I used to spend more time hunting for job descriptions than actually working on them. Sound familiar?
One of our customers told me they had 400 job descriptions buried in old emails, Google Docs, and their ATS. Another had multiple versions of the same JD, slightly different titles, completely different content. It was a mess. No one knew which version was the most recent, or which had been approved by legal.
Enter: the job description repository.
In this episode of The JD Fix, I break down the chaos of scattered JDs and show you what a job description repository actually looks like, and how it helps teams like yours move faster, stay compliant, and keep everyone aligned.
What Is a Job Description Repository (And Why You Need One)
Think of a JD repository like your favorite streaming service—but for job descriptions. It’s a centralized, searchable library of every job description your company uses (or has used). Whether you’re in TA, HR, comp, or compliance, it’s the one place where you can always find what you’re looking for.
With Ongig, users turn that chaos into control. They search by title, department, or location. They sort by last modified date. They customize columns to show what matters to them: compensation bands, DEI scorecards, hiring manager notes—you name it.
One recruiter told me, “I used to copy old JDs from my inbox. Now I just log into Ongig, filter by department, and reuse a template that already went through legal. It saves me hours.”
Real Job Description Repository Use Cases from Our Clients
- Legal & Compliance: Only show job descriptions that were reviewed by legal. Easily see which ones need updates before a new hiring cycle.
- Recruiters: Find high-performing JDs based on time-to-fill data and repurpose them for similar roles.
- Comp Teams: Compare job posts with salary ranges across business units to flag inconsistencies.
- DEIB Teams: Search and filter for inclusive language and track progress on removing bias.
And the best part? It’s not a static list. It’s a live, breathing system. Every edit is tracked. Every version saved. No more guessing games or emailing three people to find a file from two years ago.
Store, Convert, and Reuse JDs & Job Postings
Most teams have two types of job descriptions: the internal, legally-approved version—and the external, candidate-facing version that actually gets posted. With Ongig, you can store both.
Ongig makes it easy to take that internal JD and transform it into a compelling, on-brand job posting. You can pull in key sections, rewrite content for tone and inclusivity, and add visuals, videos, and benefits that speak to candidates. You can even toggle between internal and external views—all within the platform.
This is a game-changer for employer brand teams and recruiters who want to ensure every job ad is compliant, consistent, and magnetic.
One customer shared how their legal team creates a base JD in Ongig with all the must-have language. Then, the talent team uses that to build a posting with conversational, candidate-friendly copy and added visuals. The system tracks both versions—internal and external—so you never lose context or control.
It’s not just convenient—it protects your brand and legal team, while also attracting better candidates.
The Hidden Cost of Not Having a Job Description Repository
If you’re still storing JDs in random folders or across systems, here’s what it’s costing you:
- Time wasted searching (20-30 mins per JD, minimum)
- Inconsistency in brand, tone, or legal disclaimers
- Duplicated effort across teams creating the same role descriptions
- Risk of legal non-compliance or outdated language slipping through
Multiply that across dozens or hundreds of roles, and you’re not just losing time. You’re losing candidates, credibility, and compliance.
How Ongig’s Job Description Repository Works
We built Ongig’s JD repository with hiring teams in mind. Here’s what makes it different:
- Dynamic search & filtering: Find any JD fast, with filters for title, business unit, location, and custom fields.
- Custom views: Each user can create their own view—great for recruiters vs comp teams vs legal.
- Bulk actions: Need to update 50 JDs with a new EEO statement? Done in one click.
- Version control: Always know who edited what, when, and why. Revert to older versions anytime.
- JD-to-posting conversion: Turn internal docs into candidate-friendly postings without starting from scratch. Track and store both versions.
And when it’s time to post, just push it straight to your ATS or download a backup copy to Word or PDF format. No copy/paste, no formatting headaches.
Why I Wrote This
If you’re managing job descriptions without a central system, you’re working harder than you need to. A job description repository isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s the foundation of any scalable, compliant, and efficient hiring process. I wrote this because too many teams are still stuck in JD chaos when there’s a better way.
Ongig was built to solve this. If you’re curious how a JD repository could help you, request a demo and we’ll show you how we’re doing it for teams like yours.
FAQs
What is a job description repository?
It’s a centralized, searchable database of all your job descriptions. Think of it like Google Drive—but way smarter and built for hiring teams.
How do recruiters use a JD repository?
They search by role, department, or hiring manager, filter by last used, and reuse templates that are already approved by legal and comp.
Can a JD repository improve DEI?
Yes. You can filter for inclusive language, measure bias, and track improvements over time—all in one place.
Is this different from an ATS?
Yes. ATSs are for tracking candidates. Ongig’s repository is for managing the content of job descriptions—before and beyond the job post. But Ongig does integrate with a variety of ATSs through API.
How do I get started with a job description repository?
Start with your current library. Identify your best JDs. Import them into Ongig. From there, you can build, edit, track, and improve—all in one place.
