The Importance of Job Descriptions
Within the Human Resources Department of every company, there should be constant development of job descriptions, and maintain them throughout the longevity of that specific role. A job description is the most basic part of a certain role at a company, and it includes six parts: job identification, job summary, task statements, KSAOs (competencies) required, physical demands, and working conditions. Personally, I have had many different jobs throughout the years, from retail to hard labor work to construction management internships. Every position I applied to had a job description, but some were outdated and didn’t reflect well with what I actually did each and every day.
The first job I had was an assistant sales associate at a hardware store. Some responsibilities that were included in the job description were greeting guests upon arrival, discuss different products and their uses, have a strong knowledge on the types of products they sold, and continuous training while on the job. What this job description failed to do was describe daily responsibilities accurately, such as spending half of the day as a cashier checking people out when they were done shopping or restocking shelves. On the other hand, my most recent job as an intern at a construction company had a great job description which included responsibilities such as submittal and RFI tracking, daily communication with the trades, drafting and editing contracts, etc. These were all responsibilities I had in this position.
With all of this being said, the biggest challenge of a job description is accurately providing information for the position individuals are applying for. The Human Resources Department should put effort towards updating the job descriptions of each role at the company, both with their expertise and employees who are in that specific role full time. Reaching out to employees who are in those certain positions will guarantee an accurate job description, and allow applicants to really know what they are signing up for. Another way to overcome the challenges of an accurate job description is updating them a certain time each year, such as at the end of each quarter.
Overall, everyone has a right to understand what they are applying for, and this begins with an accurate job description. Accurate job descriptions will help with recruitment, training procedures, job evaluations, and can also provide a good defense towards possible legal actions.
