How to Write a Job Description That Attracts Top SaaS Talent
We review over 500 job descriptions a year. Most of them are terrible. They're written for compliance, not attraction. Here's how to fix yours.
Why Most Job Descriptions Fail
The typical startup JD looks like this:
Top candidates see this and move on. They have 10 other offers. Your JD needs to sell the opportunity, not just list demands.
The Magnus Kor JD Framework
1. Lead with Impact, Not Requirements
Bad: "We're looking for a Senior Backend Engineer with 5+ years of experience in Python, Go, or Java..."
Good: "You'll own the API layer that processes $2M in daily transactions for 500+ SaaS companies. In your first quarter, you'll redesign our event pipeline to handle 10x current throughput."
2. Be Specific About Compensation
Include a salary range. Yes, always. Candidates who don't see a range assume it's below market.
Format: "$150,000-$190,000 base + 0.1-0.2% equity. Total CTC: $180,000-$230,000."
3. Describe the First 90 Days
Give candidates a movie of what their life looks like:
- Month 1: Onboarding, code review, ship first bug fix
- Month 2: Own first feature, meet key stakeholders
- Month 3: Lead first project, present at engineering all-hands
4. Keep Requirements to 5-7 Items
Every additional requirement reduces your applicant pool by 10%. List only what's truly essential. Everything else is "nice to have."
5. Show Your Culture, Don't Tell It
Bad: "We have a great culture!"
Good: "We do weekly architecture reviews where any engineer can challenge technical decisions. Our last three major pivots came from IC engineers, not management."
The Diversity Impact
Research shows that women apply to jobs only when they meet 100% of requirements, while men apply at 60%. By keeping your requirements list short and specific, you dramatically increase diversity in your pipeline.
Tools to Help
Use our Smart Hire Planner to define the right role profile before writing your JD. It will recommend the right seniority level, compensation range, and key responsibilities based on your company's stage and needs.