Why Competency Based Job Description?
Recently I was in a meeting with a general manager of a company, his sales vice-president and sales manager. We were discussing what it took to be top producing salesperson in their company. As I sat and listened to each of them describe his idea of a top producer it became quite clear to me as well as each of them that their respective ideas on what a top producer must look like was very different.
Finding qualified job candidates can be accomplished best by implementing a structured selection process. A well thought out process will contain an accurate job description which identifies the important competencies to develop a success profile to make better hires.
Job descriptions today are quite different from the past. It is not enough to just outline the duties and responsibilities of the job, which in the past were prepared to let employees know what was expected of them on the job. Today's job descriptions outline the work employees will be counted upon to achieve in a given position.
Job descriptions need to be more flexible in the workplace today and into the future. Companies and organizations are doing more with less and this includes fewer employees. Employees are now expected and counted upon to be more flexible, because the job is far less structured now than in the past.
So what comprises a job description for today and the future? Well, as we talked about earlier, job descriptions of the past were more duty, task and responsibility oriented. Job descriptions for today and into the future will include the competencies necessary to be successful in a job. Competencies include skills and abilities, motivations and knowledge and other factors essential to success on the job.
Job descriptions need to fit the job. Essential factors that contribute to success on the job should be used to develop interview questions, identifying the "best fit" selection assessments and to make your ultimate hiring decision.
Items to be considered in creating a job description are:
1. A job title
2. The job in relation to how it will impact the goals and objectives of the company or organization
3. A list of the key areas of responsibilities the successful person on the job will have to perform
4. The major criteria that all job candidates must meet to be a candidate for the job
5. What capabilities would you like the job candidates to have, but are not determining factors for successfully performing the job.
When the criteria for a job is accurate and reliable, the decisions you make in selecting the right person or persons for the job will be more accurate.
Compiled from: Maximum Potential ( www.maximumpotential.com)
