Descriptions Now! - HR-related software

HR Magazine, August, 1997 by Mike Frost

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is "Where can I find a job description for a [your position here] on the Internet?" Until recently, the answer to that question was "Nowhere."

But, on the Internet, no market goes untapped for long. KnowledgePoint, a publisher of HR-related software, has launched Descriptions Now! Direct, a web site featuring thousands of job descriptions that users can download and tailor to their own needs.

Unlike other web sites we've reviewed in this column, Descriptions Now! Direct is primarily a fee-based service (although the site does include a few free samples, as well as a directory of all titles available from the service).

Descriptions are created by navigating through a series of menus that gather information about the position title, essential functions, requirements, supervisory duties and other pertinent information. The result is an ADA-compliant job description that either is automatically e-mailed to the user or can be downloaded.

The strength of Descriptions Now! Direct is that it offers information on an as-needed basis, says Michael George, Internet marketing manager for KnowledgePoint. "A task like writing a job description is off your radar screen until you have to do it-and then you need to do it right away," George says. "The advantage of Descriptions Now! Direct is you can customize and receive the job description you need more quickly and easily than you could acquire and install the appropriate software."

Another benefit is that the Descriptions Now! database is dynamic. It "is updated monthly to reflect new job titles as well as new laws and rulings that affect how job descriptions are written," George says.

Descriptions Now! Direct charges users $7.95 per downloaded job description. Unlimited-use subscriptions are also available. For information on unlimited-use arrangements, check the Descriptions Now! web site (http://www.jobdescription.com).