1. HR Glossary
2. Difference Between Job Specification and Job Description

Difference Between Job Specification and Job Description

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What is a Job Description?

A Job description is a detailed document drafted by the owner or HR manager regarding a vacant job position in an organization. The purpose of this document is to invite prospective candidates to apply for the open position.

Job description in HRM helps by synchronizing the recruitment and selection process, making it easy for companies to search for suitable candidates. It also serves as a basis for interview questions for employers.

For candidates, it gives an overview of the open position, outlines the company’s expectations, and helps candidates quickly understand the work environment and job offerings.

Components of a Job Description

Several key elements must be included to draft a professional and effective job description.

The key components are:

• About Us: This section provides a brief introduction of the organization to the prospective candidate. It can include details such as the company’s name, size, area of expertise, and other relevant information.
• Job Title: A job title is the official name of the position. It helps candidates understand the role and its level within the organization.
• Job Summary: The role section provides a summary of the job role and explains its main purpose.
• Location: The location specifies where the job will be based. It can include the office address, city, or if it’s remote.
• Working Conditions: The working conditions describe the work environment, working hours, and any special requirements.
• Duties and Responsibilities: The key duties outline the primary tasks and responsibilities of the role, providing candidates with a clear understanding of their daily activities and responsibilities. It can also highlight what the position aims to achieve, focusing on expected outcomes or goals.
• Required Qualifications: The required qualifications outline the necessary education, skills, certifications, and experience needed to perform the job effectively.
• Compensation: The compensation section provides details about the salary, incentives, or additional perks offered by the company in addition to salary.
• Managerial Responsibilities: If the position involves supervising others, the organizational responsibilities will clarify the team size, reporting structure, and leadership duties.

Job Description Example

With expert tips for crafting an outstanding job description, HR managers can create a job description for any job role in their organization.

What is a Job Specification?

A job specification outlines the qualities, such as skills, qualifications, experience, and competencies, that a candidate needs to fulfill the tasks mentioned in the job description. It may also include details about the abilities, adaptability, attitude, behavior, and habits required for the role.

The manager prepares the job specification in HRM after drafting the job description, carefully identifying the skills and attributes needed to perform the job effectively. It also helps recruiters screen resumes more efficiently and serves as a benchmark for employee orientation, training, and performance evaluation. However, drafting a job specification can be a time-consuming process, as it requires a complete understanding of the job position and its responsibilities.

Components of a Job Specification

Similar to a job description, a professionally drafted job specification must include the following key components:

• Job Title: The job title should be clear and accurately represent the role’s responsibilities. It helps define the position correctly and attracts the right candidates.
• Educational Qualifications: This section specifies the minimum educational requirements for the role. It can also include any necessary certifications, licenses, or professional qualifications needed to perform the job effectively.
• Skills and Abilities: Under this heading, managers can list both technical and soft skills required for the role, such as communication, problem-solving, leadership, time management, adaptability, and negotiation skills.
• Experience: Experience mentions the level of work experience needed for the position, whether it’s for freshers, mid-level professionals, or senior roles.
• Personal Attributes: This section highlights qualities like attitude, adaptability, creativity, teamwork, and the ability to perform well under pressure.

Job Specification Example

Key Differences Between Job Specification and Job Description

Understanding the key difference between a job description and a job specification is highly beneficial for recruiters and HR professionals.

Importance of Job Description and Job Specification in the Recruitment Process

Job descriptions and job specifications are helpful for both employers and job seekers, making recruitment smooth and organized. The main reasons for their importance are explained below:

Attracting the Right Candidates

Hiring the right candidate who matches the job role perfectly benefits the employers and employees in several ways. A detailed job description explains the job requirements clearly and helps candidates understand the tasks, duties, and responsibilities associated with the role. At the same time, job specifications make it easier to check the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience.

Making Recruitment Faster and Easier

When job requirements are appropriately explained, there is less confusion. This reduces the number of unsuitable applications and saves the hiring team time and effort, making the entire hiring process more effective and efficient.

Reducing Employee Turnover

According to the Work Institute’s 2020 Retention Report, approximately 40% of employee turnover occurs within the first year of employment. One main reason is that they do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities.

This problem can be avoided if companies provide clear job descriptions and specifications. When employees know what is expected from them, they feel more confident, satisfied, and motivated, which can lower attrition rates.

Ensuring Legal Protection

Since a job description explains what the organization expects from an employee and what the employee agreed to when joining, it can serve as a crucial legal document. If there are disputes regarding performance, roles, or dissatisfaction, this document can serve as proof and protect the organization legally.

Helping with Performance Evaluation

Since a job specification lists the required skills, qualifications, and experience for a role, it is helpful when reviewing an employee’s performance. Using a checklist for an ideal performance evaluation, employers can compare the employee’s progress with the expected standards. In contrast, employees can use this information to identify areas where they need improvement and plan their professional growth.

Conclusion

HR professionals and recruiters can simplify their tasks by understanding the difference between a job specification and a job description. Although both documents play an essential role in starting the recruitment process and attracting the right talent, they serve different purposes.

A job description gives details to prospective candidates about the job, the role’s responsibilities, tasks, and expectations. It enables them to assess whether a job's requirements align with their goals, skills, and expectations. On the other hand, a job specification is drafted based on a job description and focuses on the qualifications, skills, and experience required for the position. It enables employers to match the candidates' skills and experience with the job requirements while screening.

Using advanced recruitment software can save time, reduce manual effort, and improve the overall efficiency of the recruitment process. factoHR’s recruitment software is a powerful tool that helps create clear and detailed job descriptions and specifications. With our advanced technology, we enable organizations to enhance recruitment quality, reduce employee turnover, and ensure a better match between employers and candidates.

FAQs about Job Specification vs, Job Description

What is the Main Difference between a Job Description and a Job Specification?

A job description explains what the job involves, including the role, responsibilities, and tasks, and outlines the organization’s expectations for the position. A job specification, on the other hand, focuses on the qualifications, skills, and experience needed to do the job, giving a clear idea to employers and candidates of whether they meet the recruitment criteria for the job.

How Can Clear Job Specifications (JS) and Job Descriptions (JD) Improve the Hiring Process?

Clear JDs and JSs make hiring easier by setting the right expectations. They help attract suitable candidates, reduce irrelevant applications, and ensure a better match between the role and the applicant’s skills.

Do Job Descriptions and Specifications Affect Legal Compliance? How?

Yes, they do. Since job descriptions clearly outline duties and expectations, they help organizations comply with labor laws and regulations. They also help resolve any disputes that may arise later. Job specifications, on the other hand, focus on the necessary qualifications, promoting fair hiring practices and reducing bias.

Why do People Confuse Job Description and Job Specification?

People often get confused between a job description and a job specification because both are used in the recruitment process to describe a job. However, a job description outlines the role, responsibility, tasks, and working conditions, while a job specification details the required skills, qualifications, and experience necessary for the position. The overlap in content can make the distinction unclear.

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