On March 13, 2013, I did my 6th interview on the Recruiting Animal’s Blog Talk Radio show. I’ve been appearing on his show since way back in 2008. This time around we talked about whether or not LinkedIn intentionally or unintentionally discriminates against minorities (i.e., legally protected classes).  Animal has read some articles claiming that LinkedIn is discriminatory. The both of us agree that LinkedIn isn’t discriminatory & that it’s a very open & egalitarian networking forum. My segment of the show is about 10-minutes long & it’s available here.

Also, there’s 2 very interesting articles on this subject. One that’s somewhat critical of LinkeIn is here; in this article other employment attorneys are wary of using LinkedIn for recruiting & hiring employees. In this article, a non-attorney (ironically) agrees with me that LinkedIn doesn’t appear to be dominated by white males & therefore is not discriminatory.

The 2nd media story is from the NFIB, the National Federation of Independent Business, The Voice of Small Business. I’m quoted in a February 2013 article 5 Good Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs Job Descriptions. The article is also below.

5 Good Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs Job Descriptions

Many small businesses don’t have job descriptions, but they should. Here’s how well written job descriptions can help your business.

You never needed job descriptions when you were a startup – after all, you wore all the hats. But now that your company has grown – and you have employees to fulfill many functions – you need to hunker down and write out job descriptions.

What’s the purpose of job descriptions? There are several:

1.     They boost morale.

Written job descriptions are a morale boost for employees: “They show employees that their employer has well-thought-out goals and directives,” says Charles Krugel, and attorney and owner of Charles Krugel’s Labor & Employment Law & Human Resources Practices Group in Chicago. “They also helps instill and facilitate the company’s culture among employees,” he says.

2.     You can’t beat them as a management tool.

Without written job descriptions, employees can be unclear or lax with their work tasks. Kari DePhillips, owner of The Content Factory an online PR firm based in Pittsburgh, Pa. says before she wrote concise job descriptions, “little odds and ends would keep falling through the cracks, and it would be up to me to catch them all.” Now the majority of all job-related questions are answered in the descriptions, which has saved her a lot of time and frustration.

3.     You’ll get the right people for the job.

Imagine advertising for a “trainer” without any description. Without an accurate description of what kind of trainer you want, you might not reach the right candidates. Having a succinct job description on hand will not only help you write a strong job posting, but will also get you the right candidates for the opening.

4.     There are important legal benefits.

Job descriptions are great accountability tools, says Senen Garcia, an attorney in Coconut Grove, Fla. with the Law Offices of Senen Garcia, P.A. “[They] provide additional grounds for reprimand and/or termination if necessary,” he says. Attorney Krugel points out that good job descriptions also reduce legal liability and exposure should an employee claim he or she is incorrectly compensated or classified.

5.     They will add value to your business.

Lastly, if you ever want to sell, merge or go public with your business, you can bet that any prospective buyer or investor will ask for full disclosure of all the positions in the company and the duties.

Taking the time to create a job description will provide clarity for you and everyone involved in your business—and can save you frustration and help you avoid legal problems.