The job description can be a great marketing tool and even “replace” the first interview, but not without a determined effort to put real meat on the job description bones.
Most job descriptions offer “pablum,” says Irving H. Buchen. The dull boilerplate language doesn’t reveal very much about the job and isn’t going to enthuse top candidates.
Offer steak to get them to read and react, he says. That means your job descriptions must answer every candidate’s three critical questions:
1. Is this the type of job I am looking for?
2. Do I have the qualifications to do it?
3. Where does it take me?
Unless a job description answers these driving informational needs, says Buchen, it is more an obstacle than an avenue to effective recruitment and retention. Buchen, an HR researcher and consultant, is a member of the doctoral business faculty at Capella University. His tips appeared on the website Human Resource Executive Online.
Self-Selection Is the Goal
When your job descriptions do answer candidates’ questions, unqualified candidates will generally self-select out of the running, and top candidates will opt in. Presto—your initial screening is done for you, Buchen says.
The more information your job descriptions offer, the better job of self-selection candidates can do. Optimally, a relatively short list of prospects will emerge from the process, all of whom are qualified and all of whom are primed for the more in-depth exchange of face-to-face or phone interviews.
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The First Challenges Are Currency and Accuracy
Most job descriptions are out of date, Buchen says. At client offices, he finds descriptions for jobs that no longer exist, and descriptions that are barely recognizable as relating to the job they supposedly represent.
These job descriptions are going to hurt, not help. His solution? Tie the job description upgrading and updating to performance evaluation criteria and timetables.
Out of Touch
In addition to being out of date, says Buchen, most job descriptions are out of touch. Traditional job descriptions are static and one-dimensional, but current jobs are evolving and multidimensional. That makes typical job descriptions poor agents for qualifying job applicants.
The Interactive Job Description
Buchen recommends making job descriptions more interactive. Build in gatekeeping criteria that facilitate a do-it-yourself job-screening process; unqualified candidates are weeded out and qualified candidates are drawn in.
Does it work? Yes, says Buchen. When the job description is interactive, for example, it not only draws comments from candidates but also prompts dialogue.
It works because outstanding candidates love to tell war stories about their successes, and also because they pride themselves on their due diligence. They are eager to show that they have done their homework.
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Gains Outweigh Downside
It takes more work to create and maintain interactive job descriptions, and most of it has to be done by HR. However, the gains outweigh the extra work, Buchen says.
First of all, there will be a better understanding by all concerned of the job and what it takes to do it successfully.
Second, your job descriptions won’t turn off good candidates, and they will up the ante of finding the best fit, and challenge candidates from the start.
In addition, consider the fact that weeding out unqualified candidates by traditional methods takes time and involves costs. There’s a savings when unqualified candidates self-select out.
A new job description approach that brings in even a relatively few well-chosen and well-placed new hires will make a difference, and make the extra time and effort worth it.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, tips for interactive job descriptions and an introduction to a unique system that takes job description updating and storage to new heights.
This tip seems to focus on using job descriptions for use by candidates. That’s OK, but employers need to, first and foremost, create and maintain job descriptions as a way to make sure employees are performing their jobs as expected.
This means that job descriptions should contain not only areas of on-going responsibilities, but needs to define the performance standards for those responsibilities. These responsibilities are really expected outcomes. The job description can also contain competencies which are really behavioral characteristics important for the job.
Many companies today are using job descriptions for employee appraisals as part of their move towards ‘pay for performance’.
Even your special report, 5 Mistakes Makes with Job Descriptions
And How to Avoid Them” , says “While performance appraisal enables managers and supervisors to make decisions in many areas other than compensation, the link between describing the job and developing appropriate performance standards cannot be overlooked.These performance standards, in turn, are critical factors when it comes to evaluating an employee’s readiness for raises, promotions, etc.”
So, focusing on using job descriptions primarily for screening and attracting candidates is misleading, in my opinion.
Michael Beek
President, eSessments
http://www.eSessments.com
I think Mr. Buchen is confusing job descriptions with position descriptions. As Michael Beek points out, job descriptions have performance related as well as legal requirements, and often are not suited to ‘marketing’ a position. People in similar roles often share a common job description (administrative assistant), but the characteristics of a specific position can vary. A well crafted position description can achieve the objectives Mr. Buchen outlined