A Job Description is a document which defines what the tasks, duties and responsibilities of a job are and describes what skills and competency levels are required to fulfil the role.
A person specification is usually included in a Job Description and a salary range may be detailed along with reporting lines. In some cases, future goals may be included.
It is a useful document to enable new recruits to have a better understanding of their role and helps managers ensure that they include the key requirements for a position.
For some positions, the Job Description may need to be flexible enough to take into account the requirements brought about by change or they may need to be adapted as situations within a company change. Job descriptions may not be suitable for some senior managers as they should have the freedom to take the initiative and find fruitful new directions.
It’s important to have a clear and specific Job Title. Candidates are more likely to search for well -known job titles such as “Administration Assistant” rather than “Person Friday”.
The tasks should be described clearly so that the candidate gets a good understanding of what the day to day activities are likely to be. The list should not be too extensive but should include all the relevant aspects of the role. Internal jargon is not very helpful so it’s best to stick to standard phrases which are easy to understand.
It’s useful to explain how the position fits into the business and what the reporting lines are so that a candidate can see how the role impacts on the overall organisation.
So that a candidate can get a good feeling for a business a section detailing the core mission and values is helpful. A candidate can ascertain if they can see themselves fitting in.
Our JD template is a useful tool when creating a Job Description. Download a free template here.
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