job assignment

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5 Ways to Manage a Job Reassignment

Instead of laying people off, organizations are increasingly giving them new job assignments. How to manage what can be a jarring professional change.

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Associate Principal, Advisory

Senior Client Partner, North America

Career Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

Career & Leadership Coach, Senior Consultant

Career & Leadership Coach, Korn Ferry Advance

U.S. companies announced 42% fewer layoffs in July than in June, and 8% fewer cuts than in July of 2022. The underlying reason is unexpected, however: while companies are continuing to eliminate jobs, they’re often reassigning workers to new roles instead of laying them off. Experts believe this trend could continue.

“Chances are, these are the types of changes we can expect to see over time, whether it’s due to new technology, like AI, or economic trends,” says Korn Ferry Advance coach Frances Weir .

While it can be difficult for employees to suddenly step into a new role and work with a new manager and team, experts say reassignment can have an upside. It offers employees an opportunity to learn new skills and bolster their résumé. For instance, if you’re moved onto a team that is underresourced and needs help, there’s an opportunity for you to make notable contributions that could earn you recognition, says Mark Royal , a senior client partner for Korn Ferry Advisory.

Since a reassignment can potentially be advantageous, it’s worth considering what steps to take to help you adjust. Here are five ways to adapt to a job reassignment.

Manage your emotions.

Reassignments are often unexpected, so it’s important to take a step back from your emotions. It’s normal to feel surprise, anger, or a loss of control, Royal says. But making an immediate, emotional decision—like quitting immediately—could wind up being detrimental to your long-term career.

Be diplomatic with your manager and get ready for the new assignment. At the same time, do some self-reflection. “Understand why you feel this way, and know that if you choose to stay, it doesn’t have to be forever,” Weir says.

Treat it like a new job.

As with any new position, making a good impression during your first 90 days is important, says Alyson Federico, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. “No matter how familiar you already are with the team or your new manager, don’t make assumptions that you know what’s going on or what you’re supposed to do,” she says.

Remember that your relationship with these colleagues will evolve. Ask questions to understand expectations about deliverables and responsibilities, how the team communicates, and how you fit into the group, Federico says. Make sure you have a clear sense of how your new team defines success.

Determine the reassignment’s length.

“Is this an open-ended shift, or has it been presented as a short-term assignment with some expectation of other opportunities down the road?” Royal says.

Ask your manager whether there will be a probationary period. Determine how much grace you will get before you’re expected to be a full contributor. Ask if there’s an onboarding process to help you get up to speed.

Stay optimistic.

Your new role and new department might provide an opportunity to build additional skills for your résumé and provide future career options. “You might stumble into something you’re really good at that you were previously unaware of, or perhaps land on a team you really enjoy working with, or discover a new career interest,” says Tiffinee Swanson , a Korn Ferry Advance career coach.

Remind yourself that even though your old role was eliminated, your company decided to keep you. That is a strong signal that your organization values you and your work, Royal says.

Consider the role’s fit.

Even if the role seems to be a poor fit for your skills, you might consider staying if you can see a career path within the company where the fit might be better, Royal says.

Give it some time, experts say. However, if it continues to be a struggle, it’s OK to leave, especially if you have another job offer, you’re offered a severance package, or you’re burned out and don’t have energy to make a change to a reassigned role.

“The best insurance against job loss, or ending up in a position you don’t like, is consistent networking, keeping your résumé and LinkedIn profile up-to-date, and staying abreast of trends in your industry,” says Val Olson , a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. 

For more expert career advice, connect with a career coach at  Korn Ferry Advance .

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How to Give Assignments to Team Members

Table of Contents

The project has been divided into milestones, goals and objectives broken into tasks, and now it’s time to assign them. But as you open the project management platform, you’re faced with the unflattering process of wording the tasks, and choosing whom to assign them to.

Well, in this article, we offer advice on how to make that jumbled first moment a little clearer. There are actionable tips, learning the difference between allocating and delegating tasks, and suggested criteria on how to choose the best person for the job.

For a more precise overview, here’s a table of contents:

How do you assign employees tasks?

We normally think that assigning tasks is a time-consuming process that focuses on clearing out task lists to keep the project going. However, task assignment should actually be a more employee-oriented process that requires additional dedication and effort, which yields incredible results. But what do we mean by that?

Properly assigned tasks push your employees, projects, and the overall company forward. Here’s how.

• They strengthen accountability and trust between managers and employees;
• They help teach new skills and perfect old ones;
• They allow employees to get familiar with other teams and avenues of work;
• It becomes easier to make project estimates;
• Makes for great bases for performance reviews, etc.

The list could go on, but we’ll stop there for now.

Of course, such long-term benefits don’t come without some proverbial blood and sweat in the planning stage. Let’s take a look at the general ideas on assigning employee tasks, and specific steps you can take.

Motivation comes from knowing the bigger picture

When we talk about the bigger picture in project management, we talk about each team member’s task affecting their peer’s down the line. Since all tasks are usually small pieces of the puzzle, it helps to remind employees how their work contributes. For example:

• A high-quality draft can make a great foundation for the final version, and it can be completed more quickly.
• A well-prepared presentation can shave time off unnecessary questions and additional email inquiries.

It comes as no surprise that people work better and are more productive, when they know that their work has an impact on the company level.

And so, when you assign tasks, try to emphasize how they fit in the bigger picture. Simply saying: “ You doing X will help with Y and Z ” and how it reflects on the project as a whole will let an employee know that the task they were assigned is important.

Get your employees excited to commit

Telling people about the bigger picture and showing them what’s possible can only get them so far. It’s enough to ignite the initial spark, but for them to fully commit to the task, you need to define what that task entails.

They should be able to picture how to go about the work, what skills to use, and how to reach the desired result. The clearer the instructions, the more motivated they will be to work.

Simply put, give directions on how the task should be done, and make sure they understand. You can’t read each other’s minds, so it’s important everyone is on the same page.

Ask for task transparency

One of the best practices a company can employ is transparency among coworkers.

This is achieved by having everyone input their tasks for the day in a timesheet. The purpose of timesheets is to get an accurate idea of what everyone is working on at any given time.

When people know who works on what tasks, it’s easier for them to know if a person is available or busy, how far along they are with a task, etc.

So, when you give assignments to employees, label them with deadlines. Alternatively, you can ask for employees’ assessments on how long the work would take them, and use those timeframes.

Source: Clockify team timesheet

Timesheets are a great way to keep an eye on tasks and the people doing them. You get to:

• see who struggles with what (helps assess people’s skill sets);
• who burns through their workload and is available for additional tasks;
• whether your time estimates need correction;
• identify any wasted time.

