The importance of a good job description

As a self-employed person, you want nothing more than clear agreements with your client. Part of that is a good job description. Yet in practice, this part of a contract or quotation is often underestimated. The consequential damage of an unclear description can be great. You might perform tasks that do not get paid or discussions arise about what was actually expected. Why is a good assignment description so important, how do you draft it and what pitfalls should you avoid? Read on quickly!

What is a job description?

An assignment description is the part of a contract, order confirmation or quotation in which you accurately describe what services or products you will provide to your client. Think about the scope, the objectives, the deadlines and the desired results. With a clear assignment description, you manage the client's expectations and you know exactly what services you have to provide.

This description can vary in length and detail. For large projects, it is wise to draw up an extensive document. For small assignments, a concise description may be enough, as long as the core is clear.

Why is a clear assignment description so important?

Perhaps still the most important function of a job description is to avoid misunderstandings. If all the details are clear from the start, your client will not expect ‘extra work’ or extras without additional costs. As a self-employed person, you are vulnerable if you have not properly recorded what you are going to do. A client may say afterwards, ‘Shouldn't that have been included in the price?’ With a good description, you limit such discussions because it is black and white what is and is not included.

Efficiency and professionalism

A detailed description helps you focus your time and resources. You know exactly what you have to deliver and can adjust your planning and equipment accordingly. A client who sees your detailed approach is more likely to trust you. It exudes that you have your affairs in order and that you understand how to work project-wise.

What should you pay attention to when writing a job description?

Be specific about what needs to be done. ‘I will design a website’ is too vague. For example, describe, ‘I will deliver a responsive WordPress website with five pages and a contact form, in the client's house style, within four weeks of order confirmation.’

Also state clearly what is not covered by the assignment. If you only design a brochure, specifically mention that the printing and distribution are not included. This prevents a client from wrongly thinking that you will take care of these matters. Especially with larger projects, it is also useful to build in interim milestones. This way, you can make adjustments halfway through if necessary, and a tangible result is fixed before you start the next phase.

Input and responsibilities

Identify what your client needs to provide, such as texts, photos or access to certain systems. Also indicate when this should be done by the latest. If the client is late, you can take this into account in the planning and move up the deadline if necessary.

Some projects develop gradually. Use a change procedure to record how you deal with changes and what this means for the costs and planning.

How do you incorporate terms of reference into your contract or tender?

An assignment contract often consists of general terms and conditions and a more detailed project description. You can include your assignment description in a separate annex document. The main contract then refers to this annex as the ‘Scope of Work’ or ‘Project Description’. That way, you keep the contract itself concise, but you can put the details in the annex. If there are changes in the future, you can add a new version of the annex without having to rewrite the whole agreement.

Examples of a concise assignment description

The examples below will give you an idea of concise assignment descriptions:

Example 1: Copywriter
‘Contractor writes twelve blog articles of 500 words on average on nutrition and health. The articles will be delivered in Word format, including one revision round per article. The client itself provides the necessary keywords and content briefings. The final deadline is 30 June 2025. In between, three articles will be submitted monthly.’

Example 2: Software developer
‘The contractor will develop a mobile app (iOS and Android) for recording hours worked, based on the design and functional requirements set out in Appendix A. The schedule consists of three phases: prototyping (1 month), MVP (1 month) and final product (2 months). Any changes in functionality will be quoted separately by mutual agreement.’

Common pitfalls

A phrase like ‘Contractor will provide marketing services’ is far too broad. This can lead to confusion about what it all covers. So make sure you never communicate too generally. A lack of time planning is also a danger. Without clear deadlines, a project can go on endlessly. This is annoying for you as a freelancer, but also for your client.

You might fear that your client will drop out if you mention ‘extra work’, but it is wise to explain that requests that fall outside the original scope incur extra costs and time.

And what do you do if the client is often late with delivery or demands extra rounds of feedback? Without clear agreements, it is then difficult to refer to a legal contract. Read more about important legal aspects for freelancers here.

Assignment description and price

The clearer it is what you are going to do, the better you can provide a quote. A fixed project fee requires you to know exactly which tasks you will perform and which you will not. Are you working on an hourly basis? Then you can specify how much you need for the job. Sometimes independent professionals put a basic package in the assignment description. Beyond that, an hourly rate applies for extra work. Also record how you incorporate changes in the planning or scope.

A good assignment description is the result of consultation

Ask your client questions if something is not clear and have the courage to keep asking until you are sure about the wishes. This will prevent you from delivering something later that does not meet expectations, which could lead to unpaid work or dissatisfaction.

Record interim evaluation moments. This gives the client the chance to make adjustments if it turns out that your approach does not quite match their vision. For you, this is a time to check whether you are on track and whether expectations still match the assignment description.