How to write the perfect job description

Effective job descriptions serve several important purposes in your organization. First, and most commonly, they are an effective recruitment tool, since they can be used to attract the right person to the position in the first place. Second, and lesser known, they can be used as a great management tool, and serve as a basis for evaluating an employee's performance, or limiting or expanding the scope of an employee's position. Be sure to keep the job description around even after you've filled the role! Your new employee will also find it helpful to check the description from time to time to ensure it's still relevant.

Job descriptions must be written in a way that conveys appropriate information. An inaccurate or poorly written job description allows the possibility that you won't find the right job candidate, that the candidate may not accurately interpret what is expected in the position, or that you will be accused of not including specific tasks that are integral to the job.

What to include in the job description

Keep the following items in mind when writing out specifics in the job description:

• Responsibilities. Is it easy to see what the job will entail?
• The methods used to complete the tasks. Are there specific skills, degrees or certifications necessary for the role?
• Desirable results. What will the employee ideally achieve. Why is this role important to the company, and what will the correct candidate be able to use to gauge performance?

How to structure the job description

Job title. Your title should be short and clear. "Art Program Director" is a better title than "Director of Art Program at Main Company Training Center."

Job objective. Why do you need this person? What should their overall goal be at your company?

Summary of the position. This will give job candidates a general idea of the level, nature, and function of the job.

List of critical duties or tasks. These should be easy-to-read bullet points listing the major duties assigned to this position. This does not have to (and should not) be an exhaustive list of everything the employee filling this position could ever be assigned. This should be a list of duties that the right candidate can perform now, or will be able to perform with proper training.

List and description of the job's relationship to other roles. Use this area to describe how the role fits into the department. Who will manage this employee? Who will this employee be managing? What are some roles, inside and outside the company, the employee will be expected to work with regularly?

Qualifications and experience needed. Will the person who fills this role need to know specific computer or software skills? Are degrees or certifications required? What other types of hard and soft skills will be necessary for this position? Be specific, but make sure what you’re requesting will actually be used and is an important part of the job.

Salary range and benefits. While some companies don't like to offer the first hint of a salary range, allowing candidates to know what they can expect can help attract the right employee. You do not want an employee whose salary falls greatly to one side or the other of your range. Benefits can also help attract candidates, especially if they are useful for a large number of people (health, dental and vision insurance, gym reimbursement), or unusual (catered lunch every Friday, car service if you work late).

More tips:

• - Write in the present tense. It gives a sense of immediacy.
• - Avoid using gendered pronouns (he or she). Instead, state "the candidate," or "the employee," or structure sentences to remove the need for pronouns.
• - Be specific. Vague words like "seldom," "frequent," or "several" are subject to interpretation.
• - Use action verbs to show what the employee will be doing or achieving in the position.
• - Regulatory compliance is extremely important. Review the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legislation includes hiring practices and accommodations which can save your company from a lawsuit. They will also hopefully help you craft your job descriptions to appeal to the largest candidate pool possible, hopefully attracting an excellent crop of job candidates.

While a job description is a great basis on which to hire and evaluate an employee, you shouldn’t be inflexible with the enumerated items. Job descriptions can become stale and dated quickly. As technology changes, an employee may no longer require certain skills, or may need to gain new ones in the future. You may also choose to expand or contract the employee's job requirements as the needs of the company change or people come and go from the company. You'll also want to leave the door open to hire outstanding people who may not fit an exact job description at your company, but will inevitably help your business in a key way. Nevertheless, an effective job description is a key starting point for hiring and retaining happy, effective employees.