I think the job description should start with the job title followed by the job description. I feel the job description should then be broken down to outline specific duties. The job description should also include who the employees immediate supervisor is and any specific skills needed to complete their duties.
Jan,
You are right in our opinion. Staff have to know who they report to and who they supervise. They also need to know the staff that have the same level of responsibility and authority. It is important to list all tasks each person handles. It is amazing what you can discover. Examples include two people doing the same tasks or no one doing an important job. Weekly meetings help efficiency. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I believe it is essential to clearly define; what is the ultimate goal of this position. Do any of those goals mirror that of another position? If so can any of the duties be combined? Ultimately, can a company do more with less if their culture is performance based?
Jeanette,
Great points. Job descriptions are a challenge. So are organization charts. I once asked 5 people at a school to draw their org chart and where they were on it. Sadly they came up with 5 different versions! I've worked with staff asking them to outline their job descriptions. Not surprising, what they did was a surprise to the school director. It takes ongoing effort to be sure each employee is doing what is expected of them. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
The essential components of the job description should follow the format of the question you have posed. Responsibilities should be listed along with expectations for those tasks. Reporting structure should be established to ensure those things being accomplished are reported accordingly. As simple as my restating this sounds to me the job description is vital.
Aaron,
Job descriptions are vital for all concerned. This means the employer, school, instructors, and career services staff all need to know what is required for each career you train for. In fact, we find it helpful to review job descriptions in class. Students need to know why they are learning certain skills and theory and how it will be used on the job. They need to understand the demands of the job and and be able explain how they can meet them. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
A job description need not account for every task that might ever be done, but I believe these are the most critical components of a good job description.
1.Heading information. This should include job title, pay grade or range, reporting relationship (by position, not individual), hours or shifts, and the likelihood of overtime or weekend work.
2.Summary objective of the job. List the general responsibilities and descriptions of key tasks and their purpose, relationships with customers, coworkers, and others, and the results expected of incumbent employees.
3.Qualifications. State the education, experience, training, and technical skills necessary for entry into this job.
4.Special demands. This should include any extraordinary conditions applicable to the job (for example, heavy lifting, exposure to temperature extremes, prolonged standing, or travel).
5.Job duties and responsibilities. Only two features of job responsibility are important: identifying tasks that comprise about 90 to 95 percent of the work done and listing tasks in order of the time consumed (or, sometimes, in order of importance).
Sandra,
This is great. You have provided a great format for any school owner to create a job description. You might want to include what the person needs to bring to fit into the organization and make a difference. What about creativity, how do they handle problems, what have they accomplished, where do they see themselves in 5 years in relation to your school, and more. What are the people skills do you require to get things to happen and meet student needs. Lots to think about. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Job descriptions should include what the person in the role does, what education is required to perform the duties, what the expectations are/how they are measured and what that person's responsibility is to the student.
Michelle,
Yes, all true. Now think of the other skills the person needs to have to fit into your organization and be innovative and productive. Do they need sales skills, able to feel comfortable on the phone? Be compassionate and understanding? Do they need to understand the workings of your entire school and know how to solve problems? There are a lot of skills for a new hire to work effectively. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
It is sometimes difficult to define the specific roles of employees especially in small school environments since many of them often wear multiple hats. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the school's mission is being achieved and is in no way compromised no matter what the true job description is. I believe that in such an environment, employees must be made aware that the position, although defined, may consist of additional responsibilities. Employee job descriptions must consist of the position summary, job requirements and qualifications, responsibilities and physical demands. Working conditions and supervisory responsibilities should also be included.
Carrie,
Yes, it is true that in many schools one person can wear many hats. What we do is list each job on our org chart. If one person has 2 or more responsiblities then they show up a few times on the org chart. Great guidelines for job descriptions. Eventually your size and revenues will grow and you can hire additional people. It will be easy to bring them on board since you will have a position on the org chart and the job description and responsibilities finely tuned. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
i agree with this response. Job descriptions should be detailed but not long winded. They should also say something to the effect of not limited to the above tasks. This allows for teamwork.
Andrew,
Good points. We go back and forth about job descriptions and how detailed they should be. Sometimes the job description is really about providing hiring guidelines. Once the "right" person is hired, then we think the measurable tasks and objectives need to be spelled out and the formal policies and procedures presented. Sometimes we think that after that the new hire should be left to create the ways to accomplish the tasks. Sometimes they can think of better ways. Sometimes they suggest additional tasks they can work on. It's an interesting process and doesn't work for everyone! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Looking for the right candidate can take a great deal of time and effort. In order to begin that journey one must know what the essential components are for the position they are seeking to fill. Being very clear in the job positing of the description is crucial. Some of these are:
Work schedule (days/hours)
Job responsibilities
Goals/objectives
Experience or job requirements
marissa,
This is a great start. Getting the right candidates when hiring is always a challenge. We like to get many people involved in the job description and search process. What are the skills needed? What knowledge and experience does the candidate have to have? How will the person fit into the culture and values of the school? There is a lot more to hiring someone than a checklist of what they can do. You might want to consider who will interview the candidates and what they will look for. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
We have been working diligently on updating our job descriptions to include:
1. Qualifications required for the job
2.Prerequisites
3.Duties
4.A signed copy of the Faculty/Staff Handbook stating compliance.
5.Instructor ranking, tier, and wage.
6.Staff -wage
7. Who to report to
This has limited confusion on what is expected from faculty regarding duties, policies/procedures, and organization.
I beleive that an effective job description should include:
detailed list of specific duties
daily, weekly, monthly goals
expectations for different levels (acceptable, met, exceeded, etc.)
tied to annual reviw measurements
how the position interacts/aligns to other departments/positions
CHECKLIST
PARIS,
We agree. We also think job descriptions should have expectations re ability to innovate, create, handle problems, work with others, handle stress, see trends, and more. Also what does the person need to help out with other tasks at the institution (outside of their department) and work with students effectively. Sometimes the best job descriptions are those written by the person holding the job. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Lea,
This sounds great. Of most importance, it works for your school! Once figured out and worked, the job description methodology can be effective! We think that constantly checking with the employee is another way to keep the job descriptions relevant. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
