How to Write an Effective Job Description. There is no standard format, we use in writing a job description, but most normal descriptions contain sections on:
Page Contents
These points are briefly discussed below for writing an Effective Job Description:
The job identification information. These are summarized as follows:
a) The job title specifies the title of the job, such as supervisor of data processing operations, sales manager, or inventory control clerk. this lists titles for thousands of jobs.
b) The job status section permits quick identification of the exempt or nonexempt status of the jobs.
c) The job code permits easy referencing of all jobs. Each job in the organization should be identified with a code; these codes represent important characteristics of the job, such as the wage class to which it belongs.
d) The date refers to the date of the job description which was actually written.
e) Written by indicating the person who wrote it.
0 There is also space to indicate who approved the description and space that shows the location of the job in terms of its plants/division and department /section.
g) The immediate supervisor’s title is also shown in the identification section as is information regarding the job’s salary and/or pay scale.
h) The space-grade/level indicates the grade or level of the job if there is such a category, for example, affirm may classify programmers as programmer IL programmer III and so on.
i) Finally, the pay range space provides for the specific payor pay range of the job.
The job summary describes the general nature of the job, listing only its major functions or activities. Thus, the supervisor of data processing “directs the operation of all data processing, data control, and data preparation requirements”. For the job of material manager, the summary might state that the materials manager purchases economically, regulates deliveries of, stores and distributes all material necessary on the production line”.
The relationship statement shows the jobholder’s relationship with others inside and outside the organization.
This section presents a detailed list of the job’s actual responsibilities and duties. Each of the job’s major duties should be listed separately and described in a few sentences. For instance, they select dirty, trains, and develop subordinate personnel defined further. Typical duties for other jobs might include maintaining balanced and controlled inventories, making accurate postings to account payable, maintaining favorable purchase price variances and repairing production line tools and equipment.
This section defines the limits of the jobholder’s authority, including his or her decision-making authority, direct supervision of other personnel and budgetary limitations.
Some job descriptions also contain standards of performance section. This state the standards of the employee, which is expected to achieve in each of the job description’s main duties and responsibilities.
The job description will also list the general working conditions involved in the job. These might include things like noise level, hazardous conditions or heat.
The accountability section of a job description briefly describes the major results achieved with satisfactory performance. It acts as a guide for the goal-setting process that intergrades job requirements with job holder contribution.
How to Write an Effective Job Description – HRM