Software engineering roles are notoriously hard to fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it is for elite athletes, the A-est of A-List actors, or the most skilled international assassins, recruiters often need to seek out engineers rather than the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, software engineering employment is expected to increase by an impressive 22%<\/a> during the 2020s in the United States alone. And<\/em>, as a hiring manager or technical recruiter, you\u2019re competing for the best talent against top companies \u2014 companies with global cachet, name recognition, and tech street cred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Against all those challenges, how do you find skilled, relevant software engineers for your<\/em> company? <\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer: by writing a software engineering job description<\/strong> that\u2019s clear, compelling, and comprehensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you\u2019ve written dozens of JDs for engineers in the past, you may be wondering how you can get more eyes on it, better-suited candidates, and more actual applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to worry \u2014 <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this guide, we give you everything you need, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking for top talent fast? See how <\/em>Arc<\/a> can help you:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u26a1\ufe0f Find developers, designers, marketers, and more Hire top talent with Arc risk-free \u2192<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we get into how to write a job description for software engineer positions, here\u2019s a solid template you can use as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feel free to copy, paste, and edit this sample to your needs! <\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing to keep in mind \u2014 there is no single correct way to do this. As you\u2019ll see, our sample software engineer job description template above hasn\u2019t implemented many of our suggestions below (mostly for sake of time and space). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do what makes sense for the company you work for and the amount of information you have on the offered position!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out our entire set of tech job descriptions and choose the one which fits your hiring needs best:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, say goodbye to writing job descriptions altogether with HireAI. Discover top remote developers instantly without manual searching and screening. Try HireAI now!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve seen what an awesome job ad for SWEs looks like, let\u2019s go over each area point by point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing to note before we begin, though: treat your job description as an applicant ought to treat their resume. That is to say, the most important and relevant information up top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While we stand behind the order of sections we outline below, use it as a starting point, only. For example, if you\u2019re hiring for Netflix or Facebook, you need not open with a description of the company. Likewise, don\u2019t feel obligated to include everything<\/em> we list, either \u2014 a too-long job description can be as much of a turn-off as one that is too short!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The job title comes first, naturally, and it plays a particularly important role. Before a candidate sees a full job description for a software engineer, they\u2019re on a job board, like LinkedIn, Indeed, or ours here at Arc. That means they see the job description\u2019s title among a sea of other titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of these titles in the job boards\u2019 search results are vying for each candidate\u2019s attention. To get them to view the software engineering job description you\u2019re currently working so hard on, they\u2019ve got to be compelled to click through from the main search page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which means, a powerful job description title is super important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s look at two examples of job description titles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad Example<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Software Engineer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good Example<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senior Software Engineer – Cloud Security – Front-End (Remote)<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is something to be said about short titles, to be sure. For the most part, however, just saying \u201cSoftware Engineer\u201d in the job title won\u2019t cut it. After all, it\u2019s so broad. What kind of software engineer? What seniority level? This type of title is just marginally better than advertising a \u201ctech job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, qualify it with essentials, such as:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To make it more descriptive, you can also include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How to Find Software Engineers: The Complete Guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a recruiter or hiring manager, you want qualified candidates to apply for the job. But, before you can do that, they need to know who they\u2019ll be working for. Don\u2019t get bogged down in details here. Make it a single paragraph or two highlighting the products or services your company creates, the industry your company is in, and a bit about the company culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your goal is to get them to read further down the page. So, think about what sets your company apart. Are you backed by well-known VCs? Do you care about their work-life balance and mental health? Has your company won prestigious awards? Do you prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If so, mention it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a simple-yet-compelling full stack software engineer job description example from Ollie <\/strong>I found on LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ollie was born with the mission of improving the lives of pets and pet parents nationwide. We make human-grade pet food, tailored for each dog\u2019s nutritional needs, and deliver directly to our customers\u2019 doors. Through Ollie\u2019s carefully crafted meals, dogs can truly live their healthiest, happiest lives.