JD & JS : Job Description & Job Specification : The Differences

Job description and job specification are job documents which are created after the information or data of a job has been gathered and analysed. According to Brian L. Delahaye in his book “Human Resource Development”, these two documents has become the predetermined standard for the performance appraisal as a comparison point for the occupant’s behaviours and abilities.

The differences of these two documents are as follow:

  1.    The job description or best say the desk file “fail meja” is a document which contains a lot of information about the position, such as the position title, position summary, duties, tasks, and responsibilities.

The job specification lists the characteristics such as the knowledge, skill and ability required by one to fill the position, to enable him to carry out his duties and to achieve the predetermined performance indicators.

  2.   The job description contents the general information or an overview of a position. Information such as the relation of one position to the other positions is also included. Such relationship would show who the person reports to, who are the subordinates and who are they working with. Once job description was read, people would get to know what the job or position is about.

Job specification did not content such detail, but job specification would rather elaborate on ‘who and how to’ carry out the duties as said in the job description. For example, position titled ‘Kindergarten teacher’ must have the ability to communicate with children, language knowledge, ability to handle hyperactive kids, kind hearted, friendly, patient and passionate. These are all specific details which would not say in the job description. Once job specification was read, people would get to understand who can perform the job said.

  3.  The outputs expected of the position are listed in job description, and is shown as the performance indicators. But such details are not contented in the job specification; the job specification is more about the characteristics of one person who can perform the job.