You’ve been assigned the task of writing a job description for a newly created position, and you’re feeling overwhelmed. All of a sudden you find yourself in the position of having to write down all the responsibilities, qualifications, and skills needed to fulfill the role. While it may seem like a daunting task, it needn’t be. With some careful planning and drafting, you can write a job description that will make your role easy to define and articulate, and help you kick-start your job search. Let’s have a look.

The Importance of a Job Description

A job description serves several important purposes. For one, it guides hiring managers and employees through a common language when referring to your duties and responsibilities. Using a job description also helps you define your professional identity and set clear expectations for your co-workers. A job description should be short, but comprehensive, and serve as a guideline for all who follow its instructions. Follow this advice and you’ll be able to write a job description that will serve you and your organization well.

The Three Parts of a Job Description

A job description can be broken down into three distinct parts – the objective, the requirements, and the responsibilities. The objective should be concise and to the point, making it easy for the reader to grasp the nature of your job. For example, if you’re writing a description for a Content Specialist position, your objective might be to create high quality content for online marketing purposes. Your requirements should be specific and detailed – including but not limited to the skills you possess, the education needed, and any specialized training you may have gained. Finally, the responsibilities section should contain the details of what you need to do to fulfill the role. This part should be short and to the point, making sure that each responsibility is easily defined and understood. For example, if your role involves creating content for online marketing purposes, your responsibilities might include writing persuasive articles, preparing press releases, and gathering and analyzing data.

Where to Start

If you’re just getting started, then go back and reread your job description from the point-of-view of a prospective employer. What do they need to know about you in order to make an informed decision? What are your qualifications? What will they learn from you? Take some time to think of all the skills you have, both tangible and intangible, and make a list of everything you can think of. This list will serve as a great starting point for your job description. You can also ask colleagues or friends to help you brainstorm ideas for your job description. Having input from multiple sources helps increase the odds of creating a good, comprehensive job description. When you have a draft ready, then take some time to break it down into the three parts mentioned above.

The Three Types of Responsibilities

Responsibilities can be divided into three distinct categories – responsibilities, accountability, and authority. The first two are pretty self-explanatory, so let’s have a look at them in more detail.

• Responsibilities: This is what you’re responsible for. Your job entails responsibilities for performing certain tasks, solving problems, making decisions, and carrying out assignments. You should be able to define each of these responsibilities in detail. The more you can include, the better.
• Accountability: This is how you’re held accountable for your work. For example, are you accountable to a higher-up for the work you do? Are you pursuing certification through a third-party agency? Define your accountability at work, as well as in your personal life. The better you can define and communicate your accountability, the better your chance of success will be. Be careful not to place too much accountability on yourself. It’s always better when dealing with humans if you can give them a little credit, instead of taking all the blame yourself.
• Authority: This is how you’re given the authority to do your job. For example, do you have the authority to make changes on the organization’s behalf? Does your boss have the authority to give you feedback and raise your performance? Define the limits of your authority. Remember, too much authority can also be a bad thing. Make sure that you don’t give everyone authority over you. Instead, pursue authority over selected individuals or groups.

How to Write a Job Description for a Role

If you’re writing a job description for a role that you’ve already performed, then you can start from the point-of-view of an employer. What do they need to know about you in order to make an informed decision? What are your qualifications? What will they learn from you? Take some time to think of all the skills you have, both tangible and intangible, and make a list of everything you can think of. This list will serve as a great starting point for your job description. You can also ask colleagues or friends to help you brainstorm ideas for your job description. When you have a draft ready, then take some time to break it down into the three parts mentioned above.

How to Write a Good Job Description

A good job description serves several important purposes. For one, it guides hiring managers and employees through a common language when referring to your duties and responsibilities. Using a job description also helps you define your professional identity and set clear expectations for your co-workers. A good job description should be concise, but comprehensive, and serve as a guideline for all who follow its instructions. The more you can include, the better.