Writing Job Descriptions

We recently mentioned that regularly being tasked to work outside of one's job description can be a warning sign of a toxic workplace. Especially when changes are not talked about or explained, when the duties are clearly below your skillset (think bringing the boss coffee every day when you're a highly specialized Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse), or when the tasks you are given are unfulfilling because they are too complex or too simple.

In general, job descriptions are supposed to be plain-language tools that explain the duties, responsibilities, and general functions of an employee's position in a company. As such, job descriptions should be effective and precise, especially when you set out to hire someone new into your team!

Poorly drafted job descriptions can disappoint both the employer and the employee. The employer thinks they wrote down what they need or want from a new employee and are recruiting for that need; the employee thinks they know what they signed up for. If the job description is off, the needs of either or both might not be met.

Let's look at writing a job description that can effectively avoid these pitfalls.

The question we will need to be answered is: "What will the job applicant in this role do in our company?"

The very start of this consideration is, of course, a review of the company's demands. The hiring manager needs to have a job analysis, where the needs are reviewed, the data is gathered, and the role created is examined. Ideally, the company will speak to the team members who currently perform the needed tasks to understand what it is they perform both frequently and infrequently. Leads, managers, and producers add in how tasks are carried out and what additional expectations might arise for the new team member joining up.

Next is the job title. The title needs to answer the fundamental question of what a person in this role will do in one to four words. Engineering solutions? Graphics of any kind? Sound or audio work? Is it a junior or a senior position? Is management or other leadership involved? The title is the first thing any job applicant will look at, and it will be the first thing a company can do to highlight its needs. What should be avoided here is quirkiness or being funny. While one might jokingly call a Receptionist the Complaints Department Manager, it will not draw the attention of the person desired. Further, it could highlight a problem that might not even truly exist.

After that, consider the purpose of the position you wish to fill and list these tasks in a clean bullet point format. This section of the job description should host the duties and responsibilities a successful candidate would have to navigate in the organization. Sometimes called essential functions, this overview needs to describe the fundamental nature of the position and the lion's share of what anyone in this role would be expected to do. The employer will identify direct or indirect answerability areas, describe the needed outcome of tasks given, describe the nature of the contact, persons contacted or worked with, and the expected extent of such contacts. If you work a lot with other teams, expect this to be listed here. It should be mentioned if you can expect to find and follow your workflows primarily. Are you managing a group of team members? This, too, will be explained here. If possible, there should be a ranking of how much of each task will take over the employee's day.

A role that has many leadership duties, for example, should have those tasks ranked high in the following listing. If some tasks or responsibilities are infrequent or only take a minimal amount of time, consider combining them in a final bullet. Note that the goal is to be succinct. Aim for four to eight bullet points. More than that could mean your role is ill-defined and might need a rework to check that the list contains only the fundamentally required skills.

Now, let's review the required qualifications. Both company and the candidate will want to ensure an excellent fit for the role. To ensure this, the hiring manager should consider the following:

·????????Experience in the field advertised

·????????Education related to the job

·????????Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

And finally:

·????????Preferred Qualifications ("Nice-to-Haves")

Experience and education are straightforward needs. What background do we expect the candidate to have? An artist needs to have a portfolio. If the company needs a specialized field, education in that field might matter. This is also where it is often noted that the job is hourly, contract-based, or a salary position.

For knowledge, skills, and abilities, we need to review the task and the purpose of the position once more. Is understanding or even certification in particular software, machinery, or fields required? Can we reasonably expect the candidate to fit into the needed tasks seamlessly? This section will let candidates understand how their own hard and soft skills compare to what may be necessary before applying. Some things can be learned on the job, like understanding certain new specific software; others, however, like certificates, cannot and need to be achieved beforehand.

Job applicants should be on the lookout for any particular working conditions mentioned. What's the environment? Office? Home office? Outdoors? Are there specific exposures to be expected, such as loud noises, vibrations, and hazardous materials? Do you need to be aware of physical requirements such as working outdoors in any weather or being able to lift and carry heavy gear? Is there expected work during weekends or on-call type situations? If any conditions set this job aside from others, it will be listed in the job listing!

The rest of the listing is bound to have legal disclaimers, statements, and another summary of the job's needs. Here, you're likely to find travel requirements, possible federal contractor requirements and practices, and/or equal employment opportunity statements.

While it can be expected that these duties shift over time, especially due to training and promotions, these changes should be talked about during career advancement discussions. We spoke on that topic a few weeks ago, check our LinkedIn page to read them again!

At HSL, we're currently working on moving away from general job descriptions outside of recruitment. We wish to put a leveling matrix in place to allow team members more straightforward access to the thinking needed to advance in their field or move into a related field within HSL. Expect more on that topic in the coming months!

However you structure your job descriptions, we wish you success in finding new team members! Should you be on the look for a new carer move towards Hardsuit Labs, we look forward to hearing from you!