English 
The question of whether or not a job description is compulsory is a subject of much debate within companies. However, it should be stressed that the job description is a practical and important tool for any organization, including very small ones.
Its purpose: to clearly define and secure the scope of an employee's work within the company. This clarifies the roles and expectations of each employee, making a major contribution to the company's efficiency.
It reflects the employer brand, as it represents the company's image to its employees and to the outside world. It is therefore important to ensure the quality of the document, both in terms of content and form.
It lies at the heart of human resources management and work organization within a company. It enables a more accurate assessment of skills and performance, as well as better management of potential conflicts.
In a legal context, the job description is an essential document in labor law. It ensures that working conditions comply with current legal standards, and that human resources management is effective.
Here are some practical tips to help you draw up a quality job description.
You'll even find templates and examples of effective job descriptions at the end of this article, so stay to the end!
First of all, let's define what a job description is.
1 - What is a job description?
The job description is a useful communication tool for any manager. Although it is not compulsory, contrary to popular belief, it is highly recommended. It defines the job content for each position within the company.
It can be seen as a job's identity card, since it defines an employee's duties, whatever the nature of his or her contract. In this way, it enables each employee to know what his or her duties and responsibilities are.
The job description is more than just a description of the job's characteristics. It must also describe the environment in which the employee will be working.
The job description is then given to the employee when the employment contract is signed.
Our advice: it's important to note that the job description must be updated regularly, particularly if the position (or even the company) changes.
2 - Why write it?
As mentioned above, the job description is an essential communication tool for companies, and especially for recruiters. It greatly facilitates the recruitment process by clearly defining the expectations and requirements of the position to be filled.
As a first step, managers can use the job description to define their staffing needs. At the same time, it can help managers, during annual interviews, to confirm that the tasks set at the start of the process have been fulfilled.
It's a versatile tool that can be used to present the position both internally and externally.
Internally, it facilitates job and carreer planning by helping to plan and organize work. It also helps clarify the skills and qualifications needed to fill the position. This makes it easier to select profiles with potential. However, there are other best practices for assessing potential.
Externally, the job description is an effective HR marketing tool that can help attract the best candidates by presenting the position, benefits and salary on offer. It can then be used to target the most qualified people best suited to the position to be filled.
3 - What should a job description contain?
There is no legal requirement for a job description. Its content is left to the company's imagination. Give your creativity free rein!
To make it effective, here are the elements we recommend you include:
- the job title: this should be clear and precise, so that the position can be easily identified within the company.
- a detailed description of the proposed tasks and activities: this will specify the tasks the employee must perform on a daily basis and the objectives they must achieve.
- skills and qualifications required: the soft skills and technical skills needed to succeed in the job.
- working conditions: it is important to specify working hours, frequency of travel, remuneration, etc.
- access to the position and conditions of employment: the criteria for selecting candidates must be clearly defined, as must the conditions of employment and administrative procedures.
- job-related difficulties: it is important to identify any difficulties the employee may encounter in the course of his or her work, in order to provide the necessary support.
- professional relations: it's important to specify the position's hierarchical and functional links, as well as the contacts (internal and external) with whom the employee will be working.
- position in the organization chart.
Our advice: it's important to take the time to draw up this sheet carefully and rigorously, because in the event of a dispute, the Conseil des prud'hommes could examine it very carefully. Finally, note that this list is not exhaustive, and that other elements can be added according to the company's specific needs.
4 - How to write an effective job description?
As far as the author is concerned, there are no legal requirements. Writing a job description is an important task that can be carried out by managers and the human resources department.
They often have the necessary knowledge of the requirements of the position to be filled and the skills needed by the ideal candidate.
Our advice: carry out a thorough job analysis to fully understand the tasks and responsibilities of the position. This can be done by studying job situations, or by observing the work directly in the field. This approach will help you better understand the requirements of the job, and identify the skills and qualities needed to succeed in the position.
5 - Examples of job descriptions
There are a number of job description templates that can be used as a basis for writing an effective job description.
Below, we present two examples for all types of job: a classic template and a much more trendy and modern template in the colors of Yuzu.
By using these templates and customizing them, you'll be able to create a complete and effective job description for any profession.
The classic template presents the key elements of the job description, such as the job description, the main tasks and responsibilities, the skills required, the evaluation criteria and information about the company and the position.
Download our classic job description template
The modern template is much more fashionable and uses an attractive design to highlight important information. It also includes additional sections such as company values and professional development opportunities.
Download our modern job description template
Using these different examples as a reference, you can draw up a job description tailored to the specific needs of your company and the position to be filled.
Don't forget that a well-written job description will help you to improve your job advertisement, which will be a good way to enhance your candidate experience and potentially succeed in your recruitment.
Conclusion
Writing an effective job description is really important for any company looking to recruit a new team member. To write an effective job description, it's crucial to carry out a thorough analysis of the tasks and responsibilities associated with the position, as well as the skills and qualities needed to succeed in the job.
It is advisable to work in close collaboration with company professionals who have operational knowledge of the job, in order to draw up a precise, detailed job description.
The two job description templates (simple and modern) presented in this article can serve as a starting point. However, it's important to think about personalizing your job description to promote your corporate culture.
A well-written job description will attract qualified candidates and ensure that newly recruited employees have the skills and qualities needed to succeed in their role.
Don't hesitate to use our tips to help you write a quality job description! After that, you'll need to know whether your candidate is motivated or not. Luckily, here's an article on how to assess your candidates' motivation.