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Jobs to be done · checked 11 November 2026

People hire a product to make progress in a particular situation; find that job by asking recent switchers what made them change.

The job explains why people switch, what they really compare you with and what would make them fire you: the milkshake was hired to make a dull commute bearable. Uncover it by reconstructing a recent purchase: what triggered the search, what they used before, what pushed and pulled them. A survey asking what features people want will not find it.

Every question on it 17 answers

  1. What does 'jobs to be done' actually mean? Starting Up
  2. How is JTBD different from features, personas, or user needs? Starting Up
  3. How do I actually uncover the job my customers are hiring my product for? Starting Up
  4. Who are my real competitors once I think in jobs to be done? Starting Up
  5. How do I turn a job to be done into product and messaging decisions? Starting Up
  6. How many customer interviews do I need before I trust the job I've found is real? Starting Up
  7. Customers say they want feature X, but is that the job or just a solution they've imagined? Starting Up
  8. I'm a domain expert building for my own industry. Does knowing the field too well make me worse at spotting the real job? Starting Up
  9. How do I find the job when my customers can't articulate it themselves? Starting Up
  10. Different customers seem to hire my product for completely different jobs. Do I pick one or serve them all? Starting Up
  11. My product is for Indian small businesses who mostly run their operations on WhatsApp. How do I frame the job against a free tool they already love? Starting Up
  12. How do I write survey questions that surface the job instead of just confirming what I already believe? Starting Up
  13. What are the most common ways founders get JTBD wrong in practice? Starting Up
  14. As a solo technical founder, how much time should I really spend understanding the job before writing any code? Starting Up
  15. When is the job someone hires my product for actually an emotional or social one, not a functional one? Starting Up
  16. How do I know if the job I'm solving is a painkiller people will pay for or just a vitamin they'd like? Starting Up
  17. I'm a non-technical founder validating an idea. How do I map the job before I've built anything to demo? Starting Up

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Jobs to Be Done

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