What Is a Job Requisition and How to Write One?

In the complex landscape of talent acquisition, a key tool is the job requisition - a formal document that greenlights the recruitment of a new employee. Each requisition contains important details, such as the job title, department, description, requirements, hiring manager's details, and a unique requisition number for tracking.

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This guide aims to be your comprehensive resource for understanding and optimizing job requisitions. We'll explore their purpose, how to write one, and how they can attract top talent. We'll also tackle unique situations like evergreen job requisitions and distinguish between a position and a requisition.

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Our job-specific candidate assessments offer a fast, easy, and bias-free way to find the best fit for your job openings. So, whether you're a seasoned hiring manager or an HR newcomer, this guide will empower you to master the art of job requisitions. Keep reading to attract the talent your organization needs.

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What is a Job Requisition?

A job requisition is an internal document that signals the need for a new hire within an organization. It's like a request form filled out by the hiring manager to explain the role, responsibilities, and requirements of the job. This includes specifics like job title, department, and desired qualifications. Every job requisition is assigned a unique number, making it easy to track during the hiring process.

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Job requisitions play a pivotal role in recruitment. They help set clear expectations about the job, attract the right kind of talent, and minimize hiring mistakes. By providing a common understanding of the role, requisitions also keep everyone in the recruitment process on the same page.

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It's important not to confuse job requisitions with job postings, though. The former is an internal document used to start the hiring process, while the latter is an external advertisement designed to draw in applicants. The information in a job requisition often forms the basis of a job posting, but the job posting is usually more detailed and includes company-specific information to attract potential candidates.

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Key Elements of a Job Requisition

Creating a comprehensive job requisition requires paying attention to several key elements. These details not only provide a clear understanding of the role but also help streamline the hiring process:

• Job Requisition Number and Requisition ID: Every job requisition is assigned a unique number or ID. This identifier helps track the requisition throughout the hiring process and distinguishes it from other open roles.
• Job Title and Department: Clearly stating the job title and department helps clarify the role within the organization's structure. It helps potential candidates understand where they would fit in the organization.
• Job Description and Requirements: This includes a summary of the role, duties and responsibilities, and the skills, qualifications, or experience necessary for the job. This information helps candidates assess their fit for the position.
• Hiring Manager's Details: The hiring manager's contact information is often included in a job requisition. This allows for direct communication and queries about the job role.

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These elements collectively provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the job position, helping attract the right candidates and making the hiring process more efficient. HiPeople's assessments can help you easily identify which candidates show the highest role-fit and increase your time-to-hire with your best candidates, minimizing the risk of losing them.

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Writing a Job Requisition Form

Writing a job requisition form is all about precision and clarity. It might be beneficial to start with a job requisition form template as a guide. Here's how to create one effectively:

1. Recognize the Need: Determine why you need a new hire. This could be due to increased workload, growth, or an employee leaving.
2. Detail the Role: Include the job title and department to give a clear context of the position within the organization.
3. Describe the Job: Write a clear, comprehensive job summary, including duties and responsibilities.
4. List Requirements: State the necessary qualifications, skills, experience, and any required certifications.
5. Hiring Manager’s Details: Add the hiring manager's contact information.
6. Assign a Number or ID: Give each job requisition a unique number or ID for tracking purposes.

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The clearer and more detailed your form, the better the candidates it will attract. You might find it helpful to use a job requisition form template or look at an example, customizing it to fit your organization's needs.

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The Job Requisition Process

Navigating the job requisition process efficiently is integral to successful hiring. While there are several steps involved, let's focus on the most pivotal ones:

1. Identifying the Need: This is the starting point. Whether prompted by a growing workload, business expansion, or a team member's departure, recognizing when a new hire is required is critical.
2. Completing the Job Requisition Form: The hiring manager fills out a detailed form specifying the job title, department, job description, required qualifications, and their own contact information.
3. Submitting for Approval: After the form is completed, it's submitted to necessary authorities, such as HR or senior management, for review. This is known as the job requisition approval process, a crucial measure to ensure the new hire aligns with the business's budget and objectives.

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Once approved, the job requisition becomes an "open requisition," meaning the recruitment process can commence. Although the process has additional steps, like advertising the position, screening applications, and conducting interviews, these are the foundational steps that kickstart the process.

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With an understanding of the job requisition process and its terminology, you're better prepared for efficient and effective hiring.

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Optimizing Your Job Requisition

Ensuring your job requisition is easily discoverable and attractive to the right candidates is crucial. Use relevant keywords throughout your job requisition; this can improve its visibility in job search engines and attract applicants with the right qualifications.

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In the process of optimization, you might also consider the strategy of creating 'evergreen job requisitions.' These requisitions remain open indefinitely, continuously attracting candidates for roles that are consistently in demand, like sales roles or software developers. This constant stream of applications allows companies to build a talent pipeline, saving time when a role needs to be filled quickly.

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Utilizing various recruitment platforms can also broaden your reach. For example, consider an evergreen job requisition for a software developer. Key phrases like "JavaScript", "full stack", or "Agile methodology" could attract more relevant candidates, and posting on both general and tech-specific job boards can widen your net."

Job Requisition vs. Position

While "job requisition" and "position" are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to different concepts. A job requisition is the formal request to fill a role, whereas a position is the specific role within the organization. Understanding this difference is crucial as you may have multiple requisitions (requests to hire) for a single position type.

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Harnessing the Power of Effective Job Requisitions

In summary, you can attract top talent and optimize your hiring process by writing a well-structured job requisition. To do this, you need to understand the difference between job requisitions and positions, take advantage of evergreen requisitions, and effectively use keywords and platforms. 

You can also use HiPeople's assessments to swiftly identify candidates who align best with your role and reduce your hiring time. Write a comprehensive job requisition today to improve your hiring efficiency tomorrow.