what is job analysis
by donovan nelson
(tampa fl 33647)
does one take a job posting and look at the requirements and analyze it?
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Thanks for the question. It may confuse some but a job description is just that a description of what is involved in a job.
On the other hand, a job analysis is more about determining the skills required, activities performed and describing the success criteria.
The difference is in the depth of understanding regarding the position. A job description is kind of a surface level description of the activities involved in a job. It is a tool used to screen applicants.
The job analysis, got below the surface of what duties are preformed and an outline of responsibilities. It looks at criteria for success and what skills and traits people who were successful brought to the position in order to make them successful. It is used in the interview process to evaluate if a candidate will be successful in a position.
Think about imagining where the end point of a successful hire would be in one year. If you can describe the skills, knowledge and abilities of a successful employee one year down the road, you have the essence of a job analysis.
It can start with a job description but it takes it 20 steps beyond that. You use interviews of former employees who held the position, compare their input with their supervisors input on how successful they were. Look at past performance of the people who held the role and see what common skills, knowledge and abilities they possessed that made them successful or maybe were lacking that prevented them from being a total success.
I hope that helps. If there are more questions regarding this topic, go back and review the pages about making a hiring plan. It includes as one of the steps doing a job analysis. As part of a hiring plan, understanding the success criteria learned from a job analysis will go a long way in the interview process toward making good decision based on success criteria vs. the traditional gut feel.
Hope that help.s
