PAGE 4 Sample Job Analysis Guidelines The following guidelines are provided to help navigate the five essential steps in conducting a simple job analysis. Step 1. Responsibility and Duty Identification We want to find out exactly what a person does on the job. We are interested in all activities performed. By completing the job analysis questionnaire, we will be able to update the job and then actually write a job description. Note that the analysis is not the same as the actual job description. These are two separate and independent documents. Example: Secretary Job Responsibility: 1. Acts as a receptionist 1.1 Answers telephone, relaying information or transferring calls to appropriate individuals to meet callers’ demands. 1.2 Greets visitors, answering their questions and/or directing them to the appropriate individual to meet their needs. 2. Performs various administrative activities. 2.1 Schedules appointments to use manager’s time effectively 2.2 Composes routine correspondence to reduce workload of manager. 2.3 Makes travel arrangements to ensure travel efficiency and comfort. 2.4 Reserves meeting rooms as necessary to ensure their availability. Responsibility Identification Form: One way to capture the information into a simple format is to create a one page table like the following example to capture the data based on an interview with an incumbent in this specific position. Table 1. Rank Order of Importance What Is Done (Use Action Verbs) To What Is It Done? (Object) Modifying Words Or Phrase (If Appropriate) 1 (Responsibility 1) Calculates Payroll costs For Human Resources Department (Responsibility 2) The next step in the job analysis process is the identification of duties. Now we can take information from Table 1 to determine not only the rank order of importance but for legal purposes state if the duty is essential or non-essential. Table 2. State the General Responsibility: List the Specific Duty Under Each General Responsibility in Space Provided Below: Essential or Non- Essential Rank Order of Importance Specific Duty 1. 2. 3. 4. Step 2. Knowledge and Skills In this section we are attempting to identify the real knowledge and skills a person must have to perform each duty. Also we are interested in attempting to determine how a person learned the skill or knowledge. Possible Sources of Training: 1. In grammar school 2. In high school 3. In community college (2 years) 4. In college (4 years) 5. In graduate school (5 years or more) 6. In specialized training sessions 7. Through experience on the current job 8. Through experience gained in other jobs 9. Other Note: To the left of the knowledge and skills place an asterisk (*) if you think that a person should have this level of training prior to being hired for the job. Table 3. Responsibility # Knowledge How Knowledge Was Acquired Skills Step 3. Education and Experien.

1. PAGE
4
Sample Job Analysis Guidelines
The following guidelines are provided to help navigate the five
essential steps in conducting a simple job analysis.
Step 1. Responsibility and Duty Identification
We want to find out exactly what a person does on the job. We
are interested in all activities performed. By completing the job
analysis questionnaire, we will be able to update the job and
then actually write a job description. Note that the analysis is
not the same as the actual job description. These are two
separate and independent documents.
Example: Secretary
Job Responsibility:
1. Acts as a receptionist
1.1 Answers telephone, relaying information or transferring
calls to
appropriate individuals to meet callers’ demands.
1.2 Greets visitors, answering their questions and/or directing
them

2. to the appropriate individual to meet their needs.
2. Performs various administrative activities.
2.1 Schedules appointments to use manager’s time effectively
2.2 Composes routine correspondence to reduce workload of
manager.
2.3 Makes travel arrangements to ensure travel efficiency and
comfort.
2.4 Reserves meeting rooms as necessary to ensure their

3. availability.
Responsibility Identification Form:
One way to capture the information into a simple format is to
create a one page table like the following example to capture
the data based on an interview with an incumbent in this
specific position.
Table 1.
Rank Order of Importance
What Is Done
(Use Action Verbs)
To What Is It Done?
(Object)
Modifying Words Or Phrase (If Appropriate)
1
(Responsibility 1)
Calculates
Payroll costs
For Human Resources Department
(Responsibility 2)
The next step in the job analysis process is the identification of
duties. Now we can take information from Table 1 to determine
not only the rank order of importance but for legal purposes
state if the duty is essential or non-essential.

4. Table 2.
State the General Responsibility:
List the Specific Duty Under Each General Responsibility in
Space Provided Below:
Essential or
Non- Essential
Rank Order of
Importance
Specific Duty
1.
2.
3.
4.
Step 2. Knowledge and Skills

5. In this section we are attempting to identify the real knowledge
and skills a person must have to perform each duty. Also we are
interested in attempting to determine how a person learned the
skill or knowledge.
Possible Sources of Training:
1. In grammar school
2. In high school
3. In community college (2 years)
4. In college (4 years)
5. In graduate school (5 years or more)
6. In specialized training sessions
7. Through experience on the current job
8. Through experience gained in other jobs
9. Other
Note: To the left of the knowledge and skills place an asterisk
(*) if you think that a person should have this level of training
prior to being hired for the job.
Table 3.
Responsibility #
Knowledge
How Knowledge Was Acquired
Skills

6. Step 3. Education and Experience Requirements: Licenses,
Certification, Registration
In some cases the job we are evaluating requires special
education, and experience which might appear as licenses,
certification, or registration. To assist in that evaluation refer to
the five questions listed below:
1. If you were hiring someone to replace you in your current
position, what is the lowest educational level you would require
the person to have?
_____
completion of high school education
_____
graduation from a technical or junior (2 year) college
_____
graduation from a college or university (4 year)
_____
possession of a master’s degree or equivalent
_____
other (specify)

7. 2. If you were hiring someone to replace you in your current
position, how many years of experience would you require the
person to have (i.e., minimum experience requirement)?
3. What licenses, certifications, or registrations are legally
required to perform your job?
4. Are you required to participate in or attend any additional
training programs in order tom maintain your licenses,
certifications, or registrations?
5. Are there any other jobs an applicant should have performed
before entering this job?
Step 4. Miscellaneous
In this section we are attempting to take into consideration
different things that impact the job such as legal issues,
physical demands, working conditions, and most challenging
duties. To assist in this process consider the following five
questions:
1. What specific laws or ordinances do you use or follow in
your work (laws or ordinances that you must have knowledge of
and use as a reference to perform your job)?
2. Describe the physical demands of your job (examples: work
is generally sedentary: requires long periods of standing or
walking; requires bending or stooping; constant lifting of items
weighing 60 pounds of more).
3. Describe any working conditions that cause you to feel stress
when performing your job activities (examples: must frequently
meet critical deadlines with little advance notice; workload is
extremely heavy, allowing no time to relax; employees in
department on each other’s back; minimal to no cooperation or
support).

8. 4. Describe the normal and unusual conditions of your work
(examples: work is performed in an office; in a noisy place;
around much dust, dirt, grease, etc.; around smoke, fumes,
irritating chemicals, or toxic conditions; outdoors; on call 24
hours a day.
5. Please list the number of the most difficult responsibility you
perform (the one that is hardest for you). Why is this
responsibility difficult?
Step 5. Additional Considerations
The following information is designed to make sure that the
incumbent in this position is in fact performing the job within
the current organizational plan and job classification. Consider
carefully the following three questions:
1. Are there any job activities that you are not performing now
that you should be?
2. Are there any job activities that you are now performing that
you should not be?
3. Is there any additional information that you would like to
state about your job that we should know?
_____________________________________________________
___________________
Source:
Henderson, R. I. (2006). Compensation management in a
knowledge-based world. (10th edition), New Jersey: Pearson
Prentice Hall.