4 reasons why an employer should have a job description before hiring employees
Even before the hiring process is begun, the need to hire a resource needs to be defined. Unless the need, roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, an employer may not have clarity on what tasks they would like to get done from this resource. In such a situation, the need for drafting a job description document arises, which outlines the expectations an employer has from the prospective employee. What is a job description? A job description defines the role and responsibilities and other specific tasks employees are expected to perform. It also outlines the requirements employers seek in a job role, viz educational qualifications, skillset, and prior experience. For example, if a job description for a content writer needs to be created, businesses must mention these duties and qualifications in the job description: ● ● ● ● ● ●
Creating content like blog posts, website content, and other types of content Researching appropriate keywords and using them in the content accordingly Adhering to communication style guidelines and writing content as per the guidelines Collaborating with team members like graphic designers for the purpose of publishing content on all platforms Prior experience in content writing/shorthand typing courses/previous experience creating content calendars Degree in English Honours or a related field
While creating the job description for a content writer in the above example, all the tasks/duties have been written in the form of bullet points and are extremely specific. It also outlines the experience and qualifications that the employer is seeking. HR managers of companies must write such job descriptions for all roles in the organization, in order to give clarity to the candidate and align the expectations. Importance of creating job descriptions before hiring employees Here are 4 reasons why creating job descriptions before hiring employees is important: ●
Help the employer to understand and articulate their expectations from the candidates A job description helps an employer understand and articulate their expectations from candidates regarding their qualifications, role, and skillset. Unless the employer themselves knows what all tasks they require the candidate to do, the employer cannot communicate the same to the candidate. Hence, the job description helps align the employer’s expectations with the employee’s expectations. ●
Help the candidate understand the role better A job description helps a candidate understand what tasks will he/she be expected to perform in this role and what qualifications, skillet, and prior experience are expected from a candidate who’d be suitable for this role. It helps the candidate know more about the company, the role and hence helps in understanding the employer’s expectations from the role.
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Ensure that the best candidate is hired for each position Creating job descriptions ensures employers check each task/responsibility with candidates’ prior skills, qualifications, and experience in other jobs. When the tasks and the candidates’ skills, qualifications, and relevant experience match, it signifies that a candidate is a good fit for a job position. Hence, by comparing the tasks and experience of multiple candidates, companies can evaluate and decide which candidate is the best for a given job position.
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Ensure that employees are held accountable for their duties A job description lists down all the duties that employees are expected to perform on the job. This ensures that employers can hold employees accountable for their tasks while working in the organization.
Conclusion We hope that now you know the importance of having a job description before actually starting the employee search and now know how to create job descriptions for open positions.
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