What is the Difference between Job Description and Job Specification?

A lot of people make the terrible mistake of using terms like job description and job description interchangeably. Educating yourself about the difference between job description and job specification is helpful and essential. In simple words, a job description tells someone what they’ll be doing, while a job specification tells them what they need to have to do it well. They work together, but each plays a unique role.

74% of employers say they are struggling to find the skilled talent they need. Often, the issue lies in unclear or mismatched job descriptions and specifications. This blog is specifically for recruiters and hiring managers to understand and fix that gap.

Definitions: Job Description and Job Specification

When you’re hiring, you should know the difference between job description and job specification. It’s like having a map before a road trip. It guides your recruitment process in different ways.

What is a Job Description?

A job description is a document that clearly explains what a job is all about. It talks about the daily tasks, key responsibilities, and what goals the person is expected to hit. It also describes the working conditions, such as location, schedule, and who the employee will report to.

What is a Job Specification?

This document lists all the qualifications a candidate must have to do the job well. That includes education, experience, technical skills, soft skills, and even personality traits.

In other words, a JD tells you what needs to be done, and the job specification tells you who’s the right fit to do it.

Job Description vs. Job Specification Comparison

Aspect	Job Description	Job Specification
Focus	The job itself.	The person required for the job.
Contents	Duties, responsibilities, tasks, goals, scope of work.	Skills, qualifications, experience, personality traits.
Purpose	Helps set clear expectations and define the role.	Helps evaluate if a candidate is fit for the role.
Order	Comes before the job specification.	Created after the job description.
Use Case	Shared in job postings to attract talent.	Used by recruiters to shortlist the right candidates.

Examples of Job Description and Job Specification

Let’s consider two typical jobs and see how a job description and job specification complement each other.

Example 1: Marketing Manager

Job Description	Job Specification
Develop and execute marketing campaigns	Education
Head the marketing team	Experience
Study marketing trends	Skills
Manage budgets	Tools

Example 2: Software Developer

Job Description	Job Specification
Design and develop software	Education
Work with other teams	Experience
Test and fix software	Technical Skills
Keep and monitor records	Soft Skills

Why It Matters (And What Recruiters Should Do Next)

Mixing up a JD and a job specification can lead to hiring mistakes. You might attract unqualified applicants and miss great candidates who were unsure if they qualified.

Setting unclear expectations, leading to higher turnover. To get a better perspective, consider how McKinsey’s report highlights how companies that clearly communicate job expectations have a 50% lower turnover rate.

For the reasons mentioned above, you must use both documents correctly to speed up your hiring process and improve candidate quality. It also helps teams work more smoothly from day one.

Conclusion

To bring it all together the difference between job description and job specification is about creating the clearest path possible for hiring success. A job description sets the stage. A job specification finds the star of the show. If you’re a recruiter, HR professional, or manager, writing a JD and JS with care will help you attract, assess, and onboard talent with more precision and less guesswork.