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6 Practical Steps to Writing Realistic Position Descriptions for Accountants
16 September 2020
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3 minute read
Hands Up - who likes writing Job/Position Descriptions or Person Specs? What; none of you?
No surprises there, but it’s a task that is unfortunately as essential as it is dull. Afterall, if you don’t know what you are looking for in an accounting candidate, how will you know if you have found it?
Similarly, as accounting and bookkeeping jobs change with changing expectations from clients and businesses, then the whole purpose of jobs shift, along with the competencies, skills and tasks associated with success in the job.
Documenting the essential elements of a job with an up to date Job/Position Description enables you to set measurable expectations for the role when writing job advertisements, setting salary bands, conducting performance reviews/appraisals and generally ensuring that jobs are compatible with the aims and objectives of the employer.
So, whether you’re the HR/People person tasked with recruiting and developing talented accountants, the Practice Manager required to run the People/HR stuff as well as your day-job, or Partner/General Manager who wants to take Job Descriptions up a level, click the link below for a practical step-by-step guide, with reusable templates, to make the task a whole lot easier.
Here’s a quick taster of what to consider before writing Position Descriptions for newly created positions and existing jobs:
Defining the Job
The employees you hire can make or break your business. While you may be tempted to hire the first person who walks in the door--"just to get it over with"- doing so can be a fatal error. A small company cannot afford to carry unproductive employees; so start smart by taking time to figure out your staffing needs before you even begin looking for candidates.
Newly Created Position
When it is determined a new position is needed, it is important to:
- Understand and take into consideration strategic goals for the business and/or team. Are there any upcoming changes that may impact this role?
- Conduct a quick analysis of the team’s competencies. Are there any gaps? What core skills are missing from the team? Evaluate the core s kills required now and those which may be needed in the future.
- Conduct a Job Analysis if this position will be new to the business. This will also help to identify skill gaps.
Replacement
When attrition occurs, replacing the role is typically the logical step to take. Before advertising the position, consider the following:
- As with a newly created position, it may be helpful to conduct job analysis in order to tailor the position to what is currently required and to ensure future needs are met.
- Review the role and decide if there are any changes required as certain tasks and responsibilities performed by the previous person may not or should not be performed by the new person.
Carefully evaluate any changes needed for the following:
- Tasks carried out by the previous employee
- Tasks to be removed or added if any of the work will be transferred within the business
- Supervisory or lead responsibility
- Budget responsibility (if any)
- Work hours
- Is there still a requirement for this role at all?
Get the full guide here.
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