According to Wikipedia, a job description, or JD, “is a written narrative that describes the general tasks, or other related duties, and responsibilities of a position” (Wikipedia). 

Why is having a clear job description important? 

1. To provide a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the job position

Clear job descriptions are helpful for candidates who are interested in applying for the role. Job descriptions are a way to communicate the performance standards, and what is expected to perform the job. Without clear communications, candidates may misunderstand what their responsibilities and scope of work of the position are, and may deter them from applying if they felt the job description does not fit their skill set, or the job position will attract candidates who may not be a good fit for the role. Additionally, once hired, the employee may not perform to your expected standards because your expectations for the role may not have been communicated in the job description of that position the employee now holds.

2. To help recruiters and hiring managers identify the right candidate for the job position

Job descriptions can help recruiters identify candidates with the necessary particular skills or certifications that are necessary for a position. A good job description tells the applicant what the position may involve or require. 

However, if the job description isn’t clear or accurate, the company’s HR personnel may spend weeks finding qualified talent for an open role. However, reviewing the applications, the hiring manager may not feel that the applications provided by HR suits the role that needs to be filled. In order to find the right talent, recruiters need to know the exact specifications required for the open position. If there is miscommunication or lack of understanding between the recruiter and the hiring manager regarding the requirements, not only will the company’s time and resources be wasted, but the ‘right’ talent may be recruited by another company.

3. Help create professional goals to help advance in their careers, and to formulate training and development plans

Clear job descriptions that are regularly reviewed and updated are essential to the success of any business, because, as the business evolves, having a clear and updated description of the duties, responsibilities, and required qualifications are crucial for ensuring the right talent is selected. 

As the company evolves and the job position changes to add more responsibilities, having a clear job description with the added responsibilities will help the company formulate training and development plans for the employees.

4. To have higher employee satisfaction and retention

Since a job description is an overview of the responsibles and expectations of a certain position, there will be no confusion as to what each employee does. Without having clear consensus of the distinct boundaries and scope of work of each role, employees may become frustrated as a single task can spark a discussion about who needs to get the job done, and whose responsibility it is to get it done. This can cause frustration among employees who will have unclear understanding of what is expected from them, and who they should go to if they need certain things done.

Eventually this could impact their job satisfaction, and may cause them to quit.

However, if a job description is accurate, the employee will enjoy their job more and have a sense of purpose and direction in their careers.

5. To measure and gauge the performance of the employee

A clear and in-depth job description can be used as a tool to gauge employee performance. The job responsibilities and duties outlined in the description can be used as guidelines of expectations and allows managers to measure the performance of the employee, whether they are fulfilling the specified responsibilities, and where the employee is falling short. The manager can then decide to provide more training to aid the employee in their role if they feel it is needed.

Having a clear and concise job description is one of the ways to ensure companies and hiring managers find and onboard the right candidates.

Lastly, a well-scoped job description will help you write an excellent job advertisement (which is not the same as a copy-paste of the entire job description). Check out this article to find out how you can write an engaging job ad to attract the best talent: https://www.jobnet.com.mm/blog/hr-hiring-recruitment/how-write-effective-job-advertisement