What Is a Job Requisition?

Ever felt lost in the maze of hiring or drowning in paperwork? Whether you're filling a position or expanding your workforce, it's important to strike the right balance between speed and accuracy. However, it is vital to stick to the playbook to make sure you land the ideal candidate on your very first try.

To smooth the hiring process, organizations can use job requisitions: documents that help HR teams find the right person for the job. An effective job requisition can shorten the time to hire and help your company build the best team. 

What Is a Job Requisition?

When done right, a job requisition is the first step in the hiring process. It is a formal document that a hiring manager fills out to request a new hire, whether that is to replace an employee or to create a new position. The job requisition form briefly outlines the required qualifications and desired characteristics of the ideal candidate, but the most important part is the justification for making the hire. It can also include information about the company's culture, mission, and values. This is important because it helps the hiring manager to create a job description that will attract candidates who meet job requirements and add to the company culture.

Once the requisition is approved by the human resources department, the job description can be finalized and the job posting published. This is the official start of the recruitment process. The job requisition helps set expectations for the position and ensures that all parties involved are on the same page. 

Although it is most common in companies with formal HR procedures, a job requisition is a useful tool for organizations of all sizes and industries. This formal document helps to clarify hiring needs and ensure that there is room in the budget for new employees. 

In order to set clear expectations, the main components of a job requisition are the job title, the department of the new hire, the position type, the job description, the preferred start day, the pay range, the necessary budget, and the justification for the new hire. 

Benefits of a Job Requisition

A job requisition offers numerous benefits for the hiring process. Some of the most significant benefits are an alignment of expectations, hiring quality candidates, and hiring with a purpose. The hiring process has a lot of moving parts and any friction between these parts can cost the company money and time. The job requisition is the first step in defining expectations which helps ensure an agreement on the ideal candidate and the available budget for the position. This alignment of expectations helps save time in the recruitment process and allows HR to set clear recruitment metrics. 

Another significant benefit of a job requisition is to help the company hire quality candidates. It is easier to find the top talent when you know exactly what you need. A job requisition sets clear expectations about the position so that the hiring manager can weed out unsuitable candidates and the team can feel confident when bringing on new employees that they have the appropriate skills, experience, and attitude for the job. 

Finally, a job requisition makes it possible to hire with a purpose. It sets out the specific job requirements, including the experience and qualifications that are needed for the job. This allows hiring managers to focus on candidates who meet these requirements, ensuring they hire with a purpose. Setting a clear and specific justification for the position saves the company time and money since there are likely to be fewer unnecessary new hires.

Job Requisition vs. Job Posting vs. Job Description

While job requisitions, job postings, and job descriptions are all essential hiring elements, they serve different purposes. 

The job requisition is an internal document that obtains approval for a new hire and is the first step in the hiring process. 

The next step is the job description, which is another internal document that specifies the requirements for the new position. This includes the required skills, role in the team, and capabilities of the top candidate and forms the basis for the job posting. 

The job posting is an external document that shows potential hires what the company is looking for. It is based on the job description but is usually written in a way to attract top talent and serves as an advertisement for a job opening.

Each of these documents plays a different, but crucial, role in the hiring process and helps companies get the necessary workers to build successful teams. Due to these different forms and steps in the process, the requisition does not need to include as much detail about the skills and qualifications for the position since that will be defined later in the description and posting.

Job Requisition Form Template

Using a job requisition form template can help to ensure that all of the necessary elements are included. The template typically includes: 

• The job title for the job opening. Make it clear and concise so that it reflects the actual role. It's vital to ensure that the job title aligns with industry-standard terms. For example, "Digital Marketing Manager" is more recognizable than "Online Promotion Guru.”
• The department where the job will be located within the company. Specify the department or division within the company where the job will be situated. This could be something like "Human Resources Department" or "Marketing Division" depending on the position.
• The person to whom the new employee will report. Identifying the reporting manager for the new employee — including their name and job title — can help the candidate know what to expect from the organizational structure. 
• The summary of the position. Provide a brief overview of the role, highlighting its key objectives and its place within the company's overall structure. 
• The duties and responsibilities of the job. List the specific tasks and responsibilities that the new employee will be expected to perform. For a marketing manager role, this might include "Creating and implementing marketing campaigns."
• The necessary skills and qualifications required for the job. Detail the skills, qualifications, and experience that candidates must possess to be considered for the position. This will help sharpen the pool from the beginning as candidates will have a better idea of whether or not they are the right fit.
• The amount of experience required for the job. Specify the number of years of experience that candidates should ideally have to excel in the role. This could range anywhere from an entry-level position with no prior experience required to two to four years of experience in a similar role.
• The educational requirements. Mention the minimum educational qualifications required for the job. This could range from a high school diploma for certain entry-level positions to advanced degrees for specialized roles.
• The salary range for the position. Provide a salary range that reflects the competitive compensation package for the role. It is often influenced by factors like experience and location, as well as industry standards.

Making Your Next Hiring Steps Easier with Wellhub

A job requisition isn't just paperwork — it's your hiring process' North Star. It helps the HR team find the best candidates for the job and saves the company time and money on unnecessary hires. Without it, the hiring process is much less efficient. 

Fortunately, a job requisition aligns the visions of hiring managers and recruiters, enabling them to select top-tier candidates with confidence. A well-crafted job requisition opens the door to a world of benefits. Offering enticing perks can be your secret weapon for attracting and retaining top talent. 

Want to explore how Wellhub can help boost employee wellbeing and create an irresistible workplace culture? Talk to a Wellbeing Specialist today and embark on a journey to a happier, more engaged workforce.

References

• Indeed. (2020, May 29). What Does a Job Requisition Mean? Definition, Tips and More. Retrieved April 15, 2023 from https://www.indeed.com/lead/what-a-job-requisition-means. 
• Long, Brita. (2022, July 31). The Ultimate Guide: What is a Job Requisition? Insight Global. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://insightglobal.com/blog/job-requisition/. 
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, April 4). Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. Retrieved April 15, 2023 from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm. 
• Vulpen, Erik van. (2021, December 8). What is a job requisition? A Full Guide. AIHR. Retrieved April 15, 2023 from https://www.aihr.com/blog/job-requisition/.