Introduction

Finding a suitable job is a significant step in one’s career path. In order to confirm that a job is appropriate, it takes time and energy to make a comprehensive analysis of the job’s details, comprising the job description, the roles and responsibilities of the job, and required competences to handle the job. This essay develops the topic using an example of a job posted by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC). At first, this essay will introduce the job description in detail. After that, this essay will identify the difference between “role” and “responsibility” to make a clear understanding of these two items. What’s more, ten primary roles or responsibilities will be figured out to get a closer look at the job. Why these roles or responsibilities are more crucial than other roles will also be covered in the essay. Last but not least, this essay will include required competences to meet the job’s needs.

Job Description

A job description is a list of detailed information about a position, which selectively includes locations, departments, general functions, roles and responsibilities, tasks, salary range of the job as well as necessary talents, competencies, characters, skills that eligible applicants should have (Derek & Laura 1987). Such job description performs the job to enable potential applicants to judge whether they are eligible and to help human resource managers to select the right person for the job, which is a significant part for the development and sustainability of the company.

In Table 1, an example of job description based on a vacancy of sales manager is listed below. The job description involves the aspects of job field, position, location, schedule, shift, available date, qualifications, roles, and attributes.Further analysis of the job will be developed in the latter parts.

Table 1 Job description for a sales manager of HSBC

Source: HSBC 2011

Difference Between Roles and Responsibilities

Roles

There are many definitions about roles from different perspectives. From the interactionist's point of view, social roles are defined as cultural objects that are recognized, accepted, and utilized to reach realistic goals in a community (Callero 1994). Based on the definition of business dictionary (2011), a role is a set of expected behaviors in regard with a particular status or position in an organization or group. A same person can play different roles in various scenarios and situations. Working for a company is also a situation that a person may act as a role in. It is obvious that roles involve the facets of behaviors, rights, obligations, and common goals in a company.