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Generic vs. specific job descriptions, which one is better? The quick answer is…a mix of both.
There are pros and cons for each. So how do you find the perfect balance when writing your JDs?
This post will dive into both sides so you can create the best blend for your roles. We also look at how AI can fine-tune every type of JD for the best results. And, there’s also a free job description template from Ongig to help you get started.
Examples of generic vs. specific job descriptions
What’s the difference between generic and specific JDs? Let’s start with an example of a generic job description, then a specific one for a close comparison.
Generic job description example — Customer Service Supervisor
Here’s a generic job description template for a Customer Service Supervisor from SHRM.
You’ll notice it has a basic layout with tips (or examples) for each section. You could easily download this JD, make a few small edits, and post it on your career site. But, it lacks specifics candidates care about (e.g., salary, benefits, a diversity statement).
Specific job description example — Customer Service Supervisor
Below is an example of a specific job description for a Customer Service Supervisor from the City of Durham North Carolina.
This JD:
- includes generic items for duties and responsibilities (but also lists more specific ones).
- goes deeper into the job summary (3 paragraphs instead of a couple of sentences like the generic JD above).
- lists salary, benefits, and hours, (3 key things a customer service job seeker will find very valuable).
But, it will likely get less applies for being “too long.” Even though there are lots of specifics on what’s in it for job seekers, the long list of requirements might deter people who feel they don’t meet every single item on the list.
And, it lacks a conversational 1st/2nd person style (e.g., “you” and “your” or “we” and “our”) that connects with candidates.
Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
Hiring Range: $48,185 – $57,822
Hours: Mon – Fri 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the City of Durham’s Public Works Department a great place to work. Our consistent and steady work environment sets us apart from traditional construction-related worksites, and our exceptional benefits and retirement plans support your long-term success. We create the foundation on which Durham is built, using innovative methods that support the City’s growth and enhance our quality of life. We need innovative, highly qualified talent to do that. If growing professionally while serving your community is for you, bring your skills to Durham!
The Public Works Development Services Supervisor Position (Public Works Front Desk Supervisor) is devoted to providing centralized coordination and customer service for the City’s Public Works Department (City Hall Groups – Engineering and Stormwater Services Divisions). Its primary and largest volume of responsibility is for the development review process including receipt, tracking, processing and managing of development-related requests and materials for driveway permits and construction drawing reviews.
Its secondary and next largest volume duty is helping to assist customers to reach the appropriate contact point (versus what they request) within a complex process that spans multiple city departments. Seekers for this position will expect to have daily contact with customers and must have excellent people skills including patience, experience with irate customers, and knowledge of municipal services across multiple departments.
As assigned, work may include supervising development services related customer service and intake, including establishing staffing levels for phone and in-person service and overseeing cash batching; assisting staff with escalated customer service issues; responding to customers and staff with information; training employees; and developing and implementing operating policies and procedures. This position is considered a working supervisor position in Public Works where the supervisor is expected to perform essential staff duties (intake, cash receipt, customer service, etc.) in the course of a business day.
Incumbents supervise two paraprofessional and support staff including conducting performance evaluations, coordinating training, and implementing hiring, and discipline and termination. Duties/Responsibilities
KNOWLEDGE OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Supervisory principles.
- Permit processes.
- Cash handling principles.
- Customer service principles.
- Geography principles.
- Recordkeeping principles.
- Applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations (based on assignment).
- Specialized equipment relevant to area of assignment.
- Modern office technology.
SKILL IN THE FOLLOWING:
- Supervising staff.
- Cash Handling and Cash Handling bookkeeping software (Munis or similar programs).
- Prioritizing, assigning, and evaluating work.
- Ensuring adequate staffing levels.
- Reviewing and processing permit applications.
- Interpreting, applying, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, codes, regulations and standards (based on assignment).
- Providing customer service.
- Performing data entry.
- Reviewing work for accuracy and quality assurance.
- Calculating permit fees.
- Preparing and maintaining records and reports.
- Performing basic reviews of plans and maps.
- Skill at utilizing GIS, Google Maps, and understanding basic engineering products.
- Coordinating with internal and external agencies to facilitate departmental operations.
- Utilizing a computer and relevant software applications.
- Utilizing communication and excellent and friendly interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the general public and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.
- Experience with Irate customers and how to diffuse difficult customer relations.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience
- Associate’s degree in engineering, landscape architecture, building trades or related customer service or business field OR equivalent experience.
