Job Profile Writing Guidelines

The purpose of a job profile is to define, at a high-level, the function, accountabilities, and requirements of a position. Pre-approved profiles for many of the common positions in government can be found in the Job Store. When hiring for a new or vacant position, using one of these in unaltered form or adding to it means you do not need to submit the profile for classification review. Submit the profile for classification review if:

• You create a profile from scratch using the template (MS Word, 400.0kb).
• You remove anything from the required accountabilities of a Job Store profile.
• You want to reclassify a position that is currently occupied by an employee.

Here is a brief explanation of the sections in a job profile and tips for writing each:

Position Number

For an existing position, the position number should be in your organization chart. If you can't find it, contact MyHR for assistance.

Classification

Newly-created positions that have not used one of the pre-classified Job Store profiles need to be classified.

Work Unit

The name of your ministry, division and branch.

Job Overview

Describe the purpose of the position. This should be a concise statement that sums up the role in one or two short sentences.

Accountabilities

Use action words to describe what the position is expected to deliver and to whom it is accountable.

Job Requirements

List the minimum qualifications - education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities - the applicant needs to possess and any special requirements of the job. Credentials that are not absolutely mandatory should include an "or equivalent" statement to accommodate qualified candidates who have taken alternate career development paths.

Behavioural Competencies

These are the qualities the applicant needs to possess to be successful in the position.