All organisations either private or public need staff to fill new jobs and to replace staff who leave. Sometimes employees are promoted to a higher level job within their organisation hence creating a vacancy. Other times, new staff are brought in from outside. This may be because the new job is at the bottom level or because existing staff do not have the specialist skills that are needed. In addition, new staff bring in new experiences and knowledge to the entity. For these fundementals, job vacancy arises and the process of drafting an advert commences.
Job descriptions and person specifications
To draft a job advert, these two documents are part of the standard recruitment process of most large organisations. This process starts when a vacancy is agreed and ends when a candidate is appointed for the job. For this reason, employers often send a copy of the job description and the person specification to all applicants or is incorporated in an advert and dispatched to mainstream media.
Job Description Document
This document is normally prepared before the vacancy is advertised and can be done in one of three ways.
By department-Staff in the department where the vacancy has occurred may draw up a description of what the job entails. This enables any skills the department may be lacking to be identified. It also allows departmental staff to contribute ideas and suggestions.
By job holder-The person who is currently doing the job may list the tasks and duties that are involved. The benefit of this method is that the current job holder will know the job better than anyone. The disadvantage is that this may not allow for changes to the current role to be made.
By internal research-In some cases, the current job holder is interviewed to find out what is involved. This may be carried out by the holder’s technical manager or by the human resources department. The advantage is that it takes account of the views of the current job holder but also allows for additional input by a specialist. This is useful if the vacancy is going to be used as an opportunity to change the job role slightly.
Contents of a job description
Job descriptions summarise all the basic scientific facts about a particular job and the role and scope of the job holder. They should help applicants to understand exactly what type of work they will be asked to do and thus align their resume/curriculum vitae accordly. They also state the salary level.
Contents of a person specification
This lists the essential and desirable qualifications, skills and attributes of the person required. Preparing this document enables the employer to think about the type of person who would be best suited for the job. It also makes it easier to highlight the essential and desirable qualities clearly in the advertisement. Applications are compared and the applicants chosen for interview are normally those who have all the essential requirements and several of the desirable ones, too. So, its prundent for one to actualize his accademics into professionalism during attachments.
Depending upon the type of vacancy it may include information on: attaiments, for example, accademic and professional qualificationsspecial aptitudes, for example, numeracyinterests and hobbies of the candidatepersonal qualities/disposition, for example leadership qualities and ingenuityfrexibility, for example whether able to travel or relocatepersonal initiatives, for example, what the candidate should be able to do
Job Application
Employers vary both in the way they advertise jobs and in their application process. To some, you may have to phone for a job description and person specification or you downroad from online. Others demands you to sent an application form without a Curriculum Vitae and others you may need to send your CV and a covering letter of application while going contrary may lead to automatic disqualifications. For this reason it is very important to read all the instructions in an advert very carefully and adhere to them accordly.
Job advert is a dispatch to announce a vacancy by prospective employer. And mostly consist the following parts derived from job descriptions and person specifications.
The Preamble Part
This is an introduction part, precisely highlighting the employer’s business fundamentals and strategic plan, quoting statutory acts incase it is a public sector,and for informal sector, whether it is unicorporated or incorporated entity.Some prospective employers introduces by defining in brief why they need to fill these vacancy in this part also.
The purpose of this is part is to informs that the job is legal, decent and ethical.
Job Summary Part
This is a brief statement part, defining the position of the advertised cadre within the management scholar chain; and its duties and responsibilities in a broad objective perspective.
It is important part for a job applicant to discern and comprehend administration structure of his or her prospective employer.
Mandate and Tasks Part
This part lists and outlines duties and resposibilities of the job holder.
Different wordings like; specific job responsibilities, key responsibilities, main duties, accountabilities are used but more or less means the same thing.
This part forms the base of Cover letter
It is also prudent for the job applicate to note that most of proding initiative open-ended questions will emanate from this part during the interview session.
Educational Background And Prerequisite Qualification Part
This part, gives job seeker directions on how to draft and write his/her curriculum vitae/ resume.So,it is important to align your resume with specifications given.
NB The education both basic and post basic coupled with proffessional qualifaction should be outlined in a reverse chronologocal order.
Modes of application
This part outlines application criteria or process, civic requirements, address of the contact person to be addresses to and procedure and guidelines within a set time frame.
Methods Of Job Advertisement.
Internal Advertising
Many employers advertise internally, depending on the job on offer and the policy of the business. Balancing the need to reward internally(by promotion) with the need to tranfuse new ideas and new approaches from outside into the business, is an area of management that requires considerable judgement. The commonest ways of internal advertising are staff bulletins, notice boards, and circulating copies of advertisements to each section or department.
