When it comes to hiring, you will need specific information to ensure that the process is slick and the outcome impactful. If you have created a job description, congratulations – it’s a start! A job description alone, though, is inadequate for the hiring purposes. Job descriptions simply don’t deliver all the necessary information to the appropriate people in the most effective way at the right time in the process. Here are the documents that should be curated before entering the recruitment process to ensure all the information has been explored and all parties understand their roles.
The Role Profile
Before writing up a job description, it is worth thinking about the ‘why’ of the role. Why does the role exist in the form it is in? Why are the functions not divvied up between team members rather than being consolidated? Try to figure out the value that the specific role brings to the business rather than the convenience of having a set of tasks and functions executed by the person in the role. What are the qualitative outputs that create value for the business? How would a successful candidate need to think about the role and conduct themselves to deliver those outputs? What are the metrics against which success will be measured?
Aim to say something like this:
The Chief Data Officer drives the design and development of the data and analytics strategy to drive a data-driven culture that unlocks the value of data across and beyond the organisation. By embracing a design- and system-thinking approach, they will ensure that our data architecture meets users’ needs, unlocks monetisation opportunities, and supports corporate decision-making.
DO |
DON’T |
Take the time to think about why the role exists and what value it should deliver. | Assume that the reason for the role existing is obvious and doesn’t really change over time. |
Make sure that you understand how the role needs to add value. | Think in the short term and confuse task execution with adding value. |
Think about what attributes will genuinely make a person successful in the role. | Go straight to generic descriptors like ‘copes well under stress’. |
Decide on how success will be fairly measured. | Settle for measurements that cannot be quantified or independently assessed. |
The Job Description
Once you are clear on the ‘why’ of the role, it is time to write up the job description. Job descriptions focus primarily on the critical tasks, functions, and responsibilities of a role, along with the required qualifications and experience, and they often include some information on the desired attributes and qualities of the ideal candidate, with selective insight into the company culture and background.
It is important to remember how work is done can and does change. In writing up a job description, always remember to check your requirements against the ‘why’ of the role and to phrase them in a way that opens you up to alternative solutions. For example, is the ability to use one specific CRM system as important as having the skill to use a CRM system, especially if you are already proficient in three equally complex but different systems?
Aim to say something like this:
We are looking for someone with a deep understanding of employee lifecycles and 10+ years of experience in strategic HR, who is able to use people information systems such as SAGE People or Workday to generate employee-related data and insights.
DO |
DON’T |
Using the role profile as a guide, categorise and unpack the tasks, functions and responsibilities of the role | Create long laundry lists of tasks without category descriptors that link to the role purpose |
Use general language that speaks to outcomes, citing technical requirements in a ‘these may change’ language | Get too bogged down in specifics (e.g. Excel yesterday could be PowerBI today) |
Describe where the role sits in the organisation | Shy away from acknowledging organisational restructures (actual or envisaged) |
The Job Ad
A job ad is a document designed to be put into the public domain. It should speak directly to the ideal applicant and focus on them feeling seen, valued, and excited about the prospect of joining your business. All too often, job ads are used as a vanity platform for the organisation looking to hire – Don’t be that company.
Employing a person should create a beneficial outcome for both parties. That outcome is about more than the business getting work done and the candidate receiving a salary. Your job ad should describe how the candidate’s skills and attributes will be enhanced and challenged and their careers progressed, as they help your business to grow and thrive rather than describing the box into which candidates will need to fit if they are to stand a chance of getting the job.
Whatever you do, do not use the job description as the primary source for your job ad.
Aim to say something like this:
If you are a strategic and relationally-driven professional with an analytical mindset and an appreciation for developing commercial opportunities, then this may be the role for you. We are a high-profile business in the data and analytics environment, looking for a Business Manager for our Banking and Financial Services business unit. In this role, you will be responsible for building our reputation as a client-centric trusted advisor and data solutions provider.
DO |
DON’T |
‘Speak’ directly to the envisaged applicant and what is important to them as individuals | Take up a great deal of space describing your organisation and its culture. Candidates will find that information on your website and company LinkedIn page |
Describe the why and how of the role in a natural language style | Simply repost a job description, especially if it has loads of bullet points referencing task minutiae and laundry lists of requirements |
Pay attention to the voice and tone of your job ad, making sure it speaks effectively to the intended audience | Give the impression that people would be lucky to work for your organisation – this comes across as arrogant |
Role Value Proposition
A role value proposition provides shortlisted or high-prospect candidates with qualitative information and insights about the role and the business they are considering joining. It incorporates information that cannot be found by googling or speaking to just any employee in the business. The role value proposition gives the candidate food for thought regarding what the opportunity could look and feel like and an honest view of what challenges they will face as they step into the role.
The role value proposition is an opportunity to stress-test candidates’ appetites for taking on a challenge while also being able to elaborate on the high-level aspirations described in the job ad that initially propelled the candidate to apply.
Aim to say something like this:
To position the business successfully for the future, you will scrutinise all elements of the business, including product design and pricing, sales and distribution, operations, finance, and risk and capital management. By embedding a customer-centric ethos and embracing digitisation and technology, great value can be derived from the group’s successful operating model and multi-channel market networks, supported by the parent company’s vast resources and established market position.
DO |
DON’T |
Take the time to craft a compelling vision for shortlisted candidates | Assume that the job description is good enough and that the value proposition unnecessary |
Provide insight that cannot be sourced elsewhere, which subtly tips the scales in your favour | Include sensitive or confidential information that could compromise your organisation |
The time and effort you put into creating role profiles, job descriptions, job ads, and role value propositions will ensure that the roles you fill in your business are clearly defined, truly needed, well understood internally, and intelligible and accessible to prospective candidates. Your selection team will be guided by clear and agreed criteria and metrics, leading to a better outcome in the long run for the business and for the candidate who joins your business.
All these documents must work in cohesion and tell an influential but credible story about your business and the role at hand. The information shared must square up with what appears in other sources – LinkedIn, the company website, and any other social media platforms you use. Prospective employees will almost certainly verify what you say about your business and the role online, if not in person, through their network.
Understand you will be called out during the hiring process should there be discrepancies between what you say and what interviewees experience, so take the time to craft your narrative well at all stages of the process.