Creating the right job description to find the right person
You need to create a job description that
truly focuses on the exact skills and qualities you are looking for in the
potential new hire. You need to define
the right job responsibilities. You
want this description to be truly in synch with what they will actually do, and
the skills they actually need. This way
when you are evaluating resumes, you will be able to spot strengths and
weaknesses much easier. The performance
evaluations should also be in synch with the skills and responsibilities within
the job description. You will have to
update the job description from time to time if there are any additional
responsibilities, new skills, or new product experience needed.
Items that should be on the job description
are:
- General Description: Basic overview of what you are looking for in
a candidate.
- Primary Job Functions: Brief description of the type of work
performed.
- Required skills: The “must
have” would be on top, the “should have” in the middle, and “nice to have”
at the bottom.
- Desired skills: This would
be skills you wish the applicant had, but not absolutely necessary.
- Experience: Type of work experience the applicant must have, and
the amount of years doing this type of work.
- Education: Needed or desired.
This can be anything from technical certification to a master’s
degree.
- Work status: Full or part
time.
- Travel: Enter a percentage
if there is any travel associated with the position.
- Reporting: The positions
direct report. It might be you or
one of your supervisors.
For example, if you were looking for more of
a Tier 1 support technician with lower technical capabilities than a Tier 2
technician, you need to be clear on the expectations in the description which
will justify the lower rate of pay. You
would create it around the skills needed for the position. You would not want to make a description
with too many high-end requirements for a lower type of position. It might put off some potential good applicants. The opposite is true if you are looking for
a higher end type of position.
You also need to keep in mind whether this
is a non-exempt position (paid on an hourly bases) which would include
overtime and is typically on the lower end of the pay scale, or exempt
(paid on a salary basis) which is usually on the higher end of the pay scale
but with no overtime.
The following screen shot is an example of a
basic job description for a Tier 1 technician with somewhat lower expectations
than that of a Tier 2 technician.
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