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Reviewing the Role

Reviewing the Role

Once the necessity for the recruitment has been confirmed you should review the current job description to ensure it provides a clear outline of the role by asking:

  • When was the job description last reviewed? If the review was more than a year ago then it is time to review.
  • Is it in the current format? The Group have a set template to ensure consistency.
  • Does it reflect what the previous incumbent was actually doing and what needs to be done in the future?
  • Can tasks which don’t add value be taken out or done by others? The role and requirements may have changed since the job description was last reviewed and some activities may no longer be required or may be better being carried out within the scope of other job descriptions. If it is considered that some activities could be better carried out by other members of the team, you will need to discuss this with other employees in relation to their job descriptions and the implications for work load, and pay will need to be considered.
  • Does it fit in with other roles in the team? Look at the job description in a more holistic way taking account of activities carried out by other team members and where this job interacts.
  • Could the wording be more clearly expressed? Take out jargon and acronyms.
  • Is all the information contained within the job description up to date e.g. number of people managed, budget responsibility etc?

You should also consider whether this is still a full time or part time role and whether more or less hours are required. Has the role changed to such an extent that you need to re-evaluate the salary, and are the benefits attached to the role still appropriate?

Defining the job role

  • To help define the role to be advertised, you should first consider:
  • the requirements of the job to be filled
  • the essential skills, knowledge and competencies required of the jobholder
  • specific qualifications which may be essential or preferred (and equivalent alternatives).

If there is an existing job role, you should consider:

  • if any changes in the business have affected the particular job or if the nature of the work has changed (for example, due to technological developments or necessary qualifications)
  • if there are any relevant factors that could require different treatment of, and contributions from, the job holder (for example, a requirement to have a specific work pattern to cover staff shortages).

What a job description should include

It is good practice to do so and is likely to assist the selection process.

Preparing an accurate job description will provide a useful point of reference for the whole recruitment process.

Note: Having a clear, objective job description that is fairly and consistently applied throughout the recruitment process could help eliminate discrimination.

Both the job description and person specification can also help prospective applicants to assess for themselves whether they meet the essential requirements for the job and decide whether or not to apply for it.

It will also screen out unsuitable applicants at an early stage and attract applications from those who are more likely to fulfil the job requirements.

Key things to consider when preparing a job description.

  • main job purpose
  • key duties and requirements
  • specific responsibilities or accountabilities
  • other relevant factors or unusual features of the job (for example, whether this is a high degree of accuracy involved or a requirement for on-call working).

Common problems with job descriptions

Care should be taken to ensure that the content of the job description is relevant to the job and that any specifications are necessary to meet actual job requirements.

Remember problems may arise if the criteria are not actually relevant or necessary and you rely on those criteria when deciding to reject applicants, and where the criteria are not objectively justified, this could discourage appropriately qualified people from applying and/or lead to a risk of discrimination.

Person specification

You should identify and distinguish those criteria that are essential for effective job performance and those that are merely desirable.

Essential criteria provide an effective basis for shortlisting and selection. You can compare the information provided by the applicant’s CV against the essential criteria and can identify a shortlist of those applicants who are a suitable match.

The desirable criteria could be used where, for example, several candidates meet the essential criteria and there is little else to distinguish between them.

Preparing an accurate person specification will enable employers to profile the competencies that are necessary for effective performance of the job.

Having a clear, objective person specification that is fairly applied throughout the recruitment will help assess the candidates for the role and could help eliminate discrimination and improve the selection process.

The person specification will usually describe specific competencies required of the jobholder in relation to the following criteria:

  • qualifications
  • experience
  • skills
  • knowledge
  • competencies
  • training
  • ‘Essential’ and ‘desirable’ criteria

Common problems with person specifications

Like the job description, the person specification should only contain criteria that are real requirements for the job. They must only reflect what is actually required for the jobholder to effectively perform the role and must not go beyond what is necessary. The EHRC Employment Code recommends that these specifications are reviewed each time a vacancy arises.

Problems may arise where employers use unclear or unnecessary criteria in the person specification. Where the employer subsequently relies on those criteria in a decision to reject an applicant, and where the criteria are not objectively justified, this could lead to a risk of discrimination.

A specification which contains a requirement that candidates show that they have experience in a particular field or work type, should give a clear definition of what type of experience is needed (for example, working on customer accounts, or financial experience). It’s advisable not to state how many years’ experience because this could disadvantage younger candidates.