Defining the role & writing job descriptions

The first step toward building a strong talent pipeline is writing clear and compelling job descriptions.

Positioning your startup as the place to work is essential for attracting top talent in a competitive market.

We recommend this framework to make your job postings effective and aligned with what great candidates care about.

1. Start with your “why”

Start by stating your core belief about your product and the specific value you intend to create.

Candidates willing to join a company at such an early stage are often risk-takers. Lean into their desire for adventure and position your company as an exciting mission they can get behind.

2. Provide social proof & context

Transparency builds trust. Use your job description to give candidates enough context to understand where you are today and where you’re headed.

Include details like:

  • Funding: How much you’ve raised and from whom.
  • Traction: Specific milestones you’ve hit and any notable customers.

If you’re pre-traction, lean heavily into your vision and clearly define the problem you’re committed to solving.

3. Define the “what” and the “how”

Candidates want clarity. Be explicit about what success looks like in the role and how this person will contribute.

  • Core responsibilities: What they’ll do day to day.
  • Current projects: The technical or business challenges they’ll tackle in the first 90 days.

4. Incentivize referrals

Consider adding a referral bonus at the end of the job description. The role might not be right for the person reading, but they may know someone great. A simple form (e.g. Google Form) is enough to track referrals.

Role template

Use this template as a starting point for your own job descriptions. Customize it to match your product, culture, and stage.

[Role Title, e.g. Founding Fullstack Engineer]

Vision & mission
Start with your "why." What is the core belief that drives your company? This section should hook the candidate by appealing to their values and vision for the future.

Example structure:
At [Company Name], we believe that [Core Belief, e.g. everyone should have access to affordable healthcare]. We are solving [The Big Problem] because we [Value Proposition / Vision Statement].

We've raised $[Amount] from top-tier investors including [Investor 1] and [Investor 2] to turn this vision into reality. To date, we've achieved [Key Traction Point].

What we're building
Describe your unique approach, culture, and "how" behind your success. This helps candidates understand whether they'll thrive in your environment.

Example bullets:
- Move fast with a high degree of autonomy.
- Collaborate directly with the founders on the product roadmap.
- Work in a high-trust, high-ownership environment.

What you will be doing
Spell out clear, actionable responsibilities.
- [Responsibility 1]
- [Responsibility 2]
- [Responsibility 3]

Qualifications
- [Requirement 1, e.g. 5+ years of experience]
- [Requirement 2, e.g. Node.js, TypeScript, and AWS]
- [Requirement 3, e.g. prior early-stage startup experience is a plus]

Compensation & benefits
- Salary: $[Lower Range] – $[Upper Range] (see our salary benchmarks for regional guidance)
- Equity: [Equity Range, e.g. 0.1% – 0.5%]
- Benefits: [e.g. remote-first, health/dental/vision, PTO, home office stipend]

Close with a clear call to action and optional referral language (e.g. simple referral bonus and link to a form).