Thinking about taking on a new employee?

Write a Job Description first!

Taking on a new member of staff can be a daunting task. Whether you put the matter into the hands of a professional recruitment agency or handle the whole process yourself you should always write a job description. It’s as much for your own benefit as it is for the applicant.

Lesley Hepworth, Managing Director at Kathy Chadd Recruitment Ltd, Herefordshire’s leading independent recruitment agency, shares her tips on putting together that all important job description document:

“Before even starting the recruitment process you need to write a job description for the position that you want to fill. It’s important to put your thoughts on paper to avoid any misunderstanding in the future. Writing a job description will also help you to learn more about what you want for the future of your business.

In addition to helping you find the right employee, job descriptions can also be used for training, evaluation, promotion and accountability purposes.

Be sure to put some thought into the process and you will not be sorry.

JOB TITLE
Usually just two or three words that define the position. Remember that the title of the job is going to be what attracts potential employees to the position in the first place. Don’t use high status words like “Director” or “Manager” unless the person will be a high-level decision maker in your business.

Beneath the job title state whether the position is full-time or part-time, temporary or permanent. Include details of the hours and days of work and to whom the new employee will be responsible.

JOB OVERVIEW
A basic summary of the job. Not more than three or four sentences. No need to be too specific here, since you will be outlining the job in more depth in the following sections.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Write down all the tasks that the new employee will be doing. A good idea is to discuss this in depth with the employee that you are replacing and to keep a daily log of their tasks (not always possible, of course). Be flexible in writing the duties and responsibilities in order to accommodate the growth of your business. Be clear, concise and complete. You may want to include a “Plus all other duties as assigned” line at the bottom to allow you some leeway in the future.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED
For example: knowledge of computer software like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.
Skilled at performing multiple tasks simultaneously and the ability to relate to people and make them feel comfortable.
These requirements are the essential ones that are often overlooked when hiring because employers are more task-focused.

CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE
List the level of education and experience that you would like to find in your potential candidates. Be flexible.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Anything that you may have missed, for example:
Travel
Use of personal vehicle
Unsociable hours
Any other special requirements

SALARY
Probably best to put a salary range so that you can adjust according to the level of experience of the successful candidate.

…AND FINALLY
Consider letting a colleague or co-worker look over the job description for further input before you finalise it.
A copy of the Job Description should go into the employee's file, once he or she is hired”.

CAN WE HELP FURTHER?
Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at Kathy Chadd Recruitment Ltd if we can be of more help.