Guide to Writing the Ultimate
Outcome-Driven Job Description
You may think a typical Job Description includes
Four simple components - Company Name, Job Title, Role and Qualifications.
For many people it does. But you're different.
To attract the best IT talent in this competitive market and set that candidate and your team up for future success once you find them, you can’t just be like “many people.”
You need to innovate to bring in the most dynamic and effective candidate for your needs and build the winning team you’ve dreamed of. And that is more than just putting together a job description. It’s about putting together a position plan that helps you and your new candidate way beyond that first day.
The Outcome-Driven Job Description is your position’s blueprint. Like architects’ drawings, it’s the foundation of the entire project. Once your Outcome-Driven Job Description is finalized (see a sample here), everyone can move confidently into the build phase, eliminating costly mistakes from lack of planning.
Guide to Writing the Ultimate Outcome-Driven Job Description
Download the workbook to follow the steps to help you create the most effective job description you’ve ever written.
Why start with an
Outcome-Driven Job Description?
A mis-hire can many times trace its roots back to the fact that the team didn’t exactly know what was needed for the role when they began interviewing. When the job description isn’t a true reflection of what is really needed in that role, you are setting yourself, your team and your candidate up for disappointment. Putting the time in upfront pays off in spades later.
Go in-depth to the why behind the Outcome-Driven Job Description in this blog post. This read will convince you to add this valuable step to your hiring process.
What Exactly is an
Outcome-Driven Job Description?
The Outcome-Driven Job Description is an in-depth look into the true functionality of the role you need to fill, including the most important areas of responsibility and completed with smart goals to help you track the success of your new hire over time.
It is more in-depth than the job description. It’s a talking document bringing the role to life and setting you and your candidate up for success way beyond the signing bonus.
It includes:
The Gap Analysis is a series of questions meant to put you on the path of marrying what you think you are looking for in a candidate with what you actually need to create a winning team. Where these two answers don’t match up. That’s your Gap.
LEARN MORE: Perform a Gap Analysis Before Your Next IT Job Search
The Major Goal
Why does this position exist and what is the main point of it. The Major Goal is a sentence or two. If appropriate for the position, it’s best to make it a smart goal.
You start your Major Goal with this: The reason this position exists is …..
LEARN MORE: What is Your New IT Position's Major Goal
Responsibility Buckets
Based on what you’ve discovered through the Gap Analysis, it’s time to list out Major Role Buckets for this position and support them with the Ideal Outcomes (AKA Smart Goals) that will define the success of your future team member.
List 4 to 6 performance objectives and then add the critical subtasks necessary to achieve success. Ask yourself, how will you know if the person has achieved that performance objective? Put them in priority order.
LEARN MORE: Creating Your IT Hire's Major Responsibility Buckets
You’ve set your candidate up for success by being very clear with your expectations and needs through your Smart Goals. Now you can get even more specific by mapping them out on a yearly calendar to be followed by you and your new team member. It leaves no room for doubt what was expected in the role and when.
LEARN MORE: Position Timeline - Create Having Into Doing
Job Description
Only now can you put together the most effective, clear and accurate job description you’ve ever written because you now know exactly what you’re looking for. And what you don't need to look for. This accuracy sets you up for success.
LEARN MORE: Writing the Ultimate Tech Job Description
Guide to Writing the Ultimate Outcome-Driven Job Description
Download the workbook to follow the steps to help you create the most effective job description you’ve ever written.