How to Write a Job Description Checklist

A job description will help you find the right candidate.

Before you can announce that your company has a job opening, you need to write a detailed description of the position, including the job's duties and responsibilities, as well as requirements for qualified candidates. Job seekers will use the job description to decide whether or not they want to apply for the job. Once you find the right candidate, the description can then be used to train the person you hire. The first step to writing a job description is creating a job description checklist.

Instructions

1. Start the checklist with a heading. The heading can include the title of the position, your company name, the department under which the prospective employee will be working, to whom the employee will be directly reporting, the salary for the position and what type of position the job is, such as internship, entry level, contract, manager, full-time or part-time. You don't have to include all of these details. Share as much information as needed to find the right candidate.

2. Add categories to list the duties and responsibilities of the job to your checklist. This will include at least two categories. The first category will be the overall responsibility of the job (e.g., providing clerical assistance to the marketing department, greeting and directing walk-in customers, etc.). The second will be specific responsibilities and job duties that will be performed e.g., making copies, filing, typing transcripts, responding to emails, etc.).

3. Add requirements to the checklist. The requirements category can be broken up into a few parts, such as educational requirements, skills requirements and work history requirements. These can be added to your checklist as subheadings under the main requirements category. For educational requirements, you might list bachelor's degree in a particular field. For skills requirements, you might list specific computer programs in which the applicant will need to be proficient. Work history requirements typically list how long the person needs to have worked in a particular field and position.

4. Create a section for the bottom of the job description that will give your target audience directions for next step. For example, if the job description will be used for a job ad, you will explain how to apply for the position. If the job description will be used for a trainer who's training the new employee, you can explain where additional resources and materials can be found.

References

• Business Know-How: How to Write a Job Description