- Three years of experience in building trades, engineering, customer service, and/or construction that includes one prior one year of supervisory experience.
- Experience is in Municipal Customer Service or High Volume Customer Service positions (technical in origin).
Benefits – General Full-Time Employees
- 11-12 paid holidays per year
- 12 standard work days of vacation per year
- 12 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
- 2 weeks paid military leave per year
- Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
- State and City retirement plans
- Short and long term disability plans
- Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
- City contribution of 10.15% into the N.C. State Retirement System
- Paid funeral leave
- Employee Assistance Program – personal and family counseling
- Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
- 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
- 4 hours parental leave each year
- Workman’s Compensation Insurance
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plans
Benefits – Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan
Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan
- Health Insurance
Generic intern job description example
Here’s another example of a generic job description. This is for an intern role. The intro, responsibilities, and requirements are all generic. This is also an easy copy/paste/post JD, but it lacks specifics about:
- the work schedule
- the pay and benefits
- the detailed day to day tasks
- the departments the intern will work with
Specific intern job descriptions example
Here’s an example of a specific job description for an intern from Epic Games. This JD is specific because:
- the title communicates what the role is (“art pipeline engineering”)
- it lists the types of people the intern will work with (Pipeline Developers, Engineers, Producers, Leads, and Art Directors)
- lists the departments the intern will support (Concept, Modeling, Rigging, Animation, Lighting, FX, Production, and Research and Development)
- it outlines actual problems the intern will solve (“problems with fur, clothing, particle effects, animation, rendering, or data flow”)
The intern JD also uses conversational 1st/2nd person style (e.g., “you” and “your” or “we” and “our”) meaning it will perform better than the more generic one above. The only thing it lacks (to make it even more specific) is a section on pay and benefits.
ART PIPELINE ENGINEERING INTERN (R23361)
Department
Art & Animation
Location Cary North Carolina, United States
Company Epic Games
Requisition ID R23361
WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
Epic Games is looking for an Art Pipeline Engineering Intern to work in our art pipeline building tools, processes, and workflows to improve artist efficiencies. Our Interns are given challenging projects over the work term, and are provided with a meaningful experience with high expectations for performance. If you want to build something Epic, this is the opportunity for you!
The Art Pipeline Team provides critical studio support to project artists and department leads across all Epic projects. A developer designs, develops and implements new tools and processes, as well as supports existing code, for multiple projects, departments, and teams.
In This Role You Will:
- Provide support and development of tools and procedures to extend and enhance the pipeline.
- Assist leads and artists with troubleshooting of production problems. Issues may include problems with fur, clothing, particle effects, animation, rendering, or data flow.
- Support and work with multiple departments, including Concept, Modeling, Rigging, Animation, Lighting, FX, Production, and Research and Development.
- Ensure software development follows studio policies and guidelines, and, in some situations, establishing what the guidelines should be.
- Work closely with other Pipeline Developers, Engineers, Producers, Leads, and Art Directors to maintain and further the production pipeline.
- Testing and fixing tools created by other pipeline developers.
What We’re Looking For:
- Strong programming skills. Proficiency in Python and Object Oriented Programming required.
- Professional and educational focus on the game industry, computer animation, or visual effects.
- Focused interest in developing and integrating tools into a production pipeline.
- Experience with the Unreal Engine and its workflows preferred
- Experience with 3rd Party CG systems such as Blender, Maya, Substance Painter/Designer, Houdini, Shotgun.
- Seeks knowledge from co-workers and supervisors.
- Comfortable communicating with both technical and artistic groups.
- Ability to work within an existing code base, including debugging of unfamiliar code.
This is an internship for 2023 with a flexible start date. Recruitment will be ongoing until teams find an ideal match. For more information about Epic’s Early Career Program, visit Epicgames.com/students.
This is going to be Epic!
ABOUT US
Epic Games spans across 19 countries with 55 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we’ve been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic’s award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Pros and cons of specific vs. generic job descriptions
Now that we’ve seen some examples of a generic vs specific job description, let’s unpack their pros and cons. I’ve put them into table format for easier comparison.
