What questions should I ask the hiring manager when drafting the job description?

Before you write a job description, you may need to sit down with the hiring manager to discuss the role's details. Here are a few key questions you can ask the hiring manager to ensure your job descriptions hit all the necessary marks:

What is the Ultimate Reason for Creating the Position?

Is the team overwhelmed with work? Does the hiring manager need to fill a specific skill gap? Is the company hiring to meet annual growth targets? Figuring out the big picture behind the role can help you better sell its purpose within the job description.

What Are the Day-to-Day Responsibilities of the Role?

To attract the right talent, your job description needs to encapsulate what the applicant will do each day. Focus on painting a picture of the top 6 to 8 responsibilities for the job.

What Type of Experience Will the Ideal Candidate Have?

There's no magic formula for the perfect mix of experience, certifications, level of commitment to the industry, organization, and leadership skills. Asking your hiring manager to split the credentials between pre-requisites and nice-to-haves can help you create that winning combo.

What is the Ideal Candidate's Motivation?

Do you need a take-charge, challenge conqueror or a dependable process manager? Do you need a worker who loves to solve problems, or one who is a mover and shaker? Getting the answers to these questions can help you attract someone who best fits the mindset of the team.

Final Tips

Your company's priorities, like cultural fit, or educational requirements, may make one of these questions more important than the others. Going to your hiring manager with prepared questions, like these, can help you craft a job description that attracts the ideal talent.

Helpful Links:

Five Questions to Ask Before You Begin Writing a Job Description - LinkedIn

Write Winning Job Postings by Answering These Five Questions - ZipRecruiter.com

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