WRITE A GREAT JOB DESCRIPTION

SNAPSHOT OF A JOB

Job descriptions are important for attracting the right job candidates, helping employees understand their responsibilities, evaluating employees’ performance, and much more. Here are tips for writing good job descriptions.

The job description needs to communicate clearly and concisely what responsibilities and tasks the job entails and to indicate, as well, the key qualifications of the job – the basic requirements (specific credentials or skills) and, if possible, the attributes that underlie superior performance.

Following is a quick look at the categories that make up a well-written job description:

• Title of the position
• Department
• Reports to (to whom the person directly reports)
• Overall responsibility
• Key areas of responsibility
• Consults with (those who the person works with on a regular basis)
• Term of employment
• Qualifications (necessary skills and experience required)

Educational requirements and experience requirements are the areas where inadvertent discrimination may occur. Educational requirements must be a real necessity for the job. If someone could accomplish the work with equivalent job experience but who lacks a specific credential, the job description should be modified. And to avoid age discrimination, experience should not include an upper limit.