The three document types, and what good looks like
Job descriptions and job postings A job description is an internal document that defines a role. A job posting (or advertisement) is the external version written to attract applicants. AI can draft both, but you need to know the parts so you can brief it and check it.
| Part | What it contains | What to check in an AI draft |
|---|---|---|
| Job title | Clear, searchable, standard. | No inflated or gimmicky titles (“ninja”, “rockstar”). |
| Summary | Two or three sentences on why the role exists. | Matches what the hiring manager actually said. |
| Responsibilities | Five to eight main duties, most important first, each starting with a verb. | Nothing invented. Duties are specific to this role. |
| Qualifications | Split into required and preferred. | Every “required” item is truly necessary. AI tends to add degree and years-of-experience requirements that nobody asked for; these shrink and skew the applicant pool. |
| Working conditions | Location, schedule, travel, physical demands. | Physical requirements reflect essential duties of the job only. |
| Part | What it contains | What to check in an AI draft |
|---|---|---|
| Pay and benefits | Range and key benefits. Many jurisdictions now require pay ranges in postings. | Never let the model generate these. Insert them from an approved source. |
| Equal opportunity and accommodation statement | The organisation’s standard wording. | Use approved wording verbatim. |
| AI disclosure | Where required (for example, Ontario since January 2026), a statement that AI is used in screening or selection. | Present where the law or your policy requires it. |
Onboarding guides Onboarding is the process of turning a new hire into a productive and connected colleague, usually over the first 90 days. A good onboarding guide is organised by time:
| Period | Purpose | Typical content |
|---|---|---|
| Before day one (pre- boarding) | Reduce anxiety; handle logistics. | Welcome message, start time and place, what to bring, who will meet them, paperwork to complete. |
| Day one | Welcome and orient. | Schedule for the day, equipment and accounts, introductions, safety essentials. |
| Week one | Learn the basics. | Key tools, key people, required training, first small task. |
| Days 1 to 30 | Learn. | Role training, shadowing, first goals. |
| Days 31 to 60 | Contribute. | Own regular tasks with support; first feedback conversation. |
| Days 61 to 90 | Perform independently. | Full responsibilities; 90-day review. |
The last three rows together are known as a 30-60-90 day plan.
Policy summaries A policy summary explains a policy in plain language. It is a guide to the policy, never a replacement for it. This is the document type where AI errors are most dangerous, because employees act on what they read and because a model will readily fill gaps with plausible-sounding rules.
- Ground it. Give the model the policy text and instruct it to use nothing else.
- Tell it what to do with gaps. “If the policy does not address something, write ‘Not covered in this policy’. Do not infer.”
- Keep the hierarchy clear. Include the policy name, its effective date, where to find the full text, and a line stating that the full policy governs if there is any difference.
- Verify line by line. Every number, date, eligibility rule and exception must be traced to a sentence in the policy.
- Get the policy owner’s approval before publishing.
Jot down key ideas in your own words. Saves automatically.