Job Description vs Job Posting

Employers often have trouble understanding the difference between job descriptions and job postings. While both are essential tools used in the hiring process, each document serves a different purpose. In this blog post, we will outline what job descriptions and job postings are. We will then outline uses for job descriptions and uses for job postings.

What is a job description, and what is a job posting?

Simply put, a job description is a company's internal document that outlines a role's responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations; whereas, a job posting is an external document used to attract candidates. Hiring managers typically publish job postings on job boards or company websites.

Job Descriptions are for Internal Use

How can you figure out what everyone is doing at your company and how it connects to what everyone else is doing? Who's in command? What about when it comes to determining how much you should pay each person? And, of course, there's the question of whether you comply with corporate standards and employment laws. 

Companies employ a job description as an internal reference and compliance document. It's a comprehensive description of a position, including its roles and responsibilities, where it sits on the organizational chart and lists the experience, educational requirements and skills required for the role. 

A job description can help an employer and a potential employee understand each other's expectations. It aids in setting salaries, performance evaluations, defining advancement prospects, and adhering to internal and external regulations. It's recommended that organizations maintain an archive of all their complete job descriptions as they are revised.

Job Postings are for External Use

How do you notify the public about an open position at your company? How can you describe a job without pasting the entire internal job description? 

A job post or ad states information about your company and the available position. However, it does it in a more concise, consumable form that sells the role to potential applicants better than the job description will. Look at it as the recruitment marketing equivalent of a job description. The content is somewhat different, as well as how you create the document and where you post it. 

A job posting goes into detail about the role you're hiring for and provides information about what it takes to fill that position. It also includes a general overview of compensation, benefits, and perks.