Founder Glossary · Customer & Problem
Tools change; jobs don’t.
What it is
A job to be done is the progress a person is trying to make in a particular situation. People do not buy products for their own sake. They “hire” a product to get a job done, and they “fire” it the moment something does the job better. The idea was popularized by the Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen.
Why it matters
Framing your business around the job, not the tool, reveals your real competition. An artist who needs a finished vocal is not choosing between two microphones. She is choosing between your studio, a home setup, a friend’s closet booth, or not recording at all. Every one of those competes for the same job.
How to find the job
- Ask about the last time, not the ideal. “Walk me through the last time you tried to get this done.”
- Find the trigger. What happened that made them start looking for a solution?
- Name the full outcome. Include the emotional and social side: to feel proud of the song, to be taken seriously by a booker.
- Write it as one sentence. When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [outcome].
“When I have a finished song idea, I want a vocal that sounds professional, so I can pitch it with confidence.”
Common mistakes
- Describing a feature instead of a job.
- Defining the job so broadly (“make music”) that it guides no decision.
- Ignoring the emotional and social side of the job.
Related terms: Pain Point · Customer Segment · Value Proposition
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