Selection - Job Analysis

Question 1

describe the general model of JA

Answer 1

commonly used by IPAC
1. Determine the need for job analysis and define the set of positions to be analyzed

2. Gather and review existing job information
3. Identify SME’s and develop sampling plan
4. Conduct Site Visits
5. If content validity is to be used, identify work performed: write duty/task
   statements
6. Identify potential job requirements: write
   KSA’s/WC’s
7. Assemble survey, collect data, and analyze data to identify relative importance of job duties/tasks and KSA’s/WC’s
8. Collect data to link job duties/tasks and KSA’s/WC’s
9. Prepare technical report

Question 2

what is adequate JA information?

Answer 2

• Knowledges, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics (KSAP’s) required are operationally defined, justified, and linked to work performance
• Entry vs. Full performance information
• Relative importance information
• Method of use information
• Qualifications requirements justified (e.g., minimum experience and training requirements)
• Job analysis findings represent the judgments of a number of qualified individuals
• JA documented

Question 3

Job Elements Method

Answer 3

• Focuses on worker traits (KSAO’s) needed for successful job performance, while ignoring tasks and job behaviors
• Purposes of KSAO’s

Question 4

What is task analysis?

Answer 4

Describes observable job behaviors performed by workers, including data regarding what is accomplished, the tools and equipment used to accomplish it, and the verifiable characteristics of the job environment

Question 5

Functional Job Analysis

Answer 5

tasks are related and ordered relative to three worker functions: data, people, and things. Tasks are also rated on a variety of other job context items

Question 6

Abilities Analysis

Answer 6

Focuses on the human abilities needed to perform the work; it relies on a standard set of defined human abilities, instead of generating a new set of KSAO’s for every job
FJAS: a version of this method

Question 7

Critical incidents

Answer 7

Collection of a series of anecdotes of job behavior that describe especially good or especially poor job performance

Question 8

Multi-Purpose JA

Answer 8

-A method of job analysis that is based on the content validation model, and is designed to meet the requirements of the Uniform Guidelines, Test Standards, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
a method of job analysis and the study of work performed, with the purpose of using the data collected to meet a number of needs in personnel management
-Why do MPJA?
to make the most effective use of resources
to have a true systems approach to managing personnel resources

Question 9

Competency Modeling

what is it and how to do it in general

Answer 9

Competencies are underlying personal characteristics which are expressed in observable behaviors and actions
Skills
Knowledge
Self-Concepts

1. Developing questionnaires focusing on business drivers. A custom questionnaire was developed for each position.
2. Administering questionnaires to a significant number of associates, their managers and their managers’ managers. We started by administering questionnaires to workers in retail jobs, such as regional and zone managers, store managers and assistant managers, and sales associates, and continued on to corporate office staff.
3. Holding focus groups with associates to confirm findings.
4. Meeting with executive teams on current and future brand strategies, making sure that everyone agreed on the skills needed for each job.
5. Summarizing the results of the questionnaires, focus groups and executive meetings.
6. Once we received the results of the questionnaires, we identified important behavior dimensions and divided them into three themes: leadership, functional and foundational competencies. These categories continue as our solid platform, and have helped us simplify the model and develop performance metrics to support each competency.

Question 10

Sources of background information

Answer 10

Literature review
Class specifications
Relevant organizational charts
Existing job descriptions
Training manuals
Regulatory materials
Unions or Trade organizations

Question 11

List of data collection techniques

Answer 11

• Interviews
• Group Meetings
• Questionnaires
• Worker Log
• Observation
• Critical Incidents

Question 12

considerations in choosing data collection methods

Answer 12

Purpose of the job analysis

Occupational complexity and variability (type, level, skills of incumbents, …)

Job/job group size and desired sample size

Location and work hours of incumbents

Availability and quality of existing data

Time, staff, and funds available

Degree of EEO need

Expertise of the analyst assigned (e.g., knowledge of the data collection method and occupation, skills, etc.)

