Article Review Example: Job Analysis

According to the article "Job descriptions and job analyses in practice: How research and application differ", by Palmer, job analyses are crucial certification necessary for interviewing, selecting, training, and promoting employees. It is necessary for security and prevention measures necessary to detect and report potential threats and stress influences before they become problematic. A true job analysis breaks down and lists motions, movements, and abilities of the tasks that makeup a job. It is useful in noting everything starting from a jobs purpose to the physical environment. Employers have a powerful tool for placing and assisting their workers with complete data and understanding on what a job demands (Palmer, 2010). That is, with complete information in the job analysis, it can be used for selection processes, improving work methods, training, and recording ranks of promotions and responsibilities in the workplace.

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According to the article, a job analysis functions as a foundation for job description, job specifications, training, and job assessment. Under job description, relevant information is collected and compiled in job analysis. The information is used to summarize the job analysis findings and focus on the most essential components of the job. Under job specifications, employers make use of job analysis to determine candidates knowledge, abilities and skills necessary to perform the tasks assigned to them (Palmer, 2010).

The writer assumes that job analysis can be used for legal measures in making management decisions on candidates minimum qualifications, and evaluation on their performances. That is, through job analysis, employers who set minimum academic qualification, when sued, were likely to win cases in court when the jobs prove to require advanced knowledge, skills and abilities, or when the jobs were highly practical. Analysts determine the aim of job training in job analysis. The HR professions are able to determine individual skills and abilities needed to be taught in training, by showing what employees require so as to perform the job. Job assessment determines the jobs worth, and also ensures fairness in compensation. This article discusses that job assessment can not only be conducted from data collected in a job analysis, but it can also be conducted from information gathered in a job description (Palmer, 2010). Information is rated in the job description by analysts in order to conduct a job assessment. Under this area, an examination of the skills, knowledge and abilities required to perform tasks in the workplace is done on each and every employee.

The method used for research in this article is the collection of existing information from a company whose location is in the upper Midwest. The job analysis and job descriptions were for a variety of jobs such as maintenance workers, clerks, and water technicians, in the upper Midwest. There was several research questions conducted during the research. One, what components do job descriptions regularly have? Two, do job descriptions in practice have recommended elements i.e., duties and responsibilities, summary, or other information? Three, what components are frequently omitted in job descriptions? The results of the research showed that there are evident differences portrayed between the necessary abilities and skills indicated in job analysis and those in the job description. That is, individual who were familiar with the requirements of a job do not rate the job in the same manner as those who are unaware with the same job. There will be favorable agreement between job analysis and job description when a HR professional fully completes a job analysis than when a superior completed the job analysis instead.

Reference

Palmer, RK. (2010). "Job descriptions and job analyses in practice: How research and application differ". College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations. Paper. http://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/50