How to Write a US Job Description | What UK and European Companies Get Wrong

Your first US job posting is not the place to copy and paste from your UK template.

The differences between a UK and a US job description go well beyond language and spelling. There are legal requirements you may not know exist. There are cultural norms that UK-style job postings violate. And there are pay transparency laws in 16 states plus Washington DC that mean a job posting without a salary range is not just poor practice in those jurisdictions: it may be illegal.

At Foothold America, we see the same mistakes from UK and European companies making their first US hires. The job description is usually the first thing candidates see, and it is often the first signal that an employer does not fully understand the American market. This guide covers everything you need to get it right.

Why US Job Descriptions Are Different From UK Ones

The difference is not just cultural. There are legal dimensions that do not exist in the UK job advertising landscape.

In the UK, a job description is largely an employer’s choice document. It sets out responsibilities and requirements. There are good-practice norms around equality and inclusion, but relatively few hard legal requirements specific to the job posting itself.

In the US, your job posting sits in a more complex legal environment:

• Pay transparency laws in a growing number of states require you to include a salary range in every job posting
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statements are expected and legally relevant
• At-will employment notices are standard in US job postings and set expectations correctly from the start
• ADA accommodation language tells candidates that your hiring process is accessible
• Ban-the-box laws restrict when you can ask about criminal history, affecting how you word application questions

None of these appear in a UK job description. All of them matter in the US.

The Pay Transparency Law You Cannot Ignore

This is the most significant legal change in US job posting requirements in recent years, and the most common gap in job descriptions written by international employers.

According to Remotelaws.com’s 2026 pay transparency guide, 16 US states plus Washington DC require salary range disclosure in job postings as of 2026, with additional states requiring disclosure upon request. Penalties for non-compliance range from $100 to $250,000 per violation depending on the jurisdiction.

The states with mandatory salary range disclosure in job postings include:

• California (applies to employers with 15 or more employees)
• Colorado (applies to all employers with at least one employee in Colorado)
• New York (all jobs performed at least partly in New York, including remote roles that report to a New York supervisor)
• Washington (all employers)
• Illinois (employers with 15 or more employees, effective January 2025)
• New Jersey (employers with 10 or more employees, effective June 1, 2025)
• Massachusetts (employers with 25 or more employees, expanded October 29, 2025)
• Minnesota (employers with 30 or more employees)

In 2026, Maine (effective July 29, 2026) and Virginia (effective July 1, 2026) became the latest states to enact pay disclosure requirements, and Delaware has enacted legislation taking effect in September 2027.

The remote job complication: If a role can be performed from a state with pay transparency requirements, those state laws typically apply regardless of where your company is headquartered. As confirmed by Hunton Andrews Kurth’s 2026 pay transparency analysis, remote job postings are subject to pay transparency laws in most states where the work could be performed. A UK company posting a remote US role without a salary range may be non-compliant in multiple states simultaneously.

What the salary range must look like: The range must be a good-faith estimate of what you actually expect to pay. Posting an artificially wide range (for example $50,000 to $200,000) to avoid the disclosure intent has become an enforcement target. California’s SB 642, effective January 1, 2026, specifically amended the definition of pay scale to require ranges that reflect the actual expected compensation.

There is no federal pay transparency law. As of January 21, 2025, Executive Order 14173 rescinded the pay transparency nondiscrimination provision that had applied to federal contractors. The National Labor Relations Act does protect employees’ rights to discuss wages with co-workers, but that is a separate issue from job posting requirements.

What a US Job Description Must Include

1. The Job Title

US job titles matter more than UK ones because they carry market meaning. “Sales Manager” means something specific in the US job market in terms of compensation expectations, seniority, and scope. Using UK-style titles that do not map to US norms can attract the wrong candidates or put your posting outside the market.

Common US title conventions:

• Individual contributors are often titled Specialist, Associate, Analyst, or Coordinator
• Mid-level managers are Manager or Senior Manager
• Senior leaders are Director, VP, Senior VP, or C-Suite
• “Head of” is used but is less common than in UK companies
• “Lead” denotes a senior individual contributor, not a manager in most US contexts

Check how competitors in your sector title equivalent roles on LinkedIn and Indeed before posting.

2. The Job Summary

Two to four sentences covering what the role does, why it exists, and what success looks like. This is your hook. US candidates read dozens of postings. A summary that starts with your company history or mission statement loses them immediately.

Lead with the role. Follow with the impact. End with one line on why this is a good opportunity.

3. Responsibilities

US job descriptions list responsibilities more expansively than UK ones typically do. Eight to twelve bullet points is standard. Each should begin with an action verb (Manage, Develop, Build, Lead, Own, Drive) and describe a specific, meaningful outcome rather than a task.

UK style: “Responsible for managing key accounts” US style: “Own a portfolio of 20 to 30 mid-market accounts, driving net revenue retention above 110% and expanding relationships into new product lines”

The US version is more specific, more outcome-oriented, and more useful to a candidate assessing whether they are qualified.

4. Requirements and Qualifications

This is where international companies most commonly create legal risk in the US.

