In a traditional job description, the focus is on the duties. How often have you seen a job description that simply lists all the items the employee is to “do”? However, that type of job description misses the why of work. On the other hand, a Results-Oriented Job Profile focuses on the purpose (the results) of the job activities, taking into account where the job fits into the overall scheme of the organization and how the job contributes to the department’s goals.
Managers and employees alike find that the addition of results in a job profile clarifies the purpose of the duties. The duties then become more meaningful, and the employee has a much better understanding of why the work is important. Knowing the intended results actually allows the employee to discover new ways to accomplish the job as a whole.
Educating and instructing employees about the responsibilities of the job is the whole purpose of any job profile, and the Results-Oriented Job Profiles starts with the answer by telling the employee, “This is where you need to be…and this is how to get there.”
Now, that you have some understanding of why a job profile is important, you are ready to write a Results-Oriented Job Profile. You may find the worksheet “How to Write a Results-Oriented Job Profile” helpful as it leads you step by step through the process.
Job Profile Worksheet
