A job description is a written summary that defines a position's main duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, and reporting relationships within an organization. It outlines exactly what a role involves, from daily tasks and performance goals to the skills needed and how the position supports fair, compliant hiring practices.
This single summary does more heavy lifting than most people realize, especially for global hiring. Sure, it helps you attract the right candidates by spelling out what you actually need-but that's just the beginning. It becomes your roadmap for evaluating performance, giving both managers and employees a clear benchmark for success. No more guessing games about whether someone's meeting expectations.
From a compliance standpoint, job descriptions keep you on the right side of employment laws and equal opportunity standards. They show you're hiring based on job requirements, not assumptions. They also help employees see where they fit in the bigger picture, like who they report to, how their role connects to company goals, and what career paths might open up. And if workplace disputes arise? That written record of duties and expectations can prevent small disagreements from becoming legal headaches. Think of it as insurance you hope you'll never need, but you'll be glad you have.
What every job description should include
Every solid job description covers the same essential ground:
- Job title. Clear and accurate titles that reflect what the role involves. Creative titles that leave candidates guessing aren't helpful. "Customer Success Ninja" might sound fun, but "Customer Success Manager" tells candidates exactly what they'd be doing. For global hiring, remember that quirky titles often don't translate well across cultures. What sounds innovative in San Francisco might just confuse candidates in Singapore.
- Job summary. A brief overview explaining why the role exists and how it connects to organizational goals. This is your elevator pitch for the position. In three to five sentences, candidates should understand what success looks like and why this role matters to your company's mission. Skip the corporate fluff and get straight to the point.
- Responsibilities and duties. 5-10 core tasks that paint a clear picture of daily work. Specific enough to be meaningful, but not an exhaustive operations manual. Instead of "manage projects," try "lead cross-functional teams to deliver software releases on schedule." The best descriptions help candidates visualize their first six months on the job.
- Qualifications. Must-have requirements clearly separated from nice-to-have skills. If the role needs five years of project management experience, that's stated upfront. Preferred qualifications, like language skills, go in a separate section. Be realistic here-asking for 10 years of experience with five-year-old technology makes your company look out of touch. In fact, studies show that women are less likely to apply unless they believe they meet most of the listed requirements.
- Skills and competencies. Both technical abilities (specific software knowledge) and soft skills (team leadership, communication) drive success in any role. For international teams, cultural adaptability and timezone flexibility become just as critical as technical prowess. Be specific about which tools and technologies the role uses daily.
- Reporting structure. Clear lines showing who the role reports to and whether it includes managing others. Candidates want to know where they fit in your organization. Will they report to the VP of Engineering or the CTO? Will they manage a team of three or 30? This clarity helps set realistic expectations from day one.
- Work environment and conditions. Details about remote, hybrid, or in-office expectations, plus any travel requirements or physical demands of the job. For global positions, specify timezone overlap requirements. If the role needs someone online during New York business hours from Berlin, say so upfront. Nothing frustrates candidates more than discovering deal-breakers after three rounds of interviews.
- Compensation and benefits. Salary ranges and benefit information are increasingly expected-and required by law in some locations. Transparency here saves time for everyone. For international roles, clarify whether you're paying local market rates or standardized global salaries. Don't forget to mention unique benefits that matter in different markets, like healthcare in the U.S. or vacation days in Europe.
- Equal Employment Opportunity statement. Standard language demonstrating commitment to fair hiring practices and compliance with employment laws. While this might seem like legal boilerplate, it signals to global candidates that you take fair treatment seriously. Make sure your statement complies with requirements in all countries where you're hiring-what works in the U.S. might not meet standards in the EU.
Global job description best practices
- Job descriptions have expiration dates. Savvy employers know that job descriptions aren't write-once documents. Roles evolve, responsibilities shift, and what made sense last year might be outdated today. Regular reviews keep descriptions aligned with actual work-and help avoid that awkward moment when a job posting describes a completely different role than what the team actually needs.
- Words can accidentally discriminate. Language matters more than most people realize. Phrases like "digital native" or "recent graduate" can illegally exclude older workers. Requirements for "native English speakers" miss out on multilingual talent. Even seemingly innocent terms like "rockstar" or "ninja" can discourage qualified candidates who don't identify with that kind of language. The goal is casting a wide net for talent, not accidentally filtering out great candidates with word choices.
- Every country has different rules. For companies hiring globally, compliance gets complex fast. What's legal in a U.S. job description might violate privacy laws in Germany or discrimination rules in the United Kingdom. Some countries require salary transparency, others forbid asking about certain qualifications, and many have specific rules about how roles must be advertised. This is where partnering with global employment experts like an Employer of Record (EOR) becomes essential-they know which local requirements apply in each market.
- Consistency protects everyone. Consistency across job descriptions does more than make HR's life easier. It creates fairness in hiring, promotions, and pay decisions. When similar roles have wildly different descriptions, it becomes impossible to ensure equal pay for equal work or to defend compensation decisions. A standardized approach-with room for role-specific details-protects both the company and its employees.
Getting your job descriptions right is crucial for attracting global talent. But even the perfect job description is just the beginning-the real complexity starts when you find that ideal candidate in another country and need to bring them on board.
Ready to attract top global talent?
Writing a great job description is step one. But when your ideal candidate lives in another country, that's when things get interesting. Employment contracts in languages you don't speak. Tax requirements that change by the month. Benefits packages that need to make sense in Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Bangkok.
That's where Pebl comes in. Our global EOR service handles the complex parts of international hiring-from compliant contracts and payroll to local benefits and tax filings. We've already figured out the rules in 185+ countries, so you don't have to become an expert in international employment law just to hire that brilliant developer in Prague.
The result? You post the job, find the perfect person, and we handle everything else. No entities to set up. No compliance nightmares. Just straightforward global hiring that lets you build the team you need, wherever talent happens to live. Book a demo and let's talk about making your next international hire as easy as your last local one.
Disclaimer: This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided "as is," and no representations are made that the content is error-free.
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