Avoid degree requirements where not actually necessary. Requiring a university degree where the role does not actually need one can constitute disparate impact under Title VII if it disproportionately excludes protected groups. Several US states are actively legislating against blanket degree requirements for public sector roles, and private sector employers face similar scrutiny. California removed degree requirements from many state government roles in 2023 and the trend is accelerating.

Do not list excessive experience requirements. A job posting listing “10 or more years of experience” for a role that actually needs five is considered potential age discrimination territory under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protects workers aged 40 and over. Our guide on at-will employment for international employers covers how US employment law shapes the entire hiring process, not just termination.

Separate “required” from “preferred.” US job seekers are accustomed to seeing a clear split between must-have and nice-to-have qualifications. A single undifferentiated list confuses candidates and can discourage applications from qualified people who do not meet every listed item.

Avoid asking about criminal history in the posting. A growing number of US states and cities have ban-the-box laws that prohibit employers from asking about criminal convictions in the initial job posting or application. These laws apply in California, New York, Illinois, and many other jurisdictions. Our guide on ban-the-box laws in US hiring covers which states are affected.

5. Salary Range

In the states listed above, this is a legal requirement. Even where it is not yet required, including a salary range significantly improves application volume and quality. Indeed and LinkedIn both report higher engagement rates on postings that include compensation information.

The range should reflect what you actually expect to pay, not the widest possible range. Include whether this is base salary only or total compensation including bonus, and whether equity is available.

6. Benefits Summary

US candidates expect to see benefits information in job postings, or at minimum a reference to what the employer offers. This is particularly important for health insurance: a posting that says nothing about health benefits leaves candidates guessing, and in the US, health coverage is a core expectation.

A brief benefits line might read: “We offer full medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching, and flexible paid time off.”

If you are employing through an Employer of Record, your employees access group health plans through the EOR’s existing plan structure. This means your first US hire gets the same quality benefits as a much larger employer. That is worth saying in your job description.

7. The EEO Statement

The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement is a legal declaration that your company does not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other protected characteristics under federal law. It is required for federal contractors and strongly expected by all US employers.

A standard EEO statement reads: “We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.”

Place this at the bottom of every job posting.

8. ADA Accommodation Language

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Including accommodation language in your job posting signals compliance and removes a barrier for disabled candidates.

Standard language: “If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete our application or interview process, please contact [email address].”

9. At-Will Employment Notice

In most US states, employment is at-will, meaning either party can end the employment relationship at any time without cause. UK candidates will know their notice period from day one. US candidates expect at-will to be the default. Including a brief notice in the posting sets expectations correctly and reduces misunderstanding later.

This does not mean including legal boilerplate. A single line is sufficient: “This is an at-will position.”

The Biggest Mistakes UK and European Companies Make

Using UK Spelling and Terminology

“Colour,” “organisation,” “recognised,” “whilst,” and “maths” are immediate signals to US candidates that this is a foreign employer who has not adapted their posting for the American market. Use American English in US job postings. This is not just optics: it affects your search ranking on Indeed and LinkedIn, which use keyword matching.

Listing Responsibilities as Passive Tasks

UK job descriptions often use passive or duty-list language. “Responsible for reporting to the senior management team.” US job descriptions use active, outcome-oriented language. “Report weekly KPIs to the VP of Sales with analysis and recommendations.” The difference affects how qualified the applicants you attract are.

Setting Compensation at UK-Equivalent Levels

US salaries in professional roles are generally higher than UK equivalents, even after accounting for the fact that US employees fund their own health insurance. A UK company that benchmarks its US salary offer against its UK scale, applies a simple conversion, and posts that figure will consistently attract lower-quality candidates than the US market offers. Our US salary benchmarking guide covers how to set competitive compensation for specific roles and locations.

Posting a Remote Role Without Checking Pay Transparency State Laws

If your role can be performed from California, Colorado, New York, or Washington, those states’ salary disclosure laws apply. A UK company posting a remote US role from London and not including a salary range is non-compliant in most of the states where your strongest candidates live. This is one of the most common compliance gaps we see.

Over-Specifying Qualifications

“Degree from a top 20 university” or “minimum 15 years of experience” in a posting that does not actually require those credentials is both legally risky and commercially counterproductive. You narrow your applicant pool, you risk discrimination claims, and you often end up excluding the most capable candidates in favour of the most credentialed ones.

Forgetting the Time Zone

If your US hire will be expected to attend regular meetings with a UK or European team, say so explicitly in the posting. “Regular overlap with our UK team (9am to 12pm UK time)” is a relevant and material condition of employment that affects whether a candidate in Seattle or Austin can realistically do the job. Discovering this after an offer has been made creates friction on both sides.

Inclusive Language and US Hiring Law

US anti-discrimination law affects job descriptions directly. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information.

In practice, this means your job description language needs to be neutral across several dimensions that UK employers are increasingly aware of, but where the US legal framework is more developed.

Gender-neutral language. Avoid gender-coded words that can signal preference for one gender over another. “Aggressive” and “dominant” skew masculine. “Supportive” and “collaborative” skew feminine in the research on how candidates interpret job postings. US employers increasingly use neutral, skills-focused language throughout. Tools like Textio and Gender Decoder are widely used in US HR to check postings before they go live.

