On Job Design and Descriptions

But First … Why Bother?

There is a reputable school of thought which argues that position descriptions are obsolete as a concept. The theory goes that organizational life is changing too swiftly for time to be spent profitably on the exercise. They become out of date too quickly and are inherently inflexible.

I am not from that school of thought, though. I would argue that in a fast-paced work environment, having clarity about what needs to get done is all the more urgent. And that is what a job description really is: a summary of what needs to get done. They become out-of-date only when ignored … but if ignored, you run the risk of investing time and money in getting the wrong things done. They become inflexible only when you concentrate more on the how than the what. So there are really two very important reasons for investing the time it takes you to design a job well and document that design in a proper position description.

Reason # 1: Job design is an exercise in good stewardship of the organization’s resources.

Every position represents a major investment of resources, both tangible and intangible, on the part of the organization in achieving its stated mission. Thus, it is a matter of effective resource management to have clarity about the need the job is intended to address.

Reason # 2: Job design is also an exercise in effective supervision.

Job design is also a function of sound personnel management. It’s important for every supervisor to know the jobs he or she is overseeing. That is not to say that the supervisor necessarily needs to know exactly how to do every job under his/her purview but the supervisor should have an understanding of what the person in the job needs in order to get it done. Every job requires resources: time, equipment, information, cooperation, etc. If a supervisor does not know what resources are needed in a job, it becomes very difficult to provide adequate support to the person in the position.

At the same time, it’s a matter of setting appropriate expectations … and later evaluating performance against those expectations. If you as a supervisor don’t have clarity about what is supposed to get done, it will be difficult for you to evaluate performance appropriately when the time comes because there will be no meaningful standard to use for comparison.

Five Steps to Preparing a Job Description

Step 1: Identify the Intended Impact.

State the primary purpose of the role in one or two sentences. What difference is it supposed to make? What contribution will it make toward the overall mission of the organization? In the job description, place your answer to these questions in a Summary Statement of Purpose.

Step 2: Delineate the Work Product.

Identify what needs to happen in order for the impact to occur. What are the means to the ends? List these key responsibilities – in order of priority – in a section entitled Key Objectives.

Step 3: Contemplate the Tasks.

What particular types of tasks are involved in producing the work just enumerated? These are not listed in the Position Description but will serve to help the supervisor understand the nature of the job better. By contemplating what tasks the job will entail, the supervisor will gain insight about what support needs to be offered and what qualifications and personality type will best fit the job’s demands.

Step 4: Determine the Qualifications.

To do the job well, what background does the person need to have? What skills, knowledge, experience (which equates to demonstrated good judgment), and credentials must a person possess in order to have a reasonable chance at succeeding? List these in a Qualifications section.

Step 5: Organizational Fit

Finally there are the questions pertaining to the size and fit of the job within the organization. Will it be permanent or temporary, full-time or part-time? At what level will the job be situated – executive, programmatic, support? Identify these categorical definitions in a section labeled Level.

When you take these five steps you will have designed and described a job in such a manner that you – and the incumbent – will know why it needs to be filled and effectively performed.