Recruitment and Placement

• Develop a Recruitment Plan
• Identify Your Recruitment Needs
  • Create a Position Description
• Advertise and Market Your Position
• Screen and Place New Members
• Prepare for New Members

Home > Recruitment and Placement > Identify Your Recruitment Needs > Create a Position Description

Create a Position Description

Find the members best suited to your program and sites

The first step in creating an inclusive national service program is to review your program's current position descriptions (VADs for VISTA). Before you can begin to recruit, be certain about the tasks that need to be accomplished, where the participant will serve, and other important details of the position.

During the recruiting process, a properly prepared position description will aid you in:

• Crafting your recruitment message to target potential members who possess the skills your program needs
• Writing appropriate interview questions
• Determining whether a person is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position
• Identifying reasonable accommodations to enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions

Later, you can use the position description or VAD as a performance measurement tool, so you can look back and see what the member has accomplished.

Seven steps to a great position description
The best position descriptions are concise, use action verbs, and avoid jargon. Include these seven elements, and you'll be on your way to attracting the right members for your program:

1. Ensure an accurate service assignment title is included.
2. Write a 1–2 sentence summary of the assignment's general purpose and primary service assignment functions.
3. List 5–8 essential duties in descending order of importance.
4. Identify skills, interests, methods, and tools member will need or use to complete the work.
5. Explain the position's relationship with others in the organization; address supervision and collaboration with partners.
6. Provide other pertinent facts, such as required travel, physical requirements, working conditions, etc.
7. Include other responsibilities or requirements, such as mandatory training, hours of service, etc.

Use these resources as a starting point for your own position descriptions:

• AmeriCorps Position Descriptions includes tips and two examples of AmeriCorps position descriptions
• VISTA Position Descriptions includes tips and three examples of VISTA position descriptions
• Position Description Template can be used as a starting point for your own position description
• Sample VAD is another example of a VISTA Assignment Description

Detailed information on developing a VAD can also be found at the Resource Center at http://nationalserviceresources.org/star/vista-vad-samples

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