Which sentence clearly communicates the requirement for strong communication skills in a job description?

• A. The employee must have strong oral communication skills.
• B. The employees oral communication skills will be excellent.
• C. The employee will communicate orally and in writing well.
• D. The employee will have excellent writing skills.

Answer: (A)

Clear, explicit qualifications in a job description use decisive language that states what is required. The best choice does this by saying the employee must have strong oral communication skills. Using “must have” makes it a non-negotiable requirement and naming “strong oral communication skills” specifies exactly what is needed, leaving little room for ambiguity for applicants and for screening.

Other phrasings fall short because they rely on future promises or vague descriptions rather than a concrete criterion. Saying the skills will be excellent describes a hoped-for future state rather than a formal requirement. Describing that the employee will communicate well, either orally and in writing, is vague about the level and does not establish a definite criterion to meet. Focusing only on writing skills omits the oral aspect and thus doesn’t clearly communicate the overall communication requirement.