Job Description Form Templates
A Job Description Form is an essential part of the recruitment process. Given the massive breadth of possible descriptions a standard, generic form and only a few job specific forms are available. The latter should act as examples to refer to when completing a job description. The form should be provided to candidates prior to the interview to enable adequate preparation and ensure the candidates are fully aware of the responsibilities and expectation of the role. A job description form can help save time and resources for both employers and potential candidates.
What are the benefits of a Job Description Form?
Clarity of Expectations: Job descriptions provide clear and detailed information about the roles and responsibilities of a position. This helps potential candidates understand what will be expected of them if they are hired, reducing confusion and misunderstandings.
Targeted Recruitment: A well-written job description allows recruiters to target specific skills and qualifications required for the position, ensuring that they attract candidates who are the best fit for the role.
Legal Compliance: Job descriptions can help organisations ensure that their hiring practices are in compliance with employment laws and regulations. Clear job descriptions can help avoid discrimination and other legal issues during the hiring process.
Objective Assessment: When evaluating candidates, job descriptions provide a standardised basis for assessing qualifications and suitability for the position. This can help reduce bias in the selection process.
Benchmarking: Job descriptions provide a basis for comparing candidates and their qualifications. Recruiters can use them to assess whether a candidate meets the minimum requirements for a role.
Communication: Job descriptions serve as a communication tool between recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates. They help all parties involved understand the role's scope, responsibilities, and expectations.
Matching Job Application Form Templates are also available to do download.
Each employer/manager/recruiter is best placed to provide the appropriate job description. However, assistance in specifying competencies can be found in the Interview Guidance Notes which provides a list ranging from expertise in the job to problem solving, decision-making and management capabilities. This list of questions and competencies are examples only, and should be amended to suit the specifics of your business and the role for which you are recruiting.
Before preparing and completing a job description form a Recruitment Authorisation Form should be processed and then authorised to ensure each stage of the recruitment process has been completed.
Why subscribe to Employment?
Managing the employment relationship from recruitment to staff leaving can be a complex, onerous and costly task. However, fully compliant procedures and professionally drafted documents can help ensure well-matched employees for the requisite roles, efficient/productive and engaged workforce, and improved levels of employee retention. The wide selection of up-to-date templates within Employment provide a valuable and affordable resource for employers and HR managers. Unlimited downloads within the one year subscription period includes all updates and additions.
Please click on the links below to view and download the available Job Description Form Templates.
Job Description Form Templates is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I legally have to give candidates a job description before interviewing them? +
There is no statutory duty to provide candidates with a standalone job description before interview. However, giving one before interview is good practice: it helps candidates prepare, reduces misunderstanding about the role and supports fair, objective selection. Under the Equality Act 2010 the recruitment process must be free from discrimination from the earliest stage, so any criteria you use must be applied consistently to all candidates. The Simply-Docs Generic Job Description Form gives you a structured starting point for doing this.
Is a detailed job description a legal requirement under UK employment law? +
No, a detailed job description is not a standalone legal requirement, but section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires employers to give every employee and worker a written statement of employment particulars on or before their first day, including the job title or a brief description of the work. A fuller job description is good practice rather than a legal obligation, but it helps with objective selection, reduces discrimination risk and gives the hired person clarity from day one. The Simply-Docs Generic Job Description Form templates provide a ready structure.
How do I make sure my job description does not accidentally discriminate against applicants? +
Keep criteria directly relevant to the job, require only qualifications the role genuinely needs and apply all criteria consistently, because under the Equality Act 2010 recruitment must not disadvantage applicants because of a protected characteristic such as age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity or marriage and civil partnership, from the earliest stage including how a role is described. Avoid subjective language such as 'youthful' or 'mature'. The Simply-Docs Interview Guidance Notes (linked from this page) include a competency framework to help you specify requirements in neutral, objective terms.
I am recruiting for a specific role such as receptionist or sales manager. Should I use the generic template or one of the role-specific examples? +
Whichever form you choose, adapt it to reflect your organisation's needs and the exact duties, competencies and requirements of the role. Where an example exists for your role, use it as a starting point: Simply-Docs offers five role-specific examples covering accounts assistant, receptionist, sales manager, sales representative and waiting staff. For any other role, use the Generic Job Description Form. The page also links to matching Job Application Form Templates for a consistent structure.
What should I do before drafting a job description when I want to fill a vacancy? +
Complete and obtain sign-off on a Recruitment Authorisation Form before writing a job description. This requires the manager to justify the need for the role (for example a replacement or new headcount position) and to consider alternatives such as redistributing duties or using a temporary worker. Authorising first ensures budget and headcount approval are in place before recruitment starts, and it requires a job description as part of that approval. The Simply-Docs Recruitment Authorisation Form is available in the same Employment subscription.
What else do I need alongside a job description to run a fair recruitment process? +
Run recruitment consistently by combining authorisation, standardised applications and a competency framework alongside the job description. Complete a Recruitment Authorisation Form before recruitment begins, collect applicant information using the matching Job Application Form Templates in the same group and assess candidates against the same criteria using the Interview Guidance Notes, which cover problem-solving, decision-making and management capability. Together these support a structured, consistent and legally aware process from approval through to selection.
