How To Write A Job Description For Contractors & Trade Jobs

You’ve picked a name, started your business and have reached a point where it’s time to grow your business. 

When your business reaches the point where you need extra help, writing a straightforward job description is crucial. It ensures that you attract the right candidates and saves time by avoiding unsuitable ones. Whether you're hiring your first or tenth employee, it's essential to follow industry standards when writing job descriptions for trade positions.

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1. Employment type
2. Trade job description key components
3. Key responsibilities
4. Required experience, skills, and qualifications
5. Company overview
6. Pay and benefits
7. Proofreading

1. Employment type 

Choosing between full-time, part-time, apprentices or contracted employees is a big decision. It’ll affect your workforce structure, costs, benefits, and responsibilities. It also impacts your ability to adapt to changes in workload, market conditions, and rules. So, take your time to think about the pros and cons before making a choice that suits your business needs.

Unsure about whether you need an employee, subcontractor or apprentice? Check out our blogs here:

• Subcontractor vs. Employee
• How and When to Hire Your First Employee
• Subcontractor vs. Contractor: What's the Difference
• How to Hire an Apprentice 

2. Trade job description key components

• Job Title:
  Choose a concise, descriptive job title that accurately reflects the role's seniority within your company. For example ‘'Senior Construction Laborer,' 'Apprentice Tile Setter,' or 'Concrete Finisher.’
  
  
• Job Location:
  At a minimum, provide the city your business works in. 
  
  
• Company:
  Your company's name.
  
  
• Start Date:
  Specify when you would like the candidate to start. If an exact date is unavailable, provide an estimated month.
  
  
• Employment Type:
  Typical employment types will include full-time, part-time, apprentice or contractor. Refer to the details above for specifics.
  
  
• Restrictions:
  Include any visa requirements or restrictions.

3. Key responsibilities 

Make a clear list of what the job involves day-to-day. Include all the usual tasks and any special ones that are unique to your company or not common in the industry. This list helps candidates quickly see if the job suits them.

4. Required experience, skills, and qualifications 

Make sure you say what qualifications, certifications, and experience a person needs for the job. These qualifications act as a filter, helping you identify individuals who are not only interested in the position but also equipped to handle the demands of the trade.

• Must-have qualifications and certifications: 
  These typically include licenses or permits mandated by regulatory bodies. For example, in the construction industry, a "must-have" qualification might be a valid construction contractor's license. In electrical work, an electrician's license is often a non-negotiable requirement. These certifications show that candidates have met the minimum legal requirements to perform their respective trades safely and competently.
  
  
• Experience: 
  When setting an experience requirement, think about how independent you want your new hire to be. More experienced candidates may ask for higher pay, but it can pay off in the long run. Alternatively, consider training a new member yourself. Also, mention any extra skills or training that could be helpful.
  
  
• Hard skills:
  These are things you learn to do for the job, like using tools or knowing safety rules.
  
  
• Soft skills:
  These are personal qualities that can help you do well in the job, like being good at talking to people, solving problems, or working in a team.

5. Company overview 

Tell candidates about the company's mission and values, plus the industry you work in. This helps them know if they'd enjoy working with you. 

6. Pay and benefits 

People often filter job opportunities by their salary expectations and key benefits. It’s therefore important to plan carefully around setting the pay for your new role. Research the industry standards against what you can reliably provide. You can also talk about how they can grow their career or learn new skills in this job, as well as any unusual benefits (such as half-day Fridays or summer hours).

Potential benefits in the trade industry may include:

• Health insurance or support
• On-the-job training
• Tool or study discounts
• Flexible working hours
• Safety gear or clothing allowances
• Paid holidays and other leave entitlements

7. Proofreading

When proofreading your job description, be mindful of the words you use. Avoid anything that could turn away qualified candidates, like biased or limiting language. Use words that don't favour any gender. 

Before publishing, check the job description one more time for accuracy and relevance. Using a spell-checker will help to avoid any mistakes! 

Your employees are the foundation of your business. You'll work closely with them and rely on their reliability and skills. Hiring is a pivotal step in launching your trade business, a sign of progress that also brings challenges. 

Using a template in your trade business hiring process can be a game-changer. Tradify’s free job description template saves you time, ensures consistency, and helps you maintain legal compliance. Download our free template and see the difference today. 

Tradify helps tradespeople all over the world spend less time on admin, and more time on the tools. See how it could work for your trade business by starting a free 14-day trial or book a free product demo!