How is the Cipher different from a job description?

A job description is used externally for recruiting. It summarizes the role, the responsibilities and the requirements of the job for potential candidates.

A job description outlines the practical job details, such as:

• Location
• Full or part time
• Hourly or salary
• Education required
• Travel requirements
• Commission
• Bonus
• Lifting requirements

But almost all the time it lacks prioritization, which means it becomes a long wish list of possibilities rather than a specific set of requirements.

A Cipher, on the other hand, more clearly outlines what success looks like for the role you are hiring for, by painting a clear picture of:

• How an individual's success is defined in the role
• What specifically they will need to do
• How they'll fit culturally within the organization
• How they will manage their team, if applicable

Finally, a Cipher serves as the framework that enables managers to discuss the specific facts around a candidate's suitability for a role, rather than comparing opinions of how each interviewer feels about a candidate.

If you already have a job description, bring it to Cipher Coach as a starting point for your Cipher. See Build and finalise a Cipher.