💡 If your employees are insecure about keeping public records of their tasks, here are a few resources that can help:

• How to create order in your daily work tasks
• How to be more efficient with your tasks

Keep a crystal clear timeframe

While we’re discussing timesheets and deadline transparency, it’s important to mention that the times you set for task completions need to be clear-cut.

As we’ve mentioned, the safest way to assign deadlines is to consult the employees. They are better at assessing how long it will take them due to the tasks’ difficulty, overall deadlines, the standards that need to be met, and the skill required to complete it.

When they get a say in how long they should be doing an assignment, people tend to feel more accountable for the whole process. They will do their best to finish in time, since they actively participated in setting the deadline.

Set very clear expectations

Assigning a task should always include your (the supervisor’s) expectations pointed out. For example:

• Does a logo pitch need as many drafts as possible, or just a few finished pieces?

If you ask a designer to make some drafts for a logo pitch, you must specify the kind of quality you’re looking for. Explain whether you are looking for some sketches and drafts for a brainstorming meeting, or if you want clean, presentable pieces to show.

Additionally:

• How many pieces should the designer do?
• Is there a specific color palette they need to follow?
• How important is the task? Is this the day they finally decide on a logo, or is it still in the brainstorming stage? (decides on the quality of the work itself)

Assigning the task using the above questions, you help the designer understand how much effort precisely they need to invest. They become more motivated with clear instructions, as they know what is expected of them. There’s no fear of having their work criticized for something that wasn’t communicated in the beginning. And on your end, it prevents breached deadlines or subpar results.

Avoid creating dependency by being less involved

It’s not unusual for employees to ask their supervisors for their opinion on a certain task, or their performance.

The problem arises when a supervisor makes themselves too involved with the process. When they feel like the project might fall apart if they don’t have their eyes on every moving part all of the time. And when you have, say, 20 people waiting for that person’s approval, advice, or consultation, the workflow runs into a gridlock.

And wait time is wasted time.

Plus, people lose motivation, patience, and grow frustrated, as they could be doing other things.

So, learn not to jump in every time people call for your aid. Assign reliable people who can address smaller issues, while you handle the big picture. Learn how to expend your own energy where it is needed more.

For example – making a pitch presentation for potential investors keeps getting put off because one person needs you to check a client email they want to send, another wants your signature on a form, and the third wants to ask something about employee feedback that’s coming up.

In order to not be stretched thin, and have your time wasted on menial tasks, here’s where you can start:

How to mitigate the risk of being over-involved when assigning

• Remember that you match tasks to people

Which means that, by matching the right people with the right tasks, your involvement will be minimal. Take time to carefully choose who gets to do what. What is the point of assigning tasks if they can’t be done without you?

• Have a 10-point scale to judge the importance of items

How important are certain aspects of your leadership role? Are you absolutely necessary in every meeting, or during every call? Which tasks need your approval, and which ones can be approved by someone under you?

Rank these items on a scale of 0 to 10, based on their importance to you and the project. Top priority tasks should get your undivided attention. And what can be delegated, should be.

• Analyze your schedule

Your energy and time are needed on a much broader scale. The best way to spot if you’re wasting time being too involved is to look at your schedule. Identify how much time you’ve spent on low-priority items, and assess which issues could’ve been solved without you.

• Take into account priorities and deadlines

Step in only when absolutely necessary. You are in charge of things getting done on time, by people most qualified for assigned tasks. Determine what your priorities are for each project, and concern yourself only with those issues, unless there is a risk of breaching a deadline.

• Formulate a list of dependable people

If you know your employees (or team members) well enough, then you should be able to single out those who are more dependable and ready to take on a little more responsibilities. Write out the reasons how they could help by getting involved on low-priority items instead of you. When the time comes, rally them and present them with the idea, keeping in mind that this solution helps push the project forward. When authority is delegated to several people, there’s fewer chances of a hold-up in the workflow.

This also falls into the realm of task delegation , which we’ll get into later.

How do you decide what tasks to assign to which employees?

1. assign based on priority.

Naturally, some tasks will be more important than others. When you break down a project into tasks , spend some time assessing their priority level.

High-priority tasks should be the first on your list to allocate. Whether it’s because they’re time-sensitive, or require more effort and dedication.

Low priority tasks can be allocated as fillers to the first available person.

2. Assign based on employee availability

Another factor to consider when assigning tasks is who is available at the moment.

As the project moves along, new tasks will be added. You will have to allocate new work, but odds are you won’t always be able to pick who you want. Especially if a deadline is approaching, the person with the smallest workload should be your first choice.

Overloading an already busy individual just because they’re more skilled or you have faith in them the most puts an unnecessary strain on them. It’s cause for frustration, poorer results, and decreased productivity.

And as we’ve mentioned, if you have a timesheet with an overview of all the tasks and employees working on them, it’ll be much easier to spot who is free and who isn’t.

3. Assign based on employee skill level

High-priority tasks should go to employees with more experience in a given field or skill. However, you should occasionally give such tasks to other employees as well, to help them grow and become just as dependable. Giving people challenging tasks that can boost their experience is essential to productivity and morale.

Not to mention you get to have multiple high-skilled employees.

Low-priority tasks can be assigned to anyone, despite their experience level. They’re a good opportunity to practice, pick up new skills, or get smaller tasks out of the way to make room for more important ones.

4. Assign based on preference

Last, but not the least, preference can also play a big part in how you assign tasks.

It’s a given that some employees will prefer certain tasks over others. So it could be good to assign tasks at a meeting with the team. As you discuss priorities, deadlines, and availability, ask them which tasks they would like to work on.

If someone shows interest in a specific type of work, they should (with some consideration), be allowed to take it. After all, people are more productive when they’re assigned to something they find new or exciting.

Note: Apply this rule with caution. Letting people do only the tasks they want can stunt their career growth. Getting out of our comfort zones and occasionally doing tasks that we don’t like is how we develop and learn. So, don’t forget to document assignments as you hand them out, to spot these potential issues early on.

Allocating vs delegating tasks

While semantically similar words, delegation and allocation in terms of tasks are two different things.

When you allocate tasks , you are assigning tasks without giving the employees much authority, challenge, or room to grow. It includes you keeping all of the responsibility – writing out the tasks, making deadlines, providing resources, tools, etc. These are usually recurring tasks that can become repetitive.

When you delegate tasks , you allow for some of that responsibility to fizzle out from your fingers. All you think about are the objectives, while letting the employees figure out the details and means to get there.

