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BUSINESS: The Ultimate ResourceOctober 2005 Upgrade 37
A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2005
GOOD SMALL BUSINESS ACTIONLIST
Changing Job Descriptions
Getting StartedJob descriptions serve so many important functions in an enterprise, its a wonder they dont
have a more glamorous title! Often outdated, overlooked, and under-considered, the failure to
deal seriously with these humble documents can trigger considerable organizational erosion.
Managed properly, job descriptions can give employees important structure and yet,
simultaneously, the latitude to grow towards greater responsibility and reward. Collectively, job
descriptions can reflect the heritage, current challenges, and dreams of an organization.
FAQs
What are some of the benefits of a job description?Employees need to know what they are supposed to be doing on the job. Likewise, they need to
know who they report to, what the expectations are, and what the limitations consist of. If peopledont have this sort of guidance, it is easy for them to run amok. With good job descriptions,
employee turnover can be reduced, as productivity and individual initiative rise.
Should I change a job description only when seeking a replacement for that position?That may seem convenient, but its really not the best time. For one thing, you may feel too
rushed to hire a replacement, and thus not give the job description the consideration it needs in
order to be useful to the individual and the department.
It is better to initiate a regularly scheduled review of all job descriptionsespecially since, doing
it that way, you have the current job holder as a resource, a person who can provide input on howthe job description could be changed to fit current responsibilities and future potential better.
What should I do when I get thats not my job thrown at me? How do I decide whether
its the person or the job description that is wrong for the job?Its common, especially among well established companies, that jobs and even departments
come to resemble little fiefdoms, with longer-term employees acting more like royalty than peers.
If youre hearing complaints from only a single source, you might well examine the individual
job descriptionbut you would be wise also to see if the job requirements might not have begunto outpace the aspirations of the employee. In either case, meeting with the employee and his or
her manager in a neutral setting is a good place to begin to unravel the question.
However, if youre hearing more frequent complaints, its a sign to roll up your sleeves and prise
open the whole job description box.
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BUSINESS: The Ultimate ResourceOctober 2005 Upgrade 37
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Making it HappenReview the Job Description and Get Everybody on the Same PageJob descriptions are not static documents, nor do they stand alone. Thus, even if you are only
revising one job description, it would be advisable to do the following things before changing
anything on it: Review any changes in the organizations visions, goals, and objectives. Likewise, see if
the particular department in which the job resides has changed directionor is about to.
Talk with the current job holder. Ask him or her how closely the job fits the presentdescription. Verify that with others who work directly with, or supervise, that person.
Also find out what things have been added to the job but not the description, or thatshould be added. If the level of responsibility and/or the skills have changed, thecompensation for that job may also need changing.
It is important to review the jobs connection to other jobs and to the organization as awhole. Be sure that those links are mentioned in all related job descriptions, and that they
are made clear when hiring and conducting employee orientation. Failure to do this
inadvertently leads to duplication of effort.
Redraft the Job DescriptionUsually, the HR department would have lead responsibility for writing job descriptions. In recent
years, however, others have been joining the team, simply because the overlapping nature of jobs
with other departments, and the direct expertise of other managers in how those jobs functionand coincide with other jobs in the same department.
After having gathered any new information, apply it to the job description and verify that:
the job title is accurate; all responsibilities, duties, and tasks associated with the job are listed in order of priority,
starting with the most important; challenges and objectives are spelled out in as much detail as possible. These will be
important when the job holders performance is reviewed for a bonus, pay raise, orpromotion;
the chain of command is clearlist the person or people (titles only) to whom the jobholder reports. Put in an organization chart if that would clarify things;
any changes in this job description which impact other jobs are noted and can be dealtwith in the real world;
the expectations of management for the job holder are clear and concise; you allow some flexibility in order that the position has room to grow.
Ask Others in the Organization to Review ItBe sure to make the language in the job description easy to understand. Any ambiguity will later
come back in the form of a complaint from the job holder (Thats not what it says in my job
description!), or from the manager (Hes just not able to live up to my expectations!).
Describing job tasks should be in short, precise sentences, using active verbs like: toimplement or to design and develop.
