writing-job-descriptions

What this skill does

# Writing Job Descriptions (Outcome-Based)

## Scope

**Covers**
- Turning a vague “we should hire X” into a clear **role outcome + success scorecard**
- Defining **competency spikes** (major/minor) instead of a generic laundry list
- Writing a **high-signal job description** that is honest about context (pace, constraints, trade-offs)
- Building a lightweight **iteration loop** to improve the JD after real candidate conversations

**When to use**
- “Write a job description / job posting for …”
- “Create a role scorecard / success profile for a new hire.”
- “Make this JD more high-signal (it’s generic and attracting everyone).”
- “Rewrite our JD around outcomes instead of responsibilities.”

**When NOT to use**
- You haven’t decided whether to hire vs restructure/contract/automation (do org planning first)
- You need a full interview loop / evaluation rubric / hiring process design (separate workstream)
- You need legal/HR review for compliance wording (this skill is not legal advice)

## Inputs

**Minimum required**
- Role title + level + function (e.g., “Senior Product Designer”, “Staff Backend Engineer”)
- Team/context (what you build; who the role reports to; key partners)
- Why hire now + the “progress” this role must create
- Success definition: 3–6 outcomes for **12 months after start**
- Working model + constraints (remote/hybrid, time zones, travel, on-call, pace)

**Missing-info strategy**
- Ask up to 5 questions from [references/INTAKE.md](references/INTAKE.md).
- If answers aren’t available, proceed with explicit assumptions and offer 2 versions: **conservative/inclusive** and **high-intensity/polarizing** (if appropriate).

## Outputs (deliverables)

Produce a **Job Description Pack** in Markdown (in-chat; or as files if requested):

1) **Context snapshot**
2) **Role scorecard:** success at 12 months (+ optional 30/60/90)
3) **Competency spike map:** majors/minors + “evidence of strength”
4) **Job description draft (public):** outcome-based, high-signal
5) **Filters:** who will thrive / who should not apply (honest, non-discriminatory)
6) **Iteration plan + version log:** what to test and how to update after candidate conversations
7) **Risks / Open questions / Next steps** (always included)

Templates: [references/TEMPLATES.md](references/TEMPLATES.md)  
Expanded guidance: [references/WORKFLOW.md](references/WORKFLOW.md)

## Workflow (7 steps)

### 1) Intake + constraints (don’t start writing yet)
- **Inputs:** user request; [references/INTAKE.md](references/INTAKE.md).
- **Actions:** Clarify role, level, “why now”, constraints (location, pace, comp bands if available), and what “good” looks like. Identify what you can/can’t say publicly.
- **Outputs:** Context snapshot + assumptions/unknowns list.
- **Checks:** You can state in one sentence: “We are hiring X to achieve Y by Z.”

### 2) Define “success 12 months later” (scorecard)
- **Inputs:** business goals, current pains, manager expectations.
- **Actions:** Write 3–6 outcomes that would make you “clink champagne” in 12 months. Add measurable indicators where possible.
- **Outputs:** Role scorecard (12-month success).
- **Checks:** Outcomes describe business impact and shipped/owned artifacts, not just activities.

### 3) Decide the competency spikes (major/minor)
- **Inputs:** role scorecard.
- **Actions:** Choose 1 **major** spike and 1–2 **minor** spikes. Define what “strong” looks like and how to recognize it (work samples, narratives, portfolio, shipped systems).
- **Outputs:** Competency spike map.
- **Checks:** Spikes explain why a generalist won’t work; each spike ties to at least one 12-month outcome.

### 4) Translate outcomes into responsibilities (progress over laundry lists)
- **Inputs:** scorecard + spikes.
- **Actions:** Convert outcomes into 6–10 responsibilities phrased as progress (“Own X end-to-end”, “Reduce Y from A→B”) rather than “attend meetings”. Remove arbitrary requirements.
- **Outputs:** Responsibilities section draft.
- **Checks:** Every responsibility maps to at least one outcome; anything that doesn’t map is cut or re-justified.

### 5) Add the “truth” section (high-signal + filtering)
- **Inputs:** team reality: pace, constraints, trade-offs.
- **Actions:** Write a candid “How we work / What’s hard here” section and a “Who will thrive / Who won’t” filter. Use polarizing clarity without illegal/discriminatory language.
- **Outputs:** Context truth + filters.
- **Checks:** A candidate can self-select in/out; claims are honest and specific (not hype).

### 6) Draft the public job description (clean, inclusive, skimmable)
- **Inputs:** templates; company/role basics.
- **Actions:** Assemble a complete JD using [references/TEMPLATES.md](references/TEMPLATES.md). Keep requirements minimal; separate must-haves vs nice-to-haves; avoid jargon and bias.
- **Outputs:** JD draft (public).
- **Checks:** In 90 seconds, a qualified candidate can answer: “What will I accomplish? Why here? What do I need to be great at?”

### 7) Iterate + quality gate + finalize pack
- **Inputs:** JD draft; any candidate feedback; hiring manager review.
- **Actions:** Propose what to test (which section is failing: attract vs filter). Create an iteration log. Run [references/CHECKLISTS.md](references/CHECKLISTS.md) and score with [references/RUBRIC.md](references/RUBRIC.md). Add Risks/Open questions/Next steps.
- **Outputs:** Final Job Description Pack.
- **Checks:** The pack is internally aligned and externally high-signal; unknowns are explicit; iteration triggers are defined.

## Quality gate (required)
- Use [references/CHECKLISTS.md](references/CHECKLISTS.md) and [references/RUBRIC.md](references/RUBRIC.md).
- Always include: **Risks**, **Open questions**, **Next steps**.

## Examples

**Example 1 (Startup, high-pace):** “Write a job description for a founding Product Designer for a seed-stage B2B AI tool. We need someone who can ship end-to-end in ambiguity. Include success at 12 months and a candid ‘what’s hard here’ section.”  
Expected: clear 12-month outcomes, a design-major spike, honest pace/constraints, and filters that self-select the wrong candidates out.

**Example 2 (Scale-up, specialized spike):** “Create a role scorecard + job posting for a Staff Backend Engineer owning reliability for a high-traffic API. Emphasize systems thinking and incident ownership.”  
Expected: outcome-based responsibilities tied to reliability outcomes, plus a clear major spike (operational excellence) and measurable success criteria.

**Boundary example:** “Write a JD for a ‘rockstar generalist’ to ‘do whatever is needed’ (no outcomes).”  
Response: refuse to invent a laundry list; run intake, define 12-month outcomes and spikes first, then draft.