What Is a Job Requisition?

Ever felt lost in the maze of hiring or drowning in paperwork? Whether you're filling a vacant position or expanding your workforce, it's important to strike the right balance between speed and accuracy. However, it is just as 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 and Why Does It Matter?

A job requisition is a formal request to fill a new or vacant position within an organization. The form briefly outlines the required qualifications and desired characteristics of the ideal candidate to guide the overall hiring process. A job requisition also includes the justification for making the hire which is a crucial detail to ensure all parties are aligned to the organization’s staffing strategy and budget.

A hiring manager or department head typically fills out a job requisition and then sends it to HR for approval. 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. This helps HR leaders and recruiters understand the specific requirements and expectations, which in turn facilitates the search for suitable and qualified candidates.

Elements of a Job Requisition

A job requisition provides a comprehensive snapshot of the position, ensuring that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the role and its requirements. Several key elements include:

• Job Title: The official title of the position and its level within the organization.
• Job Summary: A brief overview of the role that highlights the primary purpose and key responsibilities.
• Department: The specific department or team where the position is based.
• Salary Range: The proposed salary or wage range for the position.
• Reporting Structure: Information on who the position directly reports to, as well as information about any roles the position may manage or lead.
• Location: The physical or remote location of the job.
• Start Date: The ideal start date for the position.
• Employment Type: The type of employment (e.g., full-time, part-time, contract).
• Justification for the Position: A rationale for why the position is needed. Examples include helping to achieve business growth or to achieve a specific business goal, backfilling a vacancy, or expanding a department.
• Essential Duties and Responsibilities: A detailed list of the core tasks and responsibilities required of the position.
• Qualifications (optional): The required education, certifications, and skills necessary to perform the job effectively.
• Preferred Experience (optional): Any additional experience or skills that are desirable (but not mandatory).

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.

Job Requisition

• Purpose: A job requisition is an internal document that obtains approval for a new hire.
• Usage: A job requisition is the first step in the hiring process. It is initiated by a department head or hiring manager and approved by the HR department. It includes details such as the job title, department, salary range, qualifications, and the justification for the position. The primary focus of a job requisition is to align the requested hire with organizational needs and budgets.

Job Description

• Purpose: A job description specifies the requirements for the new position. This includes the required skills, role in the team, and capabilities of the top candidate. A job description forms the basis for the job posting.
• Usage: A job description serves both internal and external purposes. Internally, it guides hiring managers and HR in evaluating candidates and setting performance expectations. Externally, it can be used in job postings and during interviews to give candidates a clear understanding of the role.

Job Posting

• Purpose: A job posting is an external document that is based on the job description that shows potential hires what the company is looking for in the role. You can think of a job posting like an advertisement of the job opening aimed at attracting candidates.
• Usage: Job postings are created after the job requisition has been approved. They are typically published on job boards, company websites, and on other recruiting platforms. The job posting highlights key details to draw in applicants, such as the job title, location, essential duties, and how to apply.

Benefits of a Job Requisition

The hiring process has a lot of moving parts and any friction between these parts can cost the company money and time. Implementing a job requisition process can help streamline the hiring process and offer numerous other company benefits.

A job requisition: 

• Provides a structured approach to hiring. Job requisitions align expectations and reduce confusion throughout the entire hiring process. Job requisitions also serve as a clear communication tool between all parties involved in the hiring process, making it easy to track approvals and changes to the process.
• Considers the budget from the start. This proactive approach to business budgeting allows for better financial planning for the entire organization.
• Creates a higher quality applicant pool. 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 focus on the quality of hire and weed out unsuitable candidates. The team can feel confident when bringing on new employees that they have the appropriate skills, experience, and attitude for the job.
•  Reduces time-to-hire and cost-of-hire. Job requisitions allow HR leaders to track key recruitment metrics such as time-to-hire and cost-of-hire to optimize the overall hiring process.

Job Requisition Example

Below is an example job requisition a hiring manager might use as the basis for a new Digital Marketing Manager role for a new clothing product line at a company.
 

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/.