The Jobs to Be Done framework (JTBD) centers on a straightforward but powerful idea: people don’t just buy products – they “hire” them to do a job. That job might be solving a problem, completing a task, or even improving how they feel or how others perceive them. By identifying what job customers are trying to get done, businesses can design better products, services, and experiences that directly match those intentions.

In JTBD theory, customer jobs fall into three main categories:

• Functional Jobs: These are the practical, task-oriented jobs. Customers have something they need to do – and they look for solutions that help them do it more easily, quickly, or affordably.
• Emotional Jobs: These jobs are tied to how a customer wants to feel during or after completing a task. It might be about feeling calm, secure, confident, or even excited.
• Social Jobs: These involve how a person wants to be perceived by others. It can include status, image, or fitting into a group. Social jobs can be especially influential in public-facing or lifestyle-based purchases.

Each of these types of customer jobs can exist independently, but they often overlap in real-life situations. For instance, a customer might buy a smartwatch not only to track workouts (functional) but also to stay motivated (emotional) and signal a healthy lifestyle to peers (social). Recognizing and addressing all three layers helps brands develop offerings that truly resonate.

Understanding the difference between functional and emotional jobs – and knowing when social jobs influence a purchase – helps teams step into the mindset of their customers. Rather than guessing or relying solely on metrics, you can make more informed, insight-driven decisions backed by the full context of why customers act the way they do.

For businesses using market research to guide product development, branding, or innovation, applying the JTBD framework opens the door to competitive advantage. By looking at what really matters to your audience across these three dimensions, you’re better positioned to meet their needs in meaningful, measurable ways.

Functional jobs are the most straightforward type of customer job in the Jobs to Be Done framework. These jobs focus on completing a specific task or solving a tangible problem. They answer the question: What is the customer trying to get done, physically or logistically?

In many cases, functional jobs are the first layer of need that a product or service addresses. They're usually measurable and easy to articulate – making them an essential starting point for product developers, marketers, and insight teams trying to identify core user needs.

Examples of functional customer jobs:

• Finding a reliable way to commute to work
• Preparing a meal in under 30 minutes
• Staying on budget while shopping for groceries
• Installing software to prevent computer viruses

Even though functional jobs seem basic, they hold valuable information. Customers often have multiple, nuanced requirements tied to these jobs – such as wanting something that is not just effective, but also fast, simple, or cost-efficient. This makes understanding the user's full context critical.

Why functional jobs matter for business innovation

When developing new offerings or evaluating existing ones, focusing on the functional job helps you anchor your strategy in usefulness. Customers are more likely to choose products that clearly and consistently help them complete a task. That’s why market research efforts that uncover how people go about solving these day-to-day challenges can unlock fresh opportunities for product design and service improvements.

Companies applying the JTBD framework for innovation often begin by mapping out the steps a customer takes to complete a functional job. This can reveal friction points, workarounds, or inefficiencies that signal where new value could be delivered. Some even quantify these jobs in terms of how underserved they are – a method used in market sizing and opportunity identification.

Functional jobs in action: a reference example

Consider a fictional startup creating a new home cleaning tool. Through JTBD-informed research, the team learns that a key functional job for customers isn’t just “clean the floor” – it’s “clean the floor quickly without bending down.” That detail shifts the product design toward an ergonomic, upright solution, rather than a traditional mop-style tool. It's a subtle but critical insight that makes the product more aligned with the user's priorities.

Ultimately, gaining clarity on functional jobs allows businesses to deliver outcomes that matter most to customers. When those outcomes are matched accurately, customer satisfaction rises – and so does the potential for loyalty, advocacy, and market growth.

As we move into the next section, we’ll explore emotional jobs – the feelings customers seek when performing a task – and how they further deepen our understanding of why people choose one solution over another.

Customer decisions aren't driven solely by logic. Emotions play a powerful role in what people choose to buy, use, or recommend. In the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework, emotional jobs refer to the internal feelings a customer wants to manage or achieve through a product or service. These go beyond solving a tangible problem – instead, they address how a customer wants to feel before, during, or after using a solution.

What are emotional jobs?

Emotional jobs speak to the personal feelings that influence decision-making, such as:

• A desire for peace of mind
• Reducing stress or anxiety
• Feeling confident or in control
• Experiencing joy, excitement, or nostalgia

For example, someone might choose a luxury skincare brand not only to treat dry skin (the functional job) but also to feel pampered and self-assured. That emotional layer – the feeling of self-care and indulgence – is what elevates the experience and drives stronger loyalty.

