Now Job Description is another difficult one. In recent times organizations have pretty much stopped creating job descriptions, making it even more difficult to come across a good one.

A job description is a “Pen Portrait” which should help the potential candidate to “Visualize” the job – in a manner that is pleasing.
At the same time job descriptions cannot be a play of words, providing no clarity.

Job Descriptions should clearly explain the following:

1. The Key Result Areas – what is the individual expected to be delivering and will be assessed upon.
Note: KRAs also tend to be very superficial – extracting the same at the execution level by explaining deliverables over specific periods would help. E.g. Specific KRAs for the half year or year.

2. Provide details of Roles and Responsibilities : Again the same should be described at the level of execution. Explaining using a time line perspective increases the clarity. A good e.g of the same is “Responsible for Sales Forecasting on a quarterly basis for the Northern Region”.

3. Describe briefly the role and responsibility of the reporting manager – this would aid the candidate in understanding the breadth and depth of own position.

4. Describe the non negotiable of the job – don’t hide it, at the same time don’t describe it in an undesirable manner. An e.g is explaining the travel demands of the job. “This job requires extensive travel” is definitely more frightening than “This job requires approx 2-4 days of travel per week” . The candidate is normally happier when it is quantified and when it is a range – gives a sense of flexibility.