A role description on job application forms is the short paragraph or list under each past job that says what you actually did there, written as three to five plain duties with a result where you can, such as "Ran the register, balanced the cash drawer each night and trained two new cashiers."
You will find it in the employment history section, labeled Role description, Duties and responsibilities, Job duties or Description of work. It sits beside the employer name, dates and title, and it is where a screener decides whether your past work matches the new opening.
Quick answers
The answer
A short list of what you did in each past jobLength
Three to five duties, about 40 to 80 words for recent jobsStart each line
With a past tense action verbAdd
Numbers, tools and one result where trueNever
Write See resume or leave it blank
What a role description on job application forms covers
Think of it as the answer to "What did you do all day?" Keep the focus on tasks, tools, people you served and anything you improved. Leave your feelings about the job and the reason you left for their own boxes.
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| Main daily tasks, starting with the most important | Complaints about the boss or coworkers |
| Tools, machines or software types you used | Private details about customers or patients |
| How many people, orders or accounts you handled | Duties you never did |
| Training, keys, cash or safety duties you were trusted with | Long paragraphs pasted from the old employer's job ad |
| One or two results, such as fewer errors or faster service | "See resume" in place of an answer |
The reason you left goes in Reason for leaving, and the reason for leaving guide offers phrases for that.
How to write a role description for a job application
- List everything you did at the job on scrap paper, even small things.
- Circle the three to five tasks that match the new posting best.
- Start each one with an action verb in the past tense, such as handled, prepared, trained, repaired or scheduled.
- Add a number or a tool where it is true: how many tables, calls, patients or orders; which kind of system.
- End with one result if you have it, such as praise, a promotion or a cut in mistakes.
- Check the character limit, then paste the lines into the box with each duty on its own line or separated by semicolons.
Use the posting's own words when they honestly match what you did. If it says "inventory control" and you counted stock, write "inventory control and weekly stock counts". Portals search for those words, as our guide to application keywords explains.
Role description examples for common jobs
Cashier or retail associate
Handled cash and card payments for about [100] customers a shift; balanced the drawer at close; restocked shelves and set up sale displays; trained [two] new hires on the register.
Warehouse associate
Picked and packed orders using a handheld scanner; loaded trucks safely with a pallet jack and forklift; kept my zone clean for weekly safety walks; met daily pick targets.
Office or administrative assistant
Answered a [five] line phone system and routed calls; scheduled meetings for [four] managers; kept supply orders and invoices in a shared spreadsheet; greeted visitors.
Food service
Took orders and served up to [eight] tables at a time; followed food safety rules; closed the kitchen and logged temperatures; covered shifts when the team was short.
Volunteer or school role, for a first job
Organized a canned food drive with [12] classmates; tracked donations in a spreadsheet; spoke to local stores to get drop off points.
Strong and weak duty lines
"Scheduled appointments for a [three] doctor clinic and checked insurance cards at the front desk."
"Responsible for various front desk duties as needed."
This tells the reader almost nothing.
"Repaired and serviced [HVAC] units in homes, about [six] calls a day."
"Did repairs."
Write a few true lines even when you uploaded a resume.
Type "Refer to resume" or leave it blank. Some screeners never open the attachment, and the portal cannot search an empty box.
How long should the description be?
Most portals allow somewhere between 250 and 2,000 characters per job. Aim for 40 to 80 words for recent jobs and 20 to 40 words for older or short ones. Give your most recent and most relevant jobs the most detail. If a box is tiny, keep the top three duties.
Paper forms often give two or three lines. Write small and neat, use semicolons, and skip filler words like "responsible for".
If you held two titles at one employer, some forms let you add the same employer twice. If not, list the newer title and write "Promoted from [old title]" in the description.
Keep it honest, because it can be checked
Employers may call past workplaces or order an employment verification. Those checks usually confirm dates and titles, and some old supervisors will describe your duties if asked. A description that stretches a role, such as calling yourself the manager when you were a team member, can cost you the job even after you start. Read what usually gets confirmed in our guide to employment history on a background check.
Do not copy duties word for word from the old employer's posting. It reads like a template and may list things you never did.
Other boxes next to the role description
The same history block usually asks for Employer, Job title, Start date, End date, Supervisor, May we contact and Reason for leaving. Fill them all; a blank one can make the form look unfinished. Our step by step guide to completing every field covers each box, and the practice job application template lets you draft your history before you open the real form.
Questions people ask
What is a role description in a job application?
This field holds a short summary of the duties you did in a past job. Employers read it to see whether your experience fits the new role.
What to put in role description on job application forms if the job was simple?
Name the real tasks, even basic ones, and add numbers. "Bagged groceries for about 60 customers an hour and collected carts" is better than "Bagger".
Should I use bullet points in the role description box?
Many portal boxes strip bullets. Put each duty on its own line or separate duties with semicolons so it stays readable.
Can I write the role description in the first person?
Skip the word I. Start each duty with a verb, such as Prepared or Trained. It is shorter and reads cleanly.
What if I do not remember all my duties?
Look at an old job posting for the same title, your old schedule or emails, then keep only what you truly did. Three accurate duties are enough.
How to fill out role description on job application for an internship?
Treat it like any job. List the projects, tools and tasks you handled, and mention the team or supervisor you supported.