JOB
DESCRIPTIONS
BY
SMART
LEARNING WAY
CONTENTS
Introduction
Definition
Importance
Content
How to
write job description?
Purpose of job description
Uses
of job description
Advantages
Disadvantages
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
The data collected through job analysis provides the basis for preparing
job description and job specifications. Job description is a written
description of a job and the types of duties it includes. Since there is no
standard format for job descriptions, they tend to vary in appearance and
content from one organization to another.
However, most job descriptions will contain at least three parts: the
job title, a job identification section and a job duties section. If the job
specifications are not prepared as a separate document, they are usually stated
in the concluding section of the job description. Highlight in HRM 1 shows a
job description for an HR employment assistant.
This
sample job description includes both job duties and job specifications and
should satisfy most of the job information needs of managers who must recruit,
interview and orient a new employee.
Job
descriptions are of value to both the employees and employer. From the
employees standpoint, job descriptions can be used to help them learn their job
duties and remind them of the results they are expected to achieve.
From the employer’s standpoint, written job descriptions can serve as a
basis for minimizing the misunderstandings that occur between managers and
their subordinates concerning job requirements. They also establish
management’s right to take corrective action when the duties covered by the job
description are not performed as required.
Definition
A
job description typically is a narrative that identifies a job title, a brief
summary of the job, a description of essential job tasks and duties, and all or
some of the following elements:
What, where, when and how job tasks are done.
What
equipment, machines or tools are used.
Minimum skills and qualifications required to perform the job.
Supervision and direction for the position.
How the job interacts with customers, fellow
workers, or others.
Job procedures related to the job.
Communications requirements.
Other
information required to appropriately define the job.
2. A
broad, general, and written statement of a specific job, based on the findings
of a job analysis. It generally includes duties, purpose, responsibilities,
scope, and working conditions of a job along with the job's title, and the name
or designation of the person to whom the employee reports. Job description
usually forms the basis of job specification.
IMPORTANCE
All
employees like to know what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated.
Job descriptions can also be a great value to employers. Creating a job
description often results in a thought process that helps determine how
critical the job is, how this particular job relates to others and identify the
characteristics needed by a new employee filling the role.
A
job description typically outlines the necessary skills, training and education
needed by a potential employee. It will spell out duties and responsibilities
of the job. Once a job description is prepared, it can serve a basis for
interviewing candidates, orienting a new employee and finally in the evaluation
of job performance. Using job descriptions is part of good management.
Descriptions of job titles appear in a variety of forms in the
workplace. Recruitment ads, compensation surveys and other benchmarking tools,
as well as corporate or departmental development plans all use some method of
describing a job.
CONTENT
Job
Identification.
Job
Summary.
Job
Duties and Responsibilities.
Working
Conditions.
Social
Environment.
Machines, Tools and Equipment.
Supervision.
Relation to other Jobs.
Job identification:
Job
identification & organizational position which includes job title, code
number of the job, department or division where the job is located. This part of
job description helps to identify and designate the job.
Job summary:
Job
summary serves two important purpose. First, it provides a short definition
which is useful as an additional identification information when a job title is
not adequate. Second, it server a summary to orient the reader towards an
understandings of detailed information which is follows. It gives the reader a
“quick capsule explanation” of content of a job usually in one or two
sentences.
Job duties and responsibilities:
Job
duties and responsibilities give a comprehensive listing of the duties together
with some indication of the frequency of occurrence or percentage of time
devoted to each major duty. It is regarded as the heart of job.
Working condition:
Working condition usually give us information about the environment in
which a job holder must work. These
includes heat, cold, dust, noise level, moisture, fumes, etc. Nature of risk
their possibility of occurrence are also given.
Social Environment:
Size
of work group and inter personal interactions required to perform the job are
given. Training and development facilities may also be mentioned.
Machines, tools and equipment:
The
names of major machines, tools and equipment materials used in the job are described.
Supervision:
Under it is given the number of persons to be supervised along with
their job titles and extent of supervision.
Relation to other jobs:
The
jobs immediately below & above are mentioned. It provides an idea of
vertical work flow and channels of promotion. It also indicates to whom the job
holder will report and who will report to him.
How to write job description
There is no standard format for writing job
description. But most widely used formats contain the following sections:
Job
identification.
Job
summary.
Responsibilities and duties.
Accountabilities.
Job specifications.
Job identification
The job
identification section of a job
description usually follows the job title. It includes such items as follow:
Job
Title
Job
Code
Plant/Department
Division
Immediate Supervisor (title)
The most important element in this
section is the job title. A good Job
title accomplishes the following objectives:
It should tell, in a word or two, what the job
consists of.
