The primary purpose of a job description is to identify the duties, essential functions and requirements of the position. Job descriptions also serve several other important functions that Mr. Klein failed to take into consideration. A good job description can assess work flow and eliminate duplication of effort and also help assist in the evaluation of the employees' job performance. It should be a statement of what duties and responsibilities the employee is expected to complete and a means for achieving them.
             Job descriptions can also be used as recruitment tools, compensation surveys and other benchmarks tools.
             Job descriptions are used for different purposes by the employee and the Human Resources Department. Human Resources managers, such as Mr. Klein, can use job descriptions for employee training and development and establishing and updating performance standards. It does not need to include extracurricular activities like lunch or midday breaks unless they are directly related to the job. Job descriptions can also be used for succession planning or organizational development to add additional tasks to job positions to help in the growth of the organization as a whole. Lastly, he can also use job descriptions to establish legal guidelines based on what the potential hire will be doing.
             The incumbent employee and job candidate have uses for job surveys. When looking for a job, a candidate can request a copy of the job description at the interview. The candidate can then do research to benchmark the position against its placement in the market, in order to participate in an informed negotiation process. The description should better inform the candidate about what kind of offer to accept from a potential employer.
             Incumbent employees can use a job description as a legal document to negotiate working conditions and compensation.
             Job analysis is the key to writing a good job descriptio...