3.06 Develop Job D escriptions

1. 3.06 Develop Job Descriptions

2. Job descriptions are important for attracting the right job candidates, helping employees understand their responsibilities, evaluating employees' performance, and much more. Here are tips for writing good job descriptions. • Think of a job description as a “snapshot” of a job. The job description needs to communicate clearly and concisely what responsibilities and tasks the job entails and to indicate, as well, the key qualifications of the job – the basic requirements (specific credentials or skills) – and, if possible, the attributes that underlie superior performance Job Description

3. Following is a quick look at the categories that make up a well-written job description: • Title of the position • Department • Reports to (to whom the person directly reports) • Overall responsibility • Key areas of responsibility • Consults with (those who the person works with on a regular basis) • Term of employment • Qualifications (necessary skills and experience required) Job Description (Continued)

4. A qualities, abilities, or accomplishments that makes a person suitable for a particular position or task. Job Qualifications

5. A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together a job description, which is the frequent outcome of the job analysis. • Additional outcomes include recruiting plans, position postings and advertisements, and performance development planning within your performance management system • Job analysis tells the human resources personnel: • the time it takes to complete relevant tasks • the tasks that are grouped together under a single job position • the ways to design or structure a job for maximizing employee performance • the employee behavioral pattern associated with performance of the job • the traits and attributes of a proper candidate for the job • the ways the data can be used to develop human resource management Job Analysis

6. A job description: • causes the manager of the position and any other employees already performing the job to agree on the responsibilities and scope of the position, • helps Human Resources know the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and capabilities you seek in your new employee, so an effective recruiting plan is formulated, • informs candidates about the duties and responsibilities of the position for which they are applying, • informs employees who are assisting with the interview process about the questions to ask candidates and what you seek in the new employee, and • may protect you legally when you can demonstrate why the candidate selected for a position was your most qualified and culturally suitedapplication. Uses of Job Description

7. Develop job descriptions to help you articulate the most important outcomes you need from an employee performing a particular job. • Job descriptions are a communication tool to tell coworkers where their job leaves off and the job of another employee starts. • They tell an employee where their job fits within the overall department and the overall company. They help employees from other departments, who must work with the person hired, understand the boundaries of the person's responsibilities. • Finally, job descriptions are an integral piece of the performance development planning process. How Job Descriptions can be Developed

8. Your goal in hiring is to find the brightest, most competent, flexible, reliable, multifaceted employees you can find. • A job description, if not viewed as a straight jacket, helps your successful recruiting in several ways. How Job Descriptions can be Developed

9. Gather the appropriate people for the task. The manager to whom the position will report takes the lead in developing a job description, but other employees who are performing similar jobs can contribute to its development, too. • Additionally, if the position is new and will relieve current employees of work load, they should be part of the discussion. A first position? The manager or company owner can develop the job description on his or her own. How to Develop a Job Description

10. Perform a job analysis. You need as much data as possible to develop a job description. The job analysis may include: • the job responsibilities of current employees • Internet research and sample job descriptions online or offline highlighting similar jobs, • an analysis of the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that need to be accomplished by the employee filling the position, • research and sharing with other companies that have similar jobs, • and articulation of the most important outcomes or contributions needed from the position. • The more information you can gather, the easier the actual task of developing the job description will be. How to Develop a Job Description

11. Write the job description. Your company may have a format for job descriptions so check with Human Resources. Often, however, all HR expects is a list of the responsibilities and they prefer to develop the final format congruent with other job descriptions across the company. • These are the normal components of the job description: • Overall position description with general areas of responsibility listed, • Essential functions of the job described with a couple of examples of each, • Required knowledge, skills, and abilities, • Required education and experience, • A description of the physical demands, and • A description of the work environment. • Your company and your process may vary, but these components give the employee clear direction. How to Develop a Job Description

12. Review the job description periodically to make sure it acurately reflects what the employee is doing and your expectations of results from the employee. • Use the job description as a basis for the employee development plan (PDP) An employee's job description is integral in the development of his or her quarterly employee development plan. • An effective job description establishes a base so that an employee can clearly understand what they need to develop personally, and contribute within your organization. Develop job descriptions to provide employees with a compass and clear direction How to develop a Job Description

13. Read and complete Section 2 of the human resource guide found at http://www.sasknetwork.ca/html/Employers/hr/Module2-Recruitment.pdf. (Section 2 of this module starts on page 2 of the document and is titled “Job Descriptions.”) • Complete the Work Description Form in the module to develop a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities required for each job position that they need to fill. • After completing the Work Description Form for each of the positions that they plan to fill, read and discuss the passage regarding information to include in job descriptions. • Use the job profile template provided in the module to develop job descriptions for the different positions within their businesses. • When finished, add your Work Description Forms and job descriptions (job profiles) to your folder. Activity 3.06