Carrie,
Yes, it is true that in many schools one person can wear many hats. What we do is list each job on our org chart. If one person has 2 or more responsiblities then they show up a few times on the org chart. Great guidelines for job descriptions. Eventually your size and revenues will grow and you can hire additional people. It will be easy to bring them on board since you will have a position on the org chart and the job description and responsibilities finely tuned. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
It is sometimes difficult to define the specific roles of employees especially in small school environments since many of them often wear multiple hats. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the school's mission is being achieved and is in no way compromised no matter what the true job description is. I believe that in such an environment, employees must be made aware that the position, although defined, may consist of additional responsibilities. Employee job descriptions must consist of the position summary, job requirements and qualifications, responsibilities and physical demands. Working conditions and supervisory responsibilities should also be included.
Michelle,
Yes, all true. Now think of the other skills the person needs to have to fit into your organization and be innovative and productive. Do they need sales skills, able to feel comfortable on the phone? Be compassionate and understanding? Do they need to understand the workings of your entire school and know how to solve problems? There are a lot of skills for a new hire to work effectively. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Job descriptions should include what the person in the role does, what education is required to perform the duties, what the expectations are/how they are measured and what that person's responsibility is to the student.
Sandra,
This is great. You have provided a great format for any school owner to create a job description. You might want to include what the person needs to bring to fit into the organization and make a difference. What about creativity, how do they handle problems, what have they accomplished, where do they see themselves in 5 years in relation to your school, and more. What are the people skills do you require to get things to happen and meet student needs. Lots to think about. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
A job description need not account for every task that might ever be done, but I believe these are the most critical components of a good job description.
1.Heading information. This should include job title, pay grade or range, reporting relationship (by position, not individual), hours or shifts, and the likelihood of overtime or weekend work.
2.Summary objective of the job. List the general responsibilities and descriptions of key tasks and their purpose, relationships with customers, coworkers, and others, and the results expected of incumbent employees.
3.Qualifications. State the education, experience, training, and technical skills necessary for entry into this job.
4.Special demands. This should include any extraordinary conditions applicable to the job (for example, heavy lifting, exposure to temperature extremes, prolonged standing, or travel).
5.Job duties and responsibilities. Only two features of job responsibility are important: identifying tasks that comprise about 90 to 95 percent of the work done and listing tasks in order of the time consumed (or, sometimes, in order of importance).
Aaron,
Job descriptions are vital for all concerned. This means the employer, school, instructors, and career services staff all need to know what is required for each career you train for. In fact, we find it helpful to review job descriptions in class. Students need to know why they are learning certain skills and theory and how it will be used on the job. They need to understand the demands of the job and and be able explain how they can meet them. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
The essential components of the job description should follow the format of the question you have posed. Responsibilities should be listed along with expectations for those tasks. Reporting structure should be established to ensure those things being accomplished are reported accordingly. As simple as my restating this sounds to me the job description is vital.
Jeanette,
Great points. Job descriptions are a challenge. So are organization charts. I once asked 5 people at a school to draw their org chart and where they were on it. Sadly they came up with 5 different versions! I've worked with staff asking them to outline their job descriptions. Not surprising, what they did was a surprise to the school director. It takes ongoing effort to be sure each employee is doing what is expected of them. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I believe it is essential to clearly define; what is the ultimate goal of this position. Do any of those goals mirror that of another position? If so can any of the duties be combined? Ultimately, can a company do more with less if their culture is performance based?
Jan,
You are right in our opinion. Staff have to know who they report to and who they supervise. They also need to know the staff that have the same level of responsibility and authority. It is important to list all tasks each person handles. It is amazing what you can discover. Examples include two people doing the same tasks or no one doing an important job. Weekly meetings help efficiency. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I think the job description should start with the job title followed by the job description. I feel the job description should then be broken down to outline specific duties. The job description should also include who the employees immediate supervisor is and any specific skills needed to complete their duties.
Gabriel,
Yes, we agree. In addition, we think a good job description shows the new hires how they can grow in the job and create new solutions and opportunities for themselves and the school. It shows if you value creativity and working as a Team. It points to who the Team is! Employees are a great resource for any organization. They just have to know what is expected and what is valued. They need to know you welcome their ideas. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
A good job description is one that clearly outlines the duties and responsibilities of the employee. It gives specific objectives the employee must meet to excel in position.
PATRICIA,
That's a great start. Expectations are very important. For many jobs you can also quantify such as complete tasks in a certain amount of time or perform tasks error free, or behave according to certain customer service requirements, etc. Also indicate what the person has to do to get to the next level. Another item is to indicate who will they report to and who do they supervise. Job descriptions also have education requirements, certifications that might be needed, work history, non acceptance if the individual has a criminal record. Personal characteristics can be included such able to organized, prioritize, work well with others, and more. Amount of travel required is always good to include. Thanks
Dr. Susan Schulz
I believe one essential component of an employee job description is details. if the job description is clear and very well detail, roles and responsibilities would be known, expectations would be met and the employee will follow the organizational chart
Eric,
Good points. We think the job description should be written so it is easy to evaluate the individual's performance. We also think that there should be an expectation of creativity on the job, thinking out of the box, and offering ideas for handling tasks better. We view all staff as important Team members who can work cooperatively and on their own. There may be a new look in job descriptions to maximize the known and unknown talents of everyone. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Job Title, Location, Responsibilities, Skills and Qualifications needed, who the Supervisor is, and the ever present "duties to be assigned clause".
The person reading the job description should immediately know what is expected of this position and there should be no questions as to what the position does or who they report to.
vidal,
good points. Job descriptions need to let everyone know where each employee fits on the org chart and who reports to whom and how work is done. Also consider adding how the individual will be evaluated. We think job descriptions should encourage creativity and cooperation. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Good day,
Job description including a detailed written document should lead both employer and employee to have clear duties and responsibilities to achieve a best result in compliance with the organizational chart
Sincerely
