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A job specification outlines the desired characteristics of a qualified candidate, such as required skills and education, while a job description outlines the tasks and duties of a position. Standard components of a job specification include educational requirements, experience, skills, and knowledge. Employers can use job specs to save time and reduce the number of unqualified applicants.
A job specification allows an employer to outline the best candidate for a position without describing a particular person. This is accomplished by communicating desired characteristics of a qualified candidate, such as required skills and education. The more complex a location, the longer the specification is likely to be. By developing these tools for available positions, employers can save their time and that of potential candidates.
Some people make the mistake of believing that the job description and specification are the same. It is important to understand that they not only differ, but are designed for different purposes. A job description is drawn up to outline the tasks and duties that should be performed by a person in a given position. A job specification is designed to outline the type of person qualified to be in that position.
There are several categories of information that are considered standard in a job specification. Categories are often displayed in bold or large. Then the specific requirements are listed below, usually with bullet points. All job specifications may not be arranged in the same order or format.
Educational requirements are one of the most common components of a specification. This section generally communicates the level of education required, such as an associate’s or master’s degree, and acceptable majors, such as journalism or chemical engineering. If special licenses and certificates are required, these are usually included in this section.
An experience section typically requires an individual to have an employment history in a particular field for a certain amount of time. It may also outline specific duties a person would have to engage in, such as direct supervision of staff members or three years handling hazardous materials. Skills, knowledge and skills are three sections that can be combined or listed separately. These sections indicate what a candidate should know and what he should be able to do.
Employers are often inundated with applications when they have positions available. The interview can be a long process. A job spec can be a tool that dramatically reduces the amount of time an employer wastes reviewing applications and conducting interviews with unqualified people. Since many people won’t choose to apply for jobs they know they have little chance of getting, having a job spec can also help people. They can use it to compare what they have to offer with what is being asked for.
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