Unit 2: Job analysis, design, recruitment & selection
Human Resource Management notes · PTU syllabus (BCOM 303-18)
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Unit summary
Before hiring, an organisation must know what each job involves and what kind of person can do it. This unit covers job analysis and its methods, job description and specification, job design options, sources and policies of recruitment, and the selection process including tests, interviews, placement and induction.
After this unit you can
- Explain the steps and methods of job analysis
- Distinguish job description from job specification
- Explain job simplification, rotation, enrichment and enlargement
- Explain recruitment sources and the selection process
PTU syllabus topics
- Steps in job analysis and methods of collecting job information
- job description and specification
- job simplification
- rotation
- enrichment and enlargement
- sources and policies of recruitment
- selection process
- testing
- interviews
- placement and induction
- 1
Application screening
- 2
Selection tests
Aptitude, skills, personality
- 3
Interview
- 4
Reference and background checks
- 5
Medical check
- 6
Offer and induction
Topic 1
Job analysis
Job analysis is the process of collecting and studying information about a job's duties, responsibilities, skills and working conditions.
- 1
Decide the purpose
- 2
Select jobs to analyse
- 3
Collect information
Observation, interviews, questionnaires, diaries, critical incidents
- 4
Process and verify information
- 5
Prepare job description and specification
- 6
Review periodically
Describes
The job: title, duties, responsibilities, conditions
The person: qualifications, skills, experience, traits
Purpose
What the job involves
Who is suitable
Use
Orientation, appraisal
Recruitment and selection
Topic 2
Job design
| Approach | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Job simplification | Breaking a job into small, simple tasks |
| Job rotation | Moving employees between jobs to reduce boredom and build skills |
| Job enlargement | Adding more tasks at the same level (horizontal loading) |
| Job enrichment | Adding responsibility, autonomy and decision-making (vertical loading) — Herzberg |
Topic 3
Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply.
Examples
Promotions, transfers, employee referrals, former employees
Advertisements, campus recruitment, job portals, consultants, walk-ins
Advantages
Cheaper, motivates staff, known candidates
Wider choice, fresh ideas
Disadvantages
Limited choice, inbreeding
Costly, time-consuming
A recruitment policy sets principles: reservation norms, preference for internal candidates, use of referrals and ethical practices.
Topic 4
Selection, placement and induction
- 1
Preliminary screening
- 2
Application blank
- 3
Selection tests
Aptitude, intelligence, personality, skill
- 4
Interviews
Structured, unstructured, panel, stress
- 5
Reference and background checks
- 6
Medical examination
- 7
Final selection and job offer
Placement puts the selected person in the job for which they are best suited. Induction (orientation) introduces new employees to the organisation, its people, policies and culture so they settle in quickly.
Exam tip
Recruitment is positive (it attracts applicants); selection is negative (it rejects unsuitable ones) — a classic short answer.
Key terms
- Job analysis
- Systematic study of a job's contents and requirements
- Job specification
- The qualities needed by a job holder
- Job enrichment
- Adding responsibility and autonomy to a job
- Recruitment
- Attracting candidates to apply
- Induction
- Introducing new employees to the organisation
Quick revision
- Job analysis → job description (job) + job specification (person).
- Enlargement horizontal; enrichment vertical.
- Internal vs external sources of recruitment.
- Selection: screening → tests → interviews → checks → medical → offer.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.Define job analysis.
- Q2.Differentiate between job description and job specification.
- Q3.Differentiate between job enlargement and job enrichment.
- Q4.List four external sources of recruitment.
- Q5.What is induction?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain the process and methods of job analysis.
- Q2.Explain the sources of recruitment with their merits and demerits.
- Q3.Explain the steps in the selection process.
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