Match: A Systematic, Sane Process for Hiring the Right Person Every Time

Chapter 6. Compile a Job Overview: Step 2

I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way.

—Lee Iacocca

As with steps throughout the MATCH process, the job overview augments the mission of the organization. This is done by clearly tying the functions of the employee with the company's main purpose.

The job overview has two parts:

1. The job description

2. The skills required

Note

Sticky Notes:

• Set aside two to three hours to compile a job overview.

• The job overview is the job description plus the skills required.

• Skills should be measurable with a clear "yes" or "no."

Writing the job overview is an exercise in bringing clarity to yourself, your hiring team, and the candidate. Though it may seem like an exercise in writing down the obvious at times, your worst enemy here is the tendency to make assumptions about what the role does and the related required skills. Assume nothing. Write it all down.

Keep the following formula in mind:

Time spent clarifying a job description+Time spent clarifying skills = Time saved in the long run.

The job overview should focus on the responsibilities and qualifications necessary for the position. However, you may brush up against some other areas of the overall hiring process—formulating the salary range or marketing the position, for instance. Set those topics aside for the time being; you'll get to them eventually. For now, just stick to the description and the skills.

The Benefits of a Good Job Overview

An intriguing benefit of writing a clear, detailed ...