Help: I Don’t Have A Job Description

How to know if you are performing well with no job description
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Have you ever been at your job and wondered whether you are actually working on what you are supposed to? Spending time pondering whether your manager thinks you are crushing it?  Without set expectations and a clear job description, employees are often left doing just that…wondering instead of working. While human resources research supports having clear role descriptions, the majority of people are either working without them or are outdated, according to Harvard Business Review.  So what do you do if you are one of these wandering warriors, not sure where or what you should be focused on?  

Most job descriptions are completed by direct people managers.  While there are no federal or state requirements for job descriptions, according to the Society for Human Resources, having a job description is critical for employee success and clear communication of expectations.  Often, managers are not trained to draft clear job descriptions or even to set regular goals with their employees so what’s to stop you from doing it yourself?  That’s right.  Don’t wait to be told what to do, start drafting your own job description that you can present to your manager or HR professional to ensure that everyone is on the same page with what your role entails and how to measure your success.  

How to write your own job description

The key when describing a job description is to keep it in plain language so it very clearly sets out the expectations of employees and managers. 

  1. Start out with your title.  Ideally, your job title accurately reflects what it is that you do on a day-to-day basis.  If not, you could make small suggestions – just don’t give yourself a promotion within this exercise or your manager won’t read much further. 
  1. Briefly summarize the purpose of your role. Why does the company have your position and how do you bring value to the organization?  Write a few sentences on what is the purpose and the priority of your job. 
  1. Outline your duties and responsibilities.  In point form or paragraphs; describe what are the tasks and duties related to your job and how will your success be measured.  Outline which areas of the department you are responsible for. Clearly describe your organizational structure, reporting lines, and team dynamics.

Key Qualifications.  If you were going to hire someone for your role, what do you think the key qualifications might be?  Don’t base this solely on your existing qualifications.  This may be an opportunity to ask for some company-paid training or mentorship opportunities to upskill in your area.

Having clear and stated expectations between you and your manager will set you up for a foundation of success in your role and ultimately promotion.  To continue to grow and develop you must have a yardstick to measure your progress against.  If one has not been provided for you – take the initiative and create it yourself!