However, that doesn’t mean delegation is right and the allocation is wrong.

Task allocation has its own place. It is just as important, as a lot of tasks come down to repeated processes that are still vital to the project progress. Task delegation is just a good opportunity for employees to learn, challenge themselves, and assess their skills and performance.

When should you allocate tasks?

Management and BizDev consultant Artem Albul shared his concept on task assignment, which he dubbed an “algorithm”. He emphasized how these criteria are useful only and only when you wish that employees perform the tasks based on your guidelines and instructions (aka allocation).

Here is how Albul broke down the algorithm:

Source: Artem Albul, TWA Consulting

As we can see, task allocation, while the more “controlling” of the two, also gives in-depth instructions and asks for confirmation on task clarity. A lot of it comes down to everyone being on the same page, leaving little to no room for misinterpretation (but also creative freedom).

How should you allocate tasks?

With all that we’ve mentioned in the previous section, here’s how your task allotment could look like, step by step.

• Break down your project

Detail out the goals, objectives, and some individual tasks (not all, be careful not to start micromanaging). Place the most important deadlines.

• Prioritize tasks and sort them

It’s important to know what tasks need to be done faster/better, to properly allocate your resources and manpower from the start.

• Make a list of teams and team members

Assign team leaders (if you don’t have them), and alternatively, ask for their input on individual employees skills, for a more informed decision on who gets what.

• Schedule a meeting

Make a meeting with the team leads and go through the points above. Assign tasks according to each team’s availability, interest, and skill required to successfully push the project forward.

• As team leads – assign tasks further down the pipeline
• Track task completion and make necessary changes along the way

Whether it’s pushing deadlines, reassigning tasks, or shifting around resources. This is perfectly fine and expected, so long as it doesn’t happen on every task you’ve assigned. Then, it is an indicator of poor pre-planning.

• Offer feedback and write performances

Don’t forget to track the progress and make notes of important details that might help the next task allocation/delegation process. It’s also a useful piece of information for the employees on what they need to improve on.

Allocating tasks is somewhat more complicated than we want it to be. But, this kind of thorough research and preparation will make projects run more smoothly. Employees will also be more satisfied with their work, and there will be less hurdles as deadlines approach.

When should you delegate tasks?

Delegation is a great practice in trust for both the employer/supervisor and the employee. The employer learns how to give away some of their control over the process, while the employee learns how to take more accountability for their work.

This lets you focus on big-picture aspects of your job, since you deal less with assignments that are low-priority for you. You save time and energy, while helping others move up in their careers.

How do you effectively delegate tasks as a leader?

As we’ve mentioned, delegating includes more employee independence. There are some additional components which make this type of task assignment more appealing than allocation, with great opportunities for growth.

Focus on delegating objectives instead of actual tasks

When you delegate, you focus on the objective that needs to be done. You shouldn’t give employees a “color by numbers” instruction on how to complete a task.

Communicate clearly what the end result should be and what expectations you (or the higher-ups) have. Leave the means for reaching that end goal to the employees themselves. Because how you solve a task may be completely different to how they will. And that is perfectly fine, so long as the result is the one you are looking for.

Keep the objectives challenging

When the objectives you’re delegating are too easy, chances are the person will either procrastinate, or feel like you don’t trust them enough. And if they’re too difficult, they get frustrated, anxious, and begin to panic.

It’s a good idea to be aware of an employee’s skill level, so you can gauge how much challenge and responsibility they can take on. For them to be the most productive and achieve great results, they need to enter “the state of Flow”.

Source: Optimal Experience , M. Csikszentmihalyi

💡 We’ve discussed the state of Flow in more detail in an article on time organization.

Encourage discussion and feedback

Let employees voice their opinions on the topic.

They should ask anything about the task, the goals, or the overall impact their work will have on the later stages or others’ workflow. It means they are interested in the task, and getting involved.

And if they aren’t asking questions themselves, you can always nudge them into proactivity.

• Is there something you’d like me to clarify?
• Do you already have any ideas on how to go about the task?
• Is the time we agreed upon enough for you?
• Will you need other resources, tools, or support?
• Do you see any problems or risks?

Questions like these help them feel valued, their efforts acknowledged, and let them know you care about the task and how well they perform. Just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll start to look like a micromanager.

Give employees free rein, but offer support

Speaking of micromanaging, delegation means you let people problem-solve their way out on their own. There should be no reason for a manager to step in and control or supervise any step of the process, unless absolutely necessary.

However, what you should do is let them know you’re available for any advice should they feel stuck. Just because employees get authority on a certain task, and are left to their own devices, doesn’t mean the project has to suffer until they pull themselves up.

From time to time, ask them if they need anything from you, and make sure they know you’re there for any kind of support, consultation, or mediation. ANother good practice is to also give them additional learning opportunities – such as training, conferences, courses, etc.

Delegate objectives that move people forward

Choose assignments that boost the skills and employ all of their experiences, instead of something that simply needs to be done. For example:

• Tasks that require they brush up on their team communication skills;
• Learning how to allocate smaller tasks;
• Supervising others’ work and doing quality control;
• Learning to work with a new tool;
• Holding a meeting (or more), etc.

Find out which skills your employees may want or need to develop, and then plan your delegations accordingly. You want them to complete the task while having learned something new at the same time.

How to choose who to delegate to

Paul Beesley, senior director and consultant at Beyond Theory proposed a nifty checklist for when you’re choosing an employee to delegate to. It’s meant to simplify and speed up the process.

To successfully complete the delegated task, your chosen employee needs:

S – the skill to perform and complete a task

T – the time to complete the task, and if needed, learn the required skill

A – the authority to handle everything concerning the task

R – the necessary level of responsibility

R – the recognition for successfully completing the task

This list is a set of important criteria that should be covered when you consider who to assign to a specific task. However, depending on your niche, type of service, company size and the project at hand, the criteria are likely to change. And it should accommodate your needs, not the other way around.

Common task delegation mistakes to avoid

With all being said, there are some common mistakes managers and employers make, sometimes without even realizing it.