External Advertising
Ways of Advertising externally are: -:The local and national press advertising in national papers is expensive, but for senior jobs where the widest possible field is required the cost is justified by alerting a very wide market to the available post -:Specialist journals- trade and proffesional
These are two platforms that are frequently used because the press and journals have expert staff who assist advertisers with layout and with knowledge of circulation and re-ordering of the publications -:Recruitment agencies and consulstants
This method has become more widespread in recent years, demonstrating the willingness of business to use the specialist services available from the agencies. When a business is looking for a particularly importnat post to be filled, and actively purses candidates without first having been approached by them the process is known as ‘head hunting’ -: Schools, colleges and universities
This source of candidates can be tapped either by printed material of by visits to give talks and create a favourable image or by specific recruitment visits. Increasingly, educational institutions tend to organise career conventions as a means by which potential candidates and employees can meet(someimes referred to as ‘the milk round’). Many employees have professionally designed and highly prtable displays which can be taken to any organised convention. Such displays are also used within the company for various image-enhancing purposes, such as visits to the work place by organised groups.
Local shops and personal contacts
Many small business will rely upon advertisements in local shops or simple word of mouth to all vacancies. many part-time jobs are also filled this way.
Department of Labour
The ministry of labour can assist employers find suitable candindates through various schemes. A common methos is the Job Shop, where advertisements are displayed on postcards and help is vailab;e from officials publishing vacancies using the media necessities sending out information to applicants to applicants- usually an application form and ‘further particulars’ relating to the job and business.
Letters of Job Application
Letters of job application can be from job seeker own innitiative or a response to a job advert. In British style, most employers will expect you to write a letter of application enclosed with a Curriculum Vitae (CV). This formal letter act like a marketing tool to prospective employer to sample your CV or resume. In other words, the letter must be professionally drafted to corresponds with the job advert.
The key points to note include the following.
-Use a standard business letter format with your address in the top right-hand corner and employer’s provided address at left side just below yours and don’t forget the date.
Salutation: To address someone whose name you do not know you can write;
Dear Sir
Dear Madam
Dear Sirs
Dear Sir/Madam
To whom it may concern. To address someone by name, use their title and surname:
Dear Dr. Tigo not Dear Dr. Peter Tigo.
-Keep the letter short of three or four paragraphs at most, with a clear beginning, middle and ending.
-The first paragraph should focus on why you are applying for this particular job. For example: “I am writing to apply for the position of graphic designer advertised in the Daily Post of 29 June. Please find enclosed a copy of my CV.”
-The second paragraph should give some general background information about yourself at school, college or work. Start with the recent certificate attained, for example; “I have a degree in Grahpic Design from Nairobi University.”
-The third paragraph should link your skills and achievements to the essential and desirable requirements in the person specification or advertisement. For example; “Since graduation last year I have been working for Times Printers on a contract basis. I have particularly interested in interactive and branding work and now wish to develop my career in that direction. I would welcome the chance to work as part of a small, dynamic team where I could make a significant contribution while developing my skills a notch higher. I would be grateful to show you a portfolio of my work.”
-The final paragraph should end: In American English you use;Sincerely
Sincerely Yours
Yours Truly
In British English you should write:
Yours sincerely If you have addressed the person by name, Yours faithfully if you have begun the letter Dear Sir/Madam.
Curriculum Vitae
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a summary about you and your achievements which can drafted either on a British style or on an American style. It must look professional so you should send an original printout on good quality white A4 paper. Your CV should be divided into different sections under clear headings to capture the following information.
Your personal contacts-Your name, address, nationality and phone number are crucial. Most people put their date of birth and their email address plus marital status.
Education/Qualifications-This should be in date order with the most recent qualification/course first, that I mean reverse chronological order. Include the school or college, dates attended, qualifications obtained, or examinations taken where you are still awaiting the result.
Employment/Experience-This should also be in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job first. Give a brief example of what you did. If you are a full-time learner, include part-time or temporary jobs you have undertaken.
Other relevant supportive information-This section can be used to make your CV stand out from the rest. Include any personal initiatives you have undertaken, skills attained, other languages learnt, sports for they parts in products promotions, voluntary work or organisations to which you belong and driving licence if you have obtained it.
Referees-It is usual to give two names of who you trust. One should be your last supervicor who had reccommended from his or her own mottion. Ideally, your other referee will know how you work in business. Always ask a referee for permission before you include their names.