AI for HR & Recruiters

Module 3: Writing Job Descriptions

Module Overview

Job descriptions are the foundation of successful hiring. A well-crafted job description attracts qualified candidates, sets clear expectations, and reflects your employer brand. In this module, you'll learn to use AI to create compelling, inclusive job descriptions efficiently.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Create job descriptions that attract the right candidates
Use AI to write inclusive, unbiased job postings
Structure descriptions for maximum impact
Improve existing job descriptions with AI
Avoid common job description mistakes

Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes

3.1 The Anatomy of a Great Job Description

Essential Components

A well-structured job description includes:

Job Title - Clear, searchable, accurate
Company Overview - Who you are and what you do
Role Summary - What this job is about
Key Responsibilities - What they'll do day-to-day
Required Qualifications - What they must have
Preferred Qualifications - What would be nice to have
Compensation & Benefits - What you offer
Application Instructions - How to apply

What Makes Each Section Effective

Job Title:

Use standard, searchable titles
Include level (Senior, Junior, Lead)
Avoid internal jargon

Bad: "Revenue Ninja Level III" Good: "Senior Sales Development Representative"

Company Overview:

2-3 sentences maximum
Focus on mission and impact
Convey culture briefly

Role Summary:

One strong paragraph
Answer: "Why does this role matter?"
Connect to company goals

Key Responsibilities:

6-8 bullet points
Start with action verbs
Be specific, not generic

3.2 AI Prompts for Job Descriptions

Basic Job Description Prompt

Write a job description for a [Job Title] at [Company Type].

Company context:
- Industry: [Industry]
- Size: [Number] employees
- Location: [Location/Remote policy]
- Culture: [Brief culture description]

Role details:
- Reports to: [Manager title]
- Team size: [Number if applicable]
- Key focus areas: [Main responsibilities]

Include these sections:
1. About Us (2-3 sentences)
2. About the Role (1 paragraph)
3. Key Responsibilities (6-8 bullets)
4. Required Qualifications (5-6 bullets)
5. Preferred Qualifications (3-4 bullets)
6. What We Offer (5-6 bullets)

Tone: [Professional/Casual/Enthusiastic]

Example: Marketing Manager

Write a job description for a Marketing Manager at a B2B SaaS company.

Company context:
- Industry: HR Technology
- Size: 75 employees
- Location: Remote-first, headquarters in Boston
- Culture: Collaborative, data-driven, values work-life balance

Role details:
- Reports to: VP of Marketing
- Team size: Will manage 2 direct reports
- Key focus areas: Demand generation, content strategy, brand management

Include these sections:
1. About Us (2-3 sentences)
2. About the Role (1 paragraph)
3. Key Responsibilities (6-8 bullets)
4. Required Qualifications (5-6 bullets)
5. Preferred Qualifications (3-4 bullets)
6. What We Offer (5-6 bullets)

Tone: Professional but approachable, emphasize our mission
to transform how companies manage their people

Specialized Prompts

For Technical Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

Technical requirements:
- Primary technologies: [List]
- Secondary/nice-to-have: [List]
- Development methodology: [Agile/Scrum/etc.]

Note: Distinguish between "must have" technical skills
and "can learn on the job" skills. We want to attract
candidates who can grow, not just those with every
technology already mastered.

For Executive Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

This is an executive-level position. Emphasize:
- Strategic impact and business outcomes
- Leadership philosophy and team building
- Board/stakeholder interaction if relevant
- Vision and long-term thinking

Tone should be more formal and emphasize the
significance of the role in the organization.

For Entry-Level Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

This is an entry-level position. Emphasize:
- Growth and learning opportunities
- Mentorship and training provided
- Career path potential
- What skills we'll teach vs. require

Minimize years of experience requirements.
Focus on potential and transferable skills.

3.3 Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

Why Inclusion Matters

Exclusionary language in job descriptions can:

Deter qualified candidates from applying
Reduce diversity in your candidate pool
Create legal risk
Damage your employer brand

Common Exclusionary Language

Gendered Language:

"Rock star," "ninja," "guru" (tend to attract male candidates)
"Nurturing," "supportive" (can be coded as female)
"He/she" pronouns (excludes non-binary candidates)

Unnecessary Requirements:

"Must have 5+ years" (when 3 years would work)
"Bachelor's degree required" (when skills matter more)
"Must be able to lift 50 pounds" (when not actually needed)

Cultural Bias:

"Native English speaker" (vs. "excellent written communication")
"Young and energetic team" (age discrimination)
"Work hard, play hard" (can exclude caregivers)

AI Prompt for Inclusive Review

Review this job description for inclusive language.
Check for and flag:

1. Gendered language or masculine-coded words
2. Unnecessary requirements that might exclude
   qualified candidates
3. Age-related bias
4. Disability-related barriers
5. Cultural or language bias
6. Overly aggressive or competitive language

For each issue found, explain why it's problematic
and suggest an alternative.

