A job description that filters for you.
Most JDs are ads that attract everyone. A good one is a filter: precise enough that unqualified people self-select out, and concrete enough that strong candidates can see themselves in it.
The template
Copy it, replace the brackets, delete what doesn't apply. The structure does the work: separating hard requirements from nice-to-haves is the single highest-leverage change most founders can make to a JD.
# [Role title — plain and searchable, e.g. "Senior Frontend Engineer"] ## The one-liner [What this person will own, in one sentence. "Own the web app's performance and component platform" beats "join our dynamic team".] ## What you'll do - [3–5 outcomes, not activities: "Ship the new onboarding flow in Q1", not "work on features"] - ... ## Hard requirements (missing one = not a fit) - [Only what's truly disqualifying to miss. 3–5 items max, each testable: "Has run PostgreSQL in production", not "database experience"] - ... ## Nice to have (none of these are dealbreakers) - [Everything you'd be happy about but can live without] - ... ## What we offer - Salary range: [state it — posts with ranges attract more qualified applicants and it's legally required in a growing list of places] - [Remote/hybrid/onsite, equipment, time off — the real things] ## How we hire [Describe the steps and the timeline. E.g. "Apply with your CV — every fit applicant gets a short structured interview. We shortlist within a week and tell everyone where they stand."]
Why each section earns its place
Hard requirements vs nice-to-haves
When everything is "required", candidates learn to ignore the list — and you can't tell a dealbreaker miss from a shrug. Keeping hard requirements to a testable handful makes screening a checklist instead of a vibe.
Outcomes, not activities
"What you'll do" written as outcomes gives candidates something to respond to with their own evidence — and gives you claims to verify in the interview.
The salary range
Omitting it doesn't keep your options open; it filters out the candidates with options. It's also now a legal requirement in a growing list of jurisdictions.
"How we hire"
Telling candidates the process and timeline up front measurably improves completion of each step — and it commits you to a process, which is where good screening starts.
Score your draft before you publish
Paste your JD into the free JD scorer — it flags vague requirements, missing seniority signals, and anything that scares good candidates away, in about 10 seconds, no signup. If you publish the role through BestHire, the same quality gate runs automatically before any candidate sees it.