What should you include in a job description?
Job descriptions are very important when listing a job opening as it provides an applicant with the duties, requirements, responsibilities, skills, qualifications etc. of the job opening. It is said to be a very important part when creating a job listing. A well written job description benefits both the applicant and the recruiter. Writing the perfect job description helps to find the most suitable applicant for the job, it helps applicants to decide if they are suitable for the position, if they are capable of handling the position and if they are comfortable with the positions before they apply, as such it saves valuable time for both the applicant and the recruiter and makes the selection process easier for the recruiter. Some points must be included in a job description to make it effective. Some are listed below:
The following categories are important when making a job description:
Job title: Full title of the job- This job title is a usually a brief description that reflects the content of the job. This should state a clear and precise job position, for example such as “Chief Operating Officer”.
Job summary: This should be inclusive of a short description of the company followed by the position expectations and job location. Detail summary of the job- This gives an overview of the role, the level and the scope of the job.
Job responsibilities: This one should include the core duties of a job. Full list of duties & responsibilities- This describes the fundamentals overall nature of the job role.
Skills and qualifications: Here, you can include requirements such as education, past work experience, any necessary certifications, technical skills, and personal qualities. Academic Experience needed for the role- This state the mandatory or optional experience needed for the job. Academic Qualification needed for the role- This state the necessary qualifications need for the job. Or any specific skills needed for the role- This state any special skills or talent required for the job.
Salary and additional benefits: Here, you must specify a certain range of income you can offer to the candidate. Moreover, you should also include any relevant benefits such as the number of annual leaves, medical coverage, provident fund, etc.
Contact details: explain the hiring procedure.
What should you not include in a Job Description?
Being mysterious is not something that attracts potential candidates. The job duties and title should be clear enough to describe what is expected of a potential candidate. As a recruiter, you must always mention the necessary documents required for a certain position, such as educational documents, licenses, pay slips for the last job, etc.
Moreover, apart from using gender-neutral language, you must also ensure that there is zero bias in the description of a job. For example, mentioning that you require a salesperson with five years of experience excludes any other young potential talent. Similarly, using terms such as “salesmen” or “saleswomen” is also discriminatory and should ideally be avoided.
Additionally, avoid mentioning unrealistic or impractical tasks as they put off many people who may have been a good addition to the organization otherwise.
Last but not least, do not make the tone negative even if you do not wish to hire a certain category of individuals. Avoid using sentences such as “people with less than ten years of work experience will not be considered,” as it makes your brand look unfriendly.