[Paste job description here]

AI Prompt for Inclusive Writing

Write an inclusive job description for a [Job Title].

Inclusion guidelines:
- Use gender-neutral language throughout
- Use "you" and "your" instead of "he/she"
- Focus on outcomes over years of experience
- Distinguish between true requirements and preferences
- Avoid aggressive or competitive language
- Include our commitment to diversity

[Rest of your standard prompt]

Before and After Examples

Before: "We're looking for a rockstar developer who can crush it in our fast-paced environment. Must have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and 5+ years of experience. We work hard and play hard!"

After: "We're looking for a skilled developer who thrives on solving complex problems. You'll work with a supportive team that values sustainable pace and quality work. We welcome candidates with relevant experience from bootcamps, self-study, or traditional education."

3.4 Improving Existing Job Descriptions

The Refresh Prompt

Improve this job description while keeping the core
requirements the same.

Make it:
1. More engaging and compelling
2. More inclusive in language
3. Better structured for readability
4. Clearer about what the role actually involves
5. More reflective of our company culture

Current company voice: [Describe your tone]
Target candidates: [Who you want to attract]

Current job description:
[Paste existing description]

The Comparison Prompt

Compare our job description to this competitor's
job description for a similar role. Identify:

1. What they do better than us
2. What we do better than them
3. Key elements we're missing
4. Unique selling points we should emphasize

Our description:
[Paste your description]

Competitor description:
[Paste their description]

The Simplification Prompt

This job description is too long and complex.
Simplify it while keeping all essential information.

Goals:
- Reduce length by approximately 40%
- Use simpler language
- Remove redundant points
- Prioritize the most important information
- Keep it scannable with bullet points

[Paste job description]

3.5 Job Description Templates by Role Type

Template: Individual Contributor

Write a job description for an individual contributor role.

Role: [Title]
Level: [Entry/Mid/Senior]
Function: [Department]
Location: [Onsite/Hybrid/Remote]

Focus on:
- Specific deliverables and projects
- Skills they'll use daily
- How success is measured
- Growth opportunities
- Team collaboration

[Include your company context and format preferences]

Template: People Manager

Write a job description for a people management role.

Role: [Title]
Team size: [Number of direct reports]
Function: [Department]
Location: [Onsite/Hybrid/Remote]

Focus on:
- Leadership responsibilities
- Team development expectations
- Strategic vs. tactical balance
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Performance management

Include both what they'll manage and what they'll
personally contribute.

[Include your company context and format preferences]

Template: Executive Role

Write a job description for an executive position.

Role: [Title]
Reports to: [CEO/Board/etc.]
Key stakeholders: [Board, investors, customers, etc.]
Location: [As required]

Focus on:
- Strategic vision and direction
- Business outcomes and metrics
- Organizational leadership
- External representation
- Board/investor relations if applicable

Tone: Executive-appropriate, emphasizing impact
and vision.

[Include your company context]

3.6 SEO and Searchability

Making Job Descriptions Findable

Use Standard Job Titles:

Research what candidates search for
Use common industry terms
Include level indicators (Senior, Lead, Junior)

AI Prompt for SEO Optimization:

Optimize this job description for search engines
and job boards.

1. Suggest the best job title for searchability
2. Identify keywords candidates search for
3. Recommend where to naturally include these keywords
4. Ensure the title matches what candidates type
   in job searches

Industry: [Your industry]
Similar roles at competitors: [If known]

[Paste job description]

Keyword Integration

Add relevant keywords to this job description
naturally, without keyword stuffing.

Target keywords to include:
- [Primary job title variations]
- [Key skills]
- [Industry terms]
- [Location if relevant]

Make the additions feel natural and improve
readability, not detract from it.

[Paste job description]

3.7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Requirement Overload

Too many requirements deter candidates, especially women and underrepresented groups who often only apply when they meet 100% of requirements.

Fix Prompt:

Review this job description and separate requirements
into three categories:
1. Truly essential (can't do the job without it)
2. Important (strong preference, but can develop)
3. Nice to have (would be a bonus)

Be strict - most roles have only 3-4 truly essential
requirements.

