Job descriptions are used for a variety of reasons, such as comparing potential job candidates, the establishment of salary levels, performance reviews, and establishing titles and pay grades. Job descriptions are useful in career planning, offering training exercises, and establishing legal requirements for government compliance purposes. A job description is important to employees, too, not just managers. They are often what employees use as a resource to track their own job performance. Conversely, supervisors can use job descriptions as a measuring tool to ensure that the employees are meeting job expectations.
Read the following article about how to write a job description. While the job in the article is for a farm hand, the four steps are no different than for any other type of employee. For a more complicated position, the steps may take longer to complete, but they are still the same steps completed in the same sequence.
How to. (2019). How to write farm job descriptions. Western Farm Press. Available in the Trident Online Library.
Your First Post:
After reading the article, How to write a farm job description, and viewing the video, Job analysis methods, reflect on your current or previous job and address the following two-part scenario:
Your new HR Manager’s first task is to develop a job description for your current position:
- Describe in detail the required components of the new job description for your current position.
- Critique your own current “real-life” personal job description. Identify any changes required to make it fit into what you actually do in this position. If your current job description accurately reflects your job, approach the question from a different perspective: What changes are needed to make the job description reflect your ideal job?
Support your initial response with at least two (2) high-quality scholarly references from the background readings. If you borrow from subject matter experts (authors, speakers, etc.), give them credit by citing sources in APA format (7th ed.).
Your Subsequent Posts:
Read through the responses by your peers and post responses to at least two classmates' posts. In your 100-word response to each of the two classmates’ discussions, introduce ideas/comments and/or research/readings not mentioned yet. Look for weaknesses in their job description where you would change it in some way, tactfully explaining what you would do differently and why you would change it. Any form of greeting to classmates does not count in the required response word count.
Remember: To receive full credit in this forum, you need to post a minimum of three quality posts (your own initial post and responses to two classmates).
Your discussion contributions will be assessed on the criteria from the grading rubric for this assignment.
Also see Trident guide to APA Style, 7th edition.
Discussion Requirements
In your own words, answer this module's discussion questions in a main post, and respond to at least two classmates’ posts. Your responses should go beyond surface-level comments and demonstrate thoughtful engagement with your peers' ideas.
Minimum Required Word Counts:
Undergraduate | Masters | Doctoral | Video DBs | |
Initial Post Word Count | 200 words | 250 words | 300 words | 3- to 5-minute video |
Response Post Word Count | 100 words | 150 words | 200 words | Per Degree-Level Expectations |
Assignment Details
- Main Post: Respond fully to the discussion question. Be sure to communicate your thoughts clearly and connect your ideas to course concepts or personal experiences where applicable.
- Responses to Classmates: Respond to at least two classmates. Each response should be detailed and contribute meaningfully to the conversation. Avoid brief replies like “I agree” or “Nice post.”
- Use of Learning Resources: At least one of your posts (either the main post or a response) should reference course learning resources and/or peer-reviewed scholarly sources.
- Posting on Multiple Days: Your posts must be made on at least two different days of the module to encourage ongoing participation.
- Main Post Due no later than the First Saturday of the module by 11:59 PM (Pacific Time)
- Response Posts Due: no later than end of module by 11:59 PM (Pacific Time)
Point deductions will be applied to late assignment submissions per the Late Deductions for Assignments policy, published in the Trident Catalog.
Rubrics