Hi!
Let me help out with this topic/ discussion;
1. Writing a good Job Description (JD) means doing Job Analysis (JA) first. The questionaires suggested here are quite okay, but the following are the mandatory scope of a credible JA: contents of the job, context of the job, requirements of the job.
The specific format of a good JD would depend on the preferences of organizations, but the ideal one is a one pager that shows all the three (3) aspects mentioned. The reason is: the JD is a reference material in the evaluation of a job and all three are essential compensable factors.
2. Evaluating a job is NOT necessarily the same as the term "Job Evaluation". The former refers to the procedure of determining the "actual sizes" of jobs compared with others within an organization; the latter refers to the full program from Job Analysis until Design of Salary Structure.
3. Compensation textbooks tell us about the various tools that you can use in evaluating a job. But the most credible and widely accepted methodology around the world is the "point factor method", esp the one popularized by HayGroup ---called the Profile Method of JE.
4. When deciding which tool to use, the evaluator must be familiar with the subsequent steps that must be done to finish his/ her task. You cannot use the 'paired comparison' or 'ranking' methods and then use HayGroup's market data for benchmarking. To be able to use Hay's market data, you must use their tool also.
5. The real reason behind the writing of JDs, comparing and rating jobs, and benchmarking them with market data is to be able to design a Salary Structure that complies with the basic compensation principles of: internal equity, external competitiveness, affordability, and sustainability. This is the real objective of all these activities. Without a good salary structure, organizations will have problems, e.g. salary distortions, demoralization, high employee turnover rate, etc.
My company, Emilla Consulting, helps companies around the world in this area. We specialize in this area and even have our own licensed point factor JE methodology. Contact us if you need professional help, and has budget.
Best regards.
Ed Llarena, Jr.
Managing Partner
Emilla Consulting