JOB ANALYSIS INTERVIEW GUIDE For HR Professionals
Prof. Lakshman Madurasinghe
REFERENCE GUIDE 1. The Job Analysis Interview : For the proper understanding of the job it is important to interview the job holder. There may be instances when you would depend on a preliminary draft submitted by the job holder’s superior but the job holders should be provided with an opportunity of commenting at least on the final draft. Whether you initially interview the job holder or his superior, the effectiveness of the interview will have a significant impact on the quality of the job description you finally prepare. The best of writing, cannot compensate for a lack of job understanding or incomplete data. The aim of this chapter is to assist you broaden your understanding on what is involved in conducting a job analysis interview. 1.1.
Before the interview By preparing adequately before the actual meeting takes place it can affect the quality and thoroughness of the interview and in turn affect the job description. The time spent before the interview should therefore be considered a time well spent.
Make sure that the interview is well planned. Set up a definite appointment with the person to be interviewed. Try to arrange for a neutral venue as far as possible where you can discuss at ease and be free from interruptions. Review your knowledge about the organization unit you will be working with. Try to separate, known facts from opinions and inter pretations. Be careful not to prejudge. You may be mistaken. Job description you develop must communicate the real content of the job. Equally you must effectively communicate in your job analysis interview.
1.2.
Commencing the interview The first few minutes of an interview are often crucial.
1.3.
Get the interview going Do not waste time at the beginning of an interview or you are likely to face time pressure later.
1.4
Establish rapport Put the person at ease, gain his confidence and establish the atmosphere where effective communication can take place. A relationship of mutual confidence between you and the interviewee is necessary to set the best results.
1.5
Explain your role Often the job holders believe that they are being appraised or evaluated by you. Explain clearly the nature of your role. Stress that you are collecting and analyzing information for an objective description of his job. You will usually find it easiest to start the interview by getting the Job holder to sketch out an organization chart showing the job in the unit. This will help you to place the job in the overall perspective of the company and indicate the line of questioning. Avoid dominating the interview. The operating techniques you use will provide the control needed to prompt relevant responses.
1.6
How to keep the interview going As you progress always keep in mind the answers to questions : - What ? - How ? - Why ? will provide the basis of information for a good job description. The job holder will expect you to ask direct questions but may not be able to answer them immediately. You can ask him to process the information before he answers. Listen carefully and decide what is relevant. Once the job holder starts talking there are a number of responses you can use to indicate you are listening. They include : a) Non-committal response This is a neutral response. You understand what the job holder is saying but want to hear more. You use a non-committal response such as “I see …….. “or” Oh ?”, etc. b) Echo response This merely echoes what the job holder last said. It shows him that you are listening an encourages him to enlarge on what he has been saying.
An example Job holder : “It is often required for me to visit ministries and government departments”. Analyst : “……………… visit Government Departments.” c) This is similar to echo response but adds interpretation to what is said for example. “Oh! You must visit Govt. Departments often ?” This type of response shows that you are listening. But there is Also a pitfall, when you interpret the job holder may feel that you are judging or making assumptions. Be cautious ! Taking good notes is extremely critical. Don’t trust too much on memory but also remember not to get too much involved in trying to write every word the job holder says. This will interrupt the proper flow of information. At times you may find your working with a job holder who is reluctant to talk. This calls for skill, tact and self-discipline on the part of the job analyst. Move him into questions which he cannot possibly answer in monosyllables. E.g. with a half stated follow-up questions such as :“In such cases the action you take is ………….. ?
1.7 Closing the interview This could be done simply and naturally by a comment such as “well with a few more questions, we shall be through” When you reach the end, it will be polite to ask if there are any questions or comments. This will give the job holder an opportunity to clarify a point which has been troubling him. Review your notes as soon as possible after an interview while the interview is still fresh in your mind. 1.8 Some additional Guidelines a) When you ask a question, do so in an inquisitive manner and not In a challenging way. Do not show approval or disapproval. b) Be careful not to ask leading questions – ones that suggest that a Certain answer is desired. c) Do not be timid about asking probing a supplementary question whenever needed. d) Listen to complaints – but be non – committal. e) When you ask a question, wait for an answer. f) Do not dominate the discussion. g) Listen “between the lines”. Things unsaid, hinted at, implied can be very important.
