Ever seen a job ad asking for five years’ experience in tech that’s only existed for three? Or a Master’s for entry‑level pay? If you’re attracting misaligned candidates, the mess probably started at step one: the job requisition.
Too many teams treat job reqs like paperwork to “get out of the way.” And that’s how you end up hiring the wrong person for the wrong job.
A solid requisition is your guardrail against expensive hiring mistakes. Without one, it’s easy to fall into the trap of sourcing the wrong profiles, blowing through your recruiting budget, and wasting time on team members who don’t stay.
In this article, you’ll get a simple process to turn your job req from “just another form to fill” into a driver of recruitment ROI.
What exactly is a job requisition? Formal request for a new employee
At its most basic, a job requisition is a formal internal request from a hiring manager to the HR department asking for approval and resources to fill an open position. It is not the same as an external job posting, which is actively promoted to potential candidates via job boards and other recruitment channels.
An effective job requisition justifies the role, explains how it aligns with company objectives, and outlines the resources required. Think of it as the starting gun that kicks off the recruitment process.
Make it clear enough that external recruiters can see exactly what you need and precise enough that HR and finance can quickly scan and approve.Â
➡️Got a vacancy you’re promoting internally? Use the requisition to drive your question set by mapping each section directly to your interview questions. With a streamlined approach, your job req can help deliver cleaner signals and faster consensus.
Why a robust requisition process goes beyond filling a seat
Even as 54% of employers say they struggle to find qualified candidates, many requisitions arrive missing crucial details – unclear responsibilities, no salary range, too many required qualifications. This has a costly knock-on effect, forcing recruiters and HR teams to waste time chasing answers and causing delays in the approval process.
And with nearly 40% of hiring teams calling their process “too time‑consuming or manual”, a clear requisition is a great way to cut friction before it starts.
An effective job req:
- Aligns the role to business goals (no zombie headcount!).
- Locks budget discipline with a real salary range.
- Gives HR teams relevant insights that cut time‑to‑hire and lift candidate quality.
According to our survey, roughly 1 in 3 teams are facing budget constraints. In an uncertain market, you can’t afford sloppy job reqs.
➡️Hiring for seasonal roles? Use this as an opportunity to lock in season dates, specify start/end windows and shift types, and clarify on‑call expectations so candidates can self‑select before they submit a job application.
Where most reqs go off the rails
Even well‑intentioned hiring teams stumble on job reqs when scope and expectations get fuzzy.
Recent data from a TealHQ report points to the same patterns:
- Role bleed: 41.8% of job descriptions mix unrelated functions
- Responsibility bloat: 59.38% list 10+ tasks
- Entry‑level inflation: 48.7% demand 2+ years experience
- Vague soft skills: 78.5% ask for soft skills without context
- “Remote” caveats: 49.6% include location limits; only 24.9% are truly remote
- Cultural red flags: 1 in 9 say “wear many hats” (which also reads as burnout)
It’s time to drop the unicorn hunting and get clear on what matters. A focused job requisition process helps accelerate the entire hiring lifecycle for better candidate fit, fewer delays, and stronger retention downstream.
Run a quick job analysis first
Before you touch the requisition form, sanity‑check the role. Use a simple three-step job analysis to segment roles, deconstruct tasks and standardize grading.
Less than 30% of employers have a formal workforce planning process – even a quick pass can put you ahead.
Double-check the essentials:
- Outcomes over activities: Define 2–3 measurable outcomes for the first 90 days.
- Core tasks: List the 5–7 tasks that drive those outcomes.
- Must‑haves vs. teachables: Keep must‑haves short, observable, and defensible
When your job req informs your onboarding best practices, new hires ramp faster and stay longer.
Capture “sunset” vs. “sunrise” skills, then right‑size the role scope so pay and expectations align to real hiring needs and a clear job profile.
Job requisition form: free template
Use this job requisition template to keep your hiring process consistent. Customize for your next open role, share with the team, and you’re ready to roll.