| Pros of a Specific Job Description | Cons of a Specific Job Description |
|---|---|
| Job seekers know more about the day-to-day of the role (who they’ll work with, what tasks they’ll do) | Your list of responsibilities and requirements are “too specific” (7 or more might deter people from applying) |
| Candidates find out what’s in it for them if they’re hired (e.g., salary and benefits) | There’s just too much on the page (maybe you have too many extra long sentences in each section?) |
| Your job title is clear and searchable (e.g., Pipeline Engineering Intern) | Your title might get too specific and not SEO-friendly (e.g., Pipeline Engineering Intern – Part Time – Denver Office – In-Office Only) |
| Pros of a Generic Job Description | Cons of a Generic Job Description |
|---|---|
| They are easy to copy, paste, and post | Your list of responsibilities and requirements is too general (what are the actual daily duties?) |
| They are short and easy to read | They don’t include all of the important sections candidates care about (DEI statement, salary, benefits, mission statement, and more) |
| The job title is concise and SEO-friendly (e.g., Engineering Intern) | The job title might be too broad (e.g., Intern) and makes it difficult to attract specific talent. (Like searching for a needle in a haystack of JDs) |
A free job description template from Ongig (the perfect mix of both!)
If you are on board with creating a “hybrid” generic AND specific job description, here’s a free template you can easily copy/paste. Or try Ongig’s job description software to create your own custom templates (by department, function, location, etc.).
Each section below has notes on what to include to help boost your chances of attracting top talent and creating the perfect mix of generic and specific job descriptions.
JOB TITLE
[Include a clear and concise title of your posted job.]
Tip: Keep your job titles between 1-3 words and 20 syllables or less. This helps with SEO and makes them easier to read. You should also check for trending search keywords (via Google Trends and job site platforms like Indeed) of job applicants and incorporate them to your title for improved searchability. Check out our Job Title Guide for the most searched job titles.
JOB SUMMARY
[Provide an engaging paragraph about the role.]
Tip: A job summary should concisely explain the role. Remember to include who they’ll supervise and any other responsibilities. Your job summary is an extension of your job title, clearly explaining what a talent can look forward to in applying for a role.
Impactful job summaries clarify the purpose of the role, by highlighting key responsibilities, communication practices, and other significant workplace details.
ABOUT YOU
[Share more about the desired skills, roles, and responsibilities of the ideal candidate.] The key section focuses on the talent perspective, and the experience/skill set needed to assimilate smoothly with the organizational culture.
Consider adding sentences on:
- Skills required for specific tasks. Rather than simply listing skills and competencies, provide context to give job seekers a better idea of their contribution. For example, for a marketing executive role, you might require candidates to have prior experience in interpreting campaign performance analytics data, which hires would apply to an ongoing project (you could name the project for better context).
- Goals and targets. These may include specific KPIs associated with the role and periodic projects handled by the position holder.
- Workplace collaborations. Consider listing the potential factors critical for maintaining smooth and effective communications for the role. These may include cross-functional and interdepartmental opportunities. You could also list preferred candidate efficiencies in collaborative platforms like Google Meet or Kanban software.
- Who You Report To. Including this section gives job candidates a better idea of their career trajectory, reporting protocols, and long-term advancement structure.
Tip: Look at other companies or templates for inspiration.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
[Here is where you list the day-to-day job duties.]
Job duties may include:
- Manage day-to-day client support
- Facilitate a collaborative team environment
- Provide ongoing support for new projects
- Coach direct reports
- Work with C-suite for strategy planning
You could also gain additional attention from candidates by listing key job duties according to the order of importance. Therefore, positioning the most critical task at the top gives potential hires a quick glance at their most valued company contributions.
It is also important to illustrate the organizational impact and purpose associated with these responsibilities. For instance, you could start the list by sharing how working with C-suite for strategy planning drives sustainable organizational growth and DEIB advancements such as increased leadership among underrepresented communities.
Tip: Keep your “responsibilities” lists short. Using more than 7 bullets might make candidates feel underqualified or overwhelmed.
YOUR REQUIREMENTS
[Here is where you list the basic qualifications and experience.]
The section would also allude to soft and hard skills that job seekers need to fulfill their specific roles. It is strategic to discuss requirements with your HR team and departmental heads to shortlist the requirements for a role (without overwhelming and repelling hires).
For example, your company could assess if an applicant requires a degree or occupational certification for a position.
Formal educational qualifications may not necessarily determine the success of a role or job fit. Instead, recruiting teams should consider measuring the quality of hire based on the specific skills needed to satisfy a job scope and its immediate goals.
A skills-based hiring approach could significantly diversify your talent pool and improve hiring efforts.
Using a tool like O*Net Online (compiled by the US Department of Labor) can help HR/hiring teams identify the specific occupational skills associated with a role. These terms can help fine-tune role requirements for better candidate targeting.
Tip: Include your preferred requirements here or create a “Preferred Requirements” section if there are more than two.
