Job descriptions hold significant value beyond hiring and selection.

As a review, job descriptions generally detail the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and structure of a job. Ideally, these descriptions are objective and driven by an understanding of the job’s required competencies and skills.

After successfully hiring exceptional talent executing by way of competency-driven job descriptions, be sure not to throw these descriptions away! These descriptions are a key resource that both you and your employees can refer to and benefit from whenever you need to revisit key job responsibilities.

This sets the foundation for building and enhancing these responsibilities and competencies. The whole process is significantly aided by the use of job description software -- but we'll get to that a bit later.

The Benefits of Competencies in Your Job Descriptions

Competency-driven job descriptions simplify conducting regular assessments as they provide an objective basis against which to assess employees. Save valuable time and money by ensuring that all assessments are focused on the competencies and knowledge that are critical to each individual job.

After conducting assessments, benefit from more effective employee feedback sessions that are competency-driven, mitigating misinterpretation and subjectivity.

Should an employee be performing well, clearly view and map their potential and further their career development accordingly. This career development could, amongst other options, position them in the running for future leadership or simply increase their job responsibilities. Should an employee’s performance be lacking, easily identify the areas that require improvement and provide them the targeted steps for development.

While we’re on the subject of development, competency-driven job descriptions are a key component of a strategic, proven and successful career development tool, specifically, career pathing. Career pathing refers to the process an employee follows to plot a tangible course for their own career development and progression within an organization.

Employees are obligated to carefully examine their career goals, skills, required knowledge, experience, and behavioral traits, understanding the tangible differences in requirements between progressing laterally or vertically within an organization.

With HRSG’s competency-driven job descriptions, employees clearly view the skills, behaviors, and abilities they require to make a variety of career adjustments. Competency-driven career paths empower everyone to clearly view the wide variety of available and logical career moves, across multiple organizational departments.

In addition to enhancing overall career development, competency-driven job descriptions effectively assist employees develop within their current role. Competencies allow you to offer competitive training programs to your employees, pinpointing specific areas of improvement and analyzing strengths and weaknesses.

Those employees who undertake competency-driven training are much more likely to benefit from results faster and avoid wasting time developing unnecessary skills. Don’t forget to reward those employees who exceed training expectations, encouraging increased productivity and engagement, and overall improved organizational performance.

Want to learn how your job description process compares to other HR professionals? Check out our 2019 State of Job Descriptions report:

Download the 2019 State of Job Descriptions report using the form below.

Post last updated: July 2, 2019.