Hiring well starts before a job posting goes live. At the center of that work is the job requisition — a formal internal document that asks the organization to create, refill, or change a role. If you manage hiring, build headcount plans, or approve budgets, understanding how to write, review, and use a job requisition will save time, prevent misalignment, and improve hiring outcomes. This guide explains what a job requisition is, how it differs from candidate-facing materials, step-by-step writing advice, common mistakes, and practical templates you can adopt.
What is a job requisition and why does it matter internally
A job requisition is a formal internal request that a hiring manager submits to HR or finance to get approval for a new or replacement hire. It precedes job descriptions and postings and contains critical operational details: job title, role level, reporting structure, headcount justification, budget or salary range, and any special approvals or constraints https://www.aihr.com/blog/job-requisition/. Because a job requisition is an internal control and planning tool, candidates never see it; it exists to align internal stakeholders before public recruitment begins https://www.deel.com/blog/job-requisition-guide/.
Aligns hiring manager expectations with HR, finance, and leadership.
Locks in budget and reporting relationships so recruiters can source the right talent.
Creates an auditable trail for headcount and compliance purposes.
Drives job posting content indirectly by defining core requirements and constraints.
Why it matters
Include a citation when communicating about policy or headcount: using a job requisition ensures the organization tracks hiring requests consistently and prevents unapproved hires https://www.personio.com/hr-lexicon/job-requisition-process/.
How should you structure a job requisition to win approvals
A clear, concise job requisition reduces back-and-forth and speeds approval. Use this practical structure when creating a job requisition:
Request summary (one-line rationale)
Job title and department
Role level and reporting manager
Full-time/part-time or contract status
Headcount type (new vs replacement)
Business justification and impact (why this hire now)
Salary band or budget allocation
Required and preferred qualifications (high level)
Proposed sourcing plan or hiring timeline
Compliance or special considerations (visa, security clearance)
Approvals and sign-offs
"This job requisition requests a Level 3 Product Manager to accelerate delivery on the payments roadmap. The hire will reduce backlog by providing capacity for two key initiatives and is budgeted within Q2 headcount plan."
Example language snippet for the justification field:
Keep the job requisition focused on organizational needs, not candidate literacy — save the marketing language for the job posting.
Include measurable outcomes or KPIs tied to the role where possible (e.g., reduce time-to-market by X, support Y customers).
Attach org-chart snapshots or links to workforce plans if approvals may be sensitive.
Tips for clarity
For deeper workflow best practices and required fields, see HR vendor guides that outline requisition templates and steps https://www.goperfect.com/blog/how-to-write-a-job-requisition-steps-examples-faqs.
How is a job requisition different from a job posting and why does it matter
It’s common to conflate the job requisition with the job posting, but they serve different audiences and purposes. A job requisition is internal and operational; a job posting is external and candidate-facing.
Audience: job requisition for HR, finance, and leadership; job posting for candidates.
Purpose: requisition secures approval and budget; posting attracts applicants and communicates employer brand.
Timing: requisition comes first as the authorization step; posting follows after approvals.
Content tone: requisition is factual and budget-focused; posting is persuasive and readable.
Key differences
Understanding this split prevents mistakes like exposing internal budget details to candidates or trying to cram negotiation terms into a candidate listing. For clarity on the distinction and workflow, HR resources outline requisition vs posting differences and show how requisitions unlock the recruitment process https://www.talenthr.io/blog/job-requisition-vs-job-posting-whats-the-difference/.
Who needs to approve a job requisition and how should the workflow run
Hiring manager: initiator and primary owner of the job requisition.
HR/recruiting: reviews role fit, comp band, and sourcing plan.
Finance: verifies budget availability and cost center alignment.
Leadership: approves strategic hires or higher-level roles.
People operations or legal: checks for compliance concerns (immigration, contracts).
Typical stakeholders
Hiring manager drafts requisition with HR input on banding and role scope.
HR validates against headcount plan and advises on market compensation.
Finance confirms budget or routes to reforecast if needed.
Final approvals captured in the ATS or HRIS with timestamps and approver comments.
Recommended workflow
Using a centralized system or HRIS to track job requisition approvals reduces manual delays and preserves an audit trail https://www.personio.com/hr-lexicon/job-requisition-process/.
What are the most common job requisition mistakes and how can you avoid them
Fix: Quantify the role's impact and tie it to concrete outcomes.
Mistake 1: Vague business justification
Fix: Confirm banding with total rewards before submission to prevent rework.
Mistake 2: Misaligned comp band or unclear level
Fix: Use standardized templates with required approval fields prefilled.
Mistake 3: Missing approvals or incorrect cost center
Fix: Keep the requisition internal-facing and factual.
Mistake 4: Treating the requisition like a job posting
Fix: Reopen or update requisitions if priorities shift instead of creating shadow roles.
Mistake 5: Infrequent updates after organizational changes
Avoiding these errors shortens time-to-hire and reduces churn between hiring managers and HR https://www.deel.com/blog/job-requisition-guide/.
How can you measure whether your job requisition process is working
Time from requisition creation to approval (speed of authorization).
Ratio of requisitions to postings (control on headcount requests).
Requisition-to-hire conversion rate (how many approved requisitions become hires).
Number of requisition reworks (edits due to missing info or wrong banding).
Track a few practical metrics tied to requisitions:
A healthy process is fast, with clear rationale and minimal rework. Use requisition metadata in your HRIS to generate dashboards for hiring velocity and budget compliance https://www.metaview.ai/resources/blog/job-requisitions.
What should a practical job requisition template include today
Below is a compact template you can paste into your ATS or HRIS:
Title:
Department:
Location:
Headcount type (new/replacement):
FTE status:
Manager:
Start date target:
Business justification (2–3 sentences):
Core responsibilities (3–5 bullets):
Required qualifications (3 bullets):
Preferred qualifications:
Salary band or approved budget:
Compliance notes (visa, clearance):
Recruiter assigned:
Approvals (HR, Finance, Hiring Lead with dates):
Keep each field concise and focused on decision-making criteria rather than candidate persuasion.
What Are the Most Common Questions About job requisition
Q: Who should start a job requisition
A: The hiring manager, often with HR input and compensation confirmation
Q: Do candidates ever see a job requisition
A: No, job requisitions are internal documents for approval and planning
Q: When should a requisition be updated
A: Update it whenever scope, budget, or reporting changes before hiring
Q: What if finance rejects a requisition
A: Rework the justification or reallocate budget; consider delaying the hire
Q: Can one requisition support multiple hires
A: Yes, if approvals and budget cover multiple headcount slots
Q: How long should approvals take
A: Ideally days, not weeks — monitor time-to-approval as a KPI
(Each Q&A is concise and targeted to practical concerns for hiring managers and HR teams.)
Conclusion
A well-crafted job requisition is the foundation of disciplined hiring. It keeps budgets transparent, aligns stakeholders, and ensures that recruiters and hiring managers start from the same place. Remember: the job requisition is internal — not a tool for candidates — and its purpose is organizational clarity and approval. Adopt templates, enforce approval workflows in your HRIS, and treat requisitions as living artifacts that should be updated if role scope or budget changes. For practical templates and step-by-step examples you can adapt, see vendor guides on requisition best practices https://www.goperfect.com/blog/how-to-write-a-job-requisition-steps-examples-faqs and HR resources that contrast requisitions with job postings https://www.talenthr.io/blog/job-requisition-vs-job-posting-whats-the-difference/.
