What Is a Job Requisition? A Full Guide + FREE Form Template
Providing and receiving details and specifics is key to success for any task, and recruiting is no exception. Think of a job requisition as a treasure map: it guides candidates to the hidden gems (top candidates). Teamwork and clarity make the hiring adventure a success.
A job requisition is more than an administrative task to get out of the way as soon as possible to fill a vacant position. A streamlined job requisition process lays the foundation for a strong and pleasant collaboration between the various departments involved, resulting in an efficient hiring process.
In this article, we explain what a job requisition is and what its key elements are. We also provide two job requisition examples and a free template that you can use in your organization.
Contents
What is a job requisition?
Job requisition vs. job description vs. job posting
Key elements of a job requisition
Job requisition examples
Job requisition process steps
Streamlining your job requisition process
Job requisition form template
FAQ
What is a job requisition?
A job requisition is a formal request to create a new position or to fill a vacant role in a company. The requisition, usually a document or an online form, contains information about the need for the new position, whether it is full-time or part-time, and whether the position is temporary or permanent.
Completing a job requisition is the first step in the talent acquisition process. Once the hiring manager finalizes the job requisition form, it’s ready to be sent to HR for review and further steps. As soon as it is approved, HR finalizes the job req and assigns a job requisition number to the document or online form. Then, the job intake (an initial meeting between HR and the requesting manager) takes place, after which the visible recruitment process starts.
For example, Bill is the team lead for accounting. Because the company has grown a lot, his current team of three cannot cope with the work. Bill, therefore, talks with his manager and is asked to fill in a job requisition form.
In the form, he states the reason for expanding the team, that the position will be a permanent and full-time role, and that the person would ideally start within two months. He then forwards the form to his supervisor. A week later, the HR business partner for his department forwards the formal approval, and the same day, the recruiter calls to make an appointment for the job intake to start the hiring process.
Job requisition vs. job description vs. job posting
The job requisition is often confused with a job description or job posting. However, these are each very different.
- The job requisition is an internal document used to get approval for a new position or fill a vacant role. It is a standard form filled in by the hiring manager and submitted to their supervisor or HR. The job req is the first step in the hiring process.
- The job description is an internal document that specifies the requirements for a new position, including the required skills, role in the team, personality, and capabilities of a suitable candidate. The job description is based on the vacancy intake, usually written by the recruiter, and forms the basis of the job posting.
- The job posting (or job advert) is a public announcement that the company wants to fill a new or existing position. It is also an essential marketing tool for recruitment. The goal of a job advert is twofold: i) to provide potential candidates with enough information to get them to apply and ii) to set realistic expectations about the job. In start-ups and small companies, HR usually writes and distributes job postings. In medium- and large-sized organizations, a dedicated team of specialists may be responsible for recruitment and talent acquisition.
As you can see, each document has a different role in the hiring process. This means that the job requisition should not go into too much detail about the skills and qualifications required for the job – this is what the job description is for.
Key elements of a job requisition
A job requisition form has several standard elements that aim to maximize the clarity of key information and streamline the recruitment process. Let’s take a look at these:
- Job title: The job title is the proposed title for the new or existing role. The final title is determined during the job intake.
- Department: The name of the department or team the role will be a part of.
- Hiring manager: The name or ID of the manager making the request.
- Requisition reason: The role can be a newly created one, or the person leaving the role may be transferred, retired, promoted, leave without pay (e.g., go on a sabbatical), go on parental leave, etc.
- Salary range and benefits: This holds the approximate salary range and benefits for the role and is relevant for budgeting purposes. Any signing bonus should also be specified here.
- Start date: This is the proposed starting date for the role.
- FTE/Weekly hours: This field specifies whether the role is full-time or part-time. In the case of a part-time role, either the number of hours or the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) is defined (e.g., 20 hours per week or 0.5 FTE for a role of 2.5 days per week).
- Duration: The assignment duration is either permanent or temporary. In the case of a temporary contract, the end date should be defined.
- Contract type: The contract type is either an employee or a contract worker. The latter is usually only relevant if the duration of the job is temporary. The type of contract will also impact the required budget, as employees are generally eligible for benefits.
- Required qualifications: Some organizations inquire about the (high-level) required qualifications of the new candidate, e.g., their education level or a minimum level of work experience.
- Budget: Often, the question is also whether or not the required funding for the role is available. If it’s available, the job requisition can be approved quickly. However, if the budget is unavailable, there will be a more stringent analysis of whether or not the role is needed.
- Location: The workplace location and whether or not the role comes with remote work possibilities.
Job requisition examples
Job requisition for a new role
Requested position title
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Department
HR
Hiring manager
Derek Thomas
Requisition reason
To sustain the company’s fast growth, we need someone to support us in our talent acquisition efforts, specifically to grow the sales and marketing teams.
Salary range and benefits
$75,000-$90,000, full benefits
Start date
September 1, 2024
Full-Time Equivalence
1
Position duration
Permanent
Contract type
Employee with full benefits
Required qualifications
At least five years of experience in recruitment. Experience hiring for commercial roles is a plus.
