JOB DESCRIPTION, JOB
SPECIFICATION, & JOB DESIGN
Purpose of Job Analysis
Is to generate three tangible
outcomes: job description, job
specifications, and job evaluation
Definition of job terms
1. Position – consists of the responsibility
and duties performed by an individual
2. Job – group of positions that are similar
in their duties
3. Occupation - groups of jobs that are
similar to kind of work and are found
throughout an industry. An occupation
is a category of work found in many
firms.
Specific Information Provided by Job
Analysis
1. Job title and location
2. Organizational relationship – brief explanation of
the number of persons supervised (if applicable)
and job title of the position supervised. It also
reflects supervision received.
3. Relation to other jobs – describes and outlines
the coordination required by the job
4. Job Summary – condensed explanation of the
content of the job
5. Information concerning job requirements – it
varies from job to job. Usually provide
information about machines, tools, materials,
mental complexity and attention required,
physical demands, and working conditions.
Uses of Job Analysis Information
Preparing the job description and writing
the job specifications
Recruitment and selection
Determining the rate of compensation
Performance appraisal
Training
Career planning and development
Safety
Labor relations
O*NET
Occupational Information Network
Provides more information to students
needing career research to write reports
and to HR professionals who want
updated information on job requirements
for job analysis
O*NET database contains information on
hundred of careers, and is continually
updated and provided on line at no cost
Structured Job Analysis Techniques
Job Description
Is a written statement of what the
jobholder does, how it is done,
under what conditions, and why
It should accurately portray job
content, environment, and
conditions of employment
Format for a Job Description
Job title usually describes the job and hints at
the nature and duties of the job
Job Identification section includes the
department location of the job, who the person
reports to, a job identification code, and the date
the description was last revised
Job duties or essential functions lists the job
duties in order of importance
Job specifications explain the personal
qualifications necessary to perform the duties
listed above including specific skills, education,
certification, and physical abilities
Uses of Job Description
1. Describes the job to potential candidates
(either verbally by recruiters and
interviewers or in written
advertisements
2. Guides newly hired employees in what
they are specifically expected to do
3. Develops criteria for evaluating
performance of the individual holding
that job
4. Establishes the relative worth of the job
for compensation
Job Specifications
Statements indicating the minimal
acceptable qualifications incumbents must
possess to successfully perform the
essential elements of their jobs
It identifies pertinent knowledge, skills,
education, experience, certification, and
abilities
It is an important tool for keeping the
selector’s attention on the list of
necessary qualifications and assisting in
determining whether candidates are
essentially qualified
Job Evaluation
Specifies the relative value of each
job in the organization
Necessary to have an equitable
compensation program, jobs that
have similar demands in terms of
skills, knowledge, and abilities
should be placed in common
compensation groups
Job Design
Refers to the way that the position and
the tasks within that position are
organized
It describes what tasks are included; how
and when the tasks are done; and any
factors that affect the work, such as in
what order the tasks are completed and
the conditions under which the tasks are
completed.
Good job design incorporates tasks that
relate to organizational goals and values
into every job description
Job Enrichment
“If you want people to do a good job,
give them a good job to do.” –
Fredrick Herzberg
Job Enrichment
Expanding job content to create more
opportunities for job satisfaction
Five Core Job Characteristics for an
Effective Job Design
1. Skill Variety – allowing workers to use different
skills and talents to do a number of different
activities
2. Task identity – workers are able to see a completed
product or project or some visible outcome that
creates a sense of accomplishment
3. Task significance – the tasks performed have some
meaningful impact on the organization, or the
external environment.
4. Autonomy – worker has some control over the job
5. Feedback from the job itself – the job includes
some opportunity to show the worker if the tasks are
done properly
Flexible Work Schedules
Compressed work week schedules –
employees work longer days in exchange
for longer weekends or other days off
Flex time – allows employees to
schedule the time they begin their eight-
hour working day
Job sharing – allows two people to share
one job by splitting the work week and
the responsibilities of the position
Telecommuting – using technology to
work in a location other than the
traditional workplace.
