2026
–A Ten Part Series–
Part Four
by
Bob Marshall
May26th, 2026
Part Four – Duties and Responsibilities of the Position
One of the biggest reasons recruiters struggle to fill positions today is that they never truly understand what the client needs the person to do every day.
Job titles are misleading.
Resumes are misleading.
Even job descriptions are often misleading.
A “Plant Manager” at one company may spend 80% of their time on the production floor. At another company, they may spend most of their day in meetings, spreadsheets, and corporate reporting.
The title is the same.
The actual job is not.
That is why Big Billers dig deeper.
When taking a Job Order, I want to know exactly what a “day in the life,” “week in the life,” or even “month in the life” of the position looks like.
I want to know:
- What problems does this person solve every day?
- What occupies most of their time?
- Who do they interact with?
- What pressures are they under?
- What technical skills are truly used?
- What part of the job creates success?
- What part of the job frustrates people who fail?
The more clearly you understand the actual work being done, the easier it becomes to identify candidates who genuinely fit the role.
Today, in 2026, this has become even more important because so many companies are using AI-generated job descriptions, templated postings, and overloaded HR language that often tells you very little about the real position.
Recruiters who rely only on the written job description are usually recruiting in the dark.
The recruiters making the big fees are the ones who uncover the reality behind the posting.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is by breaking the job down into percentages.
For example:
- Percentage of supervisory responsibilities
- Percentage of technical or production work
- Percentage of administrative duties
- Percentage of customer interaction
- Percentage of strategic planning
- Percentage of reporting and meetings
Those percentages should equal 100%.
This approach creates clarity for both you and the client.
For instance, let’s say the position is for an Engineer.
The hiring manager tells you:
- Supervisory duties — 0%
- Administrative responsibilities — 25%
- Hands-on engineering work — 75%
That means you need a “0-25-75” Engineer.
You do not want to present someone whose greatest strength is managing people, running departments, or leading large teams.
That would not be a true match.
A candidate may look impressive on paper and interview well, but if their background does not align with how the job is actually structured, the placement becomes risky.
This is where recruiters often lose credibility.
Remember: candidates usually leave jobs because of what they actually do every day—not because of the title on their business card.
The closer you can match the candidate’s preferred work style and daily responsibilities to the actual position, the greater your chances of making a successful placement that lasts.
Another important question to ask in today’s marketplace is this:
“What are the three most important things this person must accomplish in the first six months?”
That question frequently reveals more than the formal job description ever will.
It uncovers urgency.
It uncovers pain points.
And it uncovers what the company is really hiring for.
The more accurately you understand the duties and responsibilities of the position, the more precise your recruiting becomes.
And precision is what separates average recruiters from elite recruiters.
A Short Story
Years ago, I worked on a search for a Manufacturing Engineer. On paper, the position sounded highly technical. The client kept emphasizing engineering expertise.
But when I dug deeper, I discovered the role actually involved constant communication with production supervisors, troubleshooting people issues, attending meetings, and coordinating projects across departments.
The technical work was only about 40% of the job.
The first candidate I considered had outstanding technical credentials, but I passed.
Why?
Because he wanted to spend his day designing and solving engineering problems—not sitting in meetings and coordinating personalities.
Instead, I presented a candidate with slightly less technical brilliance but exceptional communication and project coordination skills.
That candidate got the job and stayed there for years.
The difference was not the resume.
The difference was understanding the real duties and responsibilities of the position.
Next week: Part Five – Compensation Range
Bob Marshall began his recruiting career over 45 years ago at MR in Reno, NV. In 1986 he established The Bob Marshall Group, International, where he has trained recruiters throughout the United States and also in the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus. With a dedication to executive recruiting, he continues to offer his proven training systems to individuals, firms, and private corporations both domestic and in select international territories. To learn more about his activities and descriptions of his products and services, contact him directly @770-898-5550/470-456-0386(cell); bob@themarshallplan.org; or visit his website @ www.TheMarshallPlan.org.
Bob Marshall
President
TBMG, International
247 Bryans Drive, Suite 100
McDonough, GA 30252-2513
770-898-5550
520-842-5550 (fax)