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Writing job descriptions is an important step in planning your
staffing programs. They form the foundation for many important
processes such as job postings, recruitment, selection, setting
expectations, compensation, training and performance management.
Job descriptions should give a brief overview of the role, how
it relates to your mission or vision, a list of key responsibilities,
requirements and qualifications.
Time spent developing job descriptions has several pay-offs:
- Job descriptions assist in making sure your staff duties align
with your mission and vision
- They allow you to make informed
hiring decisions by developing recruiting strategies that clearly
outline to applicants their
role and responsibilities
- When conducting interviews, job descriptions
should form the foundation for the development of interview
questions
- Job descriptions can also be used to determine areas
in need of training and development when expectations or requirements
are not being met
- Having clear job descriptions also allows
for a basis on which to develop compensation plans that ensure
jobs
are
being compensated
in ways that reflect their levels of responsibility and
qualification in the organization
- Finally, when used
as a means to communicate expectations, job descriptions
can also be used as a basis for performance
management.
For the employee, having a clear job description
allows them to understand the responsibilities and duties
that are required
and
expected of them
Job descriptions typically
have the following sections:
- Identification of the values that should be demonstrated
by all staff
- A list of the tasks or functions that need to
be done
- A description of the experience, knowledge, and skills
required
- A list of any special working conditions or minimum
physical requirements
Each task, function or responsibility should start with an action
verb that describes the activity in a way that clearly indicates
what is expected.
Some examples of action verbs are:
- controls
- coordinates
- develops
- evaluates
- inputs
- maintains
- operates
- schedules
- supervises
- trains, and so on
By having a list of up-to-date job descriptions for all your positions,
you will have the foundation to develop many key HR programs to
drive the success of your business.
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