Time Is Money: Create a Clear Job Description

If you’re in a hurry to fill a job, the surest way to meet your hiring deadline is to slow down! Why is this true? Because…

Success is in the Details
As a staffing manager, we truly understand the need for you, the employer and hiring manager, to get a job filled and to get it done quickly.  One of the key reasons our clients use our staffing agency is because they don’t have the time or resources to do the recruiting on their own or to hire a recruiting team.  But sometimes, in your hurry to fill the position, you may not realize that the more concise and descriptive the job description you give us, the easier and quicker it will be for us to get you your candidates.

Let’s say, for example, you as a client are asking us to find you a CAD Drafter.  Often times, I’ll receive a job description that states “AutoCAD with 5 years of experience from the Aerospace Industry.”  It sounds simple enough, but this doesn’t always give the clearest picture.  Will there be any design work?  Do you require other CAD programs?  Are we talking Mechanical or Electrical drafting?  Are there other industries that you would consider?  These are all valid questions that can be answered in job descriptions if a little more attention is given when writing them.

Recycling Isn’t Always Beneficial!
I absolutely understand that sometimes a job description will come from an Engineering Manager in another department and that, as a point of contact with the agency, you really aren’t the person who would be able to answer these types of questions.  I also understand that old job descriptions are sometimes recycled and can eventually become outdated.  One thing many hiring managers don’t realize, however, is that if the job description doesn’t paint the clearest picture of your vision, then it will add THAT much more time in our search for candidates.  We’ve experienced employers repeatedly changing the job description, which then of course takes extra time to find candidates who fit the new description–which turns into loss of productivity while you’re waiting to acquire that new employee.  In this respect, lost time is definitely lost money.

Revamping and updating the job description to be specific to the position’s current needs will definitely benefit your timeline and upgrade the fit and quality of the candidates you’ll receive. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re in a hurry to fill a job, the surest way to meet your hiring deadline really is to slow down! Before you launch your candidate search, take time to create a clear and specific job description. In the long run, you’ll save time and money.

Want to make your next hire a great one? Here are 3 reasons why you should use behavioral interview questions to do it.

By Patrick Tan