The traditional job description is great for big businesses who know exactly what this person will be doing, but that just isn’t the case in startups and scale-ups.

The traditional job description works for large organisations with clear, static structures. But for startups, scale-ups, and ambitious SMEs, it often misses the mark. Why? Because, at this stage, you don’t know exactly what your new hire will be doing six or twelve months from now. Rapid growth means constant change, and your hiring process needs to keep up.

That’s why Defining the Role is the very first stage of our Talent Go-To-Market process. Forget about laboriously listing every possible responsibility. Instead, ask: -

• What is the main goal or challenge your business faces over the next 6–12 months?
• How will your new hire contribute to achieving that goal?
• What outcomes do you need from them to move the business forward?

This contribution-led approach ensures every new role is genuinely aligned with your ambitions—not just filling a seat. Skills and experiences matter, but it’s alignment and drive that power progress.

By starting with your needs (not a generic template) you set the foundation for the rest of your Talent GTM steps: Ideal Employee Profile, competitive research, messaging, candidate journey mapping, channel selection, sales planning, and process optimisation. Each stage builds on that original clarity.

Cohort’s Hiring Blueprint helps you structure these conversations and decisions, turning “Define the role” into a practical, focused launchpad for confident, goal-focused hiring.