Creating an Effective Government Jobs Description

Finding the right person for a particular position can depend heavily on how the job description is created. If federal job descriptions are vague or incomplete, the human resources team or hiring manager may waste time attracting unqualified candidates. In addition, candidates that are a good fit may not apply for a particular position. When constructing a job description for a government job, make sure to include important information.

Government Jobs Description

A government job description is designed to outline what position is available in a particular department. When constructed correctly, it should attract quality, interested candidates. Within the job description, the individual can learn what qualities an employer would want in a candidate. When designing a description, it is important to receive feedback from the direct supervisor or any involved team members. In order to get the most qualified individual to fill the position, the description should be comprehensive in order to ensure a strong applicant pool.

How to Write a Position Description Federal

The federal government job descriptions should contain important information and also be concise according to If a position description is too long or contains unnecessary information, you run the risk of turning off potential candidates. Your position description should have a clear, enticing title that encourages the individual to click on the job description and attracts quality applicants. For all departments, the hiring process can be very expensive. Considering that in early 2019, the US government signed a decree on raising wages to all federal workers by 1.9%, the total amount of expenses for the process of hiring employees will increase significantly: According to Forbes, the hiring and training process can cost over $40,000 for most large companies. A strong position description can rule out unqualified candidates. After creating an engaging title, there is other information to include within the job description.

Education or any required specialized training: Documenting the required education level is very important when writing us government job descriptions. If you believe that the job description requires an education level higher than a high school diploma, then this should be written in the description. Some positions may also require some specialized training or licenses which should also be included. If the position requires the individual to know particular computer software, you should include that requirement also. 

Salary Information: Including salary information is very important when constructing position description for federal jobs. If you do not include this information, you run the risk of wasting time on a candidate who may have different salary requirements. Within the salary section, you may want to include other perks such as the availability of health insurance, vacation days and sick time.

Work experience: Relevant work experience is a very important indicator for success in a particular job. If the person lacks relevant experience, then the training process will be long and arduous. Within the job description, make sure to outline how many years experience the person should have. Does this particular person need supervisory experience? You do not want to run the risk of hiring an unqualified candidate, only to have to replace him or her months later. You should try to make this section informative but also brief.

Describe the Position: When attracting quality candidates, make sure to describe the position accurately. What will the position entail? Will the position require the person to work independently or will he or she work in a collaborative environment? Also, if there is mandatory overtime, this should be included in the job description. Accurately describing the position will also make sure you attract the best candidates. However, be careful and only include high level responsibilities. You should not include a long list of responsibilities within the job description because it can turn off certain candidates. You may want to include the dress code within the working environment also.

Location: When creating a job description, you also want to include the location in the position description. You do not want applicants to apply for a job who live 3000 miles away from the position. If the person is able to telecommute, then this could be enticing for some and should also be included in the description. 

Background Check: For most federal government jobs, the individual will need to pass a background check. You should make sure that the applicants know that they will be subjected to a background check and therefore should have a clean record. 

Explain the Application Process: At the end of the government positions descriptions, make sure to explain the process for applying for the job. If the person should send their resume to a particular destination, make sure to include an email or mailing address. In many instances, the federal government may want the applicant to fill out an application online or in person so make sure to include the link in the job description. If the particular job is a civil service position, include in the position description that he or she may need to take a qualifying test. 

When writing position descriptions for federal jobs, you want to make sure you include all of the pertinent information. According to Workable, try and make the position sound as interesting as possible. Make sure you take your time and review the position description before submitting it online or in the newspaper. Since the hiring process can be long and expensive, you want to make sure to find a qualified candidate that will do a good job in that particular position. 

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