Post to the Job Board
writing an inclusive job description
Writing a barrier-free job description includes a number of factors in order to speak to a broad audience and to receive the most qualified applicants for the role. We’ve brought together some tips for making your opportunity stand apart.
Tips for writing inclusive job descriptions
- Reduce the wish list and feature essential skills
- Highlight your organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- Simplify or remove unnecessary industry-specific jargon where possible
- Use impartial, inclusive and gender-neutral language
- Consider emphasizing job-specific achievements
For more about these inclusive job description tips, a job description template, and steps for adding your job to the co-op job board please visit the Co-op Hiring Guide.
Sample job description
[Job Title]
Formal position title
[Start Month and Duration]
Indicate if this is a January, May, or September start and if the duration is 4-, 8-, 12- or 16-months
[Reports To]
The [job title] will report to [positions title or titles this position reports to]
[Job Overview]
Provide an overview of the role, what success in the position looks like, and how the role fits into the organization
[Salary]
Provide the hourly or monthly salary based on the number of hours worked per week/month
Responsibilities and Duties
Provide a bullet point list of the responsibilities and duties of this job ordered by importance
Provide essential duties required of job
Use full and complete sentences
Start sentences with action verb
Use present tense
Use gender-neutral language
Qualifications
Education or degree program required
Indicate specific programs of interest
Experience
Specific skills
Personal attributes
Helpful to define
Physical abilities (if applicable) – example must be able to lift 25 lb boxes
For positions that require moderate physical activity, it is helpful to define activity parameters
Licenses (if applicable) –example must hold a BC Class 5 Drivers License
This is applicable for student who will need a vehicle for the job or be required to drive a fleet vehicle
Work authorization / Security Requirements (if applicable)*.Example: must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
*This is often tied to government funding or work that requires a specific security clearance.
Ready to post a position?
Get your opportunity up and ready to receive applications or reach out to our team for assistance in getting your position on the job board.
Tips
Your posting must include expected pay or pay range, as required under BC’s Pay Transparency Act as of November 1, 2023.
To attract the right candidates, include plenty of detail about your organization, job responsibilities, and skills required.
Positions Eligible for co-op
For a position to qualify as a co-op work term experience, the role must provide:
An identified workplace supervisor to the co-op student employee providing regular support, constructive feedback and reflection helping the student grow personally and professionally while engaging and effectively contributing within the workplace/role.
The nature of the co-op work experience should be aligned with the student’s academic pursuits and/or provide an opportunity to further develop capabilities and experience that will advance the student’s personal and career development.
A Co-op work experience should provide a challenging, relevant and instructive experience.
The assessment of students’ performance during a UBC co-op work experience is based on evaluation from the workplace supervisor and on reflection assignments submitted by the student.
Additionally, the Co-op Coordinators maintain contact with the student and employer to monitor progress on an on-going basis.
Co-op work experiences must be paid employment opportunities, and at an appropriate salary for the industry and level of responsibility.
Co-op work experiences must be a minimum of 420 hours and 12 weeks in length.
Positions typically start in January, May and September of each year.
Co-op students are hired as employees of your organization, and are not permitted to be hired as independent contractors.
All co-op employers must adhere to applicable employment standards, as such BC organizations must adhere to the BC Employment Standards Act.
The UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Co-op Education Program reserves the right to deny participation to any employer contravening such law.
Employers located outside BC must adhere to their regional and federal employment laws.
Work terms and deadlines
The UBC academic cycle provides the flexibility for you to hire for 4, 8 or 12 months at a time. Co-op students engage in work experiences year-round and are available to begin these work experiences starting in January, May and September each year.
Employers can begin recruiting at any time. We encourage beginning the process as early in the term as possible to access a larger pool of available student candidates.
We recommend the following timing to recruit based on the starting date as follows:
| To hire for | Post job during |
| May | January – April |
| September | May – August |
| January | September – December |
Have questions?
If there’s something you’re unclear on or would like to connect with a Program Coordinator, contact the Co-op Program Office.
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