• Being too vague concerning deadlines (using: as soon as possible, when you get to it, I need it by yesterday). It creates unnecessary pressure.
• Being unavailable for questions and concerns. While you shouldn’t micromanage, you should still be present for support if an employee feels stuck. Ignoring them or handing them over to someone else could cause distrust. However, if you are usually swamped with work, set consultation hours each day or week.
• Having unclear directions. Specifying the allotted time for task completion and expectations should be the bare minimum when delegating tasks.
• Not providing feedback. No feedback is worse than bad feedback. Employees need to be aware when they’re doing good work, as well. In one company I worked for, the mantra was: “If no one is complaining about your work, that means you’re doing good”. And while it sounds like sound logic, it actually caused a lot of frustration. We were left directionless, and simply “floating” from task to task, never knowing if any of them had a positive impact on our performance.
• Not listening to employees. Take into account how they feel about a task or the objective. Let them give you feedback and if there are potential problems from the get-go.
• Assigning other people to the same task. If you notice a person struggling, the first instinct should be to ask them how they’re faring, and if they need any help. Some managers tend to assign other employees to help them without consultation, which leaves a sore taste. The employee will feel even more incompetent and will be less likely to take on a similar task in the future.
• Assuming people will know what you mean. This is one of the biggest problems. When you’re formulating a task, be as clear as possible about the goals and expectations. Oftentimes managers think that these things are implied, but the truth is – no one is a mind reader. To avoid having information misconstrued or misunderstood, communicate clearly and directly.

There could be more mistakes, especially for every different field and industry. If at all possible, identify the most common ones, made either by you or your peers. Note down all the instances where certain tasks weren’t up to par, and see what you could have changed in your assignment process to fix it. Maybe there wasn’t enough time or resources, you were unclear, or the employee wasn’t ready for such responsibility. Use the same procedure in all future task delegations. It’s the only way to learn and make the process quicker.

Use Clockify to assign tasks with ease

Now you’re a master of task delegation — congrats!

But there’s more to it than meets the eye.

In fact, what if you used a digital tool like Clockify to increase the likelihood that each job would be completed on time and on point?

In Clockify, you can easily create highly descriptive assignments that contain information like:

• Start time,
• Billability status,
• Name of the employee,
• Period for getting the assignment done,
• Hours per day to spend on the assignment, and more.

That way, you can plan who works on what, how long, and when.

Similarly, Clockify allows you to create project milestones to achieve results faster.

With the Milestones option, you can select dates for deadlines, allowing you to pin down important events in your projects.

For example, if your client expects you to keep them in the loop about developments, you can inform them promptly on whether your team has reached the agreed-upon milestones.

Refocus on your company’s big picture with a project and time tracking tool.

Marijana Stojanovic is a writer and researcher who specializes in the topics of productivity and time management.

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Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects.

Job Descriptions .

How to write a job description (with examples), how to write a job description.

Job descriptions are the cornerstone of the recruiting process. They help to attract top talent, set expectations for qualified candidates, inform prospects about the role and company, and streamline the search process. Plus, a well-written job description gives companies a chance to make a great first impression. So while writing accurate and compelling job descriptions can be frustrating, finding the time and resources to do so is well worth it.

Importance of Job Descriptions

No matter how many job descriptions you write, they never seem to get any easier, especially if you are writing them for roles you know little about. We’re here to help. For starters, let’s discuss the importance of job descriptions, and then we’ll tackle how to write them.

Job descriptions are helpful for both prospective candidates and employers. Here’s why:

Attract Prospective Candidates

A concise and compelling job description will play a major role in attracting qualified candidates. With resources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and email, the ability to post and share jobs is instantaneous and has exponential reachability.

Set Expectations

A clear job description will set everyone up for success. Prospects will understand what is expected of them, more-qualified candidates will apply, under-qualified applicants will move on and you will save loads of time sifting through applications and communicating with potential candidates.

Prepare for Interviews

A well-crafted job description can help both applicants and interviewers prep for the big day . Applicants will be able to prepare for likely topics of conversation and interview teams will be equipped to ask questions that will accurately gauge the candidate’s qualifications.

Make a Stellar First Impression

Job descriptions are often the first point of contact candidates will have with your company and can shape their first impression. Just like resumes and CVs, any jargon or grammatical errors will turn a candidate off and leave a lasting negative impression.

Simplify the Search

Searching for jobs is incredibly time-consuming, especially for the 73 percent of candidates who are passive and currently employed. Clear and concise job descriptions help prospects compare salaries, benefits, perks and even company culture to determine what roles are worth applying to.

Establish a Baseline

Once a candidate is hired, the job description will stand as a baseline to measure growth, reference during performance reviews and consider future training opportunities.

Recommended Reading 29 Recruitment Strategies With Real Examples

Great job descriptions are thorough yet concise. They use specific terms and keep a professional tone. It’s OK to be a little quirky, but don’t overdo it. If you don’t take the job description seriously, top candidates will move on to other opportunities.

Important Parts of a Job Description

• Company Bio/Mission

Role Summary

• Role Responsibilities
• Role Requirements (Must-Have Skills)
• Time/Location
• Next Steps (How to Apply)

Here’s an outline of the main sections every job description should include.

Make the job title clear, concise and industry-specific.

43 percent of job seekers look for career opportunities on job boards that use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Job seekers are also likely to search based on the terms they know, so don’t stray from the standard industry language of common job titles. Be sure to include specific terms, like the programs required for the role. The title Lead Front End AngularJS Engineer is much more descriptive than Developer and will attract more qualified candidates. If your job can’t be found, it can’t be applied to.

Company Mission

Include a company description or mission, but keep it to about two to four sentences.

72 percent of job seekers noted they would be more likely to apply to a job posting with a company description. At the same time, don’t get too lost in the details. Most companies have a lengthy mission statement with core values and a culture code. For candidates looking at multiple companies and open roles, the missions start to sound the same. If candidates decide to pursue the position, they can read about the company’s full profile on the website. 

Consider writing a templated version that can be repurposed whenever you need to write a new job post. It’s also more common to include the company description or mission at the beginning of the post.

Write a brief three to five sentence summary about what the candidate will do in their role, who they’ll work with and any general qualities your team is looking for in the individual.

Job Responsibilities

90 percent of top-performing job descriptions include clear responsibilities and duties, according to Built In research. Responsibilities and duties are essential in order for a candidate to understand the role. They also set expectations for the hired employee and can be used as a baseline for performance reviews down the line.

Give five to 10 bullet points on what the candidate can expect to do in the role. Here are a few tips:

• Write in complete sentences.
• Be thorough. Candidates will be better prepared for the interview and role if they know what is expected of them.
• Don’t be excessive. You don’t need to include every single possible thing a person might encounter during the work day.

Must-Have Skills

Job descriptions include an average of eight distinct qualifications per job post (including must-have and nice-to-have skills), according to Built In research. List five to seven bullet points that are absolutely necessary for a candidate to be successful in the role they are applying to.

