Guide for UHS 2062 students at UTM
Skudai, Johore, Malaysia
 Job
analysis
 Recruitment
◦ Effective Employees Selection
Techniques
 Interviews
 Résumé
 References
 Tests
 Etc
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It is a process of gathering, analyzing and
structuring about a job’s components,
characteristics and requirements ( Sanchez &
Levine, 2000)
A process of determining the work activities
and requirements
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Very important.
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A job analysis provides information for :
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Job description
Employee selection
Performance Appraisal/Competency criteria
Job Evaluation
Job Classification
Job Design
Training
etc
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The written product of the job analysis is the job
description, which is a brief 2-5 page summary
of the tasks and job requirements found in the
job analysis.
Thus, job analysis is the process of determining
the work activities and requirements and job
description is the written result of the job
analysis.
Job analysis and job description is the basis for
many HR activities, such as employee selection,
evaluation , training, performance appraisal, job
design etc (Brannick & Levine, 2002)
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Without a clear understanding of the tasks
performed and competencies needed to
perform the tasks, employee selection
cannot be made.
With clear understanding and requirements
for tasks identified, tests or interview
questions can be formulated to determine
suitability of applicants.
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The evaluation of employee performance
must be job related, thus job analysis is
crucial in the construction of a performance
appraisal instrument (PAI).
Through job analysis, performance appraisal
instrument, are specific, job-related and
valid; leading to accurate performance
appraisals.
PAI, when properly administered and utilized,
serve as excellent source of employee
training and counselling.
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Job analysis enables the HR to classify jobs
into groups based in requirements and
duties.
Useful in determining pay levels, transfers
and promotions.
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Another use of the job analysis is to
determine the worth of a job .
The process of determining a job’s worth is
called job evaluation.
Job evaluation is usually done in 2 stages,
namely determining internal pay equity and
determining external pay equity
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Job analysis information can be use to
determine the optimal way in which a job
should be performed.
Examples : the best way to sit at the
computer table, the best way for a warehouse
person to lift boxes etc
Good work design prevents wasted and
unsafe motions; resulting in higher
productivity and reduced number of injuries.
Job analysis provides requirements of a job
and yields lists of job activities that can be
used to create training programs.
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Personpower planning is important (but seldom
used).
Personpower planning is to determine
employees’ mobility within an organization, that
is looking into other jobs that employees can be
expected to be eventually promoted and become
successful.
Job analysis results are used to compare all jobs
in the company so as to promote the best
employee from the most similar job, thus better
match between the person being promoted and
the requirements of the job.
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Any employment decision must be based on
job-related information and job analysis is
one of the ways to directly determine job
relatedness.
No law specifically requires a job analysis ,
but several important guidelines and court
cases mandate job analysis for all practical
purposes.
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During the course of their work, job analysts
often become aware of certain problems
within the organization.
Job analysts thus help to correct lapses in
the organization and correct problems so as
to promote better organizational functioning.
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Revision: Job analysis is the cornerstone of
personnel selection. Unless a complete an
accurate picture of a job is done, it would be
difficult to select excellent employees.
During the job analysis process, in addition
to identifying the important task and duties,
it is crucial to identify knowledge, skills and
abilities needed to perform the job.
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Methods used to select employees must be
directly tied to the results of the job analysis.
Every essential knowledge, skill and ability
identified in the job analysis should be tested
and every test must relate to the job analysis.
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Recruitment is attracting the right people
for a certain job.
Two types of recruitment :
◦ Internal
◦ External
There is a need to balance between internal
and external recruitment.
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Valid
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Reduce the chance of legal challenge
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Cost effective
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Valid : A valid selection test is based on a
job analysis (content validity), predicts work
behaviour (criterion validity) and measures
the construct it purpots to measure
(construct validity).
Reduce the chance of legal challenge
Cost effective : in all terms, that is to
purchase or create, to administer and to
score.
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Interviews
Résumé
References
Testing
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Structure
◦ Structured
◦ Unstructured
◦ Semi structured
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Style
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One to one
Serial
Return
panel
Medium
◦ Face to face, telephone etc
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Résumés are summaries of an applicant’s
professional and educational background.
Commonly asked by employers but little is
known about the value of predicting
employee performance.
It is unclear how much predictive value
résumés have.
