Monthly Archives: October 2012

How to write a job description

In this video I show step by step how to write a job description.

I have also added a link to download a job description template as well as the sample job description that I am using in the video.

Click here to download the job description template

Click here to download sample job description

There are 4 major components to this job description

  1. Defining who the person reports to and communicates with
  2. Defining the main purpose of the job and how it contributes to the success of the department and organization
  3. Defining the duties and tasks to be performed
  4. Defining the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job
  5. Defining the desired knowledge and skills to be able to assume greater responsibility
  6. Defining the minimum performance standards

This is a quite simple approach to writing a job description. From my experience simplicity works best. Complex form and too much detail get people bogged down and the descriptions never get done because it becomes too heavy a task.

The important thing is to get them done and then use them as a management tool. In an upcoming blog article I will cover how to use the job descriptions to make managing easier and help improve performance.

Good writing,

 

Stephen Goldberg

10 Good Reasons to Write and Use a Job Description

 

I was motivated to write this blog article after a coaching session with a client who decided he needed to hire an internal sales rep so he could free himself to work on pro-active sales to his niche market.

There is often a resistance on the part of business owners and managers to write job descriptions. They usually want someone else to do it for them.

But there are many excellent reasons to write a good job description. I have included a link to download a simple job description template.

Here are 10 good reasons to write a job description

  1.   Help you to hire the right person for the job
  2.   Use it as an aid to conduct hiring interviews
  3.   Use it as a starting point to write an advert about the job
  4.   Use it to make sure you are clear about what you expect from your direct reports
  5.   Use it as a tool to clarify performance expectations of your direct reports
  6.   Use it to meet with your direct reports to make sure your expectations are aligned
  7.   Use if to set goals with your direct reports
  8.   Use it to conduct regular performance appraisals
  9.   Use it to identify training needs
  10.   Use it as a tool to protect you and your company against complaints of wrong dismissal.

Now ask yourself when was the last time you wrote a good job description and reviewed it with your current employees?

Here is a link to download a job description template.

In an upcoming blog I will cover how to complete a job description.

If all this makes sense then set some time now to get started on this. Once you have written a few, it should not take longer than 1 hour to write a good first drat. I recommend writing a first draft, let it sit for a day and then complete it.

In university they teach you that to write a good job description you need to have an unbiased person observe the person performing the tasks and then write it up. But this is a laborious process that often never gets done. So don’t play it by the book. Just do it!

The job description template in Word can be downloaded here