Create a well-written job description for a Forensic Science Technician position. Assignment: 1. Complete all chapter readings from your textbook. 2. Create a job description - use the template provided (see below) Components Of A Job Description A job description need not account for every task that might ever be done. Here are the most critical components of a good job description. http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2012/02/15/5-critical- components-every-job-description-must-contain/ 1. Heading information. This should include job title, job #, pay grade or range, (or exempt or non-exempt - a SPECIFIC wage ($$) should NOT be listed on the job description) reporting relationship (by position, not individual name), hours or shifts, and the likelihood of overtime or weekend work. 2. Summary objective of the job. List the general responsibilities and descriptions of key tasks and their purpose, relationships with customers, coworkers, and others, and the results expected of incumbent employees. A high-level overview of the job (do not use terms such as I, Me, Her, Him, etc.) 3. Qualifications. State the education, experience, training, and technical skills necessary for entry into this job. 4. Special demands. This should include any extraordinary conditions applicable to the job (for example, heavy lifting, and exposure to temperature extremes, prolonged standing, or travel). 5. Job duties and responsibilities. Only two features of job responsibility are important: identifying tasks that comprise about 90 to 95 percent of the work done and listing tasks in order of the time consumed (or, sometimes, in order of importance). The first task listed should be the most important or time-consuming one, and so on. It's more important to list what must be performed and accomplished than how, if there is more than one way to do it. Being too specific on how to accomplish a duty could lead to ADA issues when an employee asks for accommodation. Researching Content for your Job Description In most companies, jobs already exist, and writing the job description for a particular job for the first time or revising it is based primarily on input from the supervisor and employees in the position. However, when a job description is being created for an entirely new job or a substantial redesign of an existing job, the input must be obtained from other sources. Besides the sources indicated in your textbook under job analysis, good sources of information are job descriptions for similar jobs at other companies, want ads for similar positions, and websites. In writing your job description for the course project, you probably want to utilize sources such as these. "O-Net" http://www.onetonline.org. Enter the job title you are researching. Click on "Details" to obtain the job duty information you are seeking. America's Career Information Network www.acinet.org. This site is part of the Department of Labor and is an electronic resource containing the information in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles in easily searchable form. It is an excellent starting point to get typical duties, requirements (knowledge, skills, and abilities), wage information, and career outlooks for over 20,000 jobs. o Once you enter a job title, click on "Wages and Trends" to get both duties and wage information, and under "What it Takes" you get Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities". As the site repeatedly warns, this is very general information typical to the type of job. It must be tailored to the specific job in a specific company. Occupational Outlook Handbook http://stats.bls.gov/oco. This is also a Department of Labor site that gives job information in a slightly different format. Tips To Improve Your Job Description: 1. Don't copy/paste job information directly from a website - this is plagiarism. Re- state in your own words. Also, review the material you are using... some info may not relate to your job. 2. Pay Status????? Do not list wages. Make a determination whether your position is eligible for overtime (non-exempt or overtime eligible). If your position does not receive overtime pay, then the position is considered Exempt. You will need to conduct some research to ensure you know which to choose. 2

3. Revised Date vs. Create Date - Two separate dates. Create date never changes. Revised date only changes when you update the job description. 4. General Summary - High-level overview of the job. Company information is not listed in this section. 5. Essential Job Functions - Written in statements that are terse, direct, and simply worded. Sentences begin with a verb written in the present tense (directs, maintains, sorts, supervises, writes, translates, etc.). Create a bullet list of tasks --- list tasks in order of importance. A paragraph of info is difficult to read and not acceptable. 6. Understand the differences between: a. Knowledge - Memory of Facts and Principles (break down into bullet points) b. Skills - Proficiency at performing a particular act (hard skill i.e. typing, answering phones, forklift operations, filing, supervisory experience, operating different types of software programs), (break down into bullet points) c. Abilities - competence in an activity or occupation; talents, aptitudes (soft skills (i.e. multi-tasking, critical thinking, problem-solving). (Break down into bullet points. 7. Experience - number of months/years required or preferred working in a similar job. 8. Education - What type of degree is required or preferred (i.e. High School diploma or GED equivalent)