List of action verbs commonly used in Job Descriptions Accepts
To receive with consent; take without protest
Accomplishes
To complete, perform fully, fulfill
Achieves
To bring to a successful end, bring about an intended result
Acts
To perform a specified function; product an effect; give a decision or award.
Administers
To control and bring into use or operation; to make application of.
Adopts
To take and apply or put into practice; accept formally as a report.
Advises
To give recommendations regarding a decision or course of conduct, policy or action; i.e. not simply telling or informing.
Allocates
To set part for a particular purpose; assign or allot.
Analyses
To investigate and study the factors of a situation or problem in order to determine the solution or outcome; study various unrelated facts to arrive at a conclusion.
Anticipates
To foresee an act, events, trends, consequences or problems.
Appraises
To evaluate as to quality, status, effectiveness, etc.
Approves
To sanction officially, confirm; accept as sastisfactory Thereby assuming responsibility for (Used only in a Situation where the individual has final authority)
Arranges
To place in the proper order; prepare a plan or schedule, e.g. meeting.
Ascertains
To find out or learns definitely, determine.
Assembles
To fit together the parts of.
Assigns
To designate, give or reserve for a specific person or purpose.
Assists
To give support or aid in some undertaking or effort. (No authority over the activity is implied)
Assumes
To take upon oneself; undertake.
Assures
To confirm; make certain of; state confidently.
Attends
(i) To look after or take charge of ; apply the mind to or pay attention to (ii) is present for the purpose of making a contribution.
Audits
To carry out a critical comprehensive and methodical examination and review a situation, condition or practice within the enterprise. To conclude with a detailed report on findings and / or recommendations leading to conformity with or revision to established policies, programs, and procedures, if such is indicated or needed.
Authorises
To give the power to take action or to require and receive Performance of actions by others.
Balances
To arrange or prove so that the sum of one group equals
the sum of another. Budgets
To determine how much is to be spent on each category of expenditure during a given time period.
Calculates
To determine by using mathematical methods; compute. To determine by reasoning, commonsense or practical experience.
Carries out
To put into operation, practice; to accomplish
Checks
To inspect for satisfactory condition, accuracy, safety or performance.
Circulates
To cause to pass from place to place or person to person, etc.
Classifies
To examine analyze and arrange or organize by class.
Clears
To be free from obligation, liability or debt, e.g. customs clearance.
Collaborates
To work with and acts jointly with others.
Collects
To gather facts or data; assemble; accumulate.
Compiles
To collect, arrange and put together (document, selections, etc) in one work.
Completes
To bring to an end; finish; execute
Computes
To determine by mathematical means; to make calculations.
Concurs
To agree with a position, statement or action.
Conducts
To carry out, has direction of or directs the execution of.
Confers
To consult together, compare opinions, carry on a discussion or deliberation.
Consolidates
To bring together; unite; combine
Consults
To asks the advice or opinion of another; confer; refer to;
Contacts
To communicate with another person
Contracts
To enter into an agreement
Contributes
To give together with others; furnish ideas etc.
Controls
To monitor, direct and regulate. The monitoring of performance is the starting point of control. In case performance deviates from what is expected, corrective action is taken to get the process back on the track.
Cooperates
To work or act with others to achieve a desired result, Or for mutual benefit.
Coordinates
To integrate one’s own efforts with those of others to Achieve a desired objective with a minimum of duplication or misdirection of effort. Frequently one speaks of coordinating of efforts with those of people in other departments.
Correlates
To organize so as to advance effectively a common program work objective.
Counsels
To give advice; consult with; to exchange ideas mutually.
Creates
To cause to come into existence; to produce with imaginative skill.
Decides
To arrive at a solution that ends uncertainly or dispute about; make a choice or judgement.
Delegates
To assign to a sub-ordinate the authority to accomplish an objective or specific result. True delegation exists only when the manager making the delegation confines himself to establishing the objective and standards and measures of performance, reviewing the results, and coaching the subordinate in terms of those results and their variance from objectives and performance standards. (A manager may delegate authority to others but he cannot delegate his responsibility and accountability).
Delivers
To hand over ; send to an intended destination.
Demonstrates
To show clearly; prove or make clear by reasoning or Evidence; illustrate and explain especially with examples.
Describes
To represents or give an account of in words.
Designs
To conceive and plan out in the mind; devise for a specific function or end; make a drawing, pattern or sketch of; create, fashion, execute or construct according to plan.
