Job Analysis and Description

• The objective is to conduct a job analysis and craft a job description for an organization.
• Getting the right people for a job ensures departmental and business objectives can be achieved.
• Understanding job requirements and necessary qualifications is the starting point for recruitment.
• Job analysis is the third step in the Recruitment and Selection Process and involves analyzing the job.

Job Analysis

• Job analysis adopts a method of determining what is required to perform a job effectively and efficiently.
• Job analysis determines the duties, skill requirements, and the type of person needed for a job.
• Job analysis is affected by external and internal pressures, necessitating organizational and individual adaptation.
• Job analysis identifies what the role is about, why it exists, and how it contributes to organizational goals.

Job Analysis Methodology

• The analysis should identify the role's purpose, tasks, responsibilities, skills, knowledge, abilities, and performance targets.
• Analysis should not be influenced by personal opinions of the jobholder.
• Common job analysis methods:
  • Observation: Recording every aspect of the jobholder's role.
  • Diaries and Logs: The jobholder records their activities, useful for tasks that are not easily observed.
  • Job Analysis Interviews: Interviewing the jobholder.
  • Critical Incident Technique: Collecting information on critical success/failure incidents, often logged.
  • Checklist/Inventory: Developing a task list and having the jobholder indicate and rank their tasks.

Job Description and Person Specification

• Job Description specifies the job's purpose, responsibilities, and conditions, is vital for developing the person specification, and is a basis for advertising.
• A good job description includes job title, location, reporting structure, summary, nature/objectives, tasks/duties, working conditions, tools/equipment, and hazards.

Guidelines for Writing a Job Description

• Ensure the description doesn't overstate the role's importance or scope.
• Avoid bias in terms of age, gender, marital status, or disability.
• Avoid sexist language and ensure the language is clear.
• Avoid jargon, acronyms, or excessive technical terms.
• Consider flexible work arrangements like job-sharing.
• Avoid age ranges, as they are meaningless and may eliminate capable candidates.
• Ensure the target audience can easily understand the description.

Person Specification

• Person Specification outlines the abilities and qualities best suited for the job.
• The Person Specification is used as the basis for the selection process and a measure/evidence that the selection process is fair.
• Serves as the basis for the selection process and ensures fairness by clarifying qualities and abilities.
• A format for a person specification includes skills (planning, communication, teamwork), knowledge (computer skills, statistics, reports), experience, educational qualifications, and special requirements.
• Factors are divided into essentials and desirables.
• Essentials are critical criteria for performing the job (education, skills, knowledge).
• Desirables are traits that improve a candidate's performance.

Key Competencies

• Competencies are very important for performance, but suitability for recruitment needs assessed.
• Method for assessing suitability based on competency:
  • Communication skills: Includes strong writing and oral skills, productive working relationships, and empathetic listening.
  • Flexibility: Openness to new ideas and adaptability to changing situations.
  • Initiative: Anticipating needs and proactively taking action.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Demonstrating fairness, respect, and fostering an inclusive culture.
  • Problem Solving: Analyzing situations, increasing efficiency, and involving others.
  • Results Orientation: Understanding and communicating strategic goals.
  • Planning and Execution: Achieving strategic vision, aligning knowledge and talent, and developing measurement metrics.
  • Quality Assurance and Assessment: Promoting innovation, improving processes, and ensuring efficiency.
  • Employee Engagement: Holding accountability and creating a supportive work climate.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration: Building relationships, cooperating with colleagues, and resolving conflicts.