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Résumés may not predict performance partly
because they are meant to “advertise” an
applicant; making the “strengths of the
applicant more obvious and weaknesses hard
to find”.
Result: many résumés contain inaccurate
information.
Aamodt and Williams (2005) found that 25%
of résumés contained inaccurate information.
No best way to write résumés.
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Common belief in psychology is : the best
predictor of future performance is past
performance.
Examples :........
Verifying previous employment is not difficult
but DIFFICULT to ascertain the QUALITY of
previous performance.
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Terms :
◦ Reference checks is the process of confirming the
accuracy of information given by the applicant.
◦ A reference is the expression of an opinion, either
orally or written regarding applicant’s ability,
previous performance, work habits, character, work
habits etc.
◦ A letter of recommendation is a letter expressing an
opinion regarding an applicant’s ability etc.
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Using applicant Training and Education
◦ Min level of education and training
◦ Inconsistent results regarding validity
◦ Meta-analysis indicated a student’s GPA can
predict performance ...
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Job performance can also be predicted using
applicants’ knowledge; hence job knowledge
tests are designed to measure how much a
person knows about a job.
Examples : computer programming
knowledge etc
Standardised tests are also available .
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According to ability.
◦ ..which tap the extent to which an applicant can
learn or perform a job-related skill.
◦ Ability tests are used primarily for occupations in
Applicants are not expected to know how to perform
the job at the time of hire. Eg: police officers, fire
fighters, military personnel.
Cognitive Ability:
 Includes oral and written comprehension, oral and
written expression, numerical etc.
 Important for professional, clerical and supervisory
jobs.
 Meta-analyses suggests that cognitive ability is one
of the best predictors of performance across all
jobs, but job-specific meta-analyses raise doubts
about the assumptions.
 E.gs of cognitive ability test : Wonderlic Personnel
Test, Miller Analogies Test and Quick Test
Other ability tests are :
Perceptual Ability
Psychomotor Ability
Physical Ability
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This method measures the extent to which an
applicant has already a job-related skill.
Two most common methods are work sample
and assessment centre.
With work-sample, the applicant performs
actual job-related tasks; excellent selection
tools and has high validity. Applicants also
see the direct connection.
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An assessment centre is a selection technique
characterized by the use of multiple
assessment methods that allow multiple
assessors to actually observe applicants
perform simulated tasks.
Major advantage:
◦ Assessment methods are all job related and
multiple assessors help guard against some types
of biases.
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Personality Inventories
Interest inventories
Integrity Tests
Graphology
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Increasingly popular as an employee
selection method.
Falls into 2 categories based on their
intended purpose:
◦ 1) normal personality
◦ 2) abnormal personality (psychopathology)
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Tests of normal personality measures traits
exhibited by normal individuals in everyday
life. Eg. of such traits are: extraversion,
shyness, assertiveness and friendliness.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Edwards Personal Preference Schedule
16 PF
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
(MMPI)
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There are 100s of personality inventories,
there is a general agreement that most
personality traits can be placed into one of
the five personality dimensions, known as the
“BIG FIVE” or the five factor model.
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Openness to experience (bright and inquisitive)
Conscientiousness (reliable, dependable)
Extraversion (outgoing, friendly)
Agreeableness (works well with others)
Emotional stability
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Tests of abnormal personality determine
whether individuals have serious
psychological problems such as depression,
bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Seldom used in IOP unless required as part of
medical examinations .
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Designed to tap vocational interests.
Most commonly used is the Strong Interest
Inventory(SII) which asked individuals to
indicate whether they like or dislike 325
items such as bargaining, repairing electrical
wire and taking responsibility.
Answers provide profile of the person.
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Informs the employer of the applicant’s
honesty; such as the probability that an
applicant will steal money or merchandise
One study estimates that 50% of employees
access to cash steal from their employers
(Wimbush and Dalton, 1997).
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Handwriting analysis .
Used 8% in the UK and 75% in France.
The idea behind it is that the way people
write reveals their personality, which in turn
indicates work performance.
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Aamodt, M. G ( 2010).
Industrial/Organizational Psychology. An
Applied Approach.( 6th Ed) USA: Wadsworth
Spector, P. E. ( 2008). Industrial and
Organizational Psychology (5th ed). USA: Wiley