Determines
To come to a decision concerning an action or proposal; Choose from among alternatives; fix conclusively or authoritatively.
Develops
To bring an idea or course of action into a clear; full and Explicit presentation. To cause to grow, expand or bring about.
Devises
To invent from existing principles or ideas, e.g. to devise
a method. Dictates
To say or read aloud for another to transcribe or for a machine to record.
Directs
To regulates the activities or course of; govern or control; give guidance to.
Discusses
To exchange views for the purpose of arriving at a conclusion.
Disseminates
To spread information or ideas.
Distributes
To spread, scatter; to divide into classes of distinct character, e.g. to distribute work.
Drafts
To write or compose papers or documents usually in rough, preliminary form prior to final form, often for clearance, revision and approval by others.
Edits
To revise or correct, as for publication.
Endorses
To approve, support or sustain; to sign one’s name on the reverse of a document, e.g. cheque or commercial document.
Ensures
To make sure, certain or safe usually by a definite review, plan or action.
Establishes
To bring into existence; bring about; set up on a firm Basis to show to be valid or true e.g. to establish a fact.
Estimates
To determine roughly the size, extent or duration of something; state what one considers to be the likely cost or price of something; judge tentatively the value, worth or significance of something.
Evaluates
To determine or set the value or amount; to appraise.
Examines
To look at critically or methodically; investigate; inspect; test by an appropriate method.
Exchanges
To part with, give or transfer in consideration for something received as an equivalent.
Executes
To put into effect; carry out or follow through to a conclusion.
Exercises
To bring to bear or employ actively as in exercise of Authority or influence, to put into action, practice or use.
Expedites
To accelerate the movement or progress of.
Experiments
To carry out an activity or operation; to make a discovery.
Explains
To give an intelligible account of; make known in detail.
Extrapolates
To forecast using methods that assume that the future will continue to reflect already established trends.
Facilitates
To make easier; assist the progress of.
Follows up
To check the progress of; to see if results are satisfactory.
Forecasts
To estimate the value of a certain variable in the future, such as manpower, sales, operating costs, etc.
Formulates
To put into a systemized statement; develop or devise a method, system, plan, policy or procedure.
Furnishes
To provides, supply or give
Functions
To perform a special action or activity; to act, serve or
operate. Helps
To contribute strength or means to; render assistance; to cooperate effectively with; aid; assist.
Hires
To engage the services of for a wage or salary; to grant the temporary, use of, or the services of, for compensation.
Guides
To conduct or direct along a course of action.
Implements
To carry out; perform acts essential to the execution of a Plan or a program.
Improves
To bring into a more de viable or excellent condition.
Informs
To bring into a more de viable or excellent condition.
Initiates
To originate; introduce in the first instance; course or bring to pass by an original act, as in originating a plan, policy or procedure.
Innovates
To initiate activity or development that results in the adoption of a new product, business or way of doing things.
Inspects
To examine carefully and critically.
Instructs
To impart knowledge to; supply direction to.
Integrates
To bring together or incorporate; make up, combine or complete;
Interprets
To explain the meaning of, translate; elucidate.
Interviews
To question in order to obtain facts or opinions.
Investigates
To inquire into systematically.
Issues
To send out, distribute; to put into circulation.
Keeps
To have under one’s care or one’s charge.
Lays out
To plan the arrangement of
Maintains
To hold or keep, in any condition; keep up to date or Current, as of records.
Makes
To provide; cause to exist or bring out.
Manages
To mobilize resources for the achievement of a purpose; to have charge of or responsibility for.
Modifies
To make partial changes; to change somewhat the form or qualities of.
Monitors
To observe or check on a continuing basis.
Motivates
To move an individual to action by personal mechanism.
Negotiates
To confer with a view to agreement between the parties involved.
Notifies
To give notice to; inform
Observes
To keep; follow; adhere to; perceive; watch; take notice of.
Obtains
To gain possession of; acquire.
Operates
To conducts or perform an activity
Organizes
To assemble and establish the human and physical resources of the business or any of its sub-units in a sound and proper relationship that leads to the effective and economical accomplishment of established
objectives. It involves structure, people, definition and unity of purpose. Originates
To initiate or give origin to.
The author Prof.Lakshman Madurasinghe, MA.,MS(Psy).PhD Chartered Fellow CIPD(Lond) is a Behavioural Scientist with International HR Consultancy experience Website http://www.madure.org