It should indicate the job’s specific-field-of
activity, its relationship to that field, and its professional standing.
It
should be as brief as possible, and if it consists of more than one word it
should be in natural order (for example, "Computer Operator," not
"Operator, Computer") so that it will be easy to use in written or
spoken form.
It should indicate skill level or supervisory level, where valid distinctions exist.
It should indicate skill level or supervisory level, where valid distinctions exist.
It should be similar or identical to one of
the titles the job has had in the past, so employees and supervisors won't have
to learn a completely new vocabulary every time job descriptions are written or
revised.
Job summary
The
second section of a good job description format is known as the "job
summary." It is a brief narrative picture of the job that highlights its
general characteristics. The job summary should provide enough information to
differentiate the major functions and activities of the job from those of other
jobs.
Since brevity, accuracy and objectivity are
primary goals in writing the job summary, it is wise to follow these three
basic rules:
Start the job summary with an action word
(verb).
Explain the job's requirements; in other
words, tell what is done.
If necessary, explain the why or how of the
job ? & its purpose. If it is necessary or helpful to do so, use an
example.
Responsibilities & duties
It is regarded as the heart of job description. It describes the duties
performed along with frequency of each major duty. Responsibilities concerning
custody of money, supervision and training of staff, etc are also described in
this section.
Accountabilities
Once job objectives have been made clear responsibilities and duties
have been defined, the incumbent is accountable to his or her superior for
success or failure in accomplishing these objectives. The section of
“accountabilities” not only describes the end results achieved when job duties
are performed satisfactorily, but also mentions specific standards for
measuring performance. It is therefore particularly useful when preparing for
performance appraisal.
Job specifications
As
started earlier, the personal qualifications an individual must process in
order to perform the duties and responsibilities contained in a job description
are compiled in the job specification. Typically the job specification covers
two areas:
The skill required to perform the job
The physical demands the job places on the
employee performing it
Skills relevant to a job include education or experience , specialized
training, personal traits or abilities and manual dexterities. The physical
demands of a job refer to how much walking, standing, reaching, lifting or
talking must be done on the job. The condition of the physical work environment
and hazards employees may encounter are also among the physical demands of a
job. Job specifications should also include interpersonal skills or specific
behavioral attributes necessary for job success.
Purpose of job description
The
primary purpose of a job description is to identify the duties, essential
functions and requirements of the position.
A good
job description can assess work flow and
eliminate duplication of effort and also help assist in the evaluation of the
employees job performance.
It should be a statement of what duties and
responsibilities the employee is expected to complete and a means for achieving
them.
For understanding new assignments and working
conditions.
For understanding and establishing training
objectives and developmental goals / objects.
Assist in hiring and placing employees in
positions for which they are best suited.
Uses
of job description
Job
description is helpful in the following areas of HRM :
Job
grading and classification.
Placement of new employees on a job.
Orientation of new employees towards basic
duties and responsibilities.
Promotions and transfers.
Defining and outlining promotional steps
Adjustments of grievances.
Investigating accidents.
Locating
faulty work procedures and duplication of papers.
Work
measurement and work improvement.
Defining the limits of authority.
Health
and fatigue studies.
Developing
performance standards.
Establishing a common understanding of a job
between management and workers.
Determining jobs for occupational therapy.
Time
and motion studies.
Employee counseling and vocational guidance.
Maintaining, operating and adjusting
machinery.
It can
be used for job evaluation, a wage and salary administration technique.
It aids
in a development of job of specifications, which are useful in planning
recruitment, in training and in hiring people with required skills.
Advantages
It
enables us to compare potential candidates to it, helping with the selection
process.
Allows possible candidates o compare
themselves with the job.
Its legal requirement and allows candidates to
know the relevant information needed about what the job involves and the
responsibilities they will have.
Enables us to draw up a constructive job advert, which had relevant information on it and allowed us to obtain candidates who could the necessary tasks.
Enables us to draw up a constructive job advert, which had relevant information on it and allowed us to obtain candidates who could the necessary tasks.
Disadvantages
You can
lose an ideal candidate for another type of job within the job.
They cant carry out a particular task then the
job description.
They
can limit the scope of activities of the jobholder, reducing organizational
flexibility.
Conclusion
A
job description is a list of the general tasks, or functions, and
responsibilities of position. Typically, it also includes to whom the position
reports, specifications needed by the person in the job. A job description is
usually developed by conducting a job analysis, which includes examining the
tasks and sequences of tasks necessary to perform the job.
Bibliography
1.) Human Resource Management :
By - Gary Dessler
2.) Human Resource & Personal Management:
By - K. Ashwathapa
3.) Human Resource Management :
By – Dr. Tripathi
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