We do a lot of consulting work with businesses,
and we run into two kinds of businesses:
those who have job descriptions, but nobody ever looks at them,
and then those who don't have job descriptions
and think they should.
So let me give you some ideas
for how to build a dynamic, useful, effective job description.
It should have five components; they're very simple.
Number one is it should have a title.
And the purpose for a title for the job is so that people
from the outside world know how to relate to you.
And so think about what's the best title
for the outside world to connect with us.
It's not about status.
It's not about prestige.
It's about how you can build quick rapport
with people on the outside.
Number two, a good job description tells you who you answer to.
It's amazing how many entrepreneurial businesses,
you ask people who their boss is,
and they don't know exactly to say who supervises them.
So it clearly identifies who the supervisor is.
The third part of a good job description
is that it has a brief summary of why the job exists.
It really answers the question, this job--
or it completes the sentence: This job exists to--.
And then in 1 or 2 sentences, it describes why the job exists,
not the person, but the job.
Number four, what are the key results
that reflect superior performance in this job.
So a great position description--
and this is where a lot of companies miss it,
they list all the activities, all the tasks,
the responsibilities, and accountabilities.
Focus on what are the key results
that reflect superior performance in this job.
And then you can put the activities as bullets
underneath those points
if you'd like.
But every job should have three,
or four, or five key results that result in superior performance.
And then number five, last of all,
what are the minimum qualifications,
the absolute minimums, for somebody to be in this job?
So if they don't have these, they don't qualify.
So for instance, if it's a nursing job,
they have to have a nursing degree,
or if it's a CPA, or if it's a CFO,
maybe they have to have a college degree,
but what are the minimum qualifications?
So, if you cover those five things,
and do it in no more than two pages:
What is the job title?
Who do they answer to?
What's the basic or the summary description of the job?
What are the key results that reflect superior performance?
And what are the absolute minimums required
for somebody to be in this job?
That's a great position description that will get used over
and over and over again to guide a person's performance.
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