Job description:

Think of a job description as a "snapshot" of a job. The job description needs to communicate clearly and concisely what responsibilities and tasks the job entails and to indicate, as well, the key qualifications of the job – the basic requirements (specific credentials or skills) – and, if possible, the attributes that underlie superior performance.

Following is a quick look at the categories that make up a well-written job description:

• Title of the position
• Department
• Reports to (to whom the person directly reports)
• Overall responsibility
• Key areas of responsibility
• Consults with (those who the person works with on a regular basis)
• Term of employment
• Qualifications (necessary skills and experience required)

Educational requirements and experience requirements are the areas where inadvertent discrimination may occur. Educational requirements must be a real necessity for the job. If someone could accomplish the work with equivalent job experience but who lacks a specific credential, the job description should be modified. And to avoid age discrimination, experience should not include an upper limit.

Sample job description:

Title of the position
Senior Mailroom Clerk

Department
Operations

Reports to
Building Services Supervisor

Overall responsibility
Supervise mailroom staff and interface with all levels of management regarding mail and supply deliveries

Key areas of responsibility:

• Maintain established shipping/receiving procedures
• Sort and distribute mail on a timely basis
• Maintain all photocopiers, fax machines, and postage meters
• Order, store, and distribute supplies
• Facilitate all off-site storage, inventory, and record management requests
• Document current policies and procedures in the COS Department as well as implement new procedures for improvement
• Oversee the use of a company van when needed
• Ensure that water and paper is available for customers on a continuous basis

Consults with:

• Building Services Supervisor
• Mailroom staff
• All levels of management

Term of employment
12 months

Qualifications:

• Strong sense of customer service
• Good organizational skills
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds
• Supervisory experience in a corporate mailroom environment
• Good driving record
• How To Interview Candidates
• How To Interview Candidates

How to Interview Candidates:

Don't rely on a job description and a candidate's resume to structure the interview. You'll get much better information if you carefully pre-select questions that allow you to evaluate whether a candidate has those skills and behaviors you've identified as essential for the job.

You might include some or all of these types of questions:

1. Icebreakers: As their name implies, icebreakers are used to build rapport and set candidates at ease before beginning the formal interview.

Examples:

• Did you have any trouble finding our office?
• Before we start, would you like a cup of tea or glass of ice water?
• Tell me about yourself.

2. Traditional Questions: With these, you can gather general information about a candidate and their skills and experience. Because these questions are asked often, many candidates will have prepared answers to them, so they can be used to help candidates feel at ease in the early stages of an interview.

Examples:

• What are your greatest strengths?
• What is your experience with [competency, skill, function, etc.]?
• Why do you want to work for us?

3. Situational Questions: Ask candidates what they would do in a specific situation relevant to the job at hand. These questions can help you understand a candidate's thought process.

Examples:

• How would you deal with an irate customer?
• If we were to hire you, what is the first thing you would do?
• How do you deal with stress on the job?

4. Behavior-Based Questions: These require candidates to share a specific example from their past experience. Each complete answer from a candidate should be in the form of a SAR response—the complete Situation, Action, and Result. If a candidate skips any of these three elements, prompt them to fill in the blanks.

Examples:

• Tell me about a crisis you could have prevented. Did you do anything differently after the crisis had passed?
• Tell me how you resolve crises by deploying your team members. Give me a specific example.
• Crises usually require us to act quickly. In retrospect, how would you have handled a recent crisis differently, if you had been given more time to think before acting?

5. Culture-Fit Questions: These will help you select candidates who are motivated and suited to perform well in the unique environment of your organization.

Examples:

• What gave you the greatest feeling of achievement in your last job? Why was this so satisfying?
• Why did you choose this type of work?
• What motivates you to work hard? Give me some examples.

Tips:

• Don’t rely solely on a job’s history as you’re putting together a job description for today. Focus instead on what the job needs to be in light of the organization’s current needs and long-term objectives.
• A task is what the person in the job will actually do. Qualifications are the skills, attributes, or credentials a person needs to perform each task. Clarify the actual tasks and responsibilities before you start thinking about what special attributes will be needed by the person who will be fulfilling those responsibilities.
• A well-written job description consists of more than a laundry list of the tasks and responsibilities that the job entails. It reflects a sense of priorities.
• Credentials (such as degrees and licenses) are absolute necessities in some jobs. The thing you want to make sure of, however, is that whatever credentials you establish have a direct bearing on the candidate’s ability to become a top performer.
• The job you describe must be truly doable. When you’re lumping several tasks into the same job description, make sure that you’re not creating a job that very few people could fill.
• Use specific language. For example:

Warning! A job description is generally regarded as a legal document. Any references to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or nationality, or physical or mental disability is illegal.