Job Descriptions
In my personal experience, I have seen a fair share of job descriptions. I have opportunities to apply for jobs since I was 16 years old. The way a job description is written can provide a lot of information to applicants about the company, the work environment, and expectations. I have simply not applied for jobs based on the lack of information about the position or how the company is described. I have seen descriptions only list 4 duties, and tack on “but not limited to.” Or if there was too much information. Long lists of tasks could make candidates balk at the expansive job duties and that company could miss out on many a talented and hard worker. I would say it’s safe to assume that most job descriptions do not capture all that a job entails. And descriptors of work environment are important as well. Phrases like “fast paced environment” and “work hard / play hard” say to me that the company could work its employees to the bone and might be understaffed. In those environments worker could be taking on an overwhelming number of duties far beyond what the description says.
Developing job descriptions can be difficult, especially as companies grow and need to expand their workforce. Creating a job description for each position, could be a mountainous task and would require feedback from current management and employees, both in and around each position. The employee in the current position would be the best source of information about a position, followed by management and peers.
Maintain the Flow of Information
Like any workplace or person, jobs can change over time. There are many factors that contribute to this: new technology, a changing workforce, market, the economy. It is important that how these and other factors affect a position are considered when refreshing a job description. A bank teller’s job looks much different now than it did 50 years ago, even 20 years ago. Especially with ever changing technology, potential applicants need to aware of the duties and expectations of a job they are applying for. As the world around a workplace evolves, so do the people and jobs within it.
A challenge that might come with updating job descriptions might be management’s lack of knowledge about every position in the company. If management is unaware of what their employee are doing, therein lies a different issue. It is important that management and peers understand the duties of those around them, as well as the employees in their own position.
Who Needs Job Descriptions Anyway?
In my personal experience can really make or break an application for me. By this I mean that if I cannot get a good feel for a job through the description, I most likely will not apply for it. If there is no description, I would think that a company would have a difficult time finding people to join their workplace. Unless their reputation is enough to attract talent, I think that companies would do well to ensure that the majority of positions are equipped with accurate job descriptions.