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BUSINESS: The Ultimate ResourceOctober 2005 Upgrade 37
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Likewise, the verbs should have a direct object. For example: To implement a qualityassurance manual for employees, or To design die-cutting heads for use in our
manufacturing process.
Let those who helped reconfigure the job description see the final draft before it becomesofficial. Doing so gives them a chance to make fine adjustments and, more importantly,
makes them feel their input matters.
Update and Review PeriodicallyChanges in the nature of the organizationsize, staffing, products or services offeredcompel
you to commit to annual review ofalljob descriptions. Naturally, when positions are vacated,
thats another good time to overhaul the job descriptionand doing it that way will lessen theburden of doing all of them at once.
Its also a good idea to provide new employeesand new job descriptionswith a qualityreview after three or four months. That way, whatever minor adjustments that need to be made
can be done before errant patterns become bad habits.
Using the Job Description for Recruitment OnlineIncreasingly, job descriptions are used as the basis for recruiting applicants via the Internet.
Passive job seekers may become so intrigued by an exceptional posting that theyll consider
applying, even when they had not really intended to. Active seekersmany of whom will haveto relocate great distancesmay need additional encouragement to apply, and thus the job
description may also need to describe the community and surroundings, and the attributes of both
(such as climate, recreation, schools, low crime rate, demographics, and so on).
If you do decide to begin using the Internet to attract and recruit new employees, research how
best to list your job vacancy, and where. Listed below are links to companies with more
information and services.
Here are some pointers about using your job description as a recruitment tool:
Include an executive summary at the outset. You must hook the reader quickly ortheyll move on.
Include the salary range, benefits package, and secondary benefits (flex time, continuingeducation, etc.)
Avoid jargon that wont be understood outside your organization List job tasks as challenges in order to pique interest, even in passive readers. Add the qualifications and skills needed to accomplish the jobbe specific. Talk about the company, its history, vision, role in the community, and philosophy about
employees. Compare the organization with competitors, why it excels and attracts the best people.
Include information about its size, staffing, perhaps even brief summaries of budget andnon-proprietary sales information. That gives readers a better sense of whether the
company would be a good fit.
Encourage readers to check out your Web site, but make sure your site is up to date, thatit reflects the image and style youve outlined in the job description, and wont in anyway contradict what the advertisement says.
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BUSINESS: The Ultimate ResourceOctober 2005 Upgrade 37
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Common Mistakes
Attracting Too Few Applicants for Advertised JobsPerhaps you have written the job description too narrowly, due to the specialized nature of the
job. There are a couple of ways to approach finding a solution. First, you might need to widenyour recruitment net farther to attract those with the right balance of knowledge, skills, andexperience. That could mean more expensea longer recruitment period, for example, hiring a
head hunter, and placing more ads in a larger variety of media, including specialty trade
publications and on the Internet. That avenue might also mean offering a better compensationpackage to attract such talent from afar.
The other solution may be to train from within. The job description, in that case, could be writtento attract someone with the right characteristics and attributes, rather than the precise experience
you desire. On the upside, that might allow you to hire someone locally, perhaps with less
experiencebut who would command a lower salary. On the downside, the extensive training
time needed for the new person to achieve competency may be just as expensive.
Seeing Job Descriptions as Isolated DocumentsJobs are the foundation for organizations; people are the cohesive element holding thefoundation together. If job descriptions dont reflect the dynamic relationship between
individuals within and between departments, there may be a tendency to allow silos to exist,
where individuals and departments become isolated from one another, with little regard for howthings should work together to accomplish organizational goals. Left neglected, dormant job
descriptions cause employees to lose their fire, managers to lose sight of one another and their
objectives, andeventuallyexecutives to lose market share.
For More Information
Books:Cushway, Barry. The Handbook of Model Job Descriptions. London: Kogan Page, 2003.
Fowler, Alan. Writing Job Descriptions. Woodstock, NY: Beekman Publishing, 2000.
Plachy, Roger J., and Sandra Plachy.More Results-Oriented Job Descriptions: 226 Models to
Use and Adapt. New York: AMACOM, 1997.
Web Sites:
ExecSearches.com: www.execsearches.com
HRnext (Human Resources): www.hrnext.com
NationJob Network: www.nationjob.com
Small Business Administration, Online Womens Business Center: www.onlinewbc.gov