The preparation of a job description is just as important to your organization on a long-term basis as actually bringing someone new on board. Well-constructed job descriptions can serve as a reference for future hiring practices, salary determination, and performance evaluations. But most of all, they make sure the right person is chosen to fit your organization’s needs.
“A good job description is going to help the job seeker ensure they’re applying for the job they believe they are applying for, and help the employer fill the position with the right person,” President and CEO of HR Anew Deborah Stallings said at a recent seminar. “It is important to ensure that the job description is current, and aligned with the mission, goals and priorities of the organization. Unless all of that is considered, chances are we aren’t going to hire the right person.”
Factors to consider when composing a job description include:
The context of the position: what is the purpose of the position and what is the role it is going to play in the organization?
The content of the job: what are the duties and responsibilities of the position?
The job specifications and qualifications: what specific skills, knowledge and education will be needed to perform the essential functions?
Performance criteria: what behavior will be expected of the employee and what results are desired?
Other essentials that should be included in a job description are: the job title, location, FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) status and EEO classification, who the position will report to, the department in which the position will operate, organizational relationships, job specifications and any financial responsibility.
The total rewards for the employee is another aspect to consider when constructing your job description. This includes compensation, performance or merit programs where employees can receive annual salary increases based on their annual performance, productivity pay, commission, and bonuses.
There are many resources available to determine the appropriate compensation for a position.
“There are compensation studies by industry, or specific to a job. There are online resources available at no charge, or you can pay a fee for a service like salary.com,” Stallings said. “The candidate can also be a resource to determine what is going on in the market. You can ask them what their current salary is, their past salary and their salary expectations. “
Finally, a summary of benefits can be included in the job description. In addition to benefits mandated by law, Stallings said many employees find great value in intangible benefits, such as career advancement opportunities, recognizing birthdays, social and family events, employees of the month and year, retention bonuses, wellness programs, and flexible work schedules.
Not only can a good job description help attract the right employee to your organization, it also defines the job for talent acquisition and talent management.
“That means we cannot only use a job description for recruitment, but also career planning, employee development, performance management and disability accommodations,” Stallings said. “It ensures every employee understands what his or her role and responsibilities are within the organization and it communicates clear and written definitions to the candidate and employee.”
For more information on how to get your recruitment hiring process started, visit HR Anew’s website or call (410) 381-5220.
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I am looking to write a good job description for an Operations Manager. I wrote a hubpage for one already. http://hubpages.com/hub/Operations-Manager-Job-Description
Very useful tips
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