Name:
Action Step 7.1
Create Job Descriptions
Identify specific responsibilities and allocate the time to be spent on them for the
entrepreneur and the management team.
Directions
Read the following and complete the steps below. The outcome of this Action Step will
be information that can be incorporated into job descriptions for the entrepreneur and
key employees.
A job description is a summary of the most important features of a job, including the
general nature of the work performed (duties and responsibilities) and level (skill, effort,
responsibility and working conditions) of the work performed. It sometimes includes job
specifications and employee characteristics required for competent performance of the
job. A well crafted job description should describe and focus on the job itself and not on
any specific individual who might fill the job.
The job description starts with a clear understanding of the goals and objectives for
each particular job. For example, someone in the organization is or wears the hat of the
Human Resource Manager. The goal of this position is to attract the most qualified
employees and match them to the jobs for which they are best suited. A second goal is
to effectively use employee skills, provide training to enhance those skills, and maintain
employees’ satisfaction with working condition and their jobs.
As with any position, there are dozens of responsibilities that could be included in a
person’s scope of work, so a written job description is important for this member of the
team to understand their specific role. One might begin with the following:
On Demand Technologies, Inc.
Human Resources Manager
Job Description
Recruit, interview and hire new employees as requested by the president.
Conduct new employee orientation.
Answer questions relating to benefits, hours worked, vacation
and sick leave policies.
Ensure compliance with the policies, procedures and legal requirements
that have been established with top management.
© 2006 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
FastTrac® GrowthVenture™
Action Step 7.1
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Even the entrepreneur would benefit from a job description. Where is your time spent? What
do you do each day? Is more time spent on one task than is justified? Are you doing the same
job you have authorized someone else to do? Should some of what you do be done by
someone else?
A. Brainstorm goals and objectives of CEO position.
B. Brainstorm tasks. Use index cards to record exactly what you do each day. Create one
card for each activity. For example:
Read
mail
Review Sales
Report
C. Obtain feedback. Use your small groups to review and discuss your tasks, adding cards for
those items suggested by other group members.
D. Sort the cards into categories and create a general description. Use a different color
card or ink for the general description of the activities for each category. For example:
Communicate with
Management Team
Speak with Jim,
Sales Manager
Read and respond
to sales related
e-mails
Review sales
report
© 2006 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
FastTrac® GrowthVenture™
Action Step 7.1
Page 2 of 3
E. Connect tasks with time. Record the category headings in the left column. Determine what
percent of each week’s time should be spent in each of these activities. As you review your
responsibilities and tasks, record any action that comes to mind that would improve your
allocation of responsibilities and tasks.
General Description
© 2006 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Preferred
Allocation
of Time
(% of 40 hours)
FastTrac® GrowthVenture™
Action to Take
Action Step 7.1
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