Job Requisition Guide & Best Practices

Have you spotted a gap in your workforce that a new employee could fill? If so, you’ll probably need to draw up a job requisition. Whether you need to meet the demands of a growing business or replace a former employee, a job requisition will clarify what you need and what it’s going to take to get there. 

Before you jump into the process of filling a job role, though, have you considered using applicant tracking software? Tools like Jobspage make the whole process simpler. It enables you to manage all your applicants on one platform and create a company job page, and track and review applicants with ease.  

In this guide, we’ll talk about what job requisitions are, why you need them, and, most importantly, how you write one effectively. 

What is a Job Requisition?

A job requisition is an in-house document that precisely defines a role within a company that needs to be filled. This is a formal document that holds all the information on the potential position. This includes a new employee’s potential pay, alongside classifications on whether the job is permanent or temporary. A job requisition can be used to justify the need to hire someone new to HR departments, managers, or stakeholders. 

Looking at Examples of a Job Requisition

There’s no set format for job requisitions. Some companies may include a lot of information, and others, not so much. 

The example below has specified each step in the process, along with the potential costs. With this high-level breakdown, those responsible for hiring can decide whether or not to move forward with the recruitment request.

You will also notice that this job requisition asks for a job description or a list of duties and responsibilities. These details highlight areas within the company where productivity could be improved, either with more manpower or additional skills. The HR department can then conduct its own investigation into whether a new hire would fill this productivity gap or if alternative solutions are the way forward. 

Our next example of a job requisition form looks rather different from the previous one. You will notice it is far less focused on the recruitment process and has more emphasis on defining the role and the hiring committee. For example, it asks for a department ID, start date, and the names of interviewers. 

What’s the Difference Between Job Requisition, Description, and Job Posting?

While job requisition, job description, and job posting all sound similar, they are used for three different purposes within the recruitment process. Take a look at the table below for an explanation of each:

• ‍JOB REQUISITION: A job requisition is a document shared within an organization that justifies and clarifies the need to create a job opening to hire someone new. 

• ‍JOB DESCRIPTION: Job descriptions are also documents shared internally. They go hand-in-hand with job requisitions and detail what skills, qualifications, and other attributes the role requires. 

• ‍JOB POSTING: A job posting is an advertisement that people outside of the organization see. It’s the description that gets posted on job boards, company websites, and social media. The details included in job postings vary, but they often include role responsibilities, working hours, and pay.

Why Are Job Requisition Forms Important For Recruitment?

A job requisition form is an essential cog in the recruitment process. There’s a lot of communication involved in hiring someone new. Job requisition forms consolidate all the requirements into one document. This can then be shared with the HR and recruitment teams to ensure everyone is on the same page. 

With that in mind, here are three reasons why job requisition forms are important for recruitment:

• Understanding why you need to hire someone: A job requisition can help you decide if and why a new hire is the right move. Reasons can vary, but some common examples include teams or an individual being stretched too thin, or the need to hire someone more experienced in regards to a specific role.  

• Create accurate job postings: A job requisition clarifies and defines a role and all its major requirements. Working from this, your company can craft accurate job descriptions. This will ensure you hire someone that has the right skills and experience. 

• Define the budget: A job requisition can help you figure out how much it might cost to hire someone new and identify any areas in which you can save money if necessary. Equally, you can factor your new employee’s salary into your budget. As new hires sometimes negotiate their pay package, deciding your budget beforehand will tell you a comfortable salary range for your company. 

How to Write an Effective Job Requisition

Now it’s time for a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective job requisition:

Step 1: Communicate the Value of The Role

Highlight the value that filling the role will bring to your company. To get the thumbs up from other departments (like finance for example), you need to get specific. 

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Add specific metrics like a salary range and hiring costs to your job requisition. Write what a new hire will do for the company, such as help meet its targets or generate more revenue. 

Step 2:  Write a Detailed Job Description

Write a detailed job description to pair with your job requisition. This will include the new hire’s duties and expertise. Your job description should paint a clear picture of your ideal candidate for your recruitment team. This will also help you when it comes to writing your job posting. 

Step 3: Take a Realistic Approach

Be realistic with your expectations. Carefully consider how your budget aligns with your desired skills and experience. You should also be realistic about the start date and number of duties the employee will need to take on. 

Step 4: Get Additional Input

Input from other department managers and HR teams can help you get your requisition approved. Ask them to evaluate the situation and co-sign the requisition if they support your findings.  

Step 5: Begin the Recruitment process

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After you’ve got everyone on board and the hiring manager’s signed your job requisition form, you can go ahead and get the ball rolling. Share your form and job posting with the recruitment team or agency. You might also consider working with recruitment software like Jobspage. With this, your recruitment team can create professional job listings and pages to attract the best candidates. It will also help your team remain organized.  

Job Requisition Template

Next, we’ll go through what details to include in your job requisition. Keep in mind that everything at this stage is just a proposal. The final details will be decided after it gets approved. 

1. Job title: What you propose the job title should be. 
2. Department: Which department the new hire will work in.
3. Hiring manager. Include the hiring manager’s name and ID if they have one.
4. Purpose of the role. What gap will the new role fill within the company?
5. Reason for requisition: This could be to replace someone or to handle the company’s extra workload, for example. 
6. Salary range: This should be based on your budget and should also include a signing bonus if applicable.
7. FTE / Weekly hours: The number of hours and whether the role is part-time or full-time.
8. Duration: If you’re hiring temps, make sure you include the likely duration of their employment. 
9. Contract type: Whether the role will be filled by an employee or contractor. Employees are often entitled to extra benefits. This should be factored into the budget too. 
10. Required qualifications. Your desired qualifications, along with the minimum you can accept. 

Let’s Conclude

Job requisition is a big responsibility within a company. There are a lot of aspects to consider when you put forward your ideas to the hiring manager. Gather all your supporting information to justify your request and get as many managers involved as possible. 

Successfully navigating the process of job requisition involves not only recognizing organizational needs but also effectively communicating the potential impact of the new position. By meticulously gathering and presenting supporting data and involving various managers, you create a compelling case that not only justifies the request but also ensures a well-rounded assessment of the proposed role's strategic alignment and overall value to the company.

Once you get your job requisition approved, use applicant tracking software to organize candidates and their respective resumes. With Jobspage you can publish job posts, discard unsuitable applicants, and move promising applicants onto the next stage of the process with a click of a button. Get started for free today.