A good job description should include a company overview and job overview, as well as an explanation of the associated responsibilities, skills & qualifications, and work environment. Below are some general guidelines for writing each of these sections effectively.
1. COMPANY OVERVIEW
Providing an accurate, concise description of your business is a great way to attract the right employees. Think of this section as an advertisement for your company -- why should prospective employees want to join your team?
Some useful things to include here are:
- Core company values
- Mission statement
- Brief history of your organization
- Anticipated growth
- Business goals
2. JOB OVERVIEW
In a few sentences, describe the purpose, importance, and fundamental qualities of the position being offered. No need to be too specific or comprehensive here -- the idea is to provide a zoomed-out image of the role the applicant would be filling in your company.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES
This is where you’ll outline the specific day-to-day responsibilities of the job. Bullet-point format is typically the most practical way to present this information.
4. NECESSARY SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
List in bulleted format the skills & qualifications that are absolutely essential to this position. Consider as many specific conditions of the job as possible in order to create a complete list of qualifications an applicant must have in order to succeed.
5. PREFERRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
List in bulleted format the skills & qualifications that are not essential, but would make an applicant more eligible for the position being offered.
6. WORK ENVIRONMENT
Describe the environment in which the applicant would be spending most of their time. In this description, include information about:
- Company culture
- Pace of work
- Amount of collaborative vs. independent activity
- Who the employee will report to (or vice versa)
Below is our head chef job description. You can post it as-is to an online job board like ZipRecruiter, or download and customize it to match the unique aspects of your business. Keep in mind that adding a custom company overview and description of the work environment (outlined above) will help you draw in the right applicants.
Head Chef Job Description
Job Overview:
Our restaurant is looking for an experienced head chef to manage all back-of-house operations. The perfect candidate is passionate about blending flavors and dedicated to creating dishes of the highest quality. As our head chef, you will be responsible for managing the kitchen staff and creating delicious, cost-effective dishes. We are seeking a creative head chef who can introduce new and unique dishes to our customers, expanding on our current menu.
Responsibilities:
- Managing kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, and cleanup
- Supervising kitchen staff and delegating responsibilities
- Ensuring consistent food quality
- Managing food and kitchen labor costs
- Educating back-of-house and front-of-house on hygiene regulations
- Keeping kitchen sanitary and ready for health inspection
- Planning menu and creating new dishes
- Placing inventory orders
- Adapting to customer feedback and food cost fluctuation
- Maintaining positive relationships with restaurant vendors
- Collaborating with management to achieve restaurant goals
- Recruiting, hiring, and training kitchen staff
- Implementing a kitchen equipment maintenance plan
Necessary Skills & Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Minimum 3 years previous back-of-house management experience
- Current state-issued food handler’s card
- Reliable transportation
- Previous experience in every kitchen position
- Detail-oriented
- Creative and confident with flavor blending
- Goal-oriented mindset
- Strong leadership skills
- Multitasking skills
- Ability to stand for long periods of time
- Availability to work 40 hours per week
Preferred Skills & Qualifications:
- Associate’s degree in culinary arts or equivalent
Create a free account with ZipRecruiter to post this job description to their online job board.
Post to ZipRecruiterENSURE LEGAL COMPLIANCE
Hiring employees can be an intimidating and time-consuming process, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve created a hiring compliance checklist to help you get over the legal hurdles with ease. From obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to confirming work eligibility, our guide covers everything you need to know.
SET UP PAYROLL
Even if your business only has a few employees, setting up a payroll service can save you time for running your business and also ensure that your company is compliant with important federal requirements, such as employee withholding.
We recommend Gusto, a user-friendly payroll platform for small businesses. Try out their services and get one month free.
ACQUIRE WORKERS' COMP INSURANCE
Workers’ compensation insurance provides financial and legal protection for your business and its employees.
Whether or not you need workers’ comp insurance for your company depends on the nature of the job, the employer-employee relationship, and the unique regulations of your state.