Common Job Positions for a Business

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The Types of Jobs You Might Need To Fill for Your Business

Running your business may be a one-person operation, or it may require several employees. Each company is unique and requires different positions. Listed below is a combination of jobs, tasks, and job titles you may perform yourself, hire, or outsource.

If you are a business owner, you must be familiar with each available position and the tasks involved in performing the job effectively, whether or not you perform the tasks yourself.

For example, you may rely heavily on your website. You have a web designer, a web programmer, a graphic designer, an SEO specialist, and a marketing expert. When you understand what each person does, you can determine if you need more or fewer people for the department.

For example, your graphic designer and a web designer could be combined into one position. You could also combine the programmer and SEO specialist, or you may find that you need more SEO specialists and programmers.  The point is, if you don’t understand each job, you won’t be able to make the right decisions.

A company’s payroll is a significant expense, and it’s important to ensure your workforce isn’t excessive. Of course, you want full coverage, but overstaffing will lead to unnecessary expenses.

Another point worth mentioning is you want a good fit for each position you fill. Hiring someone that isn’t right for the job can be an expensive mistake. It’s better to take your time to find the right person for the job from the start.

Below you can see a list of common positions and some of the duties performed within those positions.
Keep in mind this is a general list. Many companies will have fewer jobs, and other companies will have thousands of related jobs. Plus, the duties of each position vary.

Receptionist/Secretary/Office Assistant

Duties May Include:

  • Answering questions about business hours, products, and company policy
  • Directing customers/clients to the correct destinations
  • Answering incoming calls
  • Handling and sorting mail
  • Typing out memos
  • Setting appointments
  • Recordkeeping
  • Filing and Data entry
  • Office organization

Bookkeeper

Duties May Include:

  • Accounting and Payroll
  • Creating financial reports
  • Managing Accounts Payable and Banking
  • Recordkeeping and Filing

Business Manager

Duties May Include:

  • Overlooking business operations
  • Quality control
  • Problem-solving
  • Creating reports of day-to-day operations
  • Product selection
  • Purchasing
  • Scheduling

Marketing Manager

Duties May Include:

  • Advertising
  • Creating brochures
  • Social media marketing
  • Maintaining a robust online presence
  • Creating marketing campaigns
  • Working with sales reps

Sales Representative

Duties May Include:

  • Finding leads
  • Cold calling
  • Closing sales
  • Working with the marketing manager

Security Guard

Duties May Include:

  • Protecting people
  • Protecting property
  • Preventing problems caused by others
  • Creating logs
  • Monitoring security cameras
  • Routine inspections for any suspicious activities

Inventory Clerk

Duties May Include:

  • Stocking shelves
  • Inventory control
  • Inventory management

Cashier

Duties May Include:

  • Cashing out customers
  • Managing cash and the till
  • Bagging products
  • Customer service
  • Process returns

Drivers

Duties May Include:

  • Loading products
  • Unloading products
  • Making deliveries

General Labor

Duties May Include:

  • Moving products
  • Loading/unloading
  • Heavy lifting
  • A variety of general tasks

Webmaster

Duties May Include:

  • Website design
  • Updating your website
  • Website optimization
  • Graphic design
  • Social media

HR Generalist

Duties May Include:

  • Hiring /Firing
  • Dealing with employee benefits
  • Training and orientation
  • Creating Policies
  • Ensuring Labor Laws are followed

IT  Specialist

Duties May Include:

  • Computer training
  • Software setup
  • Computer server maintenance
  • Data management
  • Computer Troubleshooting
  • Networking and security

Naturally, this list isn’t complete but it will get you started in identifying and coming up with a list that is specific to your business.

Also, see Building a Team of Professional Advisors, for a team you can depend on when you expand your operation or when you need advice or have problems.