Free online Course on Job Analysis and Evaluation

Jobs are important to individuals. They help determine standards of living, places of residence, status and even one's sense of self worth. Jobs are important to organizations because they are the means of accomplishing organizational objectives. Traditionally, organizations used to define jobs in a rigid way. The popular view about a job is that what it requires does not change; it is designed to be consistent all through the worker who passes through it. However, jobs are not static. They are subject to change. The same job might he handled differently at different times of the year (e.g., life guards, accountants, ski instructors, actors). The job incumbents might say “I do what I believe is right on the job”. The job is what the incumbent makes of it. To understand the dynamic nature of jobs, managers gather information about jobs from time to time, using various means. A written summary of task needs for a particular job is called a job description and a written summary of people requirements is called a job specification. Together, they comprise a job analysis.