How to Write a Great Role Brief
The quality of your brief determines the quality of your shortlist. A clear brief saves time for everyone and delivers more precise candidates. Here's what works.
TL;DR
- Describe the problem you're solving, not just the job title.
- Be specific about must-have vs. nice-to-have technologies.
- Provide team context: who will the consultant work with?
- Be honest about challenges and work environment.
- Include desired start date and duration.
- Mention security clearance if relevant.
Why the brief matters
The brief is the foundation of the entire matching process. A vague brief yields vague candidates. A precise brief yields precise candidates. The best consultants evaluate assignments carefully. A well-written brief shows you know what you need and respect their time.
What to include
A good brief contains: • Context: What's the project? What problem are you solving? • Role: What will the consultant do? What responsibilities? • Tech stack: Which technologies are mandatory? Which are nice-to-have? • Team: Who do they work with? What's the team structure? • Work mode: Remote, hybrid, on-site? How flexible? • Timing: Desired start and expected duration. • Security clearance: Are there clearance requirements? What level?
Common mistakes to avoid
• Generic job descriptions copied from job portals. • Overly long requirement lists where everything is "must-have". • Missing information about team culture and working methods. • Unclear expectations about seniority and experience. • No indication of budget or rate expectations.
Example of a good brief
"We're building an internal data platform for analytics. The team is 4 people (2 backend, 1 frontend, 1 PM). We need a senior backend developer with experience in Python, dbt, and Snowflake. Nice-to-have: Airflow. Start ASAP, 6+ month engagement. Hybrid in Oslo (2 days/week in office). No security clearance needed."
Practical checklist
- 1Describe the project and problem in 2–3 sentences.
- 2List mandatory technologies separately from nice-to-have.
- 3Describe the team and reporting lines.
- 4State work location and flexibility.
- 5Indicate desired start and expected duration.
- 6Include security clearance information if relevant.
- 7Indicate budget level or rate expectations if possible.
Frequently asked questions
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