By Amy Johnson (LDS 406)

Information contained in this article is not original and is from numerous sources; a version of this article can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-hire-diversity-without-compromise-lou-adler and https://paf-resources.com/performance-vs-skills-based-job-descriptions.

You have an open position on your team, and you are looking for the “perfect” candidate with skills X, Y, and Z. But after reviewing the 100th résumé, you begin to get nervous that, although the candidates presented have the right skill set, they ultimately may not be a good fit for your organization: a Type A valedictorian may not necessarily perfectly execute his or her job duties. According to Lou Adler, CEO of The Adler Group, “A list of skills … and personality traits is not a job description. It’s a person description. Just because a person has all of the skills and abilities listed, it doesn’t mean the person is both competent and motivated to do the work required.” 
 
Why are you failing to attract the types of professionals you seek? The first step of writing a great job description is deciding which type of job description to use: skills based or performance based. What exactly is the difference, and why does it matter? Traditional job descriptions can prevent people from consideration unless they are referred or already known by the people making the hiring decisions. 

• Skills-based job descriptions focus on a desired set of skills for the job. It might include a specific degree, character traits, and certifications held. This is the most common type of job description and has been standard over the years when searching for new hires. It ensures that candidates who possess these preferred skills and traits will be represented in the majority of résumés received. 
• Performance-based job descriptions focus on outlining the expected results and end goal of a position. Performance-based job descriptions help identify what is wanted out of a position and ensures that clear expectations for this role are established at the forefront; this way, the person hired can surely “close the deal” based on his or her prior experience. Using this type of description changes the conversation from What you can do [on paper]? to What have you done already? Ultimately, you’re judging each candidate not based on the technical skills they have on paper but rather what they do with what they have.  

Here’s how to make the shift:  

• When opening a new job, ask the hiring manager what the person hired needs to do over the course of the first year that would define success. Most jobs can be defined with five to six performance objectives, or KPOs (key performance objectives), that outline the task, the action required, and some deliverable. 
  
• Convert all critical skills and competencies into performance objectives by asking, “How is that (requirement) actually used on the job?”
• Develop additional short-term performance objectives by asking, “What does the person need to do in the first 30, 60, and 90 days to ensure that all of the major KPOs will be achieved as planned?”  

The next time you compose a job description, first decide which type of description should be used based on your company’s needs. You, as the hiring manager, can ask yourself a couple questions when choosing which job description to use. For example: Is there a skill set you are unwilling to compromise over? Are you hiring an entry- or a staff-level professional? 

If you answer “yes” to the first question, then going the traditional route is probably your best option. It will guarantee finding someone who meets your explicit qualifications. If you answer “no” to either of these questions, then a performance-based posting might be the way to go. Performance-based job descriptions are commonly utilized to identify senior professionals whose primary focus is the application of technical knowledge and the ability to successfully implement projects to improve a company’s overall financial return. 

Whether an employer decides on a traditional job description or an alternative performance-based posting, it is essential that the organization knows not only what it wants, but what it needs. The way an employer frames its job listings can be an essential step in hiring the right candidate for the position. 
 
Finding qualified candidates who make great additions to a team is crucial to ensuring overall retention, and it begins with composing and posting a great job description. The traditional route of writing a skills-based job description guarantees that desired skills and traits will be brought in with the résumés; however, this does not ensure that the candidate will be able to produce the desired results. The alternative performance-based job descriptions generally produce professionals who can truly generate the desired results, but the skill set may come in a different form.