Job analysis : Job Description, Job Specification

Job analysis is a systematic approach to defining the job role, description, requirements, responsibilities, evaluation, etc. It helps in finding out required level of education, skills, knowledge, training, etc for the job position.

 

Importance of Job Analysis Job analysis helps in analyzing the resources and establishing the strategies to accomplish the business goals and strategic objectives. It forms the basis for demand-supply analysis, recruitments, compensation management, and training need assessment and performance appraisal.

Job Description:

Job Description is an organized factual statement of job contents in the form of duties and responsibilities of a specific job. The preparation of job description is very important before a vacancy is advertised. It tells in brief the nature and type of job. This type of document is descriptive in nature and it constitutes all those facts which are related to a job such as :

·         duties,

·         responsibilities,

·         most important contributions and outcomes needed from a position,

·         required qualifications of candidates, and

·         reporting relationship and co-workers of a particular job.

Job Specification

A statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or function. Job specification is derived from job analysis.

Job Specification specifies information about the skills or qualities required for doing the job.

Job Specification is also called as Man or Employee Specification.

Job Specification is prepared on the basis of Job Description.

Information contained in Job Specification

Job Specification contains or consists of the following information :-

Personal characteristics such as education, job experience, age, gender, extracurricular activities, etc.

Physical characteristics such as height, weight, vision, hearing, fitness, health, etc.

Mental characteristics such as general intelligence (IQ), memory, judgement, foresight, etc.

Social and Psychological characteristics such as emotional ability, flexibility, manners, creativity, group behaviour, etc.