Writing an Effective Job Description
What Makes an Effective IT Job Description
When you find great IT talent, it makes a big difference when you can move quickly through the recruitment process to keep their attention. So how do you know if you’re selecting the right person for the job? The first step is to build a clear, well-presented job description that gives potential applicants a thorough overview of the skills and attributes needed for the role.
Read on for a few informative tips on how to put together the right job description for your role. To save you the time and hassle, we’ve also included an IT job description template and an example for you to download.
What’s in a Standard IT Job Description?
A job description is a written document that includes a list of tasks and responsibilities. Each item on the list has an important part to play in the overall design and message of the job description. There are five key sections; vision, purpose, expected performance, qualifications and experience, and important behaviours. These things let an employee know the basics, such as:
- What the company’s goals and values are.
- Why a role is available and what someone in this role is expected to accomplish.
- How this role is expected to be carried out.
- What background a candidate will be expected to have in order to succeed in this role.
- What attitudes are expected of employees at the company.
To keep your job description relevant, avoid producing a recycled version of the role’s previous job description. Instead, think of how the role has changed since the last person was hired.
Layout of a Job Description
The language you use in your job description should be appropriate for the type of individual you’re looking for in terms of their level of expertise, and position.
Overall, make sure your job description:
- Reflects your employment brand and company culture.
- Is easy to read, clear, enticing and specific.
- Uses bullet points, headings, white space and a structured layout.
- Uses industry jargon, as IT professionals should already be familiar with the relevant terms.
- Is written in third person and conveys a professional tone.
Choose a Job Title Carefully
A job title is important for all professionals, even more so in the IT sector as it contains such a broad spectrum of roles. To choose a good job title consider the following:
- Does your job title reflect the position, role and duties?
- Will the employee be managing a team or only be involved with functions like development or software system support?
- Although it’s not the focus, these job titles are also indicators of what an expected salary may be.
Employment Criteria
Listing the responsibilities of the role is important for a job description; it informs a candidate of the company’s expectations and has legal implications, so it’s essential to get it right. Make sure to include qualifications, skills and personal characteristics in your job description.
- Is a qualification necessary for the job or is someone qualified for the role through their experience?
- What technology or programmes will the candidate be using?
- Will the candidate need to have those skills or can they be taught?
Summary
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with a job description. Read more on our full blog: How to Write an Effective Job Description. If you’re still having trouble defining your job requirements, feel free to get in touch with our specialist team here at RWA.
Don’t forget to download our template and example below, and remember to follow us on LinkedIn for the latest industry news and more.