SALARY
[List the salary or hourly rate for the role here. It is important to keep things transparent as candidates spend a significant amount of time on this section.] Salary transparency is integral for connecting with suitable candidates, which gives job seekers a clearer idea of what they’ll receive for their contributions. These JD considerations can improve employee engagement and retain talent for the long term. In fact, one study by Adobe revealed that 85% of recent college graduates are less likely to apply for JDs that lack a salary range.
Tip: Even if it’s a range, list salary details. Salary is the #1 part of a job ad that is “helpful”, “appealing”, and makes candidates “more likely to apply”.
BENEFITS
[List the perks of joining your company.] It is important to not overlook the importance of your workplace benefits, with workforce reports sharing that 1 in 10 workers are willing to take a pay cut for better benefits.
Reports also indicate that 80% of employees older than 42 look for roles that include employer-covered healthcare. As such, recruiters may consider prioritizing additional coverage, such as sponsored health screenings, checkups, and medical consultations for senior role vacancies to improve time-to-fill rates and the quality of hire.
To achieve the best applicant response, your recruitment teams should review the latest compensation/benefit trends based on ever-shifting job seekers’ demands. Workforce research shows that salary benchmarking has direct links with employee retention, where the gain of 6% in average salary led to a 16% rise in retention across 12 months.
Tip: Each benefit you include in a job ad increases the apply rate by 1% to 5%. The benefits with the most positive impact on apply rate are: Regular Incremental Bonus (+155.1%); Pet Insurance (+37%); Health Insurance (+29.8%); Stock Options/Employee Stock Purchase Plan (+27.5%); and 401(k) (+20.5%).
OPTIONAL SECTIONS
[your JDs may include optional sections that facilitate a job search and application]
- Travel requirements
- Remote and on-site work requirements
- Commission details
- Application steps
Adding these sections boosts your on-page SEO by aligning your JD to search keywords of targeted candidates. As such, your postings could gain a competitive advantage by ranking higher on the search engine results page (SERPs) and attracting top hires.
It is also strategic to provide clear guidance in applying for a role. You could consider adding applicant-friendly widgets for a more intuitive candidate experience.
For instance, Ongig enables your hiring team to conveniently integrate widgets like LinkedIn’s Easy Apply to decrease a job seeker’s time on your career page by expediting the application process.
ABOUT US
[Here, you share more about your company] This is a great opportunity to introduce your organizational background, where candidates can see if their personal values harmonize with broader company objectives.
Some ideas to include:
- Stating the healthcare perks of joining the company
- Describing your company culture
- Specifying your vision ad mission
- Sharing your ongoing corporate responsibility
- Sharing the scale of your company (such as the number of workers, international reach, and department size). Doing so offers job seekers a better sense of collaboration and the potential for close-knit working groups.
- Describing workplace layouts, which could reference sustainable/eco-friendly office settings and accessibility features. Your office’s setup and design influence your candidate’s overall first impression of applying for a role at your organization.
Tip: I like to save the “About Us” section for the end (even though about 50% of JDs start with About Us). Instead, end your JD with the About Us. That way, you can START your JD about the candidate/role, making them feel valued.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
[Include an equal employer (EEO) or diversity statement that makes your company accessible and attractive to candidates from diverse backgrounds.]
These strategic JD content sections are also known as affirmative action statements. Your organization’s EEO or diversity statement builds a positive rapport with candidates, including passive job seekers who might be on the lookout for a more inclusive work opportunity where they feel more valued and empowered.
Financial services company Moody’s provides a fine example of an effective diversity statement:
“We recruit, hire, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities.
Moody’s also has a longstanding policy of providing a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of each individual and is free from all forms of employment discrimination, including harassment, because of race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”
Tip: Most candidates value seeing a D&I commitment. A diverse population of 764 LinkedIn members in the U.S. said “even a generic statement is still better than no statement.” You’ll find examples in our blog 25 Examples of Awesome Diversity Statements.
Impact of Job Descriptions on Employer Branding
A well-written job description is more than just a list of tasks—it’s a key element of your employer branding. Therefore, by crafting accurate job descriptions, you can set the tone for how prospective candidates and potential clients view your company. A position description that’s clear and engaging shows that your business values transparency, professionalism, and attention to detail.
Attracting Qualified Job Seekers
Specific details in your job ads make a big difference when trying to attract top candidates. So, a typical job description might list generic descriptions of responsibilities. But, effective job descriptions dive deeper into specific duties, primary duties, and the essential functions of the job. This level of detail also helps qualified candidates determine if they’re a good fit for the particular position.
