Creating a clear job description before you start hiring will help you narrow down your resume to the best candidates. This has two parts – a summary of the job’s responsibilities, and a list of the key tasks that will be performed.
It is worth your time and effort to think through a complete job description. A vague, confusing, or inaccurate description can make it difficult to match a job with a candidate because you can’t be sure what the job entails.
An accurate job description is also essential when writing job advertisements, posting job vacancies or doing other recruitment work. It helps you see clearly what specific skills you are looking for and target your advertisement to those characteristics to attract the best candidates.
Use the tips below when you write a job description.
Avoid generalities
When describing the duties and responsibilities you need employees to perform, be as specific as possible. Consider the benefits the employee will bring to your organization or to your customers. For example, don’t describe a video store employee as simply “renting videos to customers.”
Instead, if you use words like “will assist customers in selecting movies, share their knowledge of contemporary or classic films,” you’ll know you need someone who loves movies and can pass their enthusiasm on to your customers.
Set priorities
Once you have created a list of responsibilities and tasks, arrange them in order of importance. Start with the basic skills of the job to be performed. This way you will know what skills are needed to perform the job successfully, what is necessary, and what may not actually be appropriate.
Hiring is often a trade-off, so prioritizing will help you decide what you can and cannot accept.
Use measurable criteria
Be clear about how you expect your employees to perform, and find ways to quantify these criteria with numbers and timeframes whenever possible. Otherwise, you may end up hiring someone who can perform the required tasks but with poor efficiency or ineffectiveness.
For example, should a chief accountant manage one, four, or ten accounts at a time? Does an accountant need to update accounts receivable daily, weekly, or monthly?
Ask for help
Take the time to consult with others in your organization who will be managing or working with the new employee to get their opinions on the key tasks the new employee will be performing. People who work directly with each other often have a better idea of the day-to-day skills needed to do the job well. Their opinions are invaluable to you.