Role basics
- Requisition number: [####]
- Dates: request [YYYY-MM-DD]; start date [YYYY-MM-DD]
- Title/department: [Title] / [Department]
- Status/type: [Full-time/Part-time/Temporary] / [Permanent/Contract]
- Hiring manager: [Name] ([Email] | [Phone])
- Recruiter: [Name] ([Email] | [Phone])
- Location: [On-site/Remote/Hybrid] ([City/State])
Structure & purpose
- Reporting lines: reports to [Title]; directs [# roles or N/A]
- Requisition reason: [New job | Replacement (replacing: [Name]) | Growth | Project]
Scope summary
- Job summary: [1–2 sentences]
- Primary responsibilities: [5–7 bullets]
Requirements
- Must‑haves: (observable/defensible)
- Nice‑to‑haves: (do not block qualified applicants)
Comp & location
- Salary range: [Min–Max]
- Cost center: [####]
- Equipment/software: [List if applicable]
Approvals & costs
- Approval workflow: [Dept head → Finance → HR]
- Budgetary impact summary: [Salary + benefits + tools]
Success metrics
- 90‑day outcomes: [2–3 measurable new hire goals]
- Time‑to‑productivity: [Target date/week]
Note: Once approved, your applicant tracking system (ATS) can automate posting to all the free job posting sites (including LinkedIn), help you find top candidates faster, and even help move your new hire straight into preboarding.
What to include in your job requisition
A strong job requisition is a decision aid, not a data dump. Keep it tight and complete.
🔑 Key elements to include:
- Role basics: Requisition ID (aka requisition number), dates (request and start date), job title, department/team, status, hiring manager contact, and recruiter.
- Structure & purpose: Reporting lines and the reason for the requisition (new, replacement, growth, project‑based– clearly mark whether it’s a new role or new position).
- Scope summary: Brief job overview plus primary responsibilities.
- Requirements: Essential skills/qualifications and preferred (nice‑to‑have) attributes.
- Comp & location: Salary range/budget and work arrangement (on‑site, remote, hybrid).
- Approvals & costs: Who signs off (workflow) and the budgetary impact (salary, benefits, equipment/software), including the finance department.
- Success metrics: 90‑day outcomes and time‑to‑productivity.
Every piece pulls its weight, speeding up approvals and steering the recruiting work in a way that makes sense to every person on the hiring team.
But, wait! Before you hit publish, watch out for job posting language that can backfire:
- “Competitive salary” can read “below market.”
- “Rockstar/Ninja” may come across as “chaotic culture and unrealistic expectations.”
- “Must be a self-starter” often reads as “minimal support or onboarding.”
đź’ˇPro tip: If the role supports remote/hybrid work, say so. 64% of employers expect demand for remote work and better work/life balance to impact hiring. Clarity here can help boost applications from top talent.
How to craft a job req that attracts the right talent
Creating a requisition isn’t just data entry – it’s strategy.
Use practical guardrails for faster approvals and better candidates:
- Lead with the why: Tie the role to business goals and budget. No why = slow or no approvals.
- Co-write the req: HR + hiring manager together. Kill keyword soup and scoring misfires.
- Lock the must-haves: Keep essentials tight and save teachable skills for onboarding.
- Label preferences: “Nice-to-have” ≠knockout. Don’t shrink your pool unless you really have to.
- Post real roles: Only open, legit reqs. No ghost jobs, performative or prefilled seats.
- Show the pay (and the day): Research market rates, publish an accurate range, and add day-in-the-life content.
- No resume retyping: Streamlined apply flow = more qualified applicants.
Once you’ve locked the must‑haves, translate them into role‑aligned interview questions and a simple scorecard. Now every interviewer is assessing the same signals. No email ping‑pong. No guesswork.
Turn reqs into results
In the modern talent market, “winging it” is a liability. The job requisition can make or break a successful hire by giving a clear shape and definition of the kind of candidate you really need.
Remember, you’re not just filling roles. You're building your future workforce. Taking a couple extra steps upfront can help you attract qualified candidates who stick around.
Need an easier way to move from requisition to hire? Try Breezy’s user‑friendly ATS to post roles to leading job boards, manage candidates in a visual pipeline, and keep your team aligned from requisition to offer – including recruiter assignments and automated job applications.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a job requisition and a job description?
A requisition is the internal request and justification to open a role (budget, business case, approvals). A job description is the external posting used to attract candidates via a job posting. No req = no posting.
Who should approve a job requisition, and in what order?
Map a clear chain (e.g., hiring manager → department head → finance → HR). Your ATS/HRIS should route it automatically to cut delays and avoid email ping‑pong.
Should we include a salary range?
Yes. Publishing a realistic range builds trust, speeds decisions, and keeps you ahead of pay‑transparency laws. “Competitive salary” reads as “below market.”
How often should we revisit our requisition template and process?
Review at least annually, then do light monthly check‑ins for changing scopes, skills, and budget shifts. Keep fields current so approvals stay fast and hires fit the actual need – especially when opening a new position.
