How to Bid a Job

Job bidding is another term for posting a job internally first. Basically, it gives your employees a chance to apply for the position before other candidates have the opportunity. In many ways, it's not that different from posting a job externally.

Part 1
Using Company Policy

1

Find the company policy. In general, most companies have a policy in place for posting jobs internally and externally. For instance, sometimes the company will post the job internally before posting it externally. Often, this policy is in place to encourage promoting or hiring from within.^[2]
2

Ask about unwritten policies. Occasionally, you may run into the issue of unwritten policies. That is, it may be the company's policy to bid a job first internally, but it may not be actually written down in a manual anywhere. Ask your boss if you can't find it in the written policy.^[3]
3

Follow the policy in place. It is important to follow the policy to the letter. Policies are in place to make hiring practices fair. In addition, they can help protect the company in the case of legal action, as long as they are being followed without discrimination.^[4]

Part 2
Writing the Job Description

1

Decide exactly what the position is. Your first task is to describe the position. That is, your tasked with laying out the duties of the job. Maybe the new person will answer the phone, greet customers, and enter people on the computer, for instance.^[5]
2
Write a summary. Based on what you've listed for the position, create a summary describing the job. In the actual job description, this part will come first.^[6]
- For instance, maybe the summary would read "The ideal candidate for this job will be a hard-working individual with the necessary people skills to work with clients. The candidate will deal with customers on a daily basis and be the front line of the company."^[7]
3
Include a list of duties. While the summary lays out the broad scope of the job, the list of duties describes exactly what the the person does from day to day. It gives the applicant specifics of what they can expect from the position.^[8]
- It's not necessary to include every duty, especially if the list is long. Cover the main duties, and summarize the rest.
4

Define the candidate's place in the company. Basically, you need to define how the job fits into the company. Will the person be overseeing other people? What department is the job in? Is it an entry level position? All of these questions need to be answered.^[9]
5

List the job title. The title is the official label given to the job within the company. Of course, these vary from company to company, but the title should give the applicant a basic idea of what the job entails.^[10]
6

Write out the qualifications. The qualifications are what you expect the applicant to bring to the table, from education to experience. This section should include whatever you feel is absolutely necessary in a candidate.^[11]
7
Add a salary range. If you already know the salary range, you can include in the job description. Some managers may say that this approach takes away some of the bargaining, but it also gives the employee a way to gauge if he or she wants to change jobs or not.^[12]
- Coming from inside the company, the employee likely already has an idea about what the company will pay. However, if you don't include one, you can ask the employee to note how much he or she would like to be making. Nonetheless, many business experts are recommending adding a salary range to any job posting, whether internal or external.^[13]
8
Be grammatically correct. It's important to be grammatically correct in your job description. You should use the present tense, and when listing duties, you can begin with the verb, such as "Answers phone for the office."^[14]
- In addition, it's important not to use one gender exclusively. That is, either don't use gendered pronouns or try the either/or approach (he/she).^[15]
9

Include how long the job will be held internally. In some cases, the job is opened to internal candidates and then external candidates. Other times, it's simultaneous.^[16] In other companies, internal candidates must apply in the time period before external candidates can apply. Make sure that is clear when posting the job.
10
Include how the person should apply. In some cases, companies require internal candidates to use a special application form. Make that clear on the job description, including how to find the appropriate application.^[17]
- In addition, let the person know if they need to discuss the application with his or her manager.

Part 3
Posting the Job

1
Work with human resources. If your company has a human resources (HR) department, it's important to work closely with the department throughout the process. As you get ready to post the job, run it by human resources. They may need to do things like classify it according to compensation.^[18]
- If you don't have an HR department, try running the job description past your boss to make sure it follows company policy. In addition, don't forget to compare it to the company handbook.
2

Make sure you are approved to post the job. Once you are ready to post it, ensure you have the proper authority to go ahead with it. In some cases, an HR person may need to be in charge of posting it.^[19]
3
Send it out. Now your job is to make sure all employees know of the job. You can of course send it out by email to all employees. You can also post it on any internal websites or forums. In addition, you can post it physically in public spaces so that employees will see it while getting coffee or congregating.^[20]
- Be sure to list on the application where all applications should be sent or handed in.
4

Respond and organize resumes. As resumes come in, make sure to acknowledge each candidate through a reply, though you can use an automated reply. Also, devise a system of organization as they come in. For instance, organize them alphabetically so that when they are reviewed, no one is given preferential treatment.