When you’re writing a job description, there are a number of jobs that you need to include:
- The responsibilities of the job (your duties)
- The skills and expertise required to perform the job (proficiency in English, Microsoft Office)
- The educational requirements for the job (bachelors/masters)
- Work experience (relevant experience, not just jobs you’ve had)
- Preferred career path (this can be related to the job titles you include or the focus of the job. For example, if you’re writing for a Marketing department, you might want to include “marketing expert” as one of your job roles. You could also include things like “research” or “strategic planning” amongst your responsibilities)
- A short description of the working environment (this could include things like: how many staff you have, their roles and responsibilities, office layout, availability of parking spaces, etc)
- A short (one or two pager) Employee Handbook prepared by Human Resources outlining the general workplace culture.
- Any other information that might be relevant for someone applying for the job (e.g., specialties, compensation, etc)
While there is no “right” way to write a job description, there are a number of errors that you should avoid.
Omitting Duties
Omitting job duties can be a major red flag when reviewing an employee’s job application. Your applicants will have submitted the description that you provided them with, so it’s important that you review it carefully and ensure that everything is included. Make sure to include everything from taking phone calls to handling administrative tasks to dealing with customers. If you think that something is missing, ask them to describe it in more detail or to list the tasks they’ve performed on a regular basis. You can also ask for examples of excellent work or offer an opportunity for them to describe a project that they were involved in.
Flawed Thinking
Thinking that you know what is best for another person is not an indication of strong leadership qualities. While you may be able to provide helpful advice or guidance, it’s always advisable to ask the person seeking advice what they think or feel rather than assuming that you know what they want or need. You can also ask them how they’d like to see the advice or guidance addressed (e.g., would they like more information or a specific action item) so that you can provide the best possible service.
Careless Language
The use of slang and careless, informal language is often the hallmark of unprofessional copy. Although it may seem like a shortcut to employ shortcuts when writing, slang and informal language can actually hinder your communication with customers or potential employees. Instead of using slang and informal language, try to use formal and correct English where possible. When writing a job description, treat it like you’re writing a business letter or report and ensure that your language is precise and to the point. If you want to write in an informal manner, do so within quotations or in the context of a conversation.
Writing For The Person
As mentioned above, when writing a job description, you’re writing for the person seeking the job. When you’re describing the responsibilities of the job, it’s important to write in a manner that is easy to understand by the person for whom you’re writing. To achieve this, describe the responsibilities in your own words and use active rather than passive voice (e.g., instead of “the person filing the taxes is responsible for paying income taxes,” write “the person filing the taxes is responsible for paying the income taxes.”).
If you’re seeking a job in tax preparation, for instance, you might write: “As a member of the tax team, you will be tasked with preparing tax returns for private individuals and businesses.” This type of phrasing makes it clear that you’re describing your responsibilities, rather than stating facts about the job (i.e., “The return is due on April 15th.”).
Flawed Hiring
Just because a candidate has the required experience does not mean that they’re going to be a good fit in your organization. Experience is valuable, but you need to have the right experience. Interviewing and hiring based on years of experience alone can lead you down the road to disaster. When you’re hiring, take a closer look at the skills and expertise of the applicant as well as their educational background. Think about what you’re looking for and make a list of the critical attributes you need to find in a candidate. Now, go through the resumes of your current employees and identify the ones that are the best matches to the attributes you’ve listed. From there, you can develop a list of requirements and narrow your choices down to a manageable size. When writing a job description, be sure to include:
- The responsibilities of the job (your duties)
- The skills and expertise required to perform the job (proficiency in English, Microsoft Office)
- The educational requirements for the job (bachelors/masters)
- Work experience (relevant experience, not just jobs you’ve had)
- Specialties (if you’ve got any) that are relevant to the job
- A short description of the working environment (this could include things like: how many staff you have, their roles and responsibilities, office layout, availability of parking spaces, etc)
- A short (one or two pager) Employee Handbook prepared by Human Resources outlining the general workplace culture
- Any other information that might be relevant for someone applying for the job (e.g., specialties, compensation, etc)
Once you’ve got your shortlist of candidates, interview them all and select the one that best matches your needs.