What’s new with our age-old Job Descriptions?

The first thing you’d ask from a recruiter who calls you is a “Job Description.” Unfortunately, there are some Organisations that give little to no importance to it. 

Sometimes it is a copy-paste from another company’s JD or a previous JD. Which is fine, but only if tweaked to suit the current scenario and framed with the company’s tone and branding.

Why most HR recruiters resort to a quick solutions to this is because time is an extremely important resource to them. After all it’s their KPI. But I cannot stress this enough, “Take more time in getting the right fit rather than trying to fit them in later”. Creating a perfect JD (if there’s anything like that), doesn’t guarantee the perfect match (again, if there’s anything like that..). However, there’s a reason why some HR professionals of large Companies are utilising their creative skills in making impactful JDs. 

Frankly, JDs used to be daunting to make as well as boring to read because they were: predictable and painfully vague. For example: 

“Good communication skills.” “Should be a team player.” “Knowledge of MS Office.” 

If your JDs still give this feel, please read on carefully.

In today’s AI-first, skill-fluid, and hybrid-working world, the old JD needed a glow-up. 

Let’s decode what’s really new with Job Descriptions today.

How fresh & impactful Job Descriptions look:

Job Descriptions still need to have these basic “must-haves”:

- About Co. (In short - Let the URL to careers page of the company website handle the details)
- Candidate Profile (The required Educational & Experience Qualifications clearly specified for the candidates) 
- Job Profile / Roles & Responsibilities (Key responsibilities of the position)
- Additional Benefits (like Mediclaim, Travel allowance, bonus, ESOPS, etc.)

Now comes the part that stands you out! 

  1. Don’t dodge the bullets:

No JD in the world should be long paragraphs and essays. The text should be scannable. So it is a no-brainer to have your JDs formed into bullet points. Here’s a new idea - Create “Modular Blocks” that you can use to customise your JDs as you plug-&-play it for different roles. (Ref. to the point below)

2. Modular Blocks: 

Design your JDs like Lego sets. Create modular JD templates of your own, containing:

a. Responsibilities Block (task-driven vs. outcome-driven).

JD focus has shifted from listing activities to measurable outcomes.
Example: “Drive at least 20% improvement in customer retention” vs. “Manage customer relationships.”

b. Skills Block (technical + behavioural)

Include both, technical and behavioural skills suited for the role (like fierce, aggressive, on-the-toes could be a requirement for one position; whereas some other role would ask for a much calmer, more focused & insight-driven attributes)
Some earlier “nice-to-haves” have become a default requirement for certain roles. Some demand strategic thinking in their current or future role. Things like data-driven decision-making, comfort with dashboards, and basic analytics are some of them.

c. Work Environment Block

An important aspect especially after the COVID wave is the policies related to the working style. It has become essential for the candidates to prioritise job opportunities based on this, because, well, they do have options! Whether it is remote, hybrid, office-based, project-based, or gig oriented, consider mentioning it in the first communication through JD to reach the correct audience.

d. Impact Block 

Mention how the role potentially drives company goals by connecting individual contributions to broader business objectives, showcasing measurable outcomes, and highlighting strategic value.

e. Culture Block

A “Why us” section, that attracts the candidates who mirror your values. E.g. “You’ll work in a culture that values autonomy, collaboration, and lifelong learning.”

Have at least 3 variants - entry-level, mid-level, leadership for faster reuse.

Use these as drag-and-drop templates for quick customisation.

3. Leverage Gen AI: How?
- Auto-generate JDs from hiring manager briefs and then humanise them using your Organisation’s tone and values.
- Use the AI bot to create JDs in a pre-defined tone & format by you simply giving prompts on the basic requirements (profile, experience, etc.) every time there’s a need. 
- Decide on specific blocks for each of the JDs and plug them in customised to every role. 

4. Focus on Human Skills (Since AI Can’t Replicate Them):
- Interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, storytelling, and creativity are now highlighted more than ever.
- Collaboration, leadership, and ethical decision-making are highly sought after.

5. Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability
Companies now embed commitments to DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) into JDs.

- This is gaining limelight as our society is moving towards more awareness, open mindsets, equality, and acceptance of diverse cultures & choices. 
- Having a culture that supports these ideas open up the opportunities to a wider audience, while attracting & building a progressive workforce. It also reflects well on the values incorporated in the Organisation. 

Excerpt from one of the Netflix’s JDs:

We are an equal-opportunity employer and celebrate diversity, recognizing that diversity of thought and background builds stronger teams. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, color, place of birth, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service status, or disability status.

6. Employer Branding Elements:

JDs are now storytelling tools — showcasing:

1. Company culture
2. Mission and values
3. Why the role matters
4. They're more candidate-focused and often include videos, testimonials, or links.

Companies that have got it right:

Companies like Airbnb, Notion, Microsoft, Shopify, and Duolingo are setting the tone for modern JDs.

They:

- Write like humans, not HR textbooks
- Show flexibility and trust in candidates
- Make you feel excited, not exhausted by the time you finish reading

I am hereby adding the career pages of these companies.

You may browse through some of their active job openings and learn a little more from their Job Description patterns:

Airbnb  
Duolingo 
Microsoft 
Netflix

In 2025, a Job Description is no longer just a job description.

It’s your first handshake, your elevator pitch, your mini-brand ad.

If we’re going to attract the right talent, we better start sounding like we know what we want and where we’re headed.

Because no one ever got excited reading: “Should be proficient in MS Excel.”