A good job description is an important document for every role in your organization. It can be used as a tool for attracting the best applicants when the position is vacant. It can also be used as the basis of a new employment contract. Once an employee has been with your company for some time, the job description can be used to assess performance. It takes skill to craft a job description that is clear, persuasive, and effective. Here are some principles that will guide you on how to write a good job description.
Decide on the job title
The job title should encapsulate the position in as few words as possible. Some job titles are easy, such as bus driver or hair stylist. Others require more thought.
Where appropriate, the job title should reflect its ranking in the company hierarchy. Use terms like manager, supervisor, and entry-level where appropriate. Job titles also shouldn’t have gender or age implications, as most roles can be completed by people of any gender or age.
Make sure you consider a job title’s searchability. What would you type into a search engine if you wanted a job like this? Choosing a searchable job title will make sure people can find your job description when it’s posted online.
Know what tasks the job involves
Your job description should define the typical tasks or activities your employee will regularly complete. If you don’t directly deal with people in this role, you could get a better idea of the tasks involved by speaking to the department supervisor or team members. People you meet in shared work spaces like WeWork offices may also offer valuable feedback about relevant tasks.
Some experts suggest expressing each task as a percentage. While this requires more research, it can help candidates know what to expect from a new position.
Each task should be expressed in no more than two or three sentences. If your tasks take longer to describe, consider whether you’re actually describing several tasks at once.
Make sure each task description is outcome based, with an action, an object, and a purpose. Don’t write just what the task is, but also why it occurs.
In general, try to keep your list of tasks to a maximum of 15. This is easily digestible for users.
Define the skills and abilities required to succeed
Certain skills and abilities will help people succeed in your vacant position. For example, good communication skills are essential for management roles. Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask are important for administrative professionals. Look at your task list and consider the skills and abilities required for each item on it. List these skills and abilities and add them to your job description notes.
Don’t forget about personal characteristics, or “soft skills” as they’re often called. These are the traits you expect your candidates to bring to the role, like leadership, flexibility, and initiative. There’s a modern trend towards soft skill-based job descriptions, rather than hard skill-based ones, as hiring managers now believe people with the right characteristics can be upskilled. In contrast, people who do not have the right innate qualities to perform the job are unlikely to succeed, regardless of their hard skillset. Consider this and give extra weight to the characteristics your candidates should have when you’re writing your job description.
Know what the successful candidate is responsible for
Most professionals take on responsibilities in any new role. Defining these responsibilities is essential for writing a good job description. For example, your successful candidate may be responsible for elements of your business operations, like developing its budget or managing its social media pages. Perhaps your successful candidate will be responsible for new hires or an entire department.
List any necessary qualifications or experience
In most cases, new hires should have some experience and qualifications behind them. Consider what type of experience and qualifications you want to see in your candidates. Required experience may be in a similar role, in the same industry, or in a related field. When qualifications are required, these are typically a bachelor’s degree or higher in a particular specialty or one related to it.
Understand the type of employment needed
It’s important to decide the type of employment opportunity you’re offering. This will determine how your employee will work and how much you’ll pay them.
Jobs that need a lot of time to do well are typically offered as full-time roles. Jobs that have less intensive requirements may be part-time or casual. Part-time employees work fewer hours than full-time employees at mutually agreeable times. If you’re looking for a part-time worker, you should define how many hours you want your employee to work and the schedule that would suit you best.
Casual jobs are more flexible. The number of hours and time worked may fluctuate from week to week, or from season to season, depending on demand. Fixed-term roles can meet a short-term need, like covering an existing employee who’s away from the office for travel or maternity leave.
At this point, you may also like to decide whether your new employee could telecommute either some or all of the time.
Consider salary
Salary isn’t always included in a job description. However, this data can be a good way to encourage applicants and let them see whether your organization offers compensation comparable to others in the market.
Rather than assigning a specific salary to the position, instead give a salary range. This allows you to vary your compensation depending on the successful applicant’s experience and qualifications.
Make sure you update your salary details from time to time in line with inflation and the changing job market.
Sample job description
While knowing the principles of a good job description is important, it’s easier for many people to learn when they see a sample job description. Use this job description template as a springboard for your own great job descriptions.
Job title
This is the name of the role, e.g. sales assistant or office manager.
Job type
This is the type of employment agreement, e.g. full-time, part-time, casual, or fixed-term.
Location
This is the physical address the employee will work from, e.g. Beverly Hills, CA office.
N.B. If the position involves a lot of travel, list the primary location here.
Supervisor
This is the person the employee will report to, e.g. Accounts Manager, Shift Supervisor.
Main tasks and responsibilities
These are the main tasks and responsibilities expected of the employee. Some common examples include:
- Completes customer service duties, including answering telephone and email inquiries and greeting clients and customers to improve customer relations
- Sorts and directs mail for smooth delivery
- Files and maintains important documents for accurate recall as required
- Maintains a clean workspace to ensure that it is a safe and professional environment for other employees and visiting guests
- Follows all business guidelines, including workplace health and safety procedures, for smooth and safe business operations
- Other tasks, as directed and required
Preferred qualifications
These are the qualifications, licenses, or educational requirements your ideal employee should have. Some common examples include:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting
- Master’s of Business Administration
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Driver’s license
- First aid certificate
It’s better to write qualifications are preferred rather than required. It would be a shame to discount a candidate who is otherwise perfect because he or she did not have the qualifications you’d like. Show some flexibility here to find the best person for the job.
Experience
This is the type and duration of experience you prefer in your candidates, e.g. Three years of previous experience in a similar role or industry.
Skills
These are the skills your employee should have to succeed in the role. Include both technical and interpersonal skills here. Some common skills include:
- Intermediate to advanced skills using Microsoft Office programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook)
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Good organizational skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Ability to work independently or as part of a team
Performance goals
This is the level of performance you expect from your employee. Some common performance goals include:
- Complete assigned tasks before deadline.
- Communicate with all employees, clients, and suppliers in a professional manner.
- Ensure your workspace is always kept clean and presentable.
Take time when writing a job description to ensure your copy attracts the best applicants and can be used for contracts and performance management in the future.
