Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#1

Post by lowry » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 8:41 PM UTC

Reading endless job descriptions is painful. Lists of tools and technologies are followed by phrases void of meaning.

Why don't companies articulate what the candidate is expected to do? Like... «You will be maintaining a 10-years old codebase of a high-value low-traffic website built on JavaEE and EMF with guice and Lombok all over the place. It's a no-frills job, but we pay well».

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#2

Post by QuinnyPig » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 8:45 PM UTC

To be clear, your headline and description disagree. Do you care more about what the company does, or what the job will be?

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#3

Post by mooreds » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 9:13 PM UTC

Because things change. What you are hired to do may change the week you are hired (or even the week before).

So a company is going to tread the line between a job description that is so vague it won't appeal to anyone ("we build stuff ... using computers") and one so specific that it won't be accurate after the candidate accepts the offer.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#4

Post by codeulike » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 9:38 PM UTC

For the same reasons that CVs dont say what people actually did in their previous jobs.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#5

Post by kanox » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:13 PM UTC

codeulike wrote: post #4

For the same reasons that CVs dont say what people actually did in their previous jobs.

They don't?

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#6

Post by jeffreportmill1 » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:22 PM UTC

The real reason is that most job descriptions are posted by recruiters, and they don't want you to find the company without going through them. They scrub them of any info that could be used to locate the careers page of the company.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#7

Post by gargarplex » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:22 PM UTC

I just wrote a job description.

https://codefor.cash/sally

Feedback welcome.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#8

Post by system2 » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:24 PM UTC

kanox wrote: post #5

codeulike wrote: post #4

For the same reasons that CVs dont say what people actually did in their previous jobs.

They don't?

No, they don't of course. Maybe 99% (or more) resumes are full of fake info or included what entire department did. I help our clients to find the right people for positions and this is a daily challenge.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#9

Post by bestCauliflower » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:31 PM UTC

kanox wrote: post #5

codeulike wrote: post #4

For the same reasons that CVs dont say what people actually did in their previous jobs.

They don't?

Nor should they, they put you through too much bullshit to deserve honesty.

Re: Why don't job descriptions explain what the company does, and how?

#10

Post by pmiller2 » Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 10:40 PM UTC

jeffreportmill1 wrote: post #6

The real reason is that most job descriptions are posted by recruiters, and they don't want you to find the company without going through them. They scrub them of any info that could be used to locate the careers page of the company.

Not really. Googling key phrases frequently lets you find the company anyway.