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How To Write A Job Description

write job description

Job specifications are the most important way to market a job that your company has vacant. Now more than ever these documents are valuable as candidates are very specific in their needs and will not settle for less than them. Without a job spec you cannot outline the core responsibilities of the role, the skills involved and required and indeed provide an overview of the company.

 

There are two types of job specs:

  • For an existing job
  • For a new position

 

For an Existing Position

You are lucky in this respect as you can ask the person who is leaving to sit with you and go through the details of their position. This can be part of their review to get insight into how the role can be improved. Understanding the different aspects of a position can help the company become more efficient as a whole so the meeting must be in a comfortable environment where the employee feels at ease confiding in their manager. Asking them to rate each skill by importance to the job will help when interviewing to get the best possible candidate for the job. Note re-writing an existing position also gives you an opportunity to update and improve upon the role, add to it if needed and even change the title if you feel it’s more appropriate.

 

For a New Position

So your company is growing and there is a need for a new position that the company has never had before, how do you find the relevant skills and responsibilities that the ideal candidate should possess? Research! This is the case for many companies at the moment in terms of Fintech and digital roles that have just emerged in the last five years. Read other job specs for these roles in your industry and even outside of them. Ask your network for advice or if you know someone in a similar position invite them for coffee and ask them about their position in order to help you decide what aspects would be important to your company.

 

Contact a recruitment company that deals with these positions. In truth recruiters in the area that you are hiring for are experts in that they place these people every day and would be in an ideal position to give you constructive advice and information.

 

Things to Include in a Job Spec:

  • Job Title – don’t make it too long, abbreviate if needed
  • Short introduction to your company (2-3 lines which sell the company)
  • The main duties of the position, the location and who they will be reporting to
  • Necessary skills required in the role, including experience and education level
  • Core competencies required for the position such as good communication skills, people management etc.
  • Relevant contact details and particulars on how to apply for the position with closing date if any

 

Make sure to carry out a spell check and ask a colleague to review the spec before you advertise it – it is essential to make sure the spec is easy to read, has no spelling or punctuation mistakes and accurately reflects your company.

Posted by Julia Purcell, Marketing & Communications Manager on 7 December 2017

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