job description

This assignment will require you to consider essentially all aspects of personnel psychology discussed in this class.  You may complete it individually or in a group of no more than 3 people. I don’t expect it to be perfect, but whatever you decide for criteria and your selection system should make logical sense.

Step 1. Conduct a small job analysis by interviewing someone you know (e.g., parent, friend, significant other) who has been working the same job for over a year.

• The information obtained during this interview should be used to create a job description
  • There are 5 parts to a job description (see slides 11 and 12 of the “Job Analysis” powerpoint).
  • Use these 5 parts as a guide when you are asking questions during your job analysis interview.
  • You may find O*Net useful for this part of the assignment in particular!

Step 2. Describe the relevant criteria for the job analyzed in Step 1.

• How will you measure performance for the job?
  • Will you use a single global criterion, a composite criterion, multiple criteria, etc.
  • If using performance ratings, describe who will be rating.
  • If using multiple or composite criteria, be sure to list all the different parts being used or factored in.
• Are there any other criteria you might look at? (OCBs, CWBs, absenteeism, etc.)

Step 3. Design a selection system for the job analyzed in Step 1.

• What screening and selection tools will you use?
  • Think carefully here—don’t just list all the tools we went over in class!
  • Describe how each screening/selection tool is related to the job; be specific
    • For example, if you’re using a personality inventory as a selection tool, describe which traits will predict which aspects of performance (e.g., “the Agreeableness factor of personality will be related to the individual’s ability to work well with their coworkers”)
  • How will applicants be processed through the selection system?
    • Will there be multiple hurdles? If so, what tools will you use at each phase?
    • Will you combine various predictors (i.e., multiple regression), use cutoffs for each predictor (i.e., multiple cutoff), etc.
    • See slide 14 of the “Combing Predictors” powerpoint for an example of how a selection system might be laid out