What is a Job Requisition? A Comprehensive Guide

In simple words, the word "requisition" means an official order claiming or demanding materials, workforce, or property. In recruitment, job requisition refers to a formal request to fill a job vacancy. That is it!

It usually involves a form filled out by the hiring manager to gain permission from their direct supervisor or the HR team - depending on who is responsible for approving the requisition - to start the hiring process.

When you actually want to hire and not just think about it, there is likely a sense of urgency. One of your employees could be leaving. Your team size has to grow to meet the increasing business demands. You are searching for specific skills or expertise that your current team does not have.

Whatever the reason - you need to hire pronto. But before you jump right to the job posting, you must fill out a requisition form. In this article, we will study the importance of job requisition, examples, and the process. Let us begin:

Example of job requisition

A job requisition form includes necessary details, such as the reason you need to hire and whether it is a full-time or part-time opportunity.

Here is a solid job requisition example: Alan leads the accounting team, and because the company has grown rapidly, his team is unable to cope with the work. Therefore, Alan fills out a job requisition form to seek permission from the supervisor to hire.

In the form, he states the reason for hiring, that the request is for a full-time, permanent role, ideal salary, and the person would ideally need to start in three months.

Alan then shares the form with his direct supervisor, who may take a week or two to get back. Once he approves, Alan connects with the recruitment team about his requirement and officially kickstarts the hiring process.

The importance of job requisition

You might think a job requisition form is merely an internal document for getting approvals. However, that is not the case. It serves a much larger purpose. Mentioned below are five reasons why businesses of all sizes should take writing a job requisition form seriously:

1. Justification

Just because you have requested to hire a new employee, it does not mean your direct supervisor will be onboard with you. They will want to analyze and substantiate the impact of the job role in achieving business goals.

A job requisition form justifies your need for a new employee. It gives them an idea of what an ideal candidate looks like and the problems they can solve.

2. Clarity

By incorporating job requisitions into the hiring process, you provide recruiters clarity about the educational qualifications, skills, experience, salary range, and so on of the ideal candidate.

Having the fundamentals in place helps the recruiters to source candidates in a targeted way based on your job requirements.

Plus, you can resort to the job requisition form instead of having lengthy internal discussions or conflicting opinions once a few candidates have been shortlisted after interviews. This invariably reduces the time to hire and helps you arrive at an informed decision.

3. Talent strategy and succession planning

With a proper document in hand, a hiring manager or recruiter can go back anytime to assess how a particular job role has evolved. Storing job requisitions offer a clear paper trail of various positions in a company and help in HR audits.

Formal documentation helps hiring teams track their talent strategy and know which skills are being brought into the company.

4. Outsourcing

If you are taking the help of an outsourced recruiting agency, communicating the specifics of a job vacancy can be rather challenging. Job requisitions already contain the finer points required to source the suitable candidates and thus make it easier for the external party to do their job.

5. Recruitment KPIs

Job requisitions play an essential role in measuring recruitment metrics and ensuring transparency in HR. You can analyze how long it takes to hire for a specific position, measure the quality of hire and calculate the hiring costs.

6. Better candidate experience

Having all the details ironed out ahead of time will result in a better candidate experience. The questions you answer to your HR internally (in your job requisition form) will most likely be asked by your applicants anyway.

Job requisition vs. job description vs. job posting

Contrary to popular belief, these three terms are very different. While job requisition is a formal request to fill a job vacancy and is the first step in the hiring process, a job description is exactly what it means. It denotes a valid account of an employee's responsibilities.

It lays down specific requirements for a new role, including must-have skills and expertise, expected responsibilities, compensation and benefits, and minimum academic and professional qualifications.

Job descriptions are usually written by the team that wants to hire because of their clarity about the job role. On the other hand, a job posting or a job advert is drafted to attract potential candidates to apply. Think of it as a more concise and abridged form of a job description.

These 'salesy' adverts can be published on social media (paid and organic), the official company website, and third-party job portals or in the form of Google Ads.

What does a job requisition include?

A job requisition typically includes standard information such as the hiring department, salary range, and whether it is a full-time, permanent position. Here is a comprehensive list of items that have to be filled in the form:

• A proposed start date for the role
• The department you are hiring for
• Benefits the position would qualify for
• Reason for requisition (replacement or new hire)
• Position type (full-time, part-time, permanent, freelance)
• A job description comprising the tasks and duties of the role
• Hiring manager details (whoever is in charge of making the hire)
• Expected salary range that recruiters can offer to applicants
• ​​Employment qualifications (specific skill set needed or length of experience)

An overview of the job requisition process

Once you decide you want to make a new hire, you have to build your case and write a solid job requisition. This will be shared with your direct supervisor or the HR – depending on your company's hierarchy or your designation.

When the job requisition reaches the concerned party, they will take time to review it. The financial department may also be included in the process, especially if the remuneration and hiring costs fall outside the budget.

Once the job requisition is approved, the hiring team is involved so that they can begin the recruitment process. The recruiter will consult with you to review the job description and outline the hiring process to be on the right track.

Like any other modern hiring process, this is where technology can do wonders. For instance, if your company uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), the majority of the job requisition process can be automated.

The ATS can utilize predefined rules to automatically and quickly move along job requisition between departments for approval.

How to write a job requisition

Now that you have got the essentials out of the way, it is time to roll up your sleeves and sort out the nitty-gritty of writing the perfect job requisition. The most important thing you need to address is your team, and the business as a whole would benefit by hiring someone.

For instance, you can highlight the gaps in your workforce's skill sets. Will an unfulfilled position mean that specific tasks remain incomplete? Will not having one person on the team increase the workload of other members?

You must convince your direct supervisor or HR that having a new employee on your team would benefit you. Here is how you can build a solid case:

1. Do your homework

Before you start drafting your requisition or speak to anyone, try to find answers to the following questions:

• Do you need a new hire, or can the workload be distributed amongst other team members?
• What are the essential skills and qualifications required for the job role?
• What work or project will the new employee have the most impact on?
• What will happen over time if the new position remains vacant?
• What is the average salary in the market for the position?

The primary purpose of writing a job requisition is to convince your superiors why you need to hire for a particular position. Therefore, it is crucial to cover your bases and be as thorough as possible. Incorporate the business goals and explain how the role will create an impact.

Also, be transparent about the negative consequences if the position is not filled. Create a sense of urgency about why you need to recruit someone sooner rather than later.

2. Get buy-in from relevant colleagues

First, speak to the managers and other executives from related departments who will also benefit from the new employees. Persuade them to support and endorse your requisition so that their buy-in helps you build a strong case.

On the other hand, if you do not get other executives to co-sign the requisition, get your team members - colleagues and subordinates - involved to emphasize the need for a new hire.

3. Talk numbers and metrics

Sure, to make your requisition convincing, you have to ensure you use the right words. However, figures and metrics can be so much more persuasive than words alone. What measurable difference will the new employee make to the company in 90 days or 180 days?

How will they impact the revenue generated by the company? Give clear goals to understand precisely what the company can expect from the new employee.

Discussing costs beforehand ensures that none of the decision-makers feel blindsided by unexpected inflation in the budget and increases your chances of receiving an approval when you need it. You have to give it your best shot!

Writing a job requisition does not have to be intimidating. By keeping the above points in mind, it is easy to write a solid case that is hard to ignore. Be as persuasive as possible.

Over to you

Now that you know what a job requisition is and how to write one, you are one step closer to convincing your hiring manager why you need to recruit. Take your time to fill out a job requisition form thoughtfully. Populate it with the right facts and figures so that it is instantly approved. Make the right hire on time and set your team (and company) for success. Good luck!