Let’s be honest, the hiring process can be downright confusing.
You need to know the exact kind of employee you’re looking for, stick within an allotted budget, get buy-in from key stakeholders, and somehow get your desired candidate over the finish line.
Although there’s a lot to keep in mind, you don’t want to be trying to remember key details about the role and its purpose as you move from step to step.
That’s where completing a job requisition comes in.
A job requisition helps you articulate the purpose and mandate of a proposed role, including why it’s necessary, and the key details about how it will fit in your organization.
Whether you’re a recruiter, HR business partner, hiring manager, or department head in charge of finding a new hire, it’s vital to understand what a job requisition (job req) is and the purpose it serves.
It’s also crucial to know the differences between job requisitions, job descriptions, and job postings.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to write a strong job requisition, and how the process can set you up for good hiring.
What is a job requisition?
A job requisition, also called a job req, is a formal request to create a new job position. It’s typically the first step in the hiring process, so it should be created before drafting a job description.
Your job requisition should include key elements about the vacancy, such as the job title, salary range, responsibilities, start date, and hiring needs.
This internal document will also state whether the job is full-time or part-time, and so on. It is created before your job description.
The difference between job requisitions, job descriptions, and job posts
Before we delve further into this topic, you may be wondering what the difference is between a job requisition, job description, and job post. Here’s what you need to know about each of them.
Job requisition definition
The first step in the hiring process, a job requisition is an internal document that outlines the basics of the job role. It starts out as a requisition form that managers complete, detailing their specifications for the new hire.
Job description definition
Next up, the job description goes into more detail about the job role. It includes important information about the position and the skill-set that new employees will need. The HR department will use a job description to determine the exact responsibilities of the role itself.
Job posts/job posting definition
When the scope of the new position is clear, the job posting is the final text that candidates see. It shares everything that you need to know about the new position. The HR team will use attractive language to draw in potential employees.
Why job requisitions are essential to recruitment policies and processes
Before hiring managers can create a job posting and get moving with the interview process, the job requisition is needed. Think of it like the initial pitch that outlines the bulk of what will be in the job description.
HR professionals use a job requisition to clearly state why a company needs a new hire. As part of this document creation, they may collaborate with the finance department and take into account hiring costs and other budget-related considerations. Doing so allows the company to easily calculate the cost of a new hire and budget accordingly.
Identifying a new job vacancy is no small feat. The job requisition process ensures that decision-makers are clued in on what a job position is and why it is needed.
This is vital because it ensures there’s buy-in about the need to hire someone from key stakeholders in the company. It also provides an opportunity for employees from other departments to provide their input.
For example, an employee from another team may offer suggestions about the key qualities that would be desirable in the new hire. As this information can bring new perspectives about what the successful candidate should look like, creating a job requisition (and your job description, for that matter) should always be an iterative process.
Are job requisitions only for big organizations?
A job requisition document is used by hiring managers to articulate the need to create or fill a job position. While these internal documents are most often used by large-scale companies as part of their recruitment process, any business may choose to adopt the system.
Finding a new hire can be challenging if you’re new to the recruitment process. Whatever size your business is, you can use a job requisition to fill job openings in an efficient, organized, and collaborative manner.
This document can help you identify your hiring needs so that you know precisely which qualities you’re looking for in potential candidates. It’s for this reason that many hiring managers prefer to use a job requisition to not only establish a new position but also help ensure it is filled by the right candidate.
How do you write a great job requisition?
As a hiring manager or department manager for your company, you should master the art of crafting a great job requisition. It’s your chance to let decision-makers know that you are under staffed and outline the need for a new hire to fill out a job.
Keep it accurate, and concise. Remember, you will have the chance to flesh it out with the rest of your team when writing your external advertisement for the role.
What information should a job requisition include?
Writing a job requisition from scratch? To get it right, you first need to identify what you need from the new position, including the skill-set required and then spell that out in a concise way.
Here are the key pieces of information your job requisition needs to include:
- Position title
- Department/team
- Hiring manager
- Budget needed/salary
- Purpose of the role
- Contract type
- Start date
- Qualifications
- Key skills
- Salary range
- Number of positions
What a job requisition form looks like
Companies often use a job requisition form to make the hiring process easier.
The form will include the aforementioned pieces of information about the new role and potential hire, such as job title, preferred start date, team, budget, and key skills. A job application form also includes a box indicating the number of positions.
All the recruiter needs to do is fill out the boxes about their potential new hires. The details inputted about the job and potential hire will inform what you include in the job description. It may also impact what’s picked up by your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) if you use one.
Building a solid job requisition process
Before you fill out a job requisition, you should outline the standard elements you will need.
The key elements include the contract type, responsibilities, start date, and hourly rate/salary of the new employee, among other details. You may also need a requisition number so you can track the document during the approval process.
You may choose to collaborate with your department to determine what the current demand is. Take note of any areas in which you are lacking support. Once completed, job requisitions (job reqs) are sent to the key decision-makers. These high-up employees will then approve the job requisition. When that’s done, you can create a job posting based on its specifications.
Over to you
There are many formal HR procedures to wrap your head around when it comes to hiring new employees. Whether new positions or existing ones need to be filled in your company, it’s crucial for HR departments and other teams involved to understand the role job requisitions play in the hiring process.
Using a job requisition form can help you form a clearer idea of who your ideal new hire is as well as other considerations, including the budget required. It can also help to streamline the approval process and overall hiring process. In addition, job reqs ensure that everyone, from the HR team to the accounting team, is on the same page regarding the new hire.
So the next time you have a hiring need, consider creating a job requisition. This humble internal document may be just the thing you need to get your position filled.
