Job requisitions: definition, purpose, and benefits

Learn more about job requisitions:

What is a job requisition?
Why are job requisitions important?
How to use a job requisition
Job requisition benefits and what to avoid
Best practices
Additional information or example

A job requisition signals to the company exactly where a department or team requires additional support in terms that are clearly laid out and easy to understand. By making a job requisition an integral part of the overall hiring process, the other steps can be coordinated accordingly. For example, a hiring manager can use the information to decide whether the posting should be advertised internally or externally (or both). It also serves as a strong basis for tailoring a job advertisement to the role, which increases the probability of qualified candidates applying for the position.

In the digital age, job requisitions are also important because they constitute a rich source of data. A new job requisition can be tracked from the point of issue by the hiring or departmental manager through to the moment when an individual is hired for the role. This informs the company’s hiring metrics, enabling recruiters to see the shortest, longest, and average times to hire and keep closer track of the costs involved. This, in turn, gives the company more insight into its annual budget planning for recruiting new hires.

it tells recruiters exactly which qualifications and skills a candidate should have

it helps the organization avoid under/overstaffing by understanding where additional support is required

it provides a digital paper trail (when used with an applicant tracking system, for example), which provides full transparency in audit situations and ensures compliance with labor laws

it enables a company to pursue a policy of internal mobility and hold onto valued staff members who are seeking new challenges in their careers—and who would otherwise look beyond the company to find them

Communication is key: A job requisition is a chance to convince managers, departments, and the company hierarchy exactly why the role is important. Shine a spotlight on the value created and be as specific and context-related as possible.

Keep a level head when making the pitch. The job requisition should be consistent with the available budget and the job description should accurately reflect the new hire’s responsibilities. Don’t overinflate the position or add duties to attempt to appear more impressive to the job requisition’s audience—this is a recipe for failure (whether during the hiring process or after the successful candidate starts work).

Above all, keep in mind that a job requisition is not a job post. It’s not enough to simply list what the job entails. This internal document can be the key difference between a team struggling to meet its goals and a well-balanced crew that consistently delivers results on time and within budget.

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It is recommended to log and manage job requisitions using an efficient applicant tracking system (ATS). An ATS tracks a hiring process from the point when a job is posted through to interviewing candidates, hiring a new employee, and onboarding.

This makes it simple to stay up to date with progress (e.g., by activating alerts), track hiring metrics, and tweak subsequent job requisitions accordingly to make the recruitment process more efficient. This, in turn, has a positive effect on the departmental or company-wide recruitment budget.

Job Requisition

What is a job requisition?

Why are job requisitions important?

How to use a job requisition

Job requisition benefits and what to avoid

Best practices

Additional information or example

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