[Paste job description]

Mistake 2: Generic Content

"Fast-paced environment" and "competitive salary" appear in every job posting.

Fix Prompt:

Make this job description more specific and unique.
Replace generic phrases with concrete details:

- Instead of "competitive salary" → specific range
  or "top 25% for this market"
- Instead of "fast-paced" → what that actually means
- Instead of "great culture" → specific culture examples

[Paste job description]

Mistake 3: Missing the "Why"

Job descriptions often list duties without explaining why the role matters.

Fix Prompt:

Add impact and purpose to this job description.
For each major responsibility, connect it to:
- The company's mission
- Customer or user outcomes
- Team or business impact

Help candidates understand why this role is important,
not just what it does.

[Paste job description]

Module 3 Summary

Key Takeaways:

Structure matters: Follow a clear format with all essential components.
Be specific: Generic descriptions attract generic candidates.
Prioritize inclusion: Check for biased language and unnecessary requirements.
Show the "why": Connect responsibilities to impact and purpose.
Iterate and improve: Use AI to refine and strengthen existing descriptions.
Think about searchability: Use standard titles and relevant keywords.

Preparing for Module 4

In the next module, we'll move from job descriptions to interview questions. You'll learn to:

Generate role-specific interview questions
Create behavioral and situational questions
Build interview guides with evaluation criteria
Avoid biased or illegal interview questions

Before Module 4:

Practice creating job descriptions with AI
Review your current interview process
Note what types of questions you commonly need

"A great job description doesn't just list requirements—it tells candidates why they should be excited about the opportunity."

Ready to continue? Proceed to Module 4: Creating Interview Questions.

AI for HR & Recruiters

Module 3: Writing Job Descriptions

Module Overview

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Create job descriptions that attract the right candidates
Use AI to write inclusive, unbiased job postings
Structure descriptions for maximum impact
Improve existing job descriptions with AI
Avoid common job description mistakes

Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes

3.1 The Anatomy of a Great Job Description

Essential Components

A well-structured job description includes:

Job Title - Clear, searchable, accurate
Company Overview - Who you are and what you do
Role Summary - What this job is about
Key Responsibilities - What they'll do day-to-day
Required Qualifications - What they must have
Preferred Qualifications - What would be nice to have
Compensation & Benefits - What you offer
Application Instructions - How to apply

What Makes Each Section Effective

Job Title:

Use standard, searchable titles
Include level (Senior, Junior, Lead)
Avoid internal jargon

Bad: "Revenue Ninja Level III" Good: "Senior Sales Development Representative"

Company Overview:

2-3 sentences maximum
Focus on mission and impact
Convey culture briefly

Role Summary:

One strong paragraph
Answer: "Why does this role matter?"
Connect to company goals

Key Responsibilities:

6-8 bullet points
Start with action verbs
Be specific, not generic

3.2 AI Prompts for Job Descriptions

Basic Job Description Prompt

Write a job description for a [Job Title] at [Company Type].

Company context:
- Industry: [Industry]
- Size: [Number] employees
- Location: [Location/Remote policy]
- Culture: [Brief culture description]

Role details:
- Reports to: [Manager title]
- Team size: [Number if applicable]
- Key focus areas: [Main responsibilities]

Include these sections:
1. About Us (2-3 sentences)
2. About the Role (1 paragraph)
3. Key Responsibilities (6-8 bullets)
4. Required Qualifications (5-6 bullets)
5. Preferred Qualifications (3-4 bullets)
6. What We Offer (5-6 bullets)

Tone: [Professional/Casual/Enthusiastic]

Example: Marketing Manager

Write a job description for a Marketing Manager at a B2B SaaS company.

Company context:
- Industry: HR Technology
- Size: 75 employees
- Location: Remote-first, headquarters in Boston
- Culture: Collaborative, data-driven, values work-life balance

Role details:
- Reports to: VP of Marketing
- Team size: Will manage 2 direct reports
- Key focus areas: Demand generation, content strategy, brand management

Include these sections:
1. About Us (2-3 sentences)
2. About the Role (1 paragraph)
3. Key Responsibilities (6-8 bullets)
4. Required Qualifications (5-6 bullets)
5. Preferred Qualifications (3-4 bullets)
6. What We Offer (5-6 bullets)

Tone: Professional but approachable, emphasize our mission
to transform how companies manage their people

Specialized Prompts

For Technical Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

Technical requirements:
- Primary technologies: [List]
- Secondary/nice-to-have: [List]
- Development methodology: [Agile/Scrum/etc.]