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are a U.S. based distributed team and are backed by the same venture capital companies behind Instacart, Warby Parker, Glamsquad, Mirror, Prose, and Allbirds.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clear, concise, a few instantly recognizable dropped names, and a mission which dog-loving engineers can get behind. \ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most software engineers don\u2019t need or want to know your company\u2019s entire history or the founders\u2019 life stories. Especially as the first thing they read. But, if they do, simply link them to the appropriate pages (e.g., \u201cAbout us,\u201d \u201cMission statement,\u201d \u201cMeet the team\u201d) on your company website and move on! <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re hiring software engineers, and software engineers know<\/em> the essentials of what the job entails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, what does it mean for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Write a short paragraph giving a high-level overview of the job. Think to yourself: how would a software engineer describe their job to someone they\u2019re meeting for the first time at a tech conference? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a great example job description role summary from GMV <\/strong>via LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Role: <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re looking for a strong Full-Stack Software Engineer to join our team. Someone who\u2019s eager to work in an environment with a diverse ecosystem of applications: web apps and services, native mobile apps, high-level embedded apps, network programming, Actor model (Akka.net), messaging systems, streaming data (Kafka), relational databases, etc. We don’t expect incoming engineers to have experience\/expertise in all of these areas but we seek those who are looking to learn new things and have confidence in their own ability to get up to speed quickly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Common headings for this section are: \u201cRole summary,\u201d \u201cAbout the job,\u201d and \u201cJob summary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How to Implement a Welcoming Software Developer Onboarding Process<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n On to the everyday, the nitty gritty: what can your prospective engineering candidate expect to do on the job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be a section separate from the role summary above. Rather, it can be a continuation of that \u2014 but make it a bullet point list to help it stand out. Mention tools they\u2019ll use, processes they\u2019ll be responsible for implementing, and general daily activities, at the very least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a great example from a back-end engineering role at Spotify <\/strong>via their internal job board<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some examples of work you can expect to do if joining us:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Known as \u201ccore qualifications,\u201d \u201crequirements,\u201d \u201cjob experience,\u201d or \u201cwhat you\u2019ll bring,\u201d among other things, this is where you\u2019ll list out the necessary abilities and expertise candidates must have to be considered. Use a bulleted list here, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a great example from an Lyft job post for a Back-End Software Engineer <\/strong>taken from their Greenhouse job board<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Experience:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Try not to go overboard here. Don\u2019t include skills or years of experience in this area if it\u2019s not a certain dealbreaker<\/em> otherwise. Also, don\u2019t ask for absurdities such as \u201cat least 15 years of blockchain experience.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: 10+ Software Engineer Interview Questions to Find Top Dev Candidates<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar to the previous section, include a list of skills and expertise the ideal candidate might possess to stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a sample from a staff software engineer at Google <\/strong>from their careers page<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Preferred qualifications:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro tip<\/strong>: Show off your company culture here, too! For example, mention they\u2019ll get bonus points if they love dogs when you have a dog-friendly office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully you don\u2019t need to include education requirements in your job description. After all, the tech industry and Silicon Valley are full of software engineers who are self-taught or have taken non-traditional educational paths (e.g., coding bootcamps). Focusing on results and what the candidate will be expected to achieve is the way to go, in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, if your company does require it, by all means. Explain the lowest-level of education required (e.g., bachelor\u2019s degree, master\u2019s degree) along with the areas of study (e.g., computational mathematics, computer science).