You Need to Create a Bus Book For Your Job

What would happen to your job if one day you suddenly got run over by a bus?

Photo: Unsplash

I got a job out of college as the Communications Director at a local church. One of the first things my boss had me do in my new role was to create a Bus Book.

What the hell is a bus book, I hear you ask?

The concept of the Bus Book comes from this one question — what would happen to your job if one day you suddenly got run over by a bus?

Essentially, it’s an instruction manual for your position, a detailed guide for your role within your organization. It’s a map for how to do what you do. You may call it by a different name, but the term Bus Book has stuck with me.

Every job at every company should have a Bus Book. Of course, they would all be different lengths and take different forms. But they all serve similarly helpful roles for anyone from intern to CEO. My first experiencing developing a Bus Book was so helpful that I’ve done the same thing in each subsequent job I’ve ever had.

Why every company needs a Bus Book

I’ll be honest — composing a Bus Book takes an investment of time, especially if you’re as detail-oriented as I am. It’s an ongoing project that…