Note: Distinguish between "must have" technical skills
and "can learn on the job" skills. We want to attract
candidates who can grow, not just those with every
technology already mastered.

For Executive Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

This is an executive-level position. Emphasize:
- Strategic impact and business outcomes
- Leadership philosophy and team building
- Board/stakeholder interaction if relevant
- Vision and long-term thinking

Tone should be more formal and emphasize the
significance of the role in the organization.

For Entry-Level Roles:

Add to your base prompt:

This is an entry-level position. Emphasize:
- Growth and learning opportunities
- Mentorship and training provided
- Career path potential
- What skills we'll teach vs. require

Minimize years of experience requirements.
Focus on potential and transferable skills.

3.3 Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

Why Inclusion Matters

Exclusionary language in job descriptions can:

Deter qualified candidates from applying
Reduce diversity in your candidate pool
Create legal risk
Damage your employer brand

Common Exclusionary Language

Gendered Language:

"Rock star," "ninja," "guru" (tend to attract male candidates)
"Nurturing," "supportive" (can be coded as female)
"He/she" pronouns (excludes non-binary candidates)

Unnecessary Requirements:

"Must have 5+ years" (when 3 years would work)
"Bachelor's degree required" (when skills matter more)
"Must be able to lift 50 pounds" (when not actually needed)

Cultural Bias:

"Native English speaker" (vs. "excellent written communication")
"Young and energetic team" (age discrimination)
"Work hard, play hard" (can exclude caregivers)

AI Prompt for Inclusive Review

Review this job description for inclusive language.
Check for and flag:

1. Gendered language or masculine-coded words
2. Unnecessary requirements that might exclude
   qualified candidates
3. Age-related bias
4. Disability-related barriers
5. Cultural or language bias
6. Overly aggressive or competitive language

For each issue found, explain why it's problematic
and suggest an alternative.

[Paste job description here]

AI Prompt for Inclusive Writing

Write an inclusive job description for a [Job Title].

Inclusion guidelines:
- Use gender-neutral language throughout
- Use "you" and "your" instead of "he/she"
- Focus on outcomes over years of experience
- Distinguish between true requirements and preferences
- Avoid aggressive or competitive language
- Include our commitment to diversity

[Rest of your standard prompt]

Before and After Examples

3.4 Improving Existing Job Descriptions

The Refresh Prompt

Improve this job description while keeping the core
requirements the same.

Make it:
1. More engaging and compelling
2. More inclusive in language
3. Better structured for readability
4. Clearer about what the role actually involves
5. More reflective of our company culture

Current company voice: [Describe your tone]
Target candidates: [Who you want to attract]

Current job description:
[Paste existing description]

The Comparison Prompt

Compare our job description to this competitor's
job description for a similar role. Identify:

1. What they do better than us
2. What we do better than them
3. Key elements we're missing
4. Unique selling points we should emphasize

Our description:
[Paste your description]

Competitor description:
[Paste their description]

The Simplification Prompt

This job description is too long and complex.
Simplify it while keeping all essential information.

Goals:
- Reduce length by approximately 40%
- Use simpler language
- Remove redundant points
- Prioritize the most important information
- Keep it scannable with bullet points

[Paste job description]

3.5 Job Description Templates by Role Type

Template: Individual Contributor

Write a job description for an individual contributor role.

Role: [Title]
Level: [Entry/Mid/Senior]
Function: [Department]
Location: [Onsite/Hybrid/Remote]

Focus on:
- Specific deliverables and projects
- Skills they'll use daily
- How success is measured
- Growth opportunities
- Team collaboration

[Include your company context and format preferences]

Template: People Manager

Write a job description for a people management role.

Role: [Title]
Team size: [Number of direct reports]
Function: [Department]
Location: [Onsite/Hybrid/Remote]

Focus on:
- Leadership responsibilities
- Team development expectations
- Strategic vs. tactical balance
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Performance management

Include both what they'll manage and what they'll
personally contribute.

[Include your company context and format preferences]

Template: Executive Role

Write a job description for an executive position.

Role: [Title]
Reports to: [CEO/Board/etc.]
Key stakeholders: [Board, investors, customers, etc.]
Location: [As required]

Focus on:
- Strategic vision and direction
- Business outcomes and metrics
- Organizational leadership
- External representation
- Board/investor relations if applicable

Tone: Executive-appropriate, emphasizing impact
and vision.

[Include your company context]

3.6 SEO and Searchability

Making Job Descriptions Findable

Use Standard Job Titles:

Research what candidates search for
Use common industry terms
Include level indicators (Senior, Lead, Junior)

AI Prompt for SEO Optimization:

Optimize this job description for search engines
and job boards.

