It’s a well-known fact that writing a top-quality CV is both vitally important to the end-game of getting a new job and actually quite difficult. This week, we’ll be looking at flipping this scenario on its head and discussing an equally-neglected task: writing job descriptions.
It won’t surprise you that we see a lot of job descriptions which border on the useless. At the same time, we see a few brilliant ones as well - so we thought it was time to share the love and explain how to write a winning job description (JD for short).
What is a Job Description and why do we have them?
A JD has essentially two uses. First, it has a key internal use: i.e. it defines the scope and extent of each individual’s job. It lays out each individual’s role, responsibilities and deliverables (he writes, smirking - how many of them are accurate I wonder?).
Just as importantly though, JDs have a vital role to play in recruitment. In most cases, with the exception of an advert (which is often a jazzed-up job description), the JD is the first piece of company-branded information that a potential employee gets to see. In a candidate-driven market, the quality of a job description (combined of course with an effective sale either from an in-house recruitment team or an external, third-party recruiting supplier) can be the difference between gaining a candidate’s interest in the job you’re looking to fill and not.
A great job description will do two things: firstly, it will excite the reader and make them want to do the job in question. At the same time though, it will clearly define what kind of person (i.e. what skills, experience or background someone will need) is required, without putting people off.
A not-so-great Job Description however, can put people off applying - either by being too short, too complex, too vague or too general.
Strategy….
With this in mind, consider the general approach to your JD writing, and follow our simple steps to job description success…..
- Don’t make your job description into a “wishlist” of technical skills and experience. This can often confuse candidates, especially if their experience in light or non-existent in a certain area. Concentrate on including key technical skills - the ones that can’t be lived without, but add some flexibility on technical issues if such flexibility exists. Be careful to split up the experience that someone must have and experience that someone would have in an ideal world. Too specific a set of technical requirements will only put off people who are possibly brilliant but who haven’t had the exact, specific exposure you’re looking for.
- Don’t be too general. A JD that’s too general will encourage applications from people with none of the pre-requisite skills, which will only waste your time. It will also convey the message that you’re not sure what you’re looking for, which in turn will put off brilliant candidates.
- Be specific. Don’t be afraid to go into some depth about the position itself. There is nothing worse than a job description which leaves a potential candidate guessing as to the make-up of a position. Looking for an IT Director? Why not tell the candidate how big your IT infrastructure is? Why not tell them how big the budget is? Give them this information and people will start shining in interviews.
- Tailor the job description to the person you’re looking for. You’ve all heard about tailoring CVs to the individual position, right? Well, how about tailoring a job specification? If you have a position for a Software Engineer to work on a specific, exciting project, then describe it - don’t just use your generic job specification for a Software Engineer
- Talk about deliverables, not just responsibilities - what is the person you’re looking for going to have to deliver? How will they be measured? What will constitute a success for them? This information is normally missed out, but is a strong differentiator and gives potential candidates a clear “vision” of what the job will be like beyond the basic job description.
- Talk salary. Be open and honest, but if there’s some flexibility, mention it.
Of course, if anyone wants any help or advice on the subject, feel free to get in touch and we’ll be happy to assist.
We’ll be following this up with some alternative views on this subject this month - so subscribe here and make sure you don’t miss out…
1 response so far ↓
1 Ben Hobbs // Apr 26, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Coming from a recruitment background where I once wrote or helped to draft job descriptions as a sales tool to having to write Job descriptions as an actual employer, in a non-related field, has given me a new perspective on this.
We in the recruitment industry often talked of the need for brevity with a CV, and a more detailed/technical CV used additionally when requested. I think the same is really required on the opposite side of the fence.
A summarised job description document, that is brief, understandable and easy for recruiters and applicants to understand is a necessity. This should be drafted as a document for outsiders to understand the role, as such there is no need for comprehensive definition of company, product or department specifics. Sure, describe the product, the company ethos and department etc… but a long document describing every single responsibility, duty and the innermost workings of the company is a hinderance at this stage.
A more refined employemnt document that outlines all of the nitty gritty, exact responsibilities and company structure can be used later in the interview process and indeed as part of any contract of employment.
At such an early stage of filling the position, as advertising, using a recruitment agency or presenting potential candidates with a job description, I believe a one page document on the position is plentiful.
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