Job description and job specification are often used interchangeably; however, there is a subtle difference between both of them. There exist a lot of differences between the terms. Job Description & Job Specification s related to a process called Job Analysis.

Job Analysis is a process of the systematic study of a specific job that will determine the personal features that are important to an employee to do their job effectively. This involves collecting the necessary facts or functions that are connected to a specific job.

What’s Job Description?

Job description means to get the complete job details in the written format stating their role, duties, responsibilities, job location, job title, and more. It is generally done by the HR manager to invite new applications from their prospective candidates when filling up the job position.

The job description includes the most relevant information about the post or position in a company. This includes the following:

Job Description Components

• Job Title means the vacant post name
• Responsibilities & Duties are the lists of different job-related activities that a candidate will have to perform or take account of their actions.
• Job Location is a branch of company where a candidate is posted after their selection.
• Role refers to an arena of work or how their responsibilities will be fulfilled, which is defined by a company.
• Incentives refer to the commission & remuneration linked with the targets attained.
• Allowances are other benefits or expenses that a company pays for the candidate.
• Salary is a pay scale which company will offer for a particular job. It could or could not be negotiable.

What’s Job Specification?

The job specification is a written declaration or announcement of the skills, attributes, educational qualifications, knowledge, and experience that a candidate should have to perform the job.

After preparing the job description, the manager checks the necessary abilities as well as attributes required for accomplishing a particular task and drafts the job specification.

Job specification encompasses human qualities important for the job and involves the following elements:

Job Specification Components

• Skills Needed refer to the set of special skills and abilities that are important for the right execution of a given task. The company might not ask for any certificate of training or course from the candidates in such skills.
• Experience is the details of their past & present employment and association of a candidate, which includes the name of a company, duration, post, job profile, salary package, and more.
• Educational Qualification states the specific need for academic knowledge of the selected candidate. This includes their school education, graduate and post-graduation, or other qualifications that he holds any degree and mark sheet.

Difference between Job Description and Job Specification

Differences	Job Description	Job Specification
Definition	Describes a job	Describes job requirement
Origin	Job analysis	Job description
Objective	Explaining about the job	Explaining right fit for the job holder
Application	Clearing arguments in the overlapping duties	Promotions, rewarding and transfers
Content	Duties & responsibilities	Qualification & experience

Difference between the job description & job specification will be seen clearly on the following grounds:

• In Job Description, the descriptive statement will describe the responsibility, role, duties, as well as the scope of the job. The job specification states the minimum qualifications needed for performing the job.
• The job description is an outcome of the Job Analysis whereas Job specification is a result of the Job Description.
• Job Description will describe jobs and Job Specification describes the jobholders.
• The job description is a summary of what a candidate can do after being selected. On the other hand, Job Specification will be the statement showing what an individual should have to get selected.
• Job Description has a designation, workplace, working hours, scope, reporting authority, salary range, responsibilities, and more. Conversely, Job Specification has educational qualifications, skills, experience, age, knowledge, work orientation factors, abilities, and more.

Image Source

The Comparison

Know the Meaning

Job description means a declaration of the given duties, responsibilities, or tasks that are a part of the specific job. This is the descriptive statement, which systematically presents comprehensive info about the job. And job specification links document that lists the lowest qualifications, experience, and skills that a person must have to get recruited for the given job.

Checking the Origin

Job description derives from the job analysis, whereas job specification is made based on the job description.

What it Describes

The job description will present the overview of what a candidate has to do after getting selected for a job, while job specification, and generally refers to qualities a candidate must have to get chosen for a job. So, job description presents the description of jobs, while job specification presents the description of a job holder.

Comes With

Job description generally includes the summary, job title, job responsibilities & duties, working conditions, reporting authority, salary, and more. Job specification includes criteria for choosing the employees for some job, for instance, age, qualifications, training, experience, mental abilities, and more.

Benefits

Through the detailed job description, management can assess the job performance of a candidate and determine any training needed by employees. And, job specification plays a very important role in helping the candidate to apply for some job to decide if they fulfill their criteria needed for the job.

Significance

The job description is important for organizations since it helps them to determine the specific roles of the employees. And, job specification allows management to take proper decisions on different issues, like increment, bonus, transfers, promotion, and more.

Sum Up

Job description & job specification are an important process for any organizations that are looking to hire competent individuals. When defined job descriptions & job specifications need to be in place, it’s ensured that the right fit for the job is hired. The job description ensures companies can find highly appropriate candidates for a job. This explains the requirements of the job opening & tasks that an employee will be assigned.

Even Job specification plays an important role in checking the eligibility criteria of the job. It ensures an individual having the required qualifications or skills can apply for a job. Additionally, it allows an organization to do a performance analysis or evaluation of an employee.