Many people fail to understand that a strong job analysis tool is critical to developing a strong, legally-compliant and useful job description.

A job analysis is used to identify job duties and responsibilities by going through a process of gathering and examining data about the particular job. A simple way to go through this process is to use a Job Analysis Questionnaire, which gives you a better understanding of what the job itself entails. The Job Analysis Questionnaire includes a number of important data points, such as:

• the essential functions of the job;
• the job results;
• the list of the duties and responsibilities required to reach the job results;
• the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed;
• the conditions of the job; and
• how the work is completed under these conditions.

Something very important to remember is that a job analysis is an evaluation of the job itself, and not an analysis of the person doing the job.

According to the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), in the article “Job Analysis: How Do I Conduct a Job Analysis to Ensure the Job Description Actually Matches the Duties Performed by the Employee in the Job?”, the best job analysis happens when you:

• involve employees by having them complete job analysis forms;
• interview employees, asking them specific questions about their job duties and responsibilities;
• obtain log sheets from employees with information about each of their tasks and the time spent on each task for at least one full work week;
• complete desk audits where you observe employees doing their jobs at different times of the day and days of the week and track what they do and for how long; and
• interview supervisors and managers, and other employees, clients and customers the employee may interact with while performing the job.

By completing a job analysis as part of your job description development, your job description will better reflect why the job exists, what the job entails, and what’s needed (not who is needed) to do the job well. Contact The Employer Group to learn more about job analysis and writing effective job descriptions.