By: Mansoor Ali Seelro

HR Graduate
SAP Certified Associate Consultant (SCM)

The Most Important & Critical Step in Hiring Process: JDs as Springboard








I opine and strongly believe "if you want to revamp entire HR revamp Job Descriptions." Job
descriptions are essential to the successful development and implementation of all HR functions
including:
Employee recruiting and selection
Employee orientation
Employee training and development
Establishing job performance standards
Developing compensation programs
Goal setting and performance management
Meeting legal requirements, etc.
So in my opinion, the most critical factor in hiring process is Delineation of Quality Job Descriptions
(JDs). Imagine costs involved in hiring the wrong person. How can we hire the right person? How
can we avoid such costs? Simply by delineating proper job descriptions for every position in our
organization. However, JD is the important prerequisite to all HR programs, but at the moment I
have to establish its relationship with hiring process only. In so doing I assume Person Specification
as part of JD, which is, however, at times considered as its part and sometimes mentioned
separately as evident from many HR books as well.

Remember before embarking upon any piece of recruitment, firstly define your need, evaluate the
job description and put together a person specification. It will assist with the correct focus within
the recruitment process and save both time and money; hopefully resulting in a successful long
term hire to the business.

To recapitulate, Job Descriptions that are carefully delineated help in hiring the right person with
the right set of skills saving in huge costs that would have occurred as a result of hiring the wrong
person in absence of JDs. The critical point is that you cannot develop a successful and strategic
hiring process unless you are clear about what the new hire is going to achieve and what makes him
the right person in doing so.