The value of a job description

Job descriptions offer a lot of value in the workplace, and not just for job postings when you’re bringing in new hires. While an employer may not be legally obligated to provide employees with a job description when they start work, it’s good practice to be thorough in detailing the individual’s responsibilities. If ever a labor dispute arises, having the job description to refer back to can be useful as long as you took the time to include all aspects of the role in writing. Job descriptions also protect employees from being asked to do work outside their role.

Who should create a job description?

In a recent Indeed survey, 35% of employers said their hiring manager was responsible for writing job descriptions. It’s important to get the right people involved in writing your job description to make sure it’s accurate and reflects what your company is looking for. Within larger companies especially, there’s a large pool of people who can be involved in preparing a job description. For small businesses with fewer departments and staff, there’s a more limited group of people who are suitable to create a job description.

According to an Indeed survey, the three most common people involved in writing job descriptions at small businesses are hiring managers (35%), owners/CEOs (29%) and HR departments (24%).

It makes sense that in a small business setting, owners and CEOs commonly become part of the process when creating job descriptions because they play such a massive role in the company’s daily operations. But it’s possible that individuals in higher-ranking positions are unaware of certain tasks or skills that their employees are utilizing to perform well and keep the business afloat. That’s why it’s worth considering asking employees to weigh in when preparing a job description. According to an Indeed survey, less than 10% of employers report asking employees in similar roles to the job being posted to help write their job descriptions.

Employees can help when preparing a job description

The person already in that position, arguably, has the most comprehensive understanding of the role. If you’re replacing a high-performing employee with a new hire, getting the person who has experience doing the job (and doing it well) to help you write or revise the job description can be extremely valuable to successfully integrate someone new.

A seasoned employee can help beef up the job description with specifics such as:

• Indicating that the role requires the use of the software tools they work with daily
• Outlining how frequently certain tasks are performed (are they daily, weekly or quarterly tasks)
• Including information about which other department members or superiors the role requires you to communicate with regularly

There’s valuable insight an existing employee has that a supervisor or manager simply cannot contribute because they’ve never worked through the intricate details of a day in that role. So what’s the best way to include employees in the writing process?

While you don’t have to ask the employee to complete the job description for you, consider asking them to generate a list of skills and daily tasks they would deem essential to their success in the role. Use that list to help you when creating the job description, then return to the employee to have them review the final product. Ask them if there are any parts of the position that seem to be absent from the description or if there’s anything that doesn’t make sense to them. If they feel confident in the finalized description, your new hire should be able to step into the role with ease.

How to prepare a job description

The art of preparing a job description is more nuanced than it seems. Here’s a look at the details you’ll want to include in the descriptions you’re handing out to company employees.

Be specific with the job title

How you title the position on the job description is more important than you might think. Being specific with the title helps both the company and the employee agree on the technical elements associated with that title and also lays the foundation for that employee’s future promotion opportunities. Indeed’s job description by industry list can help you find the right title for your job opening.

Include a position overview

Before you get into the role responsibilities, provide a concise overview that summarizes the position in a couple of sentences. This helps the employee explain the role to others with confidence when asked what their position is.

Avoid an exhaustive list of tasks with no context

Providing a lengthy list of responsibilities with no context or specificity isn’t helpful to the employee or the company. Elaborate on each task to explain the scenario in which that work is performed and, where applicable, how frequently.

Mention how the role ties into business objectives

Help employees gain a thorough understanding of the value they add to your company right off the bat by including this information in the job description. Dedicate a few sentences to explaining how the role helps to support upper management or, if applicable, guide the individual’s direct reports. Relay company goals to the employee in the description and provide commentary on how this position can help the company achieve those objectives.

Lay out the duties associated with the role

Rather than just listing skills that the person should possess, name specific tasks that the role requires the employee to be responsible for. This gives the job description some real-world context and makes it actionable. By understanding the tasks rather than just the skills the role demands, the employee can take action to carry out those duties.

Highlight the performance standards

Set expectations for the role by including specific dates or metrics within the description where applicable. These numbers can give the employee concrete guidelines to measure their performance. If no more than 30 minutes a day should be allotted to a task, outline this in the description so that the employee can strive to work within this time frame. The same applies to yearly sales goals, deadlines or other quantifiable work metrics. This is where involving current employees in the process of creating a job description is useful because they already have a comprehensive sense of how long tasks take to complete.