Effective job descriptions

Forming effective job descriptions is vitally important to successful recruitment and new employee initiation programmes within your organisation. Effective job descriptions are multi dimensional. They will help to ensure that you find the right person to fill your vacancy. They are also important in helping to guarantee that your new employee knows exactly what their role within the organisation is, and what is expected of them. Finally, effective job descriptions define the relationship between the new staff member and their colleagues and outline how the whole team can progress together.   Job descriptions lay out the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications and reporting hierarchy relevant to a particular job. Effective job descriptions should clearly identify and lay out the role and responsibilities of the specific job, the knowledge and skills required, and the expectation of performance in the context of the needs of your organisation. Effective job descriptions will also include information outlining working conditions, tools and equipment used, and relationships with colleagues and managers. The job description need not be limited by the available space in your chosen advertising medium. Your job advertisement may be a teaser, or feature summarised highlights of the full job description, which can be available on your or your recruitment partner’s website, or by post or email to interested job seekers. A printed version of the job description can be made available to all candidates prior to interview, and can also be circulated among your staff members prior to their new colleague taking up employment.   Defining an effective job description is among the most important elements in the recruitment process. A carefully thought out and well written job description can bring other benefits that should impact throughout your organisation. Some of these benefits are: Analysing requirements Taking time to think out and compose a detailed job description can help a manager to understand exactly what kind of person they expect to employ. As an organisation expands and takes on new staff, it is important to define the qualifications, skills and experience that will be most useful in moving forward. Also, the process of an employee leaving or being promoted to another position can often be turned into an opportunity to guide your organisation in a new direction by hiring a candidate with slightly different competencies and abilities to their predecessor. Attracting the right person An effective job description can attract the right candidates for the available position. It should allow the job seeker to learn whether their qualifications, skills and experience match with the requirements of your organisation. It can also quickly eliminate those who may not be right for the position. An effective job description should excite the right candidate and make them eager to compete for the available position.   Defines Expectations Employees are at their most productive when they know exactly what is expected of them. An effective job description can ensure a new staff member clearly understands his or her tasks and responsibilities from day one. When a problem arises with a staff member you can return to the job description and discuss the reasons why they are not carrying out the required tasks and responsibilities. Helps Avoid Disillusionment While competition between staff within an organisation can be healthy and useful, there is the danger of disillusionment if someone feels that they have been passed over for promotion. A clearly written job description can help a manager to explain why a particular decision was made and to help employees to prepare for future promotion opportunities. Communicates company direction It is important that each member of staff is aware of where an organisation is going, and how it plans to get there. An effective job description will clearly articulate where a member of staff fits within the organisation’s overarching plans, and what they have to do to make sure that objectives are being met. Other Employees An effective job description enables other employees to understand their relationship with the new staff member. If everyone within an organisation knows their exact roles and responsibilities, and is also aware of the boundaries where their job interacts with their colleagues, then it should be easier for a new employee to fit in quickly.
Sample Job Description Template

Department: XX

Job Title: XX

Reporting to: XX & title

Responsible for: (Staff reporting to incumbent, where applicable)

Purpose of job: e.g. To develop and expand...

Key job responsibilities: (usually 6-8 responsibilities)
Use action verbs such as:

• Develop...
• Direct...
• Identify and Monitor...
• Take responsibility for...
• Identify...
• Undertake...
• Maintain...
• Supervise...
• Prepare...
• Advise...
• Organise...
• Represent
• Any other duties as may from time to time be expected with the job

Signed:
Dated:

Sample Job Description Template reproduced with the kind permission of Carol Ann Casey and CA Consulting (www.caconsulting.ie)

Dermot Corrigan