Business

Contrast between Job Description and Job Specification

Contrast between Job Description and Job Specification

Job Design is the work arrangement (or rearrangement) aimed at reducing or overcoming job dissatisfaction and employee alienation arising from repetitive and mechanistic tasks. It is important for an organization to perform the organizational activities in the most efficient and effective manner.

The contrast between Job Description and Job Specification –

Job Description: A job description is a written statement describing the general responsibilities and duties of a given position. It should be considered an advertisement for the job as it often lists the results expected from the person in the position and tells to whom the person reports. It may include general working conditions as well. A job description can also be used as a benchmark for bosses to evaluate current employees.

Job Specification: A job specification normally provides a list of the qualifications anyone filling the post should have. These qualifications might include necessary education, previous work experience, and specific skills needed for the position.

Differences between these two are as follows:

  1. While a job description if all about the job and what it entails, a job specification is all about the attributes the management is looking for in the right candidate.
  2. Job description tells you what you must do when selected while job specification tells you what you must have to be selected for a job.
  3. Job description tells all about the tasks and responsibilities expected to be performed whereas job specification tells the level of experiences and skills that a candidate must have to be selected for the job.
  4. It is better to call job specification as employee specification as this is what the organization is looking for in the employees selected has the job.