Article for the Journal of Medical Practice Management

1. Job Descriptions Made Easy
By Larry Miller
Key Words:
Job descriptions, Job duties, Performance management, Management
Abstract
The act of writing a job description can be a daunting and difficult task for many
managers. This article focuses on the key concepts of What, How and
MeasureableResults as they relate to an employee’s job duties. When the
answers to these three elements are articulated, they define the core responsibilities
of any job that form the basis for an effective job description.
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2. Job Descriptions Made Easy
Many years ago, I visited a manager who had just terminated an employee the day before for
substandard performance. Because I knew the staffing requisition for a replacement would be
approved, I stopped in to talk with the manager to get the recruiting process started. In my
traditional HR style and as a starting point for our discussion, I asked if the job description for
this role was current and accurate. I wanted to make sure I was going to start a search based on
what he really needed rather than what he thought he needed, or work with a document that was
developed by a previous manager and no longer accurate. A job title alone was not sufficient for
me to start the search.
A job title alone is not sufficient….
Without hesitation, the manager proceeded to blast me about how stupid job descriptions are and
that he had no need for all this HR baloney. In fact, during his outburst, he made it clear he
needed someone who could “do more of this…and less of that… , he needed someone to report
on accurate data, manage his/her staff with inspiration, teach everyone in the department a good
work ethic, reward good performers, develop good goal plans, achieve results and be nice to be
around!
Although his comments were more specific to the job than what I’ve outlined here, I kept
listening and started to write notes about the “specs” of what I thought would be a good job
description--with some exceptions. I first took all his negative comments and converted them to
positive statements. I changed his comment, “I can’t stand that the engineering work flow
documents were sloppy, late or never done!!” to “Develop accurate and timely reports that
document inter- and intra-department processes.” Then I grouped all his re-phrased statements
into three categories labeled, What? How? Measurable Results? My intent was to capture
what will someone in this job do, how they will do it, and how will the results be measured? I
then showed him my summary and complimented him on how good a job description writer he
was!
My intent was to capture what will
someone in this job do, how they will do it,
and how will the results be measured?
In this situation, the manager knew what he wanted someone to do and how he would recognize
good performance if he saw it. The traditional process of developing a job description never got
him to this point of common sense and simple language. His comments weren’t in order of
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3. What, How and Measurable Results but he covered all the bases. Within a short period of time,
this particular manager became my strongest advocate of the value of an easy, simple, accurate
job description. And he never required any training.
How can you fill a job opening if you don’t know what you want the person to do? A job title
and one or two random job duties do not a job description make. More importantly, how can you
find a good candidate if you only have a general view of what you’re planning to pay someone to
do? This comment may seem obvious in theory but it’s common practice in too many
companies, especially small businesses in America!
The Human Resources profession makes job descriptions unnecessarily boring, complex, and
confusing. This is why management puts them in a “forget it” file. Job descriptions have too
much traditional focus on education and work experience coupled with a complex description of
duties. Or they’re written with legal compliance in mind rather than the effective use of the
information applicants or incumbents want to know so they can do a good job.
What if a job description were the guidance
document on how to get an excellent
performance review?
What if a job description were the guidance document on how to get an excellent performance
review? What if a job description were written as if it contained all the answers to a test?
Imagine the “test” as someone’s performance review. They couldn’t help but get a good review
if they were already doing everything they were supposed to do—and doing it well. Why would
anyone hire someone and keep the way in which that person’s performance, behavior or
activities will be measured undefined, poorly communicated, or vague? I believe all managers
want their employees to do good work. Why not articulate the requirements in simple terms?
The best job description is one that’s so simple…
What if the job description was a roadmap to good performance rather than a document on
theoretical activities? When managers have a position to fill, they need to be able to articulate
what someone must do in that role. The best job description is one that’s so simple, managers
can’t help but use it as a platform for performance dialogs, goal setting discussions, and
measuring results.
A general statement of activity and responsibility is a good starting point in a job description.
For example, the following is a sample statement of the position description in a job description
for someone filling the role of a receptionist.
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4. Job Title: Receptionist
General Description: The person in this position is responsible for answering a multi-line
switchboard and greeting the public in a professional manner as the face of
the company.
