How to write an effective job description? Examples

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A well-designed job description not only attracts the best candidates, but also clarifies the expectations and responsibilities of the position, both for the company and its employees.
The job description is a genuine HR tool, not only for effective recruitment, but also for skills management and internal mobility.
Writing an effective job description is therefore essential for HR departments.

So how do you write an effective job description?
Practical advice, examples and mistakes to avoid – in this article we give you all the keys to writing an optimized job description.

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Definition and importance of a job description

A job description is a document that describes in detail the duties, responsibilities, skills and qualifications required for a specific position within an organization.
It is an essential HR tool that serves as an official reference for potential candidates and current employees, clearly defining the company’s expectations for a given position.

For the company, a well-written job description facilitates the recruitment process by attracting qualified candidates for the position in question.
It also contributes to better internal organization by clarifying everyone’s roles and responsibilities, helping to improve productivity and efficiency.

For employees, the job description provides a clear understanding of what is expected of them in their job, which can increase job satisfaction and commitment.
It also serves as a basis for performance appraisals and career development.

A poorly written job description can lead to misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations, both for the company and for employees.
This in turn can lead to poor recruitment, job dissatisfaction and, ultimately, loss of productivity. turnover rate higher.
In addition, it can lead to internal conflict and lower productivity due to poor distribution of tasks and responsibilities.

The essential elements of a job description

For a job description to be effective, it must contain the following elements:

  • Job title : The job title must be clear and accurately reflect the position.
    It must be specific enough to attract the ideal candidate profile.
    The title is the element that is first visible and searched for by candidates on search engines, so don’t neglect it!

  • Department and hierarchy : This indicates the department to which the position is attached and the hierarchical position.
    This helps to situate the position within the company’s overall organization.

    • Job purpose This section should provide an overview of the position’s purpose and challenges, and its contribution to the organization.
    • Missions, responsibilities and tasks : the main missions, responsibilities and specific tasks of the job must be detailed.
      This should include both day-to-day activities and more strategic responsibilities.

  • Skills required (know-how and interpersonal skills): This involves listing the technical skills required for the position, as well as the interpersonal skills or soft skills that will be essential to success in this role.

  • Qualifications and experience required: It’s essential to indicate the academic and professional qualifications required, as well as the professional experience needed.
    This can include diplomas, certifications, and years of experience in similar roles.

    • Contact Interactions: this section describes the main interactions involved in the job.
      Interlocutors may be internal or external to the company (suppliers, customers, service providers, etc.).

  • Working conditions: To stand out from the competition, it’s important to give details of working conditions such as working hours, location, equipment and any specific conditions such as travel.

  • Career development and prospects: Indicating the career development opportunities associated with the position attracts ambitious and motivated candidates.

Steps to writing an effective job description

To write an effective job description, there are several steps to follow.

Gathering preliminary information

To begin with, you need to gather all the necessary information on the profile expected for the position and the job itself.
Talking to current employees in similar roles, as well as to line managers, will provide you with as much information as possible, directly from the field, so that you can draw up a relevant job description.

If several employees occupy similar positions, it’s a good idea to pool their experiences to enrich the job description.

Collaboration with line managers and HR

Once the information has been gathered, the job description should ideally be co-constructed with line managers and HR teams.
This ensures that all relevant information about the position is included, while meeting HR objectives for recruitment, internal mobility, etc.

Editorial staff

The job description must be clear, concise and comprehensible to a candidate from outside the organization.
Internal jargon and acronyms should be avoided.

The use of short sentences is recommended to facilitate reading.
Anyone reading the job description should be able to understand it quickly.
Readability is more important than completeness.

When describing tasks and missions, it’s best to use action verbs.
This makes the job description more dynamic and precise.
For example, instead of writing “responsible for management”, write “manage and supervise”.

Proofreading and validation

Having the document proofread and validated by line managers and HR ensures that it accurately reflects the expectations and profile of the position.

Example of a job description

To make sure you don’t forget anything, Boost’RH offers you a sample job description that can be used as a template to attract the ideal candidate.

 

  1. TARGET FUNCTION DEFINITION

 

Function: Accounting ManagerReporting line: Director

 

Updated by : XXUpdated by: XXValidated by : XXDate : //

 

JOB PURPOSEDescribe the essential objective of the position, the expected result
Control of all the Mutual’s accounting activities and preparation of the annual balance sheet.Checks payment of Mutual Association benefits and contributions.Peripheral activities in personnel management, purchasing of equipment or services.Assistant management

 

MAIN MISSIONSDescribe the main tasks and responsibilities to meet the organization’s needs
General accounting :

  • Monthly control and recording of benefit and contribution movements
  • Payment of AMC and IJ benefits by teletransmission
  • Recording and checking NOC figures

Cost accounting :

  • In compliance with the French Mutual Code

Treasury :

  • Entry of transactions and reconciliations for 2 securities bank accounts
  • Portfolio monitoring
  • Enter cash transactions.

