As jobs and industries evolve, employers must update their job descriptions to reflect their current needs. A job analysis defines the duties, responsibilities and skills required for a specific role. In this article, we’ll discuss the popular types of job analysis methods and how you can make your own.
A job analysis provides an overview of the competencies, skills and responsibilities for a specific role. While a traditional job analysis may be less detailed, modern versions have more in-depth details about the position. Other than the aforementioned, some employers also include performance review criteria, onboarding processes, as well as short-term and long-term expectations.
Here’s a list of the sectors that rely on the job analysis:
An in-depth job analysis helps organizations create in-depth job descriptions and get managers and employees on the same page. It is also useful in defining the path job holders will take to move up in an organization and transition to higher-level positions. In the worst-case scenario, when an employee does not meet these expectations, the job analysis can serve as a guide for criticisms, performance reviews and job departures.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular job analysis methods.
Give open-ended questionnaires or highly structured questionnaires for employees and managers. These responses help HR managers determine the amount of time and the frequency with which specific activities are performed, as well as their level of importance to the team or organization.
Interview employees who held the position in the past. Because staff and supervisors may have an accurate overview of the job’s roles, you can also conduct interviews within departments or teams. Keep in mind that supervisors may have their own preferences and biases when defining the requirements to perform a specific position. As such, it’s essential to have more than one source of information.
Direct observation can help form a clear picture of the amount of time it takes to perform a specific task. It is highly recommended for production jobs or part-time roles, as well as small businesses with a limited budget for a position.
A work diary requires employees to record their daily activities, the amount of time spent on a task and the perceived urgency of an activity. All this information enables HR and managers to identify work patterns and evaluate whether changes should be made to support an employee.
The job analyst performs the specific job or activity to know contextual factors and scenarios job holders face. Some factors include emotional pressures, physical risks and mental demands.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to perform a job analysis.
The first step is to review the roles and responsibilities for the specific position. Interview employees, supervisors and HR personnel to get an idea of their tasks and responsibilities. You can also check out work diaries, questionnaires or manuals, then list down the activities the job entails. Once you come up with a viable list, consider the level of difficulty required for each task or skill set. Rank and organize the specific tasks based on the amount of skill level and experience involved.
What are the qualifications for the position? What are the responsibilities and activities that job holders are expected to fulfill? Check out similar positions to evaluate whether the scope of the job is aligned with industry standards. A good tip is to browse job descriptions for similar positions on LinkedIn or Indeed. You can even check out job descriptions and compensation on Payscale and Salary.com. Throughout the process, you may even identify employee job responsibilities you may have forgotten.
Even similar roles don’t have the same outcome because roles and responsibilities vary across departments. For example, a tech company may recruit a technical writer for the marketing department for advertising copy. In the same way, they can also hire another technical writer for the research department to summarize research findings and come up with detailed insights based on marketing data. Both positions demand different skill sets and levels of expertise. It’s up to employers to identify their expected outputs and deliverables for each position.
Not every position has the same essential skills, training and experience. Management could even opt to assign or unassign responsibilities based on their level of importance to the team. As a result, it’s important to define the specific skills, training and education required for each candidate. The more specific you are, the better your job analysis would be.
One of the most crucial aspects of a job analysis is compensation and applicable benefits. What is the salary range for the role? How much are your competitors offering for the same role? What are the skills necessary to move up the salary range? You can check out websites such as Glassdoor, Payscale, Indeed and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to get an overview of the ideal compensation.
A job analysis isn’t a one-time thing. As the industry and organization evolve, the expectations for each position change. With a thorough job analysis, you’ll be able to attract candidates who are the right fit for the job and provide them with the right compensation based on industry standards. You’ll also be able to determine an appropriate path for job holders looking to move up the career ladder.
A job analysis provides an accurate overview of the duties and responsibilities required for the role. Just follow the right process and you’ll be able to get a clear picture of the position. Here’s hoping this in-depth guide has helped you create your own job analysis.
