The Job Profile: a strategic tool at the base of the recruiting processes. Let's see in detail what it is, how it is structured and what are the substantial differences with the Job Description.
When opening a new recruiting process, it is necessary to first evaluate the Job Profile to be searched, the starting point for defining the detailed Job Description of the person who will be included in the company.
Where to start from? What are the substantial differences between these two fundamental tools for the recruiting process?
The Job Profile: what is it about?
Every recruiter who is preparing to open a new selection knows that he will have to start from the Job Profile to be searched: basically, it is a form that contains within it the fundamental information relating to the role psycho-aptitude features, technical-professional requirements and personal elements that define suitable candidates for a given professional position. In fact, it is a tool with which recruiters identify all the characteristics of the professional figure to be selected.In detail, the Job Profile includes:
- Activities and responsibilities;
- Experiences and necessary skills;
- Position within the organization and hierarchical references.
The exact identification of these role characteristic features is fundamental to build a selection process in an effective way, saving time and resources: an in-depth analysis of the psycho-physical characteristics of the person to be sought, together with a careful definition of the technical requirements and skills (separating the must-haves from the nice to haves), is a guarantee of better chances of success in selecting a suitable candidate.
Job Profile and Job Description
Starting from a Job Profile tab, it is possible to completely define a Job Description: these are two closely related tools available to the recruiter in managing a selection.In fact, the Job Description is built starting from the Job Profile, defining the company figure who will cover a specific position precisely from the characteristics identified in the Job Profile.A precise and punctual work during the creation phase of the Job Profile will also be of great help in the subsequent phase of definition of the Job Description.
Job Description: what must not be missing
It is important not to neglect any aspect in writing an effective Job Description.Let's review together what cannot be missing:
- Information about the company (vision and mission, commitment in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability);
- Clear and understandable job title;
- Comprehensive description of duties, responsibilities and duties related to the position;
- Technical requirements and soft skills;
- Hierarchical positioning and main interfaces in the organization;
- Offer in terms of Compensation & Benefit, including tools and working methods.
Job Profile and Job Description: a practical example
There is often a tendency to overlap the two concepts of Job Profile and Job Description or to use them indiscriminately: actually, as we have seen, they are not the same thing but instead two fundamental tools of the recruiter's toolbox to increase the chances of successfully closing a selection. One way to help understanding the differences is to consider a concrete example: imagine opening the selection for a new HR Manager for a company and evaluating responsibilities in the Learning & Development area.In the case of the Job Profile, it will be sufficient to define what are the responsibilities linked to the activities of establishing the company guidelines in the training field in order to create a culture of growth and improvement of staff skills and assign them to the profile to be defined.
The Job Description, on the other hand, will enter into a much greater level of detail, identifying the activities to be carried out one by one (definition of the training and training plans, managing the people, relations with management, cost control, monitoring and follow-up of the actions taken and the management, if necessary, of the team of collaborators in this area).
Job Profile and Job Description: stylistic and communicative choices
Contact with the ideal candidate is simplified by a clear and concise Job Description drafting which will serve to build the Job Posting to be published: it is obvious then that a well-structured Job Profile is the best starting point for successfully completing the search and for presenting the job to the candidate.
Style should not be overlooked: the best candidates prefer clear information, streamlined and understandable texts: too complex contents risk to prevent potential talents from applying to the Job Posting rather than attracting them.Even more important in writing the Job Profile and Job Description is the approach to diversity without any bias: an inclusive approach, which avoids any discrimination, starting from gender, will help to increase the audience of possible candidates with better matching possibilities.
Communication plays a crucial role in creating contact with potential future candidates: we must not forget that Job Posting can be considered a business card of the company, and must therefore be fully aligned in terms of corporate values and culture presenting the organization with transparency and clarity.
