Truth in Advertising

     You are a newly promoted mid-level manager in a large mixed transport/emergency service ambulance agency operating in multiple counties. At your monthly supervisors' meeting, the regional director advises you that you will be working on an important recruitment project to fill several interfacility EMT positions that have been intermittently vacant for a year. Touching base with Human Resources to clarify application procedures, you find out that these positions have been periodically filled with personnel, but that the candidates rarely last more than a couple of weeks. Curious as to why these spots pose a retention problem, you visit the Transport Supervisor and discover that the 0700–1900 shifts are predominantly assigned to cover a county government campus with a medical center, outpatient clinics and jail facility. In addition to the work with the clinics, the EMTs placed there are expected to bring prisoners back and forth between the jail infirmary and the hospital several times a day for medical care. Evidently several EMTs who were hired for this shift complained that they were never told they'd have to work with prisoners and subsequently resigned. It seems Human Resources advertises for the position of EMT-Basic, telling applicants of the hours, benefits and salary range--but not the type or location of the work required.

Introduction
     Like many other policies, procedures and documents you create as a manager, writing functional job descriptions is a task that requires focus and time to perfect. A functional job description represents a list of functions and responsibilities required in a particular position. Prior to writing the job description for a particular position, it is important to spend some time evaluating the current job description (if there is one) or the responsibilities of the position. Writing a job description should be part of an overall strategic planning process for your organization.

Components of a Description
     Job descriptions can be created in several formats. However, in order to write a functional job description, the following elements must be included:

• Title (organizational and functional)
• Description (role of position in the organization)
• Requirements (knowledge, skills, abilities)
• List of functional performance standards.
  As manager, it is best to think these areas through carefully to ensure all points described meet your organization's requirements for the job.

Job Titles
     The job title you select is the first impression a potential candidate will have of the job and your organizational needs. The manager should carefully consider what the title of the position should be. The job-seeker reviewing hundreds of job listings should be drawn to your company based on a desirable title. Emergency Medical Technician is more desirable than staff EMT. The word staff connotes ordinary and routine, common, like others. Additionally, the title will be used for resumes and signature blocks--and it will be how this employee represents your company.

     However, be careful not to select a general title when a position requires a specific subset of responsibilities or is assigned to a certain task or location. In these cases a functional title should accompany the official title. Consider this example from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health:

     Official Title-Program Manager VII
     Functional Title-Director, Office of Emergency Medical Services.

Description
     The description section is a summary of what a person does in this particular position. An applicant should be clear on whom they'll report to, what their primary functions will be, what standards or laws govern the position and what time commitment they're expected to fill. For example: Under the direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is responsible for providing prehospital care as directed pursuant to public-health law. The EMT is expected to work 12-hour shifts for a minimum of 36 hours per week.