Data analysis capability

Question 13

general rule of thumb for job analysis methodology

Answer 13

Use two or more methods plus background information and literature review. Get needed rating data from SME’s

Question 14

sample requirements

Answer 14

The sample composition should be representative of the employee group performing and supervising the work.

The sample size should be adequate

Question 15

practical considerations for planning a JA

Answer 15

Defining the target job

Employee population

Clarifying purpose

Cost factors

The client

Question 16

bodily elements of a good task statement

Answer 16

Task Statements are a Way of Showing, in Plain Language, by Using Descriptive Verbs:

• What a Worker Does (Verb)
• To What or Whom (Object)
• Why He/She Does It (Output)
• How-Using What Tools, Procedures, or Methods

Question 17

summarize the characteristics of an adequate task statement

Answer 17

Contains specific information on each of the four parts of a task statement.

What is done (Action Verb)
To whom or what (Object)
To produce what (Expected Output)
Using what tools, equipment, work aids, processes

Is easy to read and understand.

Describes work which produces an identifiable product that could be used by someone other than the performer.

Describes work done by one person.

Describes an important part of the job.

Is specific enough for deriving KSA’s.

Question 18

why use task statements?

Answer 18

Provide objective information needed to make decisions.

Simplify the process of deriving KSA’s.

Provide evidence needed to support a broad range of human resource decisions.

Question 19

general purpose rating scales

Answer 19

Percent performing

Frequency

Importance
Time spent
Consequence of error

Entry level/Full performance

Relationship to successful performance

Question 20

special purpose rating scales

Answer 20

Degree of supervision required
Training time required

Physical effort required

Task difficulty/Complexity

Quality of judgment

Environmental conditions

Impact on others

Question 21

dichotomous rating scales; advantages and disadvantages

Answer 21

Always a forced choice between one thing and another

Advantages
Easy to understand
Easy to complete

Disadvantages
Rigid and Restrictive
Provides limited information

Question 22

continuous rating scales; advantages and disadvantages

Answer 22

Always an open ended scale allowing a large number of possible values

-Advantages
Useful for obtaining a wide range of data

-Disadvantages
Analysis & Interpretation required
May distribute responses too broadly

Question 23

discrete rating scales

Answer 23

A limited number of clearly delineated choices.

Advantages
Easy to understand
Easy to complete
Can obtain maximum useful information

Disadvantages
Hard to create non-overlapping benchmarks
May not match range of performance
Benchmarks rely on internal definitions of raters

Question 24

What is an adequate KSA?

Answer 24

It is essential that KSA’s be:

Developed and verified by individuals who thoroughly understand the tasks performed

Clearly linked to tasks

Stated in specific and measurable terms

Clearly labeled as entry-level or full-performance

Supplemented by information on the extent to which possession of increasing degrees of the KSA differentiates among levels of job performance

Question 25

What are some methods to use to derive KSAs?

Answer 25

Logical Analysis of Individual Tasks

Group Meeting Approaches (Some References Include Use of Questionnaires and Data Analysis Procedures.)

Rating Tasks with Predefined Scales

Individual or group interviews

Questionnaires

Combinations of above approaches

Question 26

behaviorally anchored rating scales

Answer 26

Definition of the KSA

How it is Differentiated from Other Abilities

Interval Scale (Likert style; Perhaps 5 to 7 points)

Behavioral Benchmarks e.g., High, Middle, Low)

Question 27

JA and the law: list some relevant JA acts

Answer 27

• Fair Labor Standards Act – employees categorized as exempt or nonexempt
• Equal Pay Act – similar pay must be provided if jobs are not substantially different as shown in job descriptions
• Civil Rights Act – basis for adequate defenses against unfair discriminations charges in selection, promotion, and other areas of HR administration
• Occupational Safety and Health Act – specify job elements that endanger health or are considered unsatisfactory or distasteful by most people
• Americans with Disabilities Act – make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers

Question 28

JA and the law: general legal standards for JA by Thompson and Thompson

Answer 28

1. JA must be performed and must be for job for which the instrument is to be used
2. analysis of job should be in writing
3. analyst should describe in detail the procedures used
4. job data should be collected by a variety of sources
5. sample size of SMEs should be large and representative
6. tasks, duties, and activities should be included in the analysis
7. most important tasks should be represented in the selection procedure
8. competency levels of job performance for entry level should be specified
9. KSAs should be specified especially if content validation model is used.

