Now to be fair, after reviewing the descriptions provided to me, I went out and began perusing job descriptions on career centers of numerous companies. Wow, they are down right terrible. The level of detail and tactical information that is included it's no wonder our unemployment rate is high. No one I have ever met fits one of these descriptions. They definitely don't "sell" me on the job but rather turn me off and make me lose interest after the first three bullets.
Can you imagine where we would be if we used job descriptions when selecting our spouses or significant others? None of us would be in any type of lasting relationship. I imagine myself sitting down detailing out everything I would want in the "ideal" spouse and there is no way anyone would sign up for that. Let's look at what my description would look like shall we?
- Must be at least 5'10"
- Experience in cooking homemade meals in a timely fashion
- Has to have at least 5 years of experience in fixing "things"
- Needs to have experience operating a lawn mower and snow blower
- At least 2 years of experience taking care of young children
I think you get the picture. Job descriptions have continued to stay so tactical that they don't look at what's really important about individuals. Sure, I could have experience cooking but does that mean I am a fantastic cook? No it doesn't. I could have experience taking care of children but that doesn't mean I really enjoy it. It's time we start building profiles for positions that focus more on the bigger picture of the position. Experience, education and skills are not the best predictors of future performance and potential. Yet so many job descriptions focus primarily on those areas.
How about we change this mindset and start creating something meaningful and engaging for our candidates either internal or external? Then, the reality of us finding someone who is a fit becomes a greater reality. Here is my Profile of an ideal mate:
- Has a passion for creativity in and out of the kitchen
- Doesn't believe in the phrase "If it ain't broke don't fix it"
- Enjoys caring for others and has a strong sense of empathy
- Is open to trying new things
- Enjoys jumping into tasks and getting their hands dirty
I am lucky that I found my perfect companion and perfect job. But here's a little secret for you....I have never seen nor created a job description for my position. Maybe that's the secret to success!
