Writing an Effective Job Description
A key ingredient to hiring the right person starts with a robust job description. Robust does not mean long. So many times we see job descriptions fondly referred to as a ‘kitchen sink’ description. Listing so many items in the job description can water it down and get you many candidates who feel they may be qualified when they may not hold the key elements you are looking for in the position.
When you write a job description, ask yourself the following questions as you perform a final review:
1. Is the title of the position correct and does it align with your proposed salary?
2. Are the expectations clear as to what the candidate would be doing day-to day?
3. Are credentials, licenses, certifications needed for the position clearly identified and marked as required vs. preferred?
What happens when the answers to these questions are foggy?
– Higher recruiting & advertising costs
– Wasted time sifting through hundreds of applicants to find the best qualified
– Wasted time for hiring managers with candidates who are not the right fit
– When candidates are unsure about a job’s expectations, it creates frustration and confusion.
Final pearl – job descriptions are only one piece of the recruiting puzzle. While they can and should be used as a hiring tool, they are not meant to do everything. Remember the job description describes the ‘role’, it does not describe the ‘person’.
