Writing Effective Job Descriptions

09 Nov 2026
12:00 PM PDT | 03:00 PM EDT
60 Minutes

A well-written job description does more than advertise an opening. Courts give weight to an employer's list of essential job functions, as long as it appeared in a job description that existed before the employer recruited for the role.

That protection only works if the document is accurate. Some employers have seen job descriptions hurt them in court, mostly because they treated them as finished rather than as a work in progress and let them fall out of date.

This 60-minute webinar on writing effective job descriptions covers the words to use and avoid, best practices, the most common mistakes, new approaches including the use of AI, and how to make your job descriptions more likely to help you win in court.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

Job descriptions serve several purposes at once. They help you recruit and interview the right candidate, tell employees exactly what you expect, and help the company defend itself in court when they are written correctly.

This session shows HR professionals, hiring managers and recruitment managers how to write effective job descriptions, use them to attract and retain good employees, and rely on them if a lawsuit arises.

AREA COVERED

  • Writing effective job descriptions: words to use and words to avoid
  • Bonus tips for writing job descriptions
  • Best practices for writing job descriptions
  • The most common mistakes
  • New approaches to writing job descriptions
  • Using AI to write job descriptions
  • Improving the chance your job descriptions help you win in court

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Write an effective job description
  • Apply best practices for writing job descriptions
  • Stay flexible in how you approach job descriptions
  • Use job descriptions in the interview process
  • Learn from cases where job descriptions hurt employers in court

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

  • Human resource professionals.
  • hiring managers.
  • recruitment managers.

Job descriptions serve several purposes at once. They help you recruit and interview the right candidate, tell employees exactly what you expect, and help the company defend itself in court when they are written correctly.

This session shows HR professionals, hiring managers and recruitment managers how to write effective job descriptions, use them to attract and retain good employees, and rely on them if a lawsuit arises.

  • Writing effective job descriptions: words to use and words to avoid
  • Bonus tips for writing job descriptions
  • Best practices for writing job descriptions
  • The most common mistakes
  • New approaches to writing job descriptions
  • Using AI to write job descriptions
  • Improving the chance your job descriptions help you win in court
  • Write an effective job description
  • Apply best practices for writing job descriptions
  • Stay flexible in how you approach job descriptions
  • Use job descriptions in the interview process
  • Learn from cases where job descriptions hurt employers in court
  • Human resource professionals.
  • hiring managers.
  • recruitment managers.
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Webinar Option
Live + Recorded Session
Live + Transcript
Live + USB
Transcript (PDF Transcript of the Training)
Downloadable Recorded Session
USB
Group Session Participants + Recorded

Live Session with unlimited participants. Invite any number of attendees to join.

Speaker Profile

ins_img Susan Fahey Desmond

Susan Fahey Desmond is a partner with McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC which has offices in 33 states across the country. She has been representing management in all areas of labor and employment law for over 35 years. A noted author and speaker, Susan is listed in Best Lawyers in America and has been named by Chambers USA as one of America’s leading business lawyers

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