Why Most Job Descriptions Fail
The average startup JD gets 80% fewer qualified applicants than it should because of three mistakes: vague descriptions, unrealistic requirements, and hidden compensation. On Zolra, Zolra Intelligence matches candidates to your JD — so a well-written JD directly improves your match quality.
The JD Framework
1. Hook (2 sentences)
What’s exciting about this role? Lead with the opportunity, not the company history.
Bad: “We are a leading SaaS company founded in 2019...”
Good: “You’ll build the payment infrastructure used by 10,000+ Indian startups. We’re a 12-person team backed by Sequoia, and this is our first senior backend hire.”
2. What You’ll Do (5–7 bullets)
Be specific. Not “write code” but “Architect and build our real-time notification system handling 10K events/minute.”
3. Requirements: Must-Have vs Nice-to-Have
Split clearly. If you list 15 must-haves, talented people self-select out. Aim for 3–5 must-haves and 3–5 nice-to-haves.
Must-have example: “2+ years building production APIs in Python or Go”
Nice-to-have example: “Experience with PostgreSQL query optimisation”
4. Compensation (Be Transparent)
JDs with salary ranges tend to draw more applications. Include:
- Salary range (e.g., ₹12–18 LPA)
- Equity (e.g., 0.1–0.3% ESOPs, 4-year vest, 1-year cliff)
- Benefits (insurance, remote flexibility, learning budget)
5. Team & Culture
2–3 sentences about the team. Size, tech stack, ways of working. “We’re 8 engineers, fully remote India-timezone, shipping weekly.”
6. How to Apply
On Zolra, keep it simple: “Apply on Zolra — Zolra Intelligence will score your fit and we’ll review within 48 hours.”
Role-Specific Templates
Backend Engineer
Must-haves: Python/FastAPI or Go, PostgreSQL, REST API design, testing practices, Git
Nice-to-haves: Redis, Docker, CI/CD, async programming, system design
Range: ₹8–18 LPA depending on experience
Frontend Engineer
Must-haves: React/Next.js, TypeScript, responsive design, state management
Nice-to-haves: Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion, accessibility, performance optimisation
Range: ₹8–16 LPA depending on experience
Product Designer
Must-haves: Figma, user research, interaction design, design systems
Nice-to-haves: Prototyping, motion design, front-end CSS knowledge
Range: ₹10–20 LPA depending on experience
Inclusive Language Tips
- Avoid “ninja”, “rockstar”, “hustler” — they discourage diverse applicants
- Say “2+ years experience” not “5+ years” for junior/mid roles
- Explicitly welcome candidates from non-traditional backgrounds