Writing job specs engineers actually read
Cut the buzzwords. A simple structure that earns more responses.
Most job specs we see are written for HR systems, not engineers. They open with company boilerplate, bury the actual work under a wall of 'requirements', and finish with a benefits list everyone already offers.
A spec that earns replies does three things in the first 150 words: names the team, names the problem, and names the stack. Everything else is secondary.
Drop the seniority laundry list. 'Strong communicator, team player, self-starter' adds nothing — every applicant claims it. Replace it with one concrete example of what a strong week in the role looks like.
Be honest about the tech debt and the on-call rotation. Engineers respect specs that show self-awareness, and you save both sides a wasted interview loop.
Finally, publish the salary band. Specs without bands get 40-60% fewer qualified applications in our data, and the candidates who do apply are more likely to disengage at offer stage.