Age-neutral language. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects workers aged 40 and over. Job descriptions that reference “recent graduates,” “digital natives,” or “young and energetic” can imply age preferences and create legal exposure. Focus on skills and competencies rather than career stage.

Disability-inclusive language. A job description that specifies physical requirements unrelated to the actual role may deter disabled candidates unnecessarily and create ADA exposure. Only include real physical requirements where they are bona fide occupational requirements. Include ADA accommodation language so disabled candidates know they can request support.

What “essential functions” means legally. The ADA requires employers to distinguish between “essential functions” of a role and marginal functions. Only essential functions can be used as the basis for not accommodating a disabled employee. Structuring your requirements around essential functions, and labelling them as such, is good legal practice in a US job description.

No salary history questions. Over 20 US states and numerous cities have enacted salary history bans, prohibiting employers from asking candidates about their current or previous compensation. Some of these bans extend to any language in job postings that invites candidates to share this information voluntarily. Do not include “please include your current salary” in a US job posting in a jurisdiction with a salary history ban.

What Makes a US Job Description Perform Well on Job Boards

Beyond the legal requirements, there are practical formatting and content decisions that affect how many qualified candidates your posting attracts.

Keyword alignment. Job boards use keyword matching to surface postings to relevant candidates. Your job title and description should use the terms that candidates in your target role actually search for. If you use an internal job code or an unconventional title, add the conventional US market term in the description to ensure discoverability.

Length. Research from Indeed and LinkedIn consistently shows that postings between 300 and 700 words receive the highest application rates. Shorter postings are perceived as lacking detail. Longer postings, especially those with extensive company background before the role description, lose candidates before they reach the responsibilities section. Lead with the role, not your company history.

Mobile formatting. A significant proportion of US job applications are submitted from mobile devices. Long unbroken paragraphs, complex formatting, and embedded tables do not display well on mobile. Use short paragraphs, clear bullet points, and avoid special characters that job boards may strip out.

Application friction. Every additional step in your application process reduces your applicant volume. US candidates are accustomed to one-click apply through LinkedIn and Indeed. If your application process requires registration, a cover letter, multiple essay questions, and a CV upload, your application completion rate will be significantly lower than a single-step process. Minimise requirements at the application stage and gather additional information after initial screening.

Specific role and team context. “Joining our growing team” is generic. “Joining a six-person US commercial team reporting to the VP of Sales, based in Austin with regular collaboration with our London product team” is specific and helps candidates self-select correctly. Specific context reduces mismatched applications and improves quality of hire.

US Job Description Structure: A Template

Here is a clean structural template that meets US legal requirements and cultural norms:

[Job Title] [Location / Remote / Hybrid (and if remote, which states are eligible)] [Salary Range: $X to $Y base salary per year]

About the role [2-4 sentences: what the role does, why it exists, what success looks like]

What you will do [8-12 bullet points beginning with action verbs, outcome-oriented]

What we are looking for

Required: [Required qualifications only, the real must-haves]

Preferred: [Nice-to-have qualifications that would strengthen a candidacy]

Compensation and benefits [Salary range (required in applicable states), health insurance, 401(k), PTO, any additional benefits]

Our commitment to equal opportunity [EEO statement]

Accommodation [ADA accommodation language with contact email]

Where to Post Your US Job Description

UK and European companies often default to the same job boards they use at home. LinkedIn is universal and effective. But in the US, Indeed is the dominant job board for broad reach, and is worth understanding before you post.

Key considerations:

• Indeed dominates US job search by volume. It aggregates from other sources but direct postings perform better. It surfaces salary ranges prominently for users filtering by compensation.
• LinkedIn is strong for professional and senior roles. It also now surfaces salary information and flags postings without it.
• Glassdoor matters because candidates research your company there before applying. A sparse or absent Glassdoor profile puts you at a disadvantage versus established US employers.
• Sector-specific boards (AngelList/Wellfound for startups, Dice for tech, Hired for engineering) can outperform general boards for specialist roles.

Do not post only to UK-facing boards with a US location added. US candidates do not look there. If you are using your ATS (Applicant Tracking System) from your UK business, check that it correctly handles US tax and location data before your first US application arrives. Our guide to hiring your first US employee covers the full process from job posting to onboarding.

How Foothold America Helps

When you are making your first US hires, the job description is the public-facing start of a process that continues through offer letters, employment contracts, onboarding, and payroll. Each stage has its own US-specific requirements, and getting any of them wrong creates downstream problems.

Foothold America’s Talent Acquisition service supports international companies through the full US hiring process. We understand the US job market. We know what competitive compensation looks like in your target city and role. We know which job description errors create legal exposure and which simply reduce your application volume. We bring that knowledge to every search we work on.

Our related guides on US employment letters, US employee classification, and US pay transparency laws cover the subsequent steps in the hiring process in detail.

If you are preparing to hire your first US employee and want experienced eyes on your job description, offer letter, and employment structure, speak to our team. Real people, real US hiring expertise, and a clear understanding of what it takes to attract the right candidates in the American market.