Job Analysis - Chapter 8

Front 1

List the 3 main functions of recruitment.

Back 1

1. let people know there is a job opening, including diverse backgrounds (EEO efforts)

2. entice people (especially those suited to a job) to apply (market the company as a good place to work)

3. inform potential applicants about the requirements of the job & nature of the company

Front 2

Describe staffing and list the 3 main staffing functions.

Back 2

Staffing: find the right people to fit the company, people are found to fit jobs (not vice versa)

1. Recruitment - get people to apply for jobs

2. Selection - choose people to hire out of pool of applicants

3. Placement - choosing the right job for the person (mainly used in military)

Front 3

Describe what is needed from a job analysis for recruitment.

Back 3

Can use worker-oriented methods - need to communicate the essential nature of the job and most important job requirements (worker attributes)

Front 4

Describe the 3 test validation methods.

Back 4

1. Content-Oriented Strategies - link the content of the test to the content of the job, argument supporting test is strongest when based on work samples, simulations, or tests of task knowledge (should sample all or nearly all content of the job) --> use when applicants are experienced (justify samples)

2. Criterion-Oriented Strategies - researcher shows how test scores relate to scores on a criterion (performance) measure (justify signs)

3. Construct-Oriented Strategies - concerned with pattern of relations between focal measure and other measures that are theoretically relevant (not widely used by orgs, used more by psychologists to learn about constructs)

Front 5

Describe the two kinds of design for criterion-oriented strategies.

Back 5

1. Predictive design - applicants are given a test, they get hired, and at some later point the hired applicants are evaluated on job performance (not used very much)

2. Concurrent design - researcher tests incumbents and gets job performance measures at the same time (more commonly used, but employers are not likely to carry out validation studies)

Front 6

Describe synthetic validity and what job analysis method is most related to it.

Back 6

* Need 250+ people for criterion-related validation study

If you don't have enough people, can use different job or tasks to indicate individual differences in the same human attributes. Can also validate a test in a setting other than the target job (validity generalization). J-coefficient in job element method can be classified as synthetic validity.

Front 7

List the 2 main inferences in selection.

Back 7

1. From job to KSAOs

2. From KSAOs to test methods used in selection (criterion oriented validation allows us to confirm accuracy of inferences using data)

(content-oriented method can eliminate one of the inferences - don't need from job to KSAOs)

Front 8

Describe the reliability and validity of judging KSAOs.

Back 8

Judging KSAOs: inferring the KSAOs necessary for successful job performance.

Reliability: individual judges aren't very reliable at judging KSAOs, but using a panel of judges improves reliability

Validity: here also, panels of analysts with good job information (job descriptions, not just titles) can provide reliable and valid estimates of job requirements

* Note: reliability and validity of judgements about KSAOs will increase to the extent that the KSAOs are concrete and tied to specific tasks

Front 9

What are the job analysis methods for selection and why?

Back 9

1. combination job analysis method (C-JAM) - tasks can be used for criterion development or to form the basis of judgements of content validity, KSAOS can be used to choose tests for selection

2. critical incident technique - task dimensions can be used to create rating forms for job performance for criteria in test validation studies, KSAO dimensions can be used to select or develop tests

3. job element method - similar use as with critical incident technique dimensions, but you start directly with judgements of what is required for successful job performance (most commonly used)

Front 10

What job analysis methods are used to justify the choice of tests?

Back 10

Structured methods like Position Analysis Questionnaire, Threshold Traits Analysis System, and Ability Requirements Scales. They all provide a lot of worker information that is directly comparable across jobs, but they don't provide much description of the work itself.

Front 11

What is a training cycle, what are the 4 dimensions, and which is most relevant to job analysis?

Back 11

Training cycle - big-picture approach to solving an organizational problem through training

1. Needs Assessment (most relevant to job analysis)

2. Training and Development

3. Evaluation

4. Training Goal

Front 12

Describe the needs assessment dimension of training cycle, its main components, and what the outcome is.

Back 12

Needs assessment must be done before training is developed and is crucial for good training program.

a) organizational support - gain acceptance & support of top management

b) organizational analysis - what management wants training to achieve

c) task and KSAO analysis - provides training content

d) person analysis - considers what KSAOs trainees bring with them so training is efficient

All the above, together, help determine instructional objectives for training (statements that describe the behavior of properly trained people)

Front 13

What are the requirements for good instructional objectives from a needs assessment?

Back 13

instructional objectives for training (statements that describe the behavior of properly trained people)

1. contain enough context so both stimulus situation and appropriate response are clear

2. contain statements about standards (minimum acceptable level of performance)

Front 14

Describe the training and development dimension of training cycle and its main components.

Back 14

Heart of the training, provides setting and activities that get trainees to learn what they are supposed to do

1. selection and design of instructional environment

2. the training itself

Front 15

Describe the evaluation dimension of training cycle and the 3 evaluation models in this dimension.

Back 15

Show the effectiveness of training (involves testing so trainee can show what has been learned)

Evaluation models (provide data on effectiveness of training)

1. individual difference model - collect data about relative standing in training and relative standing on job performance (relates training data to job performance data)

2. experimental model - uses trained and control groups and/or pre-test/post-test designs to show the effects of training

3. content model - requires that training be connected to KSAOs discovered in job analysis

Front 16

Describe the four training goals of the evaluation dimension of training cycles.

Back 16

Training should help achieve organizational goals.

1. Training Validity - was anything learned during training? show quality of trainee performance on tasks that were trained

2. Transfer Validity - was job performance influenced by training?

3. Intra-organizational Validity - do the results of training efforts apply to ongoing training programs? (new training programs may be more effective at first)

4. Inter-organizational Validity - is training used in one organization going to have same effects in another?

Front 17

How do tasks need to be written differently when used for training?

Back 17

Task statements can be broad for job description or selection, but they will be rated by experts, and if it is determined that the task is to be trained, the level of description in the task statement should be much more detailed.

Front 18

What are examples of commonly used rating scales to determine if a task is to be trained, and what makes a task a good candidate for training?

Back 18

1. Importance/criticality

2. Consequence of error

3. Difficulty to learn

4. Frequency of occurrence

5. Location of training

Good for training: important or critical, occur frequently, or are difficult to learn