• Include quantities when applicable, like years of experience.
• Be sure to clarify what the application requires, like a portfolio, writing sample, video recording, resume, CV, cover letter, etc.
• Other important information includes education, experience, certifications and knowledge of specific platforms.

Nice-to-Have Skills

If there are any other qualities that are nice to have, include those here. Don’t feel like you have to include this section, but it may help candidates know what to include in the application or interview to stand out. This section is lower priority and should have fewer bullet points. 

Compensation

61 percent  consider compensation information to be the most important part of a job description. However, 99 percent of top-performing job descriptions don’t include compensation information, according to Built In research. Many companies still refuse to provide this information in job descriptions, but it’s time to get over this discomfort to garner a larger applicant pool.

It’s best to be upfront about the time frame you need employees to work. Flexible work hours are more common for full-time employees, time zones may play a role, and certain industries and markets work around different schedules.

Candidates will consider commute time or relocation efforts in their employment decision, so help them determine fit before they embark on the application process. Embedding a Google Map onto your website is really quite simple and can be done with this guide .

Working Conditions

Keep working conditions and workplace expectations clear. People want to know what to expect in their future work environment. Are there any physical requirements for the role? What is the expected dress code?

Call to Action

Make sure it is blatantly obvious where a candidate is supposed to apply. Do not make it complicated or frustrating to apply because that’s just going to reduce your applicant pool for the wrong reasons. This is one area that companies should customize to the location the job is being posted. Make sure they know where to click or who to email to get the process started. 

Disclaimer Statements

Most companies include an equal opportunity employer statement and that the employee may be required to perform additional job functions beyond the description. Do your research because disclaimers can help companies prevent serious lawsuits .

Elements to Improve Job Descriptions

Some companies include additional details in their job descriptions to help differentiate them from other employers. There’s certainly a balance between writing a thorough job description and being excessive, and that’s up to your team to decide. Here are a few additional sections to consider including in your job description. While these items are optional, they may turn a good job description into a great one.

Non-financial benefits are often a deciding factor for prospective candidates —  61 percent of job seekers expect to see benefits packages in job descriptions, yet only 43 percent of top-performing job descriptions included such information, according to Built In research.

Things to include are your company’s:

• Health insurance and wellness plans
• Retirement and stock options offerings
• Childcare and parental leave options
• Vacation and PTO policies

Remember that perks are not the same thing as benefits. Perks are nice add-ons the company offers its employees to improve work-life balance and help them live happier, more productive lives. 

Company Culture

Sure, it’s a buzzword, but the people have spoken and the best candidates expect a strong company culture . In fact, 47 percent  say that company culture is the main reason they’re searching for new opportunities.

Word Count 

It’s best to keep your job description in the 250 to 500 word count range, as supported by a study that found the majority of job postings had a similar word count trend. Top-performing job descriptions contain an average word count of 457 words, based on Built In findings. 

Average word count also correlates with average time on page for job descriptions. Job descriptions with a word count between 251 to 500 words see an average time on page of one minute and 39 seconds (1:39), which is closest to the average job description reading time of one minute and 41 seconds (1:41). It’s clear that job descriptions which adhere to word count best practices are much more engaging than their lower-performing counterparts. 

16 percent of job descriptions as analyzed by Built In contain obvious typos, which could be detrimental to applicant reach and a company trustworthiness. Similar to how many recruiters disregard applicants with typos on their resume or application, candidates may come away with a negative impression of your company for not doing its due diligence. Remember to always have at least one other person read your job description before posting.

Job Description Examples

Job descriptions aren’t one-size-fits-all. While the company bio and mission statement sections may remain the same for each role a company posts, the main sections — which include role responsibilities and requirements — should be uniquely tailored to the job at hand.

For instance, a job description for a highly specialized role will usually go into more detail about the types of tools and software programs qualified candidates are expected to possess, while a JD for an entry-level role may spend more time broadly discussing the mentality or passions a candidate should have. In any case, job descriptions that have enough detail specific to the role gives job-seekers a better sense of the position and it gives you an opportunity to make a positive first impression.

Below we’ve rounded up some in-depth guides and job description templates for several roles:

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Developer Roles

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• iOS Developer Job Description
• Java Developer Job Description
• PHP Developer Job Description
• Product Manager Job Description
• Salesforce Developer Job Description

Operations Roles

• Operations Manager Job Description
• DevOp Job Description  
• Project Manager Job Description

Marketing Roles

• Marketing Manager Job Description

Sales Roles

• Account Executive Job Description
• Account Manager Job Description
• Customer Success Manager Job Description  
• Sales Development Representative Job Description  
• Sales Engineer Job Description
• Sales Operations Manager Job Description

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Growing Skills with Development Assignments

Last Updated on October 24, 2021 – 6:40 pm

Every modern company prefers to attract employees with the proper skills and experience to work for them. However, hiring managers often face a different reality: searching for this kind of employee is like scouring the haystack for a tiny needle. As companies increase their spend toward employee development and training, they also go beyond a few traditional learning opportunities to create effective employee development programs. Training and Development Assignments are one way by which they can achieve this.

Employee development focuses on collaborating with employees to enable them to acquire, develop, improve, and hone existing skills. It aims to build a talent pool to bolster the company’s mission while creating highly engaged employees.

Skills themselves refer to the mix of abilities, experiences, and qualities one may use to get stuff done. Skills may include interpersonal, leadership, and organization skills – so-called  soft skills . Other skills such as accounting, application development, research, and writing are technical skills.

Deliberately improving skills can help employees achieve personal career goals, including earning a promotion or becoming more proficient in specific areas. An employee’s skill set may be necessary to advance in one career or pivot to another. Let’s now turn our attention to how employees can grow skills through development assignments.

Defining Development Assignments

Development or developmental assignments allow employees to take on tasks outside the purview of their primary work assignments. However, their tasks remain well within their functional area.

The idea behind developmental assignments is to grow a workforce adequately qualified to perform current and future career functions with equal skill. Leaders advance more through challenging assignments than by exercising routine competency.

There are plenty of opportunities that emerge when participants take on novel tasks of significant complexity. These developmental tasks can include any of the following:

• unfamiliar responsibilities,
• establishing a new program,  and
• developing solutions to complex multi-factor problems.

Interestingly, developmental assignments may not count much towards a promotion. But, they are critical in increasing skills, knowledge, and experience, which ultimately play a big role in career advancement.

Who Benefits Most from Developmental Assignment Programs?

While the employee seems to be the obvious beneficiary of developmental tasks, the employer stands to gain a lot down the road.

