ABSTRACT
The most important step in the search committee process is to properly define the position for which you are engaging in a search. Despite the importance of this step, it is often overlooked, skipped, or completed haphazardly. Many hiring managers dust off the old job description—or even worse, the old job advertisement—and start the hiring process. Defining the position is one of the key activities that search firms do when they are engaged to lead a search. They know that getting this part right dramatically increases the chances of a good outcome. Beyond meeting the requirements of the law, identifying essential functions helps hiring managers gain a greater degree of clarity about what the position requires. The by-product of a well-defined position is a position description (also called a job description), which simply documents the position requirements. A good description entails the three major categories of work activities: responsibilities, duties, and tasks.
