Human Resource

Management
ELEVENTH EDITION
1
GARY DESSLER
BIJU VARKKEY

Part 2 | Recruitment and Placement

Chapter 4

Job Analysis

© 2009 Dorling Kindersley (I) Pvt. Ltd.

All rights reserved.
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature of job analysis, including what it is

and how it’s used.
2. Use at least three methods of collecting job analysis
information, including interviews, questionnaires, and
observation.
3. Write job descriptions, including summaries and job
functions, using the Internet and traditional methods.
4. Write job specifications using the Internet as well as
your judgment.
5. Explain job analysis in a “jobless” world, including
what it means and how it’s done in practice.

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 Types of Information Collected

Work
activities

Human Human
requirements behaviors
Information
Collected Via
Job Analysis Machines, tools,
Job
equipment, and
context
work aids

Performance
standards

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 Use of Job Analysis Information

Recruitment and
Selection

Legal
Compliance Compensation
Information
Collected Via
Discovering Job Analysis
Performance
Unassigned
Appraisal
Duties

Training

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FIGURE 4–1 Uses of Job Analysis Information

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FIGURE 4–2 Process Chart for Analyzing a Job’s Workflow

Source: Compensation Management: Rewarding Performance by Richard J.

Henderson. Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
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Steps in Job Analysis

Steps in doing a job analysis:

1 Decide how you’ll use the information.

2 Review relevant background information.

3 Select representative positions.

4 Actually analyze the job.

5 Verify the job analysis information.

6 Develop a job description and job specification.

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Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: The Interview
• Information Sources • Interview Formats
 Individual employees  Structured (Checklist)
 Groups of employees  Unstructured
 Supervisors with
knowledge of the job
• Advantages
 Quick, direct way to find
overlooked information
• Disadvantages
 Distorted information

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FIGURE 4–3
Job Analysis Questionnaire for
Developing Job Descriptions

Note: Use a questionnaire like this to interview

job incumbents, or have them fill it out.

Source: www.hr.blr.com. Reprinted with

permission of the publisher, Business and Legal
Reports, Inc., Old Saybrook, CT © 2004.
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FIGURE 4–3
Job Analysis Questionnaire for
Developing Job Descriptions
(cont’d)

Note: Use a questionnaire like this to interview

job incumbents, or have them fill it out.

Source: www.hr.blr.com. Reprinted with

permission of the publisher, Business and Legal
Reports, Inc., Old Saybrook, CT © 2004.
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Job Analysis: Interviewing Guidelines
• The job analyst and supervisor should work together to
identify the workers who know the job best.
• Quickly establish rapport with the interviewee.
• Follow a structured guide or checklist, one that lists
open-ended questions and provides space for answers.
• Ask the worker to list his or her duties in order of
importance and frequency of occurrence.
• After completing the interview, review and verify
the data.

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Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Questionnaires
• Information Source • Advantages
 Have employees fill out  Quick and efficient way to
questionnaires to describe gather information from
their job-related duties and large numbers of
responsibilities employees
• Questionnaire Formats • Disadvantages
 Structured checklists  Expense and time
 Open-ended questions consumed in preparing
and testing the
questionnaire

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Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Observation
• Information Source • Advantages
 Observing and noting the  Provides first-hand
physical activities of information
employees as they go  Reduces distortion of
about their jobs information
• Disadvantages
 Time consuming
 Difficulty in capturing
entire job cycle
 Of little use if job involves
a high level of mental
activity

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Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Participant Diary/Logs
• Information Source • Advantages
 Workers keep a  Produces a more complete
chronological diary/ log of picture of the job
what they do and the time  Employee participation
spent on each activity
• Disadvantages
 Distortion of information
 Depends upon employees
to accurately recall their
activities

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FIGURE 4–4
Example of Position/Job
Description Intended for
Use Online

Source: www.ncf.edu/humanresources/documents/
A&P%20Final.doc. Accessed May 10, 2007.
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FIGURE 4–4
Example of Position/Job
Description Intended for
Use Online (cont’d)

Source: www.ncf.edu/humanresources/documents/
A&P%20Final.doc. Accessed May 10, 2007.
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FIGURE 4–4
Example of Position/Job
Description Intended for
Use Online (cont’d)

Source: www.ncf.edu/humanresources/documents/
A&P%20Final.doc. Accessed May 10, 2007.
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 Quantitative Job Analysis Techniques

Quantitative Job
Analysis

The U.S.
Position Analysis Department of Functional Job
Questionnaire Labor (DOL) Analysis
Procedures

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FIGURE 4–5
Portion of a Completed
Page from the Position
Analysis Questionnaire
The 194 PAQ elements are grouped into
six dimensions. This exhibits 11 of the
“information input” questions or elements.
Other PAQ pages contain questions
regarding mental processes, work output,
relationships with others, job context, and
other job characteristics.

Source: www.ncf.edu/humanresources/documents/
A&P%20Final.doc. Accessed May 10, 2007.
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TABLE 4–1 Basic Department of Labor Worker Functions

Data People Things

0 Synthesizing 0 Mentoring 0 Setting up
1 Coordinating 1 Negotiating 1 Precision working
2 Analyzing 2 Instructing 2 Operating/controlling
Basic Activities

3 Compiling 3 Supervising 3 Driving/operating

4 Computing 4 Diverting 4 Manipulating
5 Copying 5 Persuading 5 Tending
6 Comparing 6 Speaking/signaling 6 Feeding/offbearing
7 Serving 7 Handling
8 Taking instructions/helping

Note: Determine employee’s job “score” on data, people, and things by observing his
or her job and determining, for each of the three categories, which of the basic functions
illustrates the person’s job. “0” is high; “6,” “8,” and “7” are lows in each column.

