Job descriptions are formal documents that describe the responsibilities and necessary qualifications for a specific position in an organization. In my experience, I have seen job descriptions within applications for jobs. When applying for jobs on a website such as indeed, most of the opportunities include a job description, with responsibilities and qualifications. My most recent job was an internship with a general contractor. The job description for this position was unlike anything I had experienced. I had a general idea of what my responsibilities would be, but as an intern, I did not have extremely structured responsibilities. Job descriptions are important for hiring, setting expectations, and help evaluate performance.
Challenges
Positions in companies have roles, responsibilities, and expectations that are always changing. This is due to new technology or other changes within the organization. Job descriptions often lag behind these changes, creating discrepancies between the description and the actual work. Another issue with job descriptions is they are created by people who are not in the position. The employees in the specific positions often have no input in the job description. External employees often create less accurate job descriptions that are misleading.
Solutions
Job descriptions need to be treated as living documents. This means they are reviewed and updated regularly by employees and managers. This would create consistent and accurate job descriptions that do not mislead the potential employees. Additionally, job descriptions must align with the core values and goals of the organization. They can then be used as development tools, instead of being overlooked after the hiring process. HR software can be utilized to automate the job description changes on a regular basis.
Sources:
Tyler, Kathryn. “Job Worth Doing: Update Descriptions.” SHRM, 1 Jan. 2013, https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/job-worth-update-descriptions.