The new skills and experiences that employees garner in seeing out the stretch assignments primarily benefit the employer. These tasks typically last between 3 to 6 months before the employee returns to their primary assignment. During this time, the employee will be stepping outside their comfort zone but on mutually beneficial terms with the company.

As the worker grows professionally, the company can pursue projects using resources that would otherwise not be available.

Developing Developmental Job Assignments

Developmental job assignments should primarily proceed from an employee’s Performance and Development Plan (PDP). However, it should not stop them or the organization from seeking assignments external to this.

It’s important for developmental assignments to be flexible but within a readily identifiable framework of guidelines:

• Clear documentation and approval of the developmental job assignment by hiring and supervising managers and other stakeholders before advertising the assignment.
• Establishment and documentation of learning goals before the employee commences the assignment.
• The form of the developmental assignment may be full-time or part-time.
• The employee doesn’t need to possess all the necessary skills to perform the tasks or project independently. Nevertheless, they need to have an unmistakable aptitude, ability, and copious ambition to conclude the assignment with ample oversight.
• Assignments need to transcend the employee’s current skill level while supporting their growth and  career development . There needs to be a healthy tension between entry-level training and development and the development task in question, for instance.
• The salary of an employee assuming a development assignment remains the same.
• Clear communication that there are no guarantees of future pay increase, promotion, or job change due to this assignment.
• The developmental task may not evolve into a permanent position without competitive recruitment.
• Employees should return to their previous position after the assignment.
• Employees need to wait a specified period (usually six months) before accepting another developmental assignment.
• The line manager and employee should complete a detailed evaluation of the learning experience upon the conclusion of the developmental assignment. This evaluation should go into the employee’s personnel file.
• Development assignments are not official transfers.
• There have to be mutually agreeable reasons for ending a developmental assignment earlier than planned.

A developmental assignment task may end early for various reasons, including an unexpected end to the project, poor attendance, performance issues, or an unreliable employee.

Organizations need to carry the mindset that assignments are development opportunities. They must first understand that they can optimize the ROI from development assignments. It’s feasible if their operating principles include understanding the value proposition of development assignments, establishing effective career path strategies, and understanding the proper use of global mobility.

Employees and employers need to be keen on developmental opportunities if they will both be relevant in an increasingly dynamic age.

If you want to learn more about employee development, you can check out our blog posts  here .

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About the author: andrea pejoska.

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Job rotation

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis

March 8, 2022 · updated April 5, 2024

10 minute read

Have you considered using job rotation for your business but don’t fully understand it or know where to start? Have you already tried implementing it but didn’t see the results you wanted?

After reading this article, you will understand what job rotation is, how it can affect a company and employees, and learn several best practices for implementing it successfully.

What is job rotation?

The advantages and benefits of job rotation, disadvantages of job rotation, job rotation examples, job rotation best practices.

Job rotation is a practice of regularly transitioning all employees between different jobs to ensure they gain exposure to various departments of the company while learning and improving their skill sets.

Job rotation can also be used to break up monotonous work.

Job rotation encourages employee flexibility, lower turnover rates, and help alleviate stress for employees who work in manual labor roles. A rotating job work environment can also boost new ideas and perspectives on the company’s work and may increase job satisfaction.

For example:

• A nurse may shift between maternity and geriatric ward positions, giving the nurse exposure to various issues and experience in caring for a wide range of patients.
• A marketing employee could be moved to sales for a short period of time to understand customers’ needs better and learn sales processes in the company.
• A manufacturing employee may be transferred between positions to relieve the physical stress required by certain positions.

How to connect skill building to career mobility

You will get four steps to start developing successful skills development and career mobility programs.

Many companies are opting into job rotation programs to better serve the company and employees.

1. Increased employee experience

Rotating between positions will help employees gain knowledge in several different areas in the company. This knowledge can help employees connect ideas about the company across different roles.

As stated in the example above, a marketing employee could gain experience in the sales department to perform better in their current position.

2. Increased employee motivation and satisfaction

Research about The Influence of Job Rotation Practices on Employee Motivation revealed that job rotation has a significant relationship with employee motivation. Employees who can rotate roles and develop their skills, talents, and competencies are more motivated at their jobs, leading to improved job performance and overall higher motivation .

Research has found a significant relationship between employee motivation and performance . There are many types of motivation , and job rotation creates a sense of drive that helps employees achieve their goals and therefore helps the company perform better.

By increasing employee motivation, employee job satisfaction will also increase. Employees dissatisfied with their jobs are demotivated, disgruntled, and irritable, which reduces productivity. Allowing workers to rotate jobs will help them understand their strengths and limitations. Employees can also rotate between roles that maximize their performance capability, increasing their feeling of value and relevance within the company.

3. Lower Resignation Rates

Recent research shows an overall positive response to job rotation in relevance to job security .

Of the employees questioned, 92% felt job variety increases employee value to the organization, and 85.7% feel that job rotation resulted in positive attitudes towards work and enhanced career development .

Furthermore, 74.1% of the employees indicated that job variety increases their chances of promotion, 68.9% believed that job rotation offers greater rewards, and 62.4% indicated that the new skills obtained from job rotation improve job safety.

Job rotation can prevent burnout, boredom, monotonous positions, and low engagement, which can help to reduce the chances of employees leaving the company.

4. More flexible workforce

If employees are trained in multiple positions, the workforce available will be more flexible.

If an employee does leave, job rotation provides opportunities for employees to learn many different roles, and it’s likely that someone will be available to fill a position quickly.

5. Enhanced employee engagement

Gallup’s 2021 State of the Global Workplace study shows that just 15% of workers are engaged . This suggests that the bulk of the world’s workforce either has a negative attitude about their employment or is merely doing the bare minimum to get through the day .

Employees can get disconnected from their work overtime, so job rotation can help engage staff and reduce boredom.

By varying tasks and job roles, job rotation programs can help break up an employee’s monotonous routine and prevent burnout.

6. Better job placement

Companies should strive to place employees in the most optimal position possible for the best output.

By rotating employees into different positions, managers can gain better insight into their skills, what job they perform the best in, and how they can benefit the company.

7. Planning for succession

Job rotation allows companies to create a pool of experienced people who can quickly replace an employee who retires or departs the company.

Succession planning is an essential factor for businesses to continue running efficiently in the event that an emergency replacement is needed.

Job rotation is not a perfect solution, and there are times when job rotation practices have disadvantages.

Businesses should be aware of the few disadvantages to mitigate risks to the program.

1. Monetary and time cost

Constantly shuffling employees around to different positions will mean that employees need to be trained more often than usual.

