Job Description

What is a Job Description (JD)?

A job description provides the applicants with the idea of their general tasks and responsibilities in the job they’re applying for. 

It is basically used to help the job applicant in understanding the role better.

The job description consists of all the duties and tasks that the candidate is expected to do. It will also entail the working culture and salary range, etc.  

Importance of Job Description

The job description is the most essential part of a job posting. It helps the applicants to get an insight into the role and helps them in deciding whether the position is suitable for them or not. 

The job description helps the company in conveying its requirements to the applicants in a detailed manner. It helps them understand the roles and responsibilities associated with the job well in advance. It sets the expectation of employers and gives the applicants an idea as to what will be expected of them if they get selected. 

Job descriptions are also the finest way to streamline the recruitment process. It helps in reducing any unnecessary applications and allows only suitable candidates to apply. This helps in increasing the number of quality candidates.  

What is Included in the Job Description?

A JD consists of the key roles and responsibilities of the candidate and the purpose for hiring. 

It tells about the company, in brief, to convey what the company stands for. 

It consists of key details of the job such as salary range, job title, etc.

Here is a list of items included in the job description–

Job Title- It is the title of the job which conveys the scope and purpose of the job.

Roles and Responsibilities- It consists of all the roles and responsibilities that the candidate will be responsible for. It describes the nature of the job and its key elements. It helps the applicants in understanding the job inside out.

Skills Required- This section conveys what are the necessary skills for the job. 

Qualification- This section sets the minimum qualification criteria for the job. It helps avoid any unqualified candidates for the job, thereby reducing overall time.

Salary Range- It gives the applicants an idea of the salary range. It helps in streamlining the process and allows only interested candidates to apply.

How to Create a Job Description?

Here are all the things to keep in mind while creating a JD-

• Be clear of your expectations from the employee and the purpose behind hiring a new employee.
• Create a specific job title, which aptly conveys everything about the job.
• Provide the applicants with their roles and responsibilities in detail. Tell them about the day-to-day activities and how the candidate is expected to work.
• Be precise about the skills that are required for the job.
• Provide the applicants with the minimum qualification criteria to make sure only eligible candidates apply.
• Provide the applicants with a salary range.

Here is a sample JD template for your better understanding-

*The above description is not an actual job description but just a sample template*

Limitations of Job Description

• JD narrows down the scope of a job and the candidates might get discouraged by looking at the narrow scope of the job. 
• JD limits the employees to their roles and responsibilities themselves. Employees may disagree to do something not mentioned in the JD. It is against the interest of the company if the employees refuse to do work outside their scope even if it’ll help them grow.
• JD leads to inflexibility in this dynamic world, where new technology is entering the market every single day. 

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