Job Posting vs. Job Description
Organizations use three essential documents to recruit and retain employees: a job posting, a job description, and a position description. It is often widespread practice to use the three terms interchangeably. However, these documents are distinct and have different applications in business. A job posting is a brief advertisement to entice potential candidates to apply for a position. A job description is a document that details an employee’s high-level duties, responsibilities, and minimum requirements to be successful in that job. A position description goes into greater detail about a position’s day-to-day tasks, duties, and expectations.
Job postings generally include basic company information, high-level job duties, desired qualifications, and regulatory information. Furthermore, job postings may include benefits for joining the company to attract talent.
A job description provides more detailed information, such as required (rather than desired) qualifications and skills for the role. A Job Description outlines an overall job like other jobs on the market. For example, an organization may employ a Content Producer. The Content Producers Job Description will outline the essential tasks required to complete the job and will be easily comparable to Content Producers in other organizations.
A Position Description is a detailed description of the significant responsibilities of a role and how you will assess the employee’s performance in their role against those responsibilities.
Key Elements
| |
Job Posting |
Job Description |
Position Description |
| Purpose |
Informs candidates of a job opening and advertises the job as appealing. To give candidates a taste of what it is like to work for the company and persuade them to join the team. A promotional tool |
Describes the core essential duties and responsibilities assigned to a position and the minimum qualifications required to carry out those duties successfully. Not an advertisement |
Describes the detailed duties of a position that may differ between organizations or departments within an organization. Employers use it to establish expectations and as a guide for performance evaluations. |
| Tone |
Generally written informally to be engaging to candidates |
Informative, high-level duties of a position |
Informative, more detailed, written as a guide for employees and their leaders |
| Audience |
Internal and External |
Internal |
Internal |
| Length |
Brief and to the point to keep the candidate’s attention |
Shorter than a Position Description, longer than a Job Posting |
Longer, meant to detail how an employee can succeed in the position |
| Example of Questions Answered |
What is it like to work at the company? What kind of things will I do in this role? Are my skills a good fit for this role? |
What are the main duties I will spend time on in the role? What qualifications must I have to succeed in this role? What are the minimum qualifications I need for this role? What is the scope of my role? |
What specific tasks will I be doing in this role? What does success look like in this role? What are the working conditions required for task completion? Who will I interact with and report to? |