This is part two of a series explaining a simple method of job analysis, suitable for use in most organisations. If you haven’t yet read it, you might like to visit Job Analysis, Part I: Outcomes.
This is where we uncover the real “size” of the role. A key thing to understand is that we develop these “answers” by considering the outcomes we established, back in part one. We start by determining, in broad terms, the boundaries that this role has. Then, the nature and scope of tasks is identified, followed by the degree of communication skills required.
So, first up are boundaries. What are the limits the position has in terms of authority? Are they able to implement process changes that influence one, many or all employees? Perhaps they don’t have any scope to change processes, and instead simply follow those same processes. Consider how much freedom the person has in not only what work is done, but how it is done.
Second of all, we develop a list of the broad tasks that need to be accomplished to achieve the position outcomes. Tasks are important, as they’re the bread and butter work that each and every position will need to do. Think of as many (or as few) as you’d like, but the better your list in terms of accuracy, the easier your later stages of job analysis will be. There’s no need to go overboard, though.
The third element of this part, communication, is an interesting part of the process. Basically, we need to understand the scope and breadth of communication. Who does this job communicate with, and what’s the type of communication? A person who simply answers the phone, for example, has a different type of communication to a hostage negotiator. Think about all the communication involved, because it’s easy to overlook. It’s just as easy to overstate.
With these three elements, we’re able to draw an accurate picture of what this role does. From this picture, it’s then simple to understand what person is the ideal fit. Stay tuned for part three, where we’ll delve more into determining the specifics of knowledge, experience and qualifications.