The time spent training an employee with each new job position will likely impact productivity and therefore impact company profits.

Also, because workers are frequently going into new positions, job rotation may generate frequent work interruptions while the employee is learning the new position.

2. Dissatisfied employees

Moving positions can be uncomfortable for some employees, especially if they have been in their position for a while or if they feel that someone taking over their current role will disrupt the job processes.

Moving an employee out of a position they enjoy may also lead to dissatisfaction, lack of motivation, or even leaving the company altogether.

3. Inadequate opportunities for advancement

Moving between positions does not mean getting a promotion. Instead, employees will move between roles at the same level.

Employees may see this as an obstacle in their career path if they want to advance to higher levels in a company.

Several companies are taking advantage of the benefits that job rotation practices offer.

Abbot – Medical Device Company

Abbott employees have the opportunity to rotate jobs in six focus areas:

• information technology

Those chosen for Abbot’s program commit to a two- to three-year assignment in which they rotate between various tasks, disciplines, and office locations around the nation.

This gives new graduates the ability to experience several roles in a short period of time, allowing them to investigate their own interests and preferences.

Siemens – Automation and Manufacturing Company

Siemens Nederland implemented a job rotation program in 2005 for all divisions and functional levels of positions for every age group.

A stipulation in the employees’ contracts limits their time in one job. Workers must periodically assess their preferences and needs.

According to Siemens HR director, job rotation is important at all stages of a career, but it is particularly important for older people to avoid being pre-selected for less difficult tasks until retirement.

Emerson – Manufacturing Company

Emerson’s Engineers in Leadership Program offers a two-year rotating program with two postings, one local and one international, to train employees in different areas of the company.

Those chosen for the program receive the training, guidance, and connections to help them further develop their careers.

Job Rotation for Nurses

Nurses can engage in job rotation by switching departments and performing different functions while caring for a variety of patients.

According to a 2020 study , job rotation has been shown to inspire nurses to perform better, further develop their knowledge and skills, and improve clinic patient care by sharing knowledge with nurses in multiple departments.

Nurses state that job rotation helps them gain new skills, broaden their perspective, and alleviate job stress.

As discussed earlier, job rotation can present challenges. However, with careful planning, job rotation can be implemented successfully and benefit both employers and employees.

Here are some critical aspects to consider when implementing job rotation practices:

1. Have a clear goal and time frame

The goal of job rotation should be defined from the start.

Inefficient job rotation causes role confusion and disrupts work. It can also cause employee frustration when they are moved around with seemingly no purpose.

2. Prepare and train employees before rotation

Ensure individuals are adequately prepared before rotating them. Lack of knowledge and abilities will reduce motivation and increase the time required to reach optimum productivity.

Companies can make the transition between roles easier by providing eLearning materials related to the role before the rotation.

Another option is to assign a mentor during the process, which is somebody an employee can rely on to answer questions and provide education about the role.

3. Create a plan and document processes

Create a plan for each role that would be involved in job rotation.

Specify focus areas, skills, and knowledge employees should focus on.

Providing written documentation of each position can also provide employees with a resource for training.

Planning ahead and documenting processes also helps to minimize risks of inefficiency prepare employees for uncommon scenarios that are involved in each role.

4. Plan job rotation during a low season

If your business depends on seasonal work, it is best to plan job rotation in a period of low activity.

By doing so, your employees won’t be overwhelmed with the tasks and activities, and therefore, the business won’t suffer from productivity losses and unexpected issues.

5. Align job rotation with employees’ career paths

Try to implement job rotation with an employee’s career objectives in mind.

By planning out a series of jobs the employee can rotate to, the job rotation program can keep employees in line with their desired career path and prepare them for future changes or promotions.

6. Create measurable objectives and goals

There should be specific objectives for each job within the rotation program. This ensures that managers can measure employee success as well as let employees experience the benefits for themselves.

In addition, this helps the employees understand their role and encourages them to become more independent while learning each new position.

7. Collect feedback from all parties involved

Constructive feedback is an essential part of any development program.

Encourage people to give feedback about all the aspects of job rotation. This will help you improve the rotation process, as well as find gaps in your business processes.

Also, managers should monitor employees success in the role and provide feedback regularly, so they can use it for their development and career advancement.

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• Branch and Bound Tutorial
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Job Assignment Problem using Branch And Bound

• N Queen Problem using Branch And Bound
• Traveling Salesman Problem using Branch And Bound

Let there be N workers and N jobs. Any worker can be assigned to perform any job, incurring some cost that may vary depending on the work-job assignment. It is required to perform all jobs by assigning exactly one worker to each job and exactly one job to each agent in such a way that the total cost of the assignment is minimized.

Let us explore all approaches for this problem.

Solution 1: Brute Force  

We generate n! possible job assignments and for each such assignment, we compute its total cost and return the less expensive assignment. Since the solution is a permutation of the n jobs, its complexity is O(n!).

Solution 2: Hungarian Algorithm  

The optimal assignment can be found using the Hungarian algorithm. The Hungarian algorithm has worst case run-time complexity of O(n^3).

Solution 3: DFS/BFS on state space tree  

A state space tree is a N-ary tree with property that any path from root to leaf node holds one of many solutions to given problem. We can perform depth-first search on state space tree and but successive moves can take us away from the goal rather than bringing closer. The search of state space tree follows leftmost path from the root regardless of initial state. An answer node may never be found in this approach. We can also perform a Breadth-first search on state space tree. But no matter what the initial state is, the algorithm attempts the same sequence of moves like DFS.

Solution 4: Finding Optimal Solution using Branch and Bound  

The selection rule for the next node in BFS and DFS is “blind”. i.e. the selection rule does not give any preference to a node that has a very good chance of getting the search to an answer node quickly. The search for an optimal solution can often be speeded by using an “intelligent” ranking function, also called an approximate cost function to avoid searching in sub-trees that do not contain an optimal solution. It is similar to BFS-like search but with one major optimization. Instead of following FIFO order, we choose a live node with least cost. We may not get optimal solution by following node with least promising cost, but it will provide very good chance of getting the search to an answer node quickly.

There are two approaches to calculate the cost function:  

• For each worker, we choose job with minimum cost from list of unassigned jobs (take minimum entry from each row).
• For each job, we choose a worker with lowest cost for that job from list of unassigned workers (take minimum entry from each column).

In this article, the first approach is followed.

Let’s take below example and try to calculate promising cost when Job 2 is assigned to worker A. 

Since Job 2 is assigned to worker A (marked in green), cost becomes 2 and Job 2 and worker A becomes unavailable (marked in red). 