1. Suggest the best job title for searchability
2. Identify keywords candidates search for
3. Recommend where to naturally include these keywords
4. Ensure the title matches what candidates type
   in job searches

Industry: [Your industry]
Similar roles at competitors: [If known]

[Paste job description]

Keyword Integration

Add relevant keywords to this job description
naturally, without keyword stuffing.

Target keywords to include:
- [Primary job title variations]
- [Key skills]
- [Industry terms]
- [Location if relevant]

Make the additions feel natural and improve
readability, not detract from it.

[Paste job description]

3.7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Requirement Overload

Too many requirements deter candidates, especially women and underrepresented groups who often only apply when they meet 100% of requirements.

Fix Prompt:

Review this job description and separate requirements
into three categories:
1. Truly essential (can't do the job without it)
2. Important (strong preference, but can develop)
3. Nice to have (would be a bonus)

Be strict - most roles have only 3-4 truly essential
requirements.

[Paste job description]

Mistake 2: Generic Content

"Fast-paced environment" and "competitive salary" appear in every job posting.

Fix Prompt:

Make this job description more specific and unique.
Replace generic phrases with concrete details:

- Instead of "competitive salary" → specific range
  or "top 25% for this market"
- Instead of "fast-paced" → what that actually means
- Instead of "great culture" → specific culture examples

[Paste job description]

Mistake 3: Missing the "Why"

Job descriptions often list duties without explaining why the role matters.

Fix Prompt:

Add impact and purpose to this job description.
For each major responsibility, connect it to:
- The company's mission
- Customer or user outcomes
- Team or business impact

Help candidates understand why this role is important,
not just what it does.

[Paste job description]

Module 3 Summary

Key Takeaways:

Structure matters: Follow a clear format with all essential components.
Be specific: Generic descriptions attract generic candidates.
Prioritize inclusion: Check for biased language and unnecessary requirements.
Show the "why": Connect responsibilities to impact and purpose.
Iterate and improve: Use AI to refine and strengthen existing descriptions.
Think about searchability: Use standard titles and relevant keywords.

Preparing for Module 4

In the next module, we'll move from job descriptions to interview questions. You'll learn to:

Generate role-specific interview questions
Create behavioral and situational questions
Build interview guides with evaluation criteria
Avoid biased or illegal interview questions

Before Module 4:

Practice creating job descriptions with AI
Review your current interview process
Note what types of questions you commonly need

"A great job description doesn't just list requirements—it tells candidates why they should be excited about the opportunity."

Ready to continue? Proceed to Module 4: Creating Interview Questions.

AI for HR & Recruiters

Module 3: Writing Job Descriptions

Module Overview

3.1 The Anatomy of a Great Job Description

Essential Components

What Makes Each Section Effective

3.2 AI Prompts for Job Descriptions

Basic Job Description Prompt

Example: Marketing Manager

Specialized Prompts

3.3 Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

Why Inclusion Matters

Common Exclusionary Language

AI Prompt for Inclusive Review

AI Prompt for Inclusive Writing

Before and After Examples

3.4 Improving Existing Job Descriptions

The Refresh Prompt

The Comparison Prompt

The Simplification Prompt

3.5 Job Description Templates by Role Type

Template: Individual Contributor

Template: People Manager

Template: Executive Role

3.6 SEO and Searchability

Making Job Descriptions Findable

Keyword Integration

3.7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Requirement Overload

Mistake 2: Generic Content

Mistake 3: Missing the "Why"

Module 3 Summary

Preparing for Module 4

Quiz

AI for HR & Recruiters

Module 3: Writing Job Descriptions

Module Overview

3.1 The Anatomy of a Great Job Description

Essential Components

What Makes Each Section Effective

3.2 AI Prompts for Job Descriptions

Basic Job Description Prompt

Example: Marketing Manager

Specialized Prompts

3.3 Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions

Why Inclusion Matters

Common Exclusionary Language

AI Prompt for Inclusive Review

AI Prompt for Inclusive Writing

Before and After Examples

3.4 Improving Existing Job Descriptions

The Refresh Prompt

The Comparison Prompt

The Simplification Prompt

3.5 Job Description Templates by Role Type

Template: Individual Contributor

Template: People Manager

Template: Executive Role

3.6 SEO and Searchability

Making Job Descriptions Findable

Keyword Integration

3.7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Requirement Overload

Mistake 2: Generic Content

Mistake 3: Missing the "Why"

Module 3 Summary

Preparing for Module 4

Quiz