Writing a Good Job Description

Everyone can write a job description, but not everyone can write a detailed and excellent one. Writing a good job description is vital as it tells the candidates what the position entails and its requirements. Also, it serves as a basis for interviewing potential candidates, orientating new employees and evaluating job performance.

Employers, recruiters and applicants have read at least one job description that has perplexed them. Recently, I read a job description that left me confused- first, the job required at least five years of Quality Control experience as a Food Scientist. However, reading through the requirements, it stated the need for NYSC member. 

The exact role also indicated daily reporting to the office from Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. However, candidates applying are required to work remotely. 

Writing a Good Job Description

A job description that doesn’t explicitly mention realistic job details will confuse job applicants, resulting in unqualified applicants applying for your job role.

What makes an excellent job description? How do you identify the differences between a bad and a good job description? Let’s start with the definition.

What is a Job Description?

Job descriptions are detailed documents that specify the job responsibilities, duties and skills required to excel on the job. However, it is also crucial to note the necessity of job analysis.  

Job analysis is an organized process of gathering specific information about a job role, such as responsibilities, requirements, skill requirements, and steps which help create an accurate and detailed job description. While there are no specific ways or styles to write a precise job description, job analysis gives you key pointers to assess the employee’s performance as executed in the job description.

Important highlights your job description

Mention the job title

Job titles helps candidates to know the exact role when applying for a job. It states specific functions as most current jobs are pretty interwoven. For example, a Graphics Designer is different from a UI/UX designer even when both are designers. 

Location

Location on the job description gives candidates an idea of the distance and proximity to the job location. Most qualified talents look forward to reduced cost of living, how far the commute, e.t.c, so it doesn’t affect productivity at work.

Job Summary

This contains a brief overview of the overall objective of the job in the most concise way. A candidate should understand the job needs and what it entails from looking at the job summary.

Essential functions

Essential functions entail the candidate’s daily activities to perform on the job. Use bullet points to highlight key responsibilities and include performance metrics. Job functions are also valuable for job evaluation, performance appraisals, reorganization, and any training program for the job role.

Competence

Competence highlights the candidate’s experience as the best fit for the role. It consists of knowledge, skills and behaviours required to perform critical tasks in a work setting. For instance, the skills competency can include computer proficiency, accounting, and interpersonal skills. 

Required education and certification

It is mandatory to clearly state the minimum requirements to avoid attracting the wrong candidates.

Benefits

Every job description must be consistent in content and messaging. The benefits stated in the job description help the company attract its desired candidates.

 

Let us help you draft an excellent job description that meets your job expectations.

Here at Assist to Hire, we can help you draft a job description that meets your job expectations so that you can attract the right candidate. Hiring the right employee saves cost and time while employing the wrong employee can cost your company a lot of money.

To help revise your job description, post a job here.

https://assist2hirelearning.com/post-job/