How to Construct a Good Job Description

1. Make sure the job title fits the job description!  If necessary leave the decision on what this should be until the full job description has been written.
2. If replacing a member of staff that has left, consider whether you need someone to do the exact same job or is this an opportunity to recruit someone who can bring fresh ideas and experience to the post?  Another thing you may want to consider is whether or not you need someone to work the same amount of hours.
3. When constructing the job description, bullet point every duty you can think of eg., instead of just putting administration duties, itemise exactly what those duties are as this can differ widely from one company to another.
4. Once you have constructed the job description, give serious thought to the type of environment they will be expected to work in and what sort of personality is going to fit best.  You also need to decide what skills / qualifications are required, although we would advise you not to be too dogged with this as the more pre-requisites you stipulate, the narrower pool to recruit from. You also need to be mindful of the current legislation surrounding recruitment e.g., discrimination laws. More information can be found at www.acas.org.uk or www.direct.gov.uk.
5. If you are recruiting through an agency (preferably us!), do give them as much guidance as possible, ensuring that they have a copy of the job description and advising them of any necessary testing you would like carrying out  or any questions you would like asking before they submit any c.v.s.
6. Do think seriously about the salary - ensure that you have a firm idea of what the maximum amount would be as this will ensure that any candidates submitted will be affordable.

We do hope that you find the above useful, but if your organisation is still struggling to come up with exactly what is needed for a permanent post, why not consider having a temporary worker in for a while.  This will ensure that the main duties of the post are carried out still but at the same time you are maintaining flexibility.  You could also find that this is a most cost effective option; if you have a temporary worker in for 16 weeks, there's no introduction fee to pay!  If you would like more information on this option contact Lesa, our Temporary Services Manager who will be pleased to give you more information.