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FIGURE 4–6
Sample Report
Based on
Department of
Labor Job
Analysis
Technique

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FIGURE 4–7
Selected
O*NET
General
Work
Activities

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 Writing Job Descriptions

Job
Identification

Job Job
Specifications Summary

Sections of a
Typical Job
Working Description Responsibilities
Conditions and Duties

Standards of Authority of the

Performance Incumbent

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FIGURE 4–8
Sample Job
Description,
Pearson
Education

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FIGURE 4–8
Sample Job
Description,
Pearson
Education
(cont’d)

Source: Courtesy of Dorling Kindersley, India.

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FIGURE 4–9
Marketing
Manager
Description
from Standard
Occupational
Classification

Source: www.bls.gov/soc/
soc_a2c1.htm. Accessed
August 17, 2007.
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The Job Description
• Job Identification • Responsibilities and
 Job title Duties
 Preparation date  Major responsibilities and
 Preparer duties (essential functions)
 Decision-making authority
• Job Summary
 Direct supervision
 General nature of the job
 Budgetary limitations
 Major functions/activities
• Standards of
• Relationships
Performance and
 Reports to:
Working Conditions
 Supervises:
 What it takes to do the job
 Works with:
successfully
 Outside the company:

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Using the Internet for Writing
Job Descriptions
• O*NET™ Online

Source: O*Net™ is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment

and Training Administration. Reprinted by permission of O*Net.
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TABLE 4–2 SOC Major Groups of Jobs

11-0000 Management Occupations

13-0000 Business and Financial Operations Occupations
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
21-0000 Community and Social Services Occupations
23-0000 Legal Occupations
25-0000 Education, Training, and Library Occupations
27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations
33-0000 Protective Service Occupations
35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving-Related Occupations
37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
39-0000 Personal Care and Service Occupations
41-0000 Sales and Related Occupations
43-0000 Office and Administrative Support Occupations
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
51-0000 Production Occupations
53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
55-0000 Military Specific Occupations
Note: Within these major groups are 96 minor groups, 449 broad occupations, and 821 detailed occupations.
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 Writing Job Specifications

“What traits and

experience are required
to do this job well?”

Specifications for Specifications

Specifications
Trained Versus Based on
Based on
Untrained Statistical
Judgment
Personnel Analysis

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FIGURE 4–10
Preliminary
Job
Description
Questionnaire

Source: Reprinted from

www.hr.blr.com with the
permission of the publisher,
Business and Legal Reports, Inc.,
Old Saybrook, CT © 2004.
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Writing Job Descriptions (cont’d)
Step 1. Decide on a Plan
Step 2. Develop an Organization Chart
Step 3. Use a Job Analysis/Description
Questionnaire
Step 4. Obtain Lists of Job Duties from O*NET
Step 5. Compile the Job’s Human
Requirements from O*NET
Step 6. Complete Your Job Description

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FIGURE 4–11 Background Data for Examples

Example of Job Title: Customer Service Clerk

Example of Job Summary: Answers inquiries and gives
directions to customers, authorizes cashing of customers’
checks, records and returns lost charge cards, sorts and reviews
new credit applications, works at customer service desk in
department store.
Example of One Job Duty: Authorizes cashing of checks:
authorizes cashing of personal or payroll checks (up to a
specified amount) by customers desiring to make payment by
check. Requests identification—such as driver’s license—from
customers and examines check to verify date, amount,
signature, and endorsement. Initials check and sends customer
to cashier.

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Writing Job Specifications (cont’d)
• Steps in the Statistical Approach
 Analyze the job and decide how to measure job
performance.
 Select personal traits that you believe should
predict successful performance.
 Test candidates for these traits.
 Measure the candidates’ subsequent job
performance.
 Statistically analyze the relationship between the
human traits and job performance.

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 Job Analysis in a “Jobless” World

Job Design:
Specialization and
Efficiency?

Job Job Job

Enlargement Rotation Enrichment

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 Job Analysis in a “Jobless” World (cont’d)

Dejobbing the
Organization

Using Self- Reengineering

Flattening the
Managed Work Business
Organization
Teams Processes

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Competency-Based Job Analysis
• Competencies
 Demonstrable characteristics of a person that enable
performance of a job.
• Reasons for Competency-Based Job Analysis
 To support a high-performance work system.
 To create strategically-focused job descriptions.
 To support the performance management process in
fostering, measuring, and rewarding:
 General competencies
 Leadership competencies
 Technical competencies

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Competency-Based Job Analysis (cont’d)
• How to Write Job Competencies-Based Job
Descriptions
 Interview job incumbents and their supervisors
 Ask open-ended questions about job
responsibilities and activities.
 Identify critical incidents that pinpoint success
on the job.
 Use off-the-shelf competencies databanks

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FIGURE 4–12 The Skills Matrix for One Job at BP

Note: The light blue boxes indicate the minimum level of skill required for the job.
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 KEY TERMS

job analysis Standard Occupational

job description Classification (SOC)
job specifications job enlargement
organization chart job rotation
process chart job enrichment
diary/log dejobbing
position analysis questionnaire boundaryless organization
(PAQ) reengineering
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) competencies
job analysis procedure competency-based job analysis
functional job analysis performance management

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