For This Assignment You Are Asked To Develop A Plan To Gathe

For This Assignment You Are Askedto Develop A Planto Gather Data For

For this assignment, you are asked to develop a plan to gather data for a job analysis, use at least two of the methods to gather data, write a short job description and job specification based on the data you have gathered. Please do not use your own position and do not use a job description already written. If you do not work outside the home, you have other opportunities for positions to analyze. If you do not have a position in a typical office, retail establishment or production facility you can use, seek out a position from elsewhere. The opportunities could include a server at a restaurant, a service provider in your home, your hair stylist, a sales assistant, the receptionist at your doctor’s office or perhaps your child’s au pair, tutor, teacher or nanny.

First review the material presented in the course about how to conduct a job analysis, the various methods for collecting data and the pros and cons of the various methods. After you have selected your methods for collecting the data, select the position (a job) to analyze and use at least two of the methods for collecting data, collect the data using the methods selected and summarize your findings in a short job description and job specification.

In the power point presentation, share the following: 1. Provide an academic definition of job analysis and a short description of how it is used in organizations. Provide an in text citation for the definition. 2. The position you selected to analyze. 3. The methods you selected for gathering data, an academic definition of each, an in text citation and the pros and cons of each data collection method you selected. 4. The rationale for why you selected the methods you did (tell why you selected the methods you did). 5. A description of your experience in collecting the data (how did it go? - was is easy, hard, stressful? for example). 6. A short sample position description and job specification you were able to design based on the data you gathered. Include an academic definition of position. description and specification along with the in text citation for each. 7. Suggestions for data gathering if you were to complete this assignment again and desire to make it even more accurate. Please try to present your data in no more than 10 slides including your title slide and reference page (recall that if you have in text citations you must also have a reference page and it is to be in APA format including displayed in alphabetical order). Keep all the relevant content in the slide content area and use the notes area on the slide for other supplemental information.

Paper For Above instruction

The process of conducting a job analysis is fundamental for effective human resource management within organizations. According to Brannick, Levine, and Morgeson (2007), job analysis is "a systematic process of collecting information about jobs" that helps organizations understand job duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment. Organizations utilize job analysis to inform recruitment, selection, training, performance appraisal, and compensation decisions, thereby ensuring that employee capabilities align with organizational goals.

The selected position for analysis is that of a retail sales assistant at a local department store. This role involves engaging with customers, providing product knowledge, processing transactions, and maintaining store visual standards. It is a typical customer-facing role essential for retail operations, making it an appropriate subject for this analysis.

For data collection, I chose two methods: the interview method and the direct observation method. An interview is a structured or unstructured confrontation with incumbents or supervisors to gather information regarding job duties and skills. According to Gatewood, Feild, and Barrick (2015), interviews permit obtaining detailed job insights directly from those performing the work and can clarify ambiguities. However, interviews can be time-consuming and susceptible to interviewer bias.

Direct observation involves systematically watching employees perform their work tasks to gather data about job activities. This method provides firsthand insight into actual work behaviors and workflows, as defined by Dessler (2019). The advantage of direct observation is its accuracy in capturing real-time activities; its disadvantage is that it can be intrusive and may not capture cognitive or mental tasks that do not have observable behaviors.

I selected the interview method because it allows detailed understanding from employee perspectives and can explore nuances that are not visible through observation alone. I chose direct observation to complement the interview, providing an empirical view of customer interactions and task sequences. The rationale was to balance subjective insights with objective data to develop a comprehensive job profile.

During data collection, I found the interview process somewhat challenging due to scheduling constraints and the need to formulate open-ended questions. The employee was cooperative but sometimes struggled to articulate all duties thoroughly. For the direct observation, it was somewhat stressful to maintain focus over extended periods, and there was a slight concern about influencing employee behavior, known as the Hawthorne effect. Overall, the data collection experience was educational and provided valuable insights into the nature of the sales assistant role.

Based on the data gathered, the following is a short sample of the position description: "The retail sales assistant is responsible for engaging customers, providing product information, processing transactions accurately, and maintaining visual standards within the store environment." The job specification includes skills such as customer service, communication, basic math proficiency, and the ability to stand for extended periods. An academic definition of a position is "a set of duties and responsibilities assigned to a role within an organization that delineate the scope of work" (Campion et al., 2011). A job description is a written statement that details the duties, responsibilities, and scope of a position, whereas a job specification lists the qualifications and skills required (Brannick et al., 2007).

If I were to repeat this assignment, I would enhance accuracy by incorporating more diverse data collection methods, such as questionnaires for a broader perspective and conducting multiple observations at different times to account for variability in tasks throughout shifts. Utilizing digital tools for recording data could also streamline the process and reduce biases, leading to a more comprehensive job profile.

References

• Brannick, M., Levine, E., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Job and work analysis: Methods, research, and applications. Sage Publications.
• Campion, M. A., Fink, A. A., Ruggeberg, B. J., Carr, L., Oliver, S., & Huebsch, J. (2011). Careers literature review: Job analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(3), 480–498.
• Dessler, G. (2019). Human resource management (15th ed.). Pearson.
• Gatewood, R., Feild, H., & Barrick, M. (2015). Human resource selection (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Brannick, M., Levine, E., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Job and work analysis: Methods, research, and applications. Sage Publications.