Job

Descriptions

1
 What is a Job Description?

• A formal statement of duties, qualifications

and, responsibilities associated with a job.
• A document that tells employees where
their position fits within the department
and within the organization.

2
Job Descriptions – Purpose

Communication
Tool

Legal
Recruitment
Compliance

Job
Description

Performance
Compensation
Management
Decisions

Training &
Development

3
 Functions of a Good Job Description

• Describes skills & competencies needed to

perform the role
• Defines where the job fits within the overall
hierarchy
• Help attract right job candidates
• Serves as a basis for outlining performance
expectations, job training, & career
advancement.
• Key to determining appropriate classification
& compensation.

4
 Consequences & Errors of Poorly Written
Job Descriptions

• Exaggerates or downplays the importance of the job.

• Recruitment and retention problems may occur
because the hiring official is not accurate in their
assessment of the qualifications necessary to
successfully perform the job.
– Lists qualifications that are not really needed for the job
– Underestimates the qualifications necessary to be
successful on the job.
• Out of date because the job has changed.
• Performance problems or problems with prioritization
may be experienced because current employees may
not have an accurate perception of the job’s duties
and responsibilities.

5
 Steps in Writing a Job Description

Step 1: Job Analysis

Step 2: Determine core functions

Step 3: For each core function, determine

the essential duties – what, how, & why

Step 4: Determine the frequency and

assign percentages (no less than 5%)

6
Steps in Writing a Job Description

Step 5: Determine
requirements of position – tie
them directly to the core duties

Step 6: Determine if there are

any physical, environmental or
special demands

Step 7: Write position

summary

7
 Position Information

• Position Title (Working Title)

– Accurately reflects the nature of the job and
duties being performed.
– Does not exaggerate the importance of the
role.
– Free of gender or age implications.
– Generic enough that it can be compared to
similar jobs for purposes of equity.
– Self-explanatory for recruitment purposes
(most online job searches use the job title as
the key word searched).

8
 Working Titles – Common Pitfalls
Accounts Payable Technician

Common Pitfalls Working Titles that Need

Improvement
Using state role title and not a Administrative & Office Specialist
working title III
Using previous state classification Fiscal Technician Senior
titles
Using elevated titles Accountant

9
 Determine core functions

• Identify the core functions or main

responsibilities. Typically 3 – 5 core
functions. Examples:
Budget Management
Administrative Support
Event Coordination

10
 Determine core functions

• After establishing the core functions,

identify specific job duties associated with
each. These are individual tasks that
correspond to the core functions.
Examples for Budget Management:
Prepare budgetary reports
Analyze expenditures
Monitor levels

11
 Tips for Writing Job Duties

• Condense the specific job duties into two

to three concise “Duty Statements”,
beginning each with an present-tense
action verb*. Use Verb/Object/Explanatory
Phrase structure. Example:
– Audits documents for mathematical and data
entry accuracy

*See List of Action Verbs

12
 Determine Requirements of Job

• List all qualifications and competencies that are required.

These are the minimum requirements to be successful in the
job and may include knowledge, skills, abilities, education,
experience, certification, and/or licensure. These should be
tied directly to the job duties & responsibilities. Avoid using a
specific number of years of experience, instead use one of the
following qualifiers:
• Knowledge of = Up to 1 year of experience or education and
training
• Working knowledge = 1 to 3 years of experience
• Experience = 2 to 4 years of experience
• Significant experience = 4 to 8 years of experience
• Extensive experience = 8 years or more of experience

13
 Identify Preferred Qualifications

• List qualifications that are preferred but not

required. These are used to narrow the
pool of applicants - What the ideal
candidate should possess.

14
 Physical Demands

• Types of Physical Activities

• Degree of Physical Activity

• Visual Demands

• Physical Conditions of Work

15
 Organization Charts

• Shows reporting relationships

• Include:
– Working title
– Position number
– Incumbent’s name (optional – more labor
intensive to keep up-to-date)

16
Additional Resources

17
 Classification/Compensation Analysts
• Debi Jarvis (dpjarvis@wm.edu) 221-1260

• Elizabeth MacAleese (eamacaleese@wm.edu) 221-3154

• Liz Robbins (earobbins@wm.edu) 221-3157

18
 Summary

 Job Descriptions & their purpose

 What constitutes a “Good” job description & consequences of a poorly

written job description?

 Steps in writing a job description

 Major components of job description

 Working Titles – Common Pitfalls
 Tips for Writing Job Duties
 Determining Requirements

 Organization Charts

 Useful resources available on HR web site

19