Next comes the What: And it could read as:
1. Answer all incoming telephone calls.
2. Greet customers
3. Coordinate visitor contact with company representatives when they’re on site.
4. Keep notes and records of incoming calls and unscheduled visitors.
Now the How:
1. a) Answer all incoming telephone calls within 3 rings.
b) Answer all incoming telephone calls with a smile in your voice.
c) Remember common customer voices and connect them to their name and the
company representative they most commonly contact.
d) Know each department’s job function in the company to direct customer contact
to the correct representative if the customer is unable to articulate his/her
specific need.
In this example, I’ve written only those details in the How section that are related to number 1 in
the What section. In a real job description, every item listed in the What section would have its
own additional details in the How section. Many times, the How section includes additional
details for each element of the What so the employees know the quality standard they have to
achieve for each element of their job.
As another example, 2) Greet customers may require the receptionist to ask them to sign in, have
a seat, let them know how long they should expect to wait or direct them to the nearest restroom.
It may seem unnecessary to articulate this level of detail. But if this detail represents the quality
of work an office manager, for example, would want from his/her receptionist, then don’t take it
for granted that the receptionist will figure it out on his/her own. Write it in. Communicate it.
What may seem as an obvious and simple quality standard such as this has a big impact on a
patient, customer, or client when they’re not treated properly, or are treated consistently better
than at your competitor’s office!
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5. And finally, an example of Measurable Results for a receptionist would include:
1. Customer feedback
2. % of successful calls
3. % of missed calls
4. Manager/staff/patient/customer feedback
Here’s another easy way to hit the same target of an easy job description based on What, How
and Measurable Results. Just answer these questions:
What is the overall purpose of this job?
Describe the core responsibilities that are required for someone in this job to be
successful?
List as many specific activities that correspond to each core responsibility
of the job no matter how obvious or apparently insignificant they may seem.
How would you measure success of someone in this job?
When writing a complete job description, be sure to add the minimum education, certification,
experience, job knowledge, and skills and abilities that are unique or required for any job. It is
also helpful to consider any supervisory, budgetary and confidential information responsibilities
a job may require. Examples may include the designation of a required college degree;
knowledge in the use of specific equipment, tools, software or office equipment; the requirement
to supervise a number of office staff or professionals in various disciplines; or managing
confidential payroll or protected health information.
When considering the years of experience that may be required in a job, make sure the number of
years actually correlates to the experience you need. I’ve worked to fill positions that I
presumed I needed 10 years of experience in a candidate only to find some candidates who had
one year of experience 10 years in a row! It was as if they never developed a progressive
understanding of added responsibility and independent decision-making, or were reliant on being
told what to do all the time.
You may feel the job requires a college degree but
you may get the same quality of expertise and
quality of work out of someone with 20 years of
real experience and no degree.
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6. The same potential miscalculation can happen when evaluating the education requirements for a
job. You may feel the job requires a college degree but you may get the same quality of
expertise and quality of work out of someone with 20 years of real experience and no degree.
This scenario is more common in the labor market over the last 5 years as older workers stay in
the labor force longer. They may not have the degree you feel is necessary for a job, but they
have great practical experience and a very good work ethic.
What does “good” look like?
And now, here’s the simplest way to make job descriptions easy! Answer the following
question: What does “good” look like? The majority of managers I work with can always
identify good work when they see it. If you can imagine what good looks like--write it down.
An unsophisticated document that is clear and understood is always better than an elaborate, dull,
never-to-be-used job analysis. Any clarification that helps recruiters find strong candidates,
employees perform their jobs better, managers manage better, and businesses serve their
customers better is the critical core of a good job description.
Award-winning job descriptions deserve more expertise and experience than the process I’m
outlining here. What, How and Measurable Results can help you create a job description that
makes sense. When completed, the job description can be used in the recruiting process and
become the starting point for managing good performance. The more an employee knows what
is expected of him, the greater the chance he will achieve what is expected of him. And the more
managers have a clear, basic idea of what they want and need, the greater the chance that that’s
what they’ll get. Even if the objectives of a job are written down on scratch paper, What, How
and Measurable Results can do wonders to help you make drafting job descriptions easy!
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