Question 29

two broad types of JA method categories

Answer 29

work oriented = focuses on getting a description of the work tasks and what is actually accomplished by the worker ; involves ratings of tasks or job duties

worker oriented = focuses on broad human behaviors involved in the work activities; generic, can be applied to wide variety of jobs

some methods such as the interview can elicit both types of information

Question 30

interviews as a method of collecting JA information

Answer 30

should be structured using rating scales or answer forms
everything about the interview process should be specified from the outset (questions, who is doing it, how to record answers, objective of interview)
if using incumbents they should have at least 6 months of job experience

the types of questions you should ask cover the following areas and should be organized prior to the interview:

important job tasks
KSAs required
physical activities
environmental conditions
typical working incidents 
preparing records and reports
source of how to do the job 
supervisory responsibilities

the last step here is to verify the information collected via a supervisor or other incumbents. the interview should never be used as the sole method in JA.

Question 31

questionnaires as a method of collecting JA information

Answer 31

lists job information action such as activities or tasks and equipment used, KSAs etc. using rating scales

two categories: tailored Qs are developed by org or consultants for a specific job, prefabricated Qs are preexisting Qs, more broad

the PAQ is the most commonly used and applied

Question 32

task analysis inventories for collecting JA information

Answer 32

most popular type of tailored JA questionnaire

this is a questionnaire composed of a list of tasks for SMEs to make judgments about, usually tailored towards one job or a class of jobs that are very similar

three types of info in it: background information of SME, listing of job tasks + rating scales, miscellaneous info.

rate frequency, criticality, difficulty, and whether needed for entry/can be learned on job quickly

gather identifying information on respondents for legal purposes, showing your sample is representative, descriptive stats, etc.

Question 33

list the general steps for developing a task inventory

Answer 33

1. review previously existing information such as reports or technical manuals or previous JA info to get task item content
2. prepare lists of job tasks known to be performed (consultants, supervisors)
3. hold interviews with SMEs in order to ID additional tasks
4. review these tasks for any edits or redundancies etc. and then prepare the initial version of the inventory according to task-writing guidelines
5. SMEs review this initial draft
6. SMEs add, delete or modify tasks
7. repeat steps 5 and 6 with other panels until a good second draft is developed
8. pilot test on representative sample of respondents
9. make any modifications based on that data
10. repeat steps 8 and 9 until final version is good

Question 34

how to decide which tasks are going to be considered critical to the job

Answer 34

some minimum statistical criteria can be set

for example mean of 4, SD of 1 or below, and 75% of employees perform the task

Question 35

the PAQ

Answer 35

is a commonly applied JA information method that has a lot of research base and breadth of application
it is cheaper than developing your own inventory, it can apply to a wide range of jobs. it doesn’t contain task statements but other general work behaviors, conditions, and characteristics. this is important to remember. good for managerial jobs

Its purpose is to define the duties and responsibilities of a position in order to determine the appropriateness of the position classification, essential functions and/or whether or not the position is exempt from overtime; contains almost 200 questions about work behaviors, conditions, and job characteristics.

