Writing a job description from a hiring manager interview: tasks and working conditions

An interview reveals the work behind the job title

The same job title can mean different things on different teams. A generic job posting won’t tell candidates what they’ll be responsible for delivering or what conditions they’ll work in.

A hiring manager’s account can contain contradictions: they want an independent employee, yet every decision needs approval; they ask for a specific tool, yet what really matters is the outcome. A transcript gives you concrete points to review together.

Turn the manager’s account into verifiable sections of a job description

1. Gather context and the reasons for hiring

   Ask why the role is open now, what problem it should solve and what will change once the person starts. Keep internal details that aren’t intended for candidates out of the posting. Separate useful work context from confidential information.

2. Describe tasks in terms of results

   Ask for typical situations, decisions and expected outcomes, alongside the processes. Clarify initial assignments, recurring work and rare but critical situations. Record what the employee does personally and where they rely on the team.

3. Check requirements and working conditions

   For each requirement, ask which task can’t be done without it and whether the skill can be learned after joining. Include the work arrangement, schedule, reporting line, working relationships and resources only after they’ve been confirmed.

4. Agree on a version that sets accurate expectations

   Show the hiring manager and HR the sections on tasks, expected results, required skills and what can be learned. Resolve contradictions and remove promises the company can’t keep. Check that the details are still current before publishing.

Fictional role: knowledge base editor

This is a fictional training example. The names, circumstances and outcomes are included solely to explain the method.

“Writes quickly” is so broad that it can attract someone who expects a different job. The real tasks are interviewing, organizing knowledge and checking that the instructions are clear. Define speed by the volume of a specific deliverable and the time available to produce it.

Tie each requirement to a task: asking follow-up questions or editing step-by-step instructions, for example. Proficiency in a named program needn’t be mandatory if the tool can be learned on the job.

Job description brief

Agree on the facts first. Then write an appealing posting without exaggeration.

Job title and team:
Why the role is open:
Expected result in the first 1–3 months:
Recurring tasks:
Rare but critical situations:
Decision authority and limits:
People and teams the role works with:
Tools and resources:
Required skills and the tasks they support:
What can be learned after joining:
Work arrangement and schedule:
What the posting must not promise:
Who approved it and when it was last checked:

Check the result before using it

• Every must-have requirement is tied to a real task.
• Expected results are separate from personal traits.
• The people responsible have confirmed the working conditions.
• The posting contains no confidential details from the interview.