Writing Job Roles

Writing job descriptions is not an activity that many HR professionals would rate as one of their favourites. It’s usually slow, meticulous work that can’t be delegated. As cumbersome as it can be, writing job descriptions is one of the most critical parts of the promotion and should be treated accordingly.


The Tasks or Responsibilities Have Changed

This reason is the most obvious, but also the most critical. If the job has undergone substantial evolution, not updating the job description will not only lead to less qualified new employees but could even open you up to legal troubles. If someone is hired under the pretense of performing a specific set of tasks, and then is let go due to their inability to perform additional functions not identified up front in the job description, they may have cause to sue. Whenever a job’s duties and responsibilities get changed, the job description needs to be immediately updated to reflect those tweaks.


 The Compensation Has Changed

Even if the nature of the job doesn’t change whatsoever, whenever there are adjustments to a company’s pay or benefits structures, the old information on the job description needs to be updated. Many descriptions include at least high-level information regarding the compensation, whether financial or otherwise, and leaving that outdated information there can lead to similar negative results until it’s changed to reflect the current policies.


 It’s Been Awhile

In situations where there haven’t been any significant changes to a job, experts still say it’s a good idea to revisit job descriptions at least once a year. Even if the tasks and responsibilities are always identical to 12 months ago, looking over the description forces you to think critically about the job, considering if there are less apparent needs to make an adjustment or two.


Even if there isn’t a pressing business need, occasionally reviewing the job descriptions through the lens of continuous improvement could spark ideas for ways to increase performance on the job. Before implementing any concrete changes, however, a thorough job analysis to determine the relatedness and required proficiency levels of any knowledge, skills, or abilities (KSAs) being considered must be conducted.


 Quality of Applicants

If you’ve noticed or received complaints regarding the poor quality of new applicants for the position in question, it might be a good time to take a look at the job description as a potential cause. If it hasn’t been updated in some time, there might be areas where the language could be improved to help those who would be poor performers self-select out of the process.


 Organisational Initiatives

Sometimes executive leadership passes down new organisation-wide initiatives that they expect to be embraced and integrated across all departments. Mandates such as “Increase sustainability” or “Prioritise customer service” aren’t always accompanied by solid action plans, so an excellent way to support the initiative is to incorporate them into the recruitment process where appropriate.


Finding out which positions would benefit from increased performance on the more fleshed out competencies would be a good first step. For the more ambiguous concepts like sustainability, adding language to the job description about how your company is focused on these and other similar endeavours can lead to increased applications from like-minded candidates.


Job descriptions are often a company’s only chance at a first impression. Making their continuous revision and improvement a priority will help ensure that you aren’t missing out on potential top talent at the very beginning of the recruitment process.