In addition, including relevant information about preferred qualifications, professional experience, and even physical requirements is always a good idea. So, this information not only sets clear expectations for the role. It also helps hiring managers find qualified individuals faster.
Building Trust Through Transparency
A detailed and specific role description can build trust with potential candidates. Therefore, adding basic information like the job code, classification title, and general information about the open role gives job seekers a starting point for understanding what’s expected. So, including additional information about the work-life balance, physical demands, and skill levels required further enhances this transparency.
When you avoid generic descriptions and include relevant details about the recruitment process, you’re also showing that you respect the time and effort of prospective candidates. This thoughtful approach is especially important for senior roles. It is also vital for positions that require advanced communication skills or contextual information about the business plan.
Standing Out with Inclusivity
Your job posting can also support diversity and inclusivity efforts. For instance, referencing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and offering reasonable accommodation signals to qualified job seekers, including those with disabilities, that they are valued. So, mentioning that your job responsibilities can be adapted for minor changes or undue hardship reinforces your commitment to creating an inclusive workplace.
Working with the office of diversity to ensure the language in your job specification aligns with federal laws is another way to show that your company prioritizes equity and compliance. This is particularly important for hiring managers looking to appeal to a wide range of qualified individuals.
Improving Retention and Performance
A well-crafted position description benefits not just new hires but also current employees. It serves as a guide for performance reviews. Thus, helping team members understand how their job performance is measured. Also, when new technologies or business needs arise, updating job responsibilities to reflect specific details about new positions ensures that everyone is aligned with performance standards.
Job analysis and job function reviews also make it easier to provide accurate performance reviews and identify areas for growth. Whether it’s for an administrative assistant or a senior-level role, a good job description helps team members feel confident in their duties and valued for their contributions.
Connecting with the Right Audience
Finally, tailoring your job ads to your target audience can make your company an employer of choice. Whether you’re using job boards, creating a broad job description for entry-level roles, or crafting a special-purpose job description for niche positions, the goal is to communicate important information effectively.
So, by following best practices and including elements of a job description that matter—such as specific details, relevant experience, and preferred qualifications—you can attract top talent while showcasing your company’s professionalism and culture.
Well-written job descriptions aren’t just part of your talent acquisition strategy. They’re also a reflection of your brand’s values. So, whether you’re defining a new role or revising existing descriptions, putting effort into this step of the recruitment process is always worth it.
Closing Thoughts – Enhance Every Type of Job Description With AI!
Whether it’s a generic or specific job description, the success of your most intricate recruitment campaign depends on understanding job seeker needs for an optimized candidate experience.
With the volatile changes in candidate preferences, DEIB regulations and job market trends, it can prove unnerving to update JDs even for the most resourceful enterprise recruiters.
With Ongig’s Text Analyzer solution, your hiring team can constantly generate, store, and edit optimized JD templates for every campaign.
The AI-powered platform utilizes an advanced algorithm that efficiently customizes inclusive and compelling JDs for your most complex roles.
Text Analyzer also automatically generates every essential JD section to ensure your ads contain the critical bits of job details for converting your most prized applicants.
Through Text Analyzer, you can time-effectively create a generic description for a department-wide campaign or generate a specific JD for a highly specialized role. Your hiring team can consistently draw out the most qualified talent for a vacancy without the guesswork.
Why I wrote this:
At Ongig, we get lots of questions about job descriptions. One of the most recent was “Which is better, a generic or specific job description?”. This post should help answer that question, and give you some context on why we think the answer is…a mix of both. Request a Text Analyzer demo to discover how you can elevate your TA campaigns through the flexibility of AI.
Shout-outs:
- Job descriptions, Specific or Generic?? (by Dr. Bilal H. Ali)
- Broad Generic Job Descriptions Vs. Narrow Specific Job Descriptions (by Jessica Ann Marie)
- 84% Of Workforce Insists Job Candidates Must Demonstrate Soft Skills, New Study Finds (by Bryan Robinson)
- Moody’s Equal Opportunity Employer Page
- Best Employee Benefits In 2024 (By Dennis O’Reilly)
- O*Net OnLine
- Adobe’s Future Workforce Study reveals what Gen Z is looking for in the workplace (By Vaishali Sabhahit)
- Why Your Organization Should Use Salary Benchmarking (By Zoë B. Cullen, Shengwu Li, Ricardo Perez-Truglia, Annemarie Schaefer, and Brent Weiss)
