Remote/Hybrid Complexity & Location Considerations

Remote roles may invoke multiple jurisdictions’ laws (pay, tax, benefit eligibility).
Clearly define location eligibility, time zone expectations, travel requirements, and whether pay bands vary by geography.
Indicate whether the role is “remote-capable”, “office-based”, “hybrid” and clarify expectations.

3. Skills-First / Competency-Based Hiring

A shift away from rigid degree/years requirements toward skills, behaviors and outcomes.
Job descriptions increasingly emphasize “what you can do” rather than only “what you’ve done”.
Helps broaden the talent pool, supports DE&I and aligns with future-oriented talent strategy.

4. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Reflected in JDs & Job Postings

Inclusive language and qualification framing widen candidate appeal.
Removing unnecessary barriers (“must have degree”) and emphasizing transferable skills helps with equity.
The job description itself becomes a signal of culture and values.

5. Candidate Experience & Branding

The job posting is often a candidate’s first substantive exposure to the role; take advantage of first impressions to stand out against your competition.
Provide clarity, transparency and authenticity. A misleading or vague jobs description and posting can lead to candidate drop-off or early turnover (“job reality mismatch”). Concepts like the “realistic job preview” support this: accurate job previews reduce turnover.

6. Use of AI, Automation & Search-Optimization

Many hiring systems parse job posting text for keywords and compatibility; poorly structured postings may filter out good candidates based on resume matching.
Avoid overly complex language; keep clarity and readability high.
Consider how your job postings will appear in search engines, mobile views and ATS screens.
When using AI to draft job content ensure it is reviewed for accuracy. LLM models can provide a solid foundation for job content but are known for errors.

Quick Checklist & Job Description Template

Checklist (for review before posting)

Job title clear, market-relevant, free of internal jargon
Role summary provides purpose, impact, context
Responsibilities list the essential functions, action verbs, measurable where possible
Scope and decision-making authority are described
Qualifications clearly delineated (required vs preferred)
Skills and competencies are described (technical + behavioural)
Location/remote/hybrid status is clearly defined
Working conditions, travel, physical demands (if applicable) are listed
Compensation section includes base salary or range (if required), bonus/incentive information, benefits summary
Legal/compliance section: FLSA status (if relevant), inclusive/EEO statement, pay transparency compliance language (if relevant)
Job Postings: Employer brand elements included (why this role matters, culture highlight)
Format is readable: bullet points, consistent headings, searchable keywords (for job posting)
Stakeholder approvals documented, version and date recorded
Review trigger events and update schedule noted

Conclusion

Writing a good job description in 2026 isn’t just about capturing a list of tasks—it’s about aligning role, brand, compensation, compliance and candidate experience. A strong JD signals clarity and professionalism to candidates, protects your organization on classification and regulatory fronts, and supports internal alignment (how we hire, how we reward, how we succeed).

Next step: pick three key roles in your organization that you hire for frequently or where turnover/change has been high. Run them through this guide. Update the JDs accordingly. Then measure: time-to-fill, candidate quality, diversity of pipeline, turnover post-hire. Iterate.

To help simplify the process & establish governance – check out Mosh JD.

FAQ

1. How often should job descriptions be updated in 2026?

More frequently than in previous years. With AI reshaping tasks, tools, and decision-making expectations, many roles shift meaningfully several times a year. A best practice is to review job descriptions at least annually and during any “trigger events” — such as major scope changes, new tools or systems, restructuring, pay-band adjustments, or updated pay-transparency or FLSA requirements. Organizations with fast-moving roles may schedule quarterly reviews.

2. What’s the difference between a job description, a position description, and a job posting?

A job description is the core internal document outlining essential functions, scope, required qualifications, and classification details.
A position description (PD) provides deeper internal detail, often used for job analysis, FLSA determinations, and compensation alignment.
A job posting is written for candidates: it highlights responsibilities, skills, salary range (when required), benefits, location, and employer brand.
The three documents should align, but each serves a different purpose and audience.

3. What are the most common mistakes HR teams make when writing job descriptions?

The biggest pitfalls include outdated responsibilities, unclear essential functions, overly long required-skills lists, vague or non-compliant classification language, missing location/remote eligibility, and not aligning the JD with internal pay bands. Another frequent issue is writing job postings that are overly promotional and not reflective of the actual work — leading to turnover and mis-hires. Maintaining structured templates, version control, and regular reviews helps avoid these issues.

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Joshua Kiernan Co-Founder and CEO

Josh Kiernan has spent over 15 years helping HR and compensation teams simplify tasks with technology; saving them time so they can focus on what they care about most. At Mosh JD, he leads the effort to simplify job description management so HR teams can maintain hundreds of accurate job descriptions without thousands of hours of work.

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