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on your company\u2019s sector and what the role involves, you may require candidates to have a particular license, certification, or clearance. This is especially true for cybersecurity roles (CISSP or CISM, for example) or if your organization works with the government in some way (e.g., facility security clearance, E-Verify). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read More<\/strong>: How Much to Hire a Software Developer: Freelance vs Full-Time Costs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Meatspace or cyberspace or some of both?<\/p>\n\n\n\n For on-site engineering roles, you\u2019ll most likely have a special field at the very top of the job description to include the city where the job is located. However, if you will consider (or are requiring) a remote employee or hybrid arrangement, make sure to specify. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Must they be within driving distance for important, in-person meetings? Will you provide relocation services and assistance? Do you expect the candidate to travel to and attend industry events?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay special attention to time, as well \u2014 do you require prospective engineers to have a complete overlap with the engineering team\u2019s work schedule or just a few hours? Maybe you\u2019re completely asynchronous? Engineers often value their deep work time, so it\u2019s both a captivating perk and useful information if you offer this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re only able to hire employees who have the authorization to work in a particular country, don\u2019t forget to note that, either. Finally, inform applicants of any potential work outside of regular hours, such as on-call requirements or when your engineering team performs weekend releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is pretty self-explanatory, so I\u2019ll simply give you some of the common and most-appreciated items to consider when speaking of both paid and unpaid compensation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u26a1\ufe0f Freelance or full-time remote + fully vetted<\/em>
\u26a1\ufe0f Save up to 80% with global hires<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nSample Software Engineer Job Description Template<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Senior Fullstack Software Engineer, Node\/Angular (Remote)\n<\/strong>\nAbout Us\n<\/strong>\nFocus Tech Solutions is a New York City-based startup taking personal productivity to the next level with our array of applications and research into secure neural implant technologies. You\u2019ll be joining a globally distributed team working on cutting-edge development with the goal of making humans more efficient and more effective. \n\nWhat You\u2019ll Do\n<\/strong>\nAs a senior software engineer at Focus Tech Solutions, you\u2019ll help us turn anonymized data and large data sets into actionable insights and intelligence to further our goals of improving human productivity. You\u2019ll work with product owners and technical leads while leading a team of engineers and developers to continuously evolve our products and services without sacrificing quality.\n\nResponsibilities\n<\/strong>\n\u2022 Collaborate with stakeholders while leading a team and deploying code releases frequently without downtime.\n\u2022 Assist in architecting our current and future large-scale web and mobile applications.\n\u2022 Work with the machine learning team to implement insights and tests.\n\u2022 Continue building and scaling our applications while ensuring high availability and high reliability connections with our neural implant hardware.\n\nMust-Have Qualifications\n<\/strong>\n\u2022 3+ years of experience using Node.js and Angular, especially with server-side rendering.\n\u2022 Significant experience maintaining and creating public APIs.\n\u2022 Knowledge of CI\/CD systems and zero downtime deployment techniques.\n\u2022 Strong leadership skills, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and communication skills.\n\u2022 Ability to work at least 4 hours per day overlapping with EST.\n\nNice-to-Have Qualifications\n<\/strong>\n\u2022 2+ years of experience with ExpressJS-based frameworks.\n\u2022 Some experience with Ruby, Ruby on Rails, GraphQL, and\/or MongoDB.\n\u2022 Great interpersonal skills and intercultural communication abilities.\n\u2022 Past experience working in a fully remote environment.\n\u2022 Ability to function in and lead a Scrum-based Agile environment with frequent code releases.\n\nCompensation & Benefits\n<\/strong>\n\u2022 Competitive base salary, $160,000 \u2013 $210,000 DOE\n\u2022 Unlimited paid vacation\n\u2022 Paid parental leave\n\u2022 Stock options & retirement plans\n\u2022 Yearly remote work stipend\n\u2022 Medical, dental, and vision insurance\n\u2022 Paid gym membership and self-development courses\n\nGet In Touch!\n<\/strong>\nWe\u2019re a great team with a wholesome company culture emphasizing work-life balance, talking our issues out, and helping each other proactively and enthusiastically! If you want to take your engineering career to the next level while working on a team and for a company that cares about its employees and the world around them, reach out to us today!\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow to Write a Software Engineer Job Description<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Job title<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. About the company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Role summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Duties and responsibilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Must-have skills and experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Nice-to-have skills and experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Requirements on education or certifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Working time and location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Compensation, perks, and benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n