Annual review

  • Determination of taxable income and payment of corporation tax
  • Preparation of balance sheet, solvency report and regulatory statements after audit by CAC

Purchases of services

  • Relations with suppliers (materials, services, insurers)

Property management

  • Rent monitoring
  • Checking, recording and paying work invoices
  • Fixed asset tracking

Personnel management

  • Payroll preparation (CCMX with migration to CEGID)
  • Control and input of payroll entries, social security and tax charges and their monthly and quarterly declarations
  • Monitoring paid leave and sick leave
  • Legal follow-up with CAC and lawyer

 

MULTI-PURPOSE MISSIONSDescribe the functions or areas of intervention to replacing or assisting an employee
Partial replacement by the Accounting Assistant internally, externally, the CAC could fill her absence.

A partial replacement for :

  • The Director
  • The Head of the Management and Business Development Department

 

CONTACTSSpecify the employee’s main contacts in the context of his or her position
InternalThe whole team and the officeExternalCACLawyerAsset managersSuppliers BankersMembers

 

AVAILABLE RESOURCES
Human resourcesAn accounting assistantEquipmentMicro-computer with office packAccounting softwareMutual insurance software

 

APPENDIXDefinition of roles

Member and prospect relations:

  • Participates in claims management and management of decision-making bodies (Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Annual General Meeting)
  • Use of e-mail and the Internet

Contract and membership management :

  • Participates in pricing and technical monitoring
  • Participates in the management of contracts and amendments with partners and other contractual elements

Contribution management :

  • Takes part in discharge (call, reminder),
  • Manages pre-litigation, litigation, dues collection and accounts receivable

Service management :

  • Participates in the management of undue payments and benefit disputes,
  • Validates the management of computerized health benefits
  • Validates the management of pension benefits,

Third-party management :

  • Participates in the management of service providers

Support functions :

  • Manages the following areas: accounting, finance, human resources, real estate and financial asset management, logistics, purchasing, general services, legal, tax, audit and control.

 

Tips and best practices for optimizing job descriptions

For your job description to be truly effective, here are a few best practices to maximize its impact and clarity.

Using inclusive language

Using inclusive language helps to attract a wide range of candidates and promote diversity within the company.
This means writing gender-neutral sentences, avoiding stereotypical phrasing, and including expressions that show the company’s openness to all profiles.
For example, replace “he must” with “the person must”, and ensure that all skills are valued equally, without presuming the candidate’s gender.

Promoting corporate values


Company values need to be integrated into the job description, so that candidates can project themselves into the corporate culture.
This helps attract people whose values are in line with those of the organization.
For example, if the company values innovation and teamwork, it’s a good idea to mention this in the job description, explaining how these values translate into day-to-day business.

Adopt an attractive, easy-to-read format


The format of the job description should be both attractive and easy to read.
To achieve this, use clear headings and sub-headings, bulleted lists for required skills and main tasks, and short paragraphs.
A simple but effective design helps to hold the reader’s attention and get the essential information across quickly.

job description in the form of an infographic

 

Example of an attractive job description in the form of an infographic.

Credit: Abilways-Digital

Regularly update job descriptions


Job descriptions must be regularly updated to ensure that they reflect the company’s current needs.
Job descriptions need to evolve with changes in organization, technology or market expectations.
An up-to-date job description also shows that the company is dynamic and in tune with its environment.

Examples of software and tools to get help

A number of tools can help you write and optimize your job descriptions.
Platforms such as Textio offers suggestions for inclusive and attractive language, while JobDescription.ai helps generate job descriptions based on predefined templates.
Human resources management tools such as Workday or BambooHR also include functions for creating and updating job descriptions, enabling this process to be centralized and automated.

You can also call on the services of a specialist to help you draw up your job descriptions. Outsourced HR who will share his experience to help you write effective job descriptions or update your existing ones.

Summary

In short, a well-written job description is essential to attracting the right candidates and ensuring effective skills management within the company.
By adopting simple, inclusive language, highlighting company values, and opting for a clear, readable format, you maximize the effectiveness of your job descriptions.
Don’t forget to update them regularly, so that they always reflect your organization’s current needs.
By applying these best practices, you’ll improve not only your recruitment processes, but also the satisfaction and commitment of your employees.

Do you need a timeshare HR specialist to draw up your job descriptions?

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To sum up

En 3 Questions

  • What are the most important elements to include in a job description?

    Essential elements include: job title, duties and responsibilities, required skills, necessary qualifications, hierarchical position, and career prospects.
    These elements make it possible to clearly define expectations and needs for the position.

  • How can a well-written job description improve the recruitment process?

    A well-written job description attracts the most qualified candidates by clarifying the skills and experience required, thus reducing inappropriate applications and speeding up the recruitment process.
    It also facilitates a more accurate evaluation of candidates.

  • How can a job description be adapted to reflect the company's changing needs?

    To adapt a job description, it’s important to regularly re-evaluate missions, skills and responsibilities in collaboration with line managers.
    Take into account changes in company strategy, new technologies, and market expectations to keep the job description up to date and aligned with current objectives.