Why emotional jobs matter in JTBD

Understanding emotional jobs helps businesses connect with customers on a deeper level. Even small features – like intuitive design, tone of messaging, or customer service style – can dramatically shape how the product makes someone feel.

Consider this fictional example: a new password management app aims to securely store login credentials. The functional job is clear, but the emotional job might be the sense of control and relief from the stress of forgetting passwords. Highlighting how the app reduces daily digital anxiety becomes just as important as explaining encryption features.

Emotional job insights in product and brand strategy

Companies that identify and speak directly to emotional jobs can more effectively tailor:

• Brand messaging and tone – evoking the right feelings across every customer touchpoint
• Feature prioritization – building experiences that offer peace of mind, simplicity, or delight
• Customer loyalty programs – reinforcing the emotional value over time

Research methods like in-depth interviews and observational studies (available through qualitative research) are especially powerful in uncovering emotional motivations hidden beneath surface behaviors. These insights make strategy more human – and ultimately, more effective.

Beyond solving problems or managing emotions, people also use products and services to shape how they are seen by others. This is where social jobs come into play within the Jobs to Be Done framework. These jobs relate to the image a customer wants to project, their identity in a group, or how they believe others will perceive their choices.

Defining social jobs in JTBD

Social jobs answer questions like:

• “How will using this product make me look?”
• “Will others approve of this choice?”
• “Does this help me belong or stand out?”

These considerations often show up in highly visible or status-driven categories – but they’re not limited to luxury or fashion.

Take this fictional example: choosing a reusable stainless steel water bottle might serve a functional job (carry water), an emotional job (feel prepared and healthy), and a social job (appear eco-conscious and mindful). How a person expects to be judged for their choices – by colleagues, friends, or peers – can heavily influence their behavior.

Why social jobs influence buying decisions

Even when we don’t realize it, our decisions are often shaped by a desire to align with or stand apart from certain groups. Social jobs can impact purchase decisions by influencing:

• Brand and product selection – choosing the “right” brand helps customers signal who they are or aspire to be
• Public usage – the more others see a product being used, the more social reinforcement it carries
• Recommendations – people often share products that make them look knowledgeable, savvy, or ahead of trends

Knowing how and where social influence shows up in your category can uncover untapped value. For example, in B2B or service industries, a decision-maker’s reputation is on the line. Choosing a vendor that is seen as “smart” or “innovative” among their peers checks an important social job.

Uncovering social jobs with research

Market research that uses behavioral observation, social listening, and direct questioning within peer-group context can reveal social aspirations and identity drivers. These customer job types round out the fuller picture of why people truly buy. Understanding them unlocks more meaningful branding, positioning, and customer experience opportunities.

The Jobs to Be Done framework is not just a theoretical model – it's a powerful tool for guiding product innovation, marketing strategy, and customer experience. When you understand the three types of customer jobs – functional, emotional, and social – you begin to see the full scope of what drives behavior. That clarity enables smarter, more customer-aligned decision-making across the business.

How JTBD insights translate to growth

Knowing why customers hire your product lets you build better solutions and communicate more effectively. Businesses that factor JTBD into their strategy can:

• Prioritize features that serve both utility and aspiration
• Position their brand in a way that resonates with identity and emotion
• Design marketing campaigns that speak to real-life use cases, not just product specs
• Uncover unmet needs for innovation, especially when emotional or social jobs go unaddressed

Cross-functional value of the JTBD framework

Understanding customer jobs supports smarter decisions at all levels:

Product teams can focus on solving high-impact jobs instead of chasing feature trends. Marketing teams gain stronger messaging hooks by aligning with how customers feel, not just what they want to do. Sales teams can better articulate the multi-layer value of what they’re selling.

And lastly, leadership teams can prioritize with greater confidence by anchoring ideas in real customer purpose – not assumptions or internal bias.

Turning insights into action

The value comes from applying customer job data with intent. This means going beyond averages and exploring the underlying drivers of choice across different segments. Whether you’re assessing market research data or launching a new offering, framing your efforts through the lens of JTBD makes sure you're solving the right problems.

At SIVO, we often help businesses uncover the full JTBD framework for innovation by using a mix of quantitative validation and deep qualitative discovery. From identifying top unmet needs to clarifying competitive white space, the jobs theory model brings lasting clarity to complex situations.