Budget
Requires additional budget
Location
Hybrid (company headquarters and work from home)
Do other positions need to be redefined based on this new position or change? If so, please explain:
No
Notes
–
Job requisition for an exisiting role
Requested position title
Social Media Manager
Department
Marketing
Hiring manager
Diane Lucca
Requisition reason
To grow and maintain our social media presence and engagement, we need someone to take over our current social media manager’s tasks during her maternity leave.
Salary range and benefits
$45/hour
Start date
September 1, 2024
Full-Time Equivalence
1
Position duration
Temporary, end date: April 11, 2025
Contract type
Contract worker
Required qualifications
At least three years of experience with social media management. Experience managing various LinkedIn channels simultaneously is a plus.
Budget
Remote U.S.
Location
Remote U.S.
Do other positions need to be redefined based on this new position or change? If so, please explain:
No
Notes
Our team member is going on maternity leave on the first of December, so ideally, we want someone who can start a month before then so that they have ample time to do the transfer.
Job requisition process steps
What the job requisition process looks like may vary from one organization to another. As mentioned earlier, in start-ups and small companies, an HR Generalist may be tasked with most of the job requisition process, while in larger organizations, a dedicated team of recruiters may be in charge of this.
Regardless of company size, though, the process will likely include some of the following steps:
- Initiation: The manager or department lead identifies the need for a new position or the need to fill an existing position and fills out the company’s job requisition form.
- Submission: The person making the request submits the completed job req form either directly to the HR department or via the organization’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
- Initial review: The HR department reviews the requisition to ensure all the necessary information is provided and verifies that the request is in line with organizational needs and policies
- Department head approval: The requisition is forwarded to the department head or senior manager for approval. They review the necessity and budget implications of the (new) position.
- Budget approval: If the position requires additional budget allocation, the job requisition is sent to the finance department or budget committee for financial approval.
- Executive approval: For higher-level positions or those with significant budget impact, the requisition may need approval from an executive or a hiring committee.
- HR finalization: Once all the necessary approvals are obtained, HR finalizes the requisition and gives it a job requisition number.
- Communication: The HR department communicates the approval and next steps to the requesting manager and any other relevant parties. HR also sets up a job intake with the hiring manager to gather all the information necessary to create a job description and, based on that, a job advert.
- Job posting: Once the vacancy intake is done and the job description and job posting have been created according to the hiring manager’s wishes, the former is posted internally and the latter externally. With that, the recruitment process officially begins.
Streamlining your job requisition process
Whether you’re an HR Generalist handling the job requisition process from start to finish or a dedicated team of recruiters handling it, a streamlined process will save you a lot of time and minimize inefficiencies.
Here are seven tips to optimize the job requisition process in your organization:
- Standardize the job requisition form: This is the starting point for the entire process. What the form needs to include will depend on your organization’s needs and policies, but you can use the job requisition template we’ve included in the next section as the basis.
- Train managers on creating job requisitions: A standardized job requisition form should already minimize the risk of misunderstandings. However, to further reduce the chances of confusion, you may want to give managers brief training on using clear language, being specific, and avoiding bias.
- Work with timelines: Create a clear timeline for each stage of the requisition process to avoid delays and ensure everyone involved knows what to expect and when.
- Establish a straightforward approval process: Approvals could (should) also be integrated into the timeline just mentioned. Examples of approvals needed throughout the requisition process include:
- HR approval of the initial request, followed by
- The department head giving their go, followed by
- Potentially the finance department saying yes.
- Centralize documentation: Keep all job reqs and related documents in a central, easily accessible location for easy reference and tracking.
- Maintain open communication: Ensure open communication lines between HR, managers, department heads, and other relevant functions in the organization to keep everyone on the same wavelength regarding the process and their expectations.
- Fine-tune where necessary: Consider regularly asking those involved, for instance, every quarter, what they think of the job requisition process. What goes well, and what could be improved? You can tweak the process to further optimize it based on that feedback.
Job requisition form template
The job requisition form template below is designed to make your hiring process a breeze. You can use the form as a printable document or utilize it as the basis for creating your own online job requisition form.
Ready to get started? You can download the job requisition template here:
On a final note
Job requisition isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a successful hiring process. When done well, the job requisition process creates a solid inter-departmental collaboration and the best possible start of an organization’s recruitment process.
FAQ
A job requisition is a formal request from a manager to create a new position or fill an existing role at a company. The requisition, usually in a document or online form, contains information about the need for the position, whether it is full-time or part-time, and whether the position is temporary or permanent.
The decision about who will approve the job requisition mainly depends on the requested role and the size of the organization. Usually, HR will give approval, and sometimes, the department head will. If the role requires an additional budget, the finance department will also have to give its approval.
A job requisition is an internal document requesting the creation or filling of a position within an organization, requiring approval before the recruitment process can begin. A job order is often used by staffing agencies or external recruiters to describe a request from a company to fill an open position. It can also refer to the detailed description of the job vacancy that the company is looking to fill.
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