Now we assign job 3 to worker B as it has minimum cost from list of unassigned jobs. Cost becomes 2 + 3 = 5 and Job 3 and worker B also becomes unavailable. 

Finally, job 1 gets assigned to worker C as it has minimum cost among unassigned jobs and job 4 gets assigned to worker D as it is only Job left. Total cost becomes 2 + 3 + 5 + 4 = 14. 

Below diagram shows complete search space diagram showing optimal solution path in green. 

Complete Algorithm:  

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

Time Complexity: O(M*N). This is because the algorithm uses a double for loop to iterate through the M x N matrix.  Auxiliary Space: O(M+N). This is because it uses two arrays of size M and N to track the applicants and jobs.

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What are job assignments?

• Updated on 21 Jun 2022

Users may hold any number of job assignments, with each assignment optionally linked to a position, organisation, manager, appraiser, and/or a temporary manager. Job assignments can be created and updated manually via a user's profile or HR import.

As a Site Administrator, you can create , update , and delete job assignments manually. If you are using HR import then you can also add, update and delete job assignments via a CSV file upload or direct database connection to an HR system.

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Gender Bias in Job Assignment: Evidence from Retail Frontline Managers

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Information Systems and Operations Management 

Speaker: Susan F. Lu (Purdue)

Room Bernard Ramanantsoa

While anecdotes suggest that workplace gender disparities may originate early in the management career hierarchy, the existing literature on this topic has not provided sufficient evidence due to lack of real-world personnel data concerning low-level managers. This study addresses this gap by examining the effect of gender on the job assignment of frontline managers in a large sportswear retail chain. Leveraging personnel, sales, and operational data, we employ a leave-out Jackknife instrumental variables estimation framework to uncover causal evidence of gender bias in store-manager assignment. We find that female managers generate higher store sales than their male counterparts at the margin of being assigned to stores with high sales potential versus stores with low sales potential. Further, we systematically rule out three alternative hypotheses related to managerial ability, preference, and career selection. Translating our findings into an actionable insight, we develop a gender inequity index (GII) to help organizations measure potential gender biases in job assignment. Applying this index to a simulation study using the retailer’s manager compensation data, we demonstrate the implications of gender-biased job assignment on the gender pay gap.

Ruoran Chen • Susan Feng Lu • Lauren Xiaoyuan Lu • Simin Huang

Joe Biden's campaign shares job posting ad for ‘meme manager' and Internet understands the assignment

W ASHINGTON, DC: The reelection campaign for President Joe Biden listed a job opening for a "meme page" manager on Daybook on Tuesday, May 21.

According to The Washington Times , the full-time job opportunity based in Wilmington, Delaware, is an attempt by the presumptive Democratic nominee, who is the oldest presidential candidate in the history of the United States at the age of 81, to better connect with young voters.

Polls conducted by CNN in April showed former President Donald Trump leading among young voters between ages 18-34 by 11 points in a head-to-head matchup, even with younger voters typically leaning towards the Democratic side. The response of the administration to the Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza is believed to be a driving force behind this decreased support.

The situation has not been aided by the TikTok ban bill , which Biden signed into law on April. A February study by the Pew Research Center showed that one-third of the adults in the country used the app, which is particularly popular with those between the ages of 18-34.

Memes have had a sizeable impact in garnering popularity of political figures, so much that the incumbent's campaign has adopted the 'Dark Brandon' meme, which shows an alternate version of Joe Biden with laser eyes, as the profile picture of the Biden-Harris HQ page on X (formerly Twitter).

Biden camp to hire a meme manager

The job description for 'Partner Manager, Content and Meme Pages' that has been put up on Daybook by the Biden campaign read, "The Biden for President (BFP) campaign is looking for a Partner Manager to join the Digital Partnerships team. In this role, you will initiate and manage day-to-day operations in engaging the internet's top content and meme pages. The ideal candidate for this role is passionate about bringing political content to voters where they already are on the internet. They have a deep interest in politics and thrive in a fast-paced environment. This position is full-time and based in Wilmington, DE."

The primary responsibilities of the selected candidate would include cultivation and management of "relationships with top digital media companies, podcasters, and meme pages across a number of social media platforms," working "independently with external partners to identify and land engagement opportunities" and see them through to the end, as well as engaging "internal teams and cross-functional partners to foster innovative ideas."

Memes flood internet in response to Biden's call for 'meme manager'

"Biden campaign's new meme manager swearing he'll have his team produce quality memes," read the caption to a meme over the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

"Biden meme manger 5 minutes into their new job," read another.

"Biden checking in on the meme team," quipped a third.

" Gonna have to dust Biden off for the debates," stated a fourth.

More memes on the subject, without captions, followed.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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Jasson dominguez plays outfield for first time in yankees’ rehab assignment.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jasson Dominguez checked off another box on Wednesday while continuing his comeback from Tommy John surgery.

The 21-year-old Yankee started his first game in the outfield after strictly DHing during the first two weeks of his rehab assignment, playing five innings in center field for Double-A Somerset.

Through 11 rehab games, the switch-hitting Dominguez has hit .286 with an .810 OPS, now adding defensive responsibilities to his plate.

“He’s in a good spot,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ 2-1 win over the Angels on Wednesday night . “He’s had a really good rehab, in that it’s gone smooth, he hasn’t been rushed, he’s been built up properly. So he’s in a pretty good place.”

Dominguez’s 20-day rehab clock runs until June 2, after which the Yankees will have to either activate him onto the major league roster or option him to the minor leagues.

The latter remains the likely scenario, barring an injury to the big-league club — though even then, Dominguez will only have a handful of games in the outfield before his rehab assignment expires, meaning he would still likely need some more time at Triple-A to fully build up his workload.

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Once he is all the way back from a physical standpoint, Dominguez can serve as insurance in case one of Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo or Giancarlo Stanton gets injured.

When Soto hit his 15th home run of the season Tuesday night, he joined Judge (17 home runs) for only the seventh time in franchise history that a pair of teammates have hit at least 15 home runs through the Yankees’ first 56 games of a season.

The last to do it were Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira in 2011.

Before them, it was Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961, Mantle and Yogi Berra in 1956, and Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1927, ’28 and ’30.

Soto had an extended conversation with two umpires during Tuesday’s game, which Boone said Wednesday was about the pitch clock being in his sight line in center field at Angel Stadium.

Boone added that his understanding is that the location of the clock is within regulation.

Infielder Kevin Smith — outrighted off the roster Tuesday to make room for DJ LeMahieu — changed course Wednesday and accepted the assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre instead of becoming a free agent.

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