Front-end developers are responsible for building the experiences that define the internet as we know it. To effectively attract and hire front-end developers, companies need to craft effective job descriptions that communicate the opportunity of the role.
In this post, we break down how hiring managers and recruiters can write successful front-end developer job descriptions.
What Does a Front-End Developer Do?
The first step to writing a compelling job description is having a clear understanding of the discipline of front-end development and the core requirements of the role.
When you load a website or application, the experience consists of two environments.
The front-end environment – known as the client side – is everything that a user sees and interacts with in their browser. The front end includes buttons, text, links, design, and user experience. Front-end developers are responsible for creating everything the user sees and interacts with in their browser.
On a more technical level, the core job responsibilities of front-end developers include:
- Writing high-quality code
- Building tools that improve site interactivity
- Ensuring high performance on every browser
- Troubleshooting, debugging, and optimizing performance
- Prototyping application interfaces with graphic design tools
- Keeping up-to-date with advancements in technology
- Working in an agile environment
- Creating and implementing UI/UX designs
- Designing information architecture
- Managing API integrations
What Should a Front-End Job Description Include?
Company Value Proposition
From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of employed software developers in the U.S. to grow by 22 percent — almost triple the 8 percent average growth rate for all occupations. With this level of demand for their skills, front-end developers will have an endless array of opportunities to choose from. What will make your open role stand out? The first section of your job description needs to address this question.
Communicating the opportunity of the role at hand – along with the employer brand, value proposition, and company culture – is essential to crafting a successful job description.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities section lists the core activities of the role. There are a number of different ways to represent these responsibilities, including daily tasks, monthly responsibilities, objectives of the role, and key outcomes.
Common front-end developer responsibilities include:
- Design
- Coding
- Planning
- Communication
- Collaboration
Basic Qualifications
The basic qualifications section has two main components.
First, list any degree requirements. A common qualification for front-end roles is for the candidate to have either a BS/BA degree or equivalent experience. If the role is open to applications from bootcamps and self-taught developers, this is also the section to communicate that.
Second is the required years experience scaled to the seniority of the role. This requirement is communicated with either a range or a minimum requirement. For example:
- Entry-level: 0-2 years
- Mid-level: 3-5 years
- Senior-level: 5+ years
Lastly, some companies will also use this section to list experience with a minimum number of programming languages as a basic qualification.
Required Qualifications
The required qualifications section is one of the core sections of a job description. While basic qualifications focus on education and experience, this section gives employers the space to list the must-have technical competencies and soft skills required by the role.
Common programming languages found in this section include:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
Common programming frameworks found in this section include:
- Angular
- Backbone
- Ember
- jQuery
- React
- Vue.js
- Boilerplate
- Foundation
- HTML5
- Semantic UI
- Bootstrap
- Bulma
- Foundation
- Skeleton
- Tailwind CSS
Common technical competencies found in this section include:
- Hands-on development experience with front-end languages
- Familiarity with key front-end frameworks
- Mobile-first development experience
- Strong sense of web and user interface design
- Strong knowledge of web standards including HTML5 and CSS/SASS
- Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
- Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best practices
Common soft skills found in this section include:
- Communication
- Technical communication
- Project management
- Time management
- Problem solving
Other Desired Skills & Nice-to-Haves
While not present on every job description, some companies will elect to mention additional skills that the company desires but not required to succeed in the role. An example of a nice-to-have for a front-end developer would be experience in technical search engine optimization.
Sample Job Description
The job descriptions for front-end roles can vary widely, depending on the responsibilities, compensation, and seniority of the position. That said, there are commonalities between descriptions you can take advantage of. Here’s an example of a job description for a mid-level front-end development role.
Title: Front-End Developer II
Full-time. Associate.
Responsibilities
Development – Responsible for design, development, testing, deployment, and support of front-end applications.
Delivery – Agile delivery of solutions aligned to business needs while maintaining a high standard of quality. Participate in code reviews and troubleshoot bugs.
Collaboration – Partner with product owners to understand business and product requirements to translate them into design solutions.
Communication – Clearly communicate roadmap, backlog, and team updates across the organization.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- 3-5 years of experience in front-end development
- BS/BA degree or equivalent experience
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of hands-on development experience with HTML, CSS, and JS
- Familiar with front-end frameworks such as AngularJS, React, and Vue.js
- 3+ years of hands-on mobile-first development experience
- Strong sense of web and user interface design
- Strong knowledge of web standards including HTML5
- and CSS/SASS
- Advanced knowledge of user experience design, accessibility standards, API development, and information architecture
- Knowledge of industry-wide technology trends and best
- practices
Other Desired Skills
- Experience with search engine optimization
- Experience with graphical editing tools
Resource for Hiring Front-End Developers
What Does a Front-End Developer Do? Job Overview & Skill Expectations