Question 36

SME workshops

Answer 36

10-20 incumbents
consists of the following:
1. select SMEs
2. identify and rate job tasks: facilitate discussion about job tasks and record comments on media. Assemble task statements into a rating booklet like a task analysis inventory. SMEs rate them
3. ID and rate KSAs: can be done by same or different SME group. purpose is ID the most essential KSAs for Job performance
4. judging constant relevance of selection measure IF purpose is content validation

Question 37

things to consider when choosing JA data collection methods

Answer 37

1. currently operational: has the method been tested and refined
2. off the shelf availability: is the method ready made or does it need to be constructed?
3. versatility: can it be applied to a wide variety of jobs?
4. standardization: are the procedures used structured?
5. user acceptability: task based methods are less favorable because of their length
6. required amount of job analyst training to apply the method correctly: FJA requires highest level of training
7. size of sample needed
8. suitability for content validity
9. suitability for criterion validity
10. reliability
11. utility
12. cost: more tailored = more costly

Question 38

what do you do in terms of JA methodolgy for jobs that don’t yet exist, or that are going to undergo a drastic change?

Answer 38

you can do a strategic job analysis to define the tasks and KSAs thought to be needed for a job as it is predicted to exist in the future.

1. analyze and identify current tasks and KSAs
2. SME workshop to discuss how future issues will affect the job
3. information on expected future tasks and KSAs is collected from SMEs
4. differences between present and future judgments about the job are identified to isolate tasks and KSAs whether greatest change is anticipated. use this information as a basis for selecting people for the future job.

can also use ONET to supplement this information

Question 39

critical incidents technique

Answer 39

generate list of especially good and poor examples of performance
information is gathered about specific behaviors that are observed. SMEs should have extensive job experience and need to have observed others behaviors on the job
group these behaviors into job dimensions based on themes throughout the incidents
it is work oriented procedure
the following info is provided: description of situation, effective or ineffective behavior performed by the incumbent, and the consequences of that behavior

you can create worker specifications based on tis information and specific job task lists

Question 40

Fleishman JA survey (F-JAS)

Answer 40

identify worker specifications for a job, worker oriented approach that is applied after job duties are identified

uses behaviorally anchored rating scales for cognitive, psychomotor, physical, and sensory/perceptual categories

1. determine level of analysis: for the whole job, job dimensions, or specific job tasks
2. select SMEs: 20-30 to maximize reliability
3. rate ability levels for each task: they don’t need to rate abilities that are clearly not relevant to the job
4. analyze results: mean ratings across all raters for each ability is computed; results for each task are a profile of ability levels required for task performance

very good for use in criterion related validity studies to suggest possible predictors to be used in selection; not suitable for content validation

Question 41

Functional Job Analyses (FJA)

Answer 41

Functional Job Analysis (FJA): is a combination of a work and worker oriented approach, and qualitative approach. Specifically, the worker oriented piece focuses on worker functions, the work oriented piece focuses on task inventory, and the qualitative piece focuses on the description of tasks. The procedure is highly systematic and involves the application of both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. It provides an in depth analysis of how tasks and worker involvement relate to three primary criteria: people, data, and things. Special training is usually required to implement this method, which is one disadvantage; thus, FJA can be costly, time consuming, and labor intensive. It is based on the theory that all jobs relate in some way to on the part of the worker to data, people, and things.

In order to implement FJA, organizational goals for the FJA should be identified. Then, a task list should be developed in terms of physical, mental, or interpersonal actions. Task analysis is the next step, where the scales are used. The fourth step is when the analyst develops performance standards to identify the results or output of worker tasks, and finally training content can be developed for the incumbent. Thus, FJA is used frequently for training design or government jobs. Can also be used for developing employee succession plans.

Question 42

Job elements method (JEM)

Answer 42

worker oriented process designed to ID the characteristics of superior workers for a job called elements
elements are then translated into more specifics called subelements that consist of what the person does

The job elements method is a worker oriented method that focuses on defining the KSAOs necessary for job perofmrance. The analyst relies on subject matter experts almost entirely for this method. The SMEs meet and help identify relevant elements for the job. Sub elements are also identified, which are specific behavioral examples that demonstrate the meaning of the element.

Question 43

CJAM

Answer 43

Consists of task and KSA analyses, then a linkage matrix completed by SMEs to see specific connections between tasks and KSAs for the job. It’s most legally defensible, easily understandable.