Understanding Job Analysis
Overview
You will remember that the lecture stated that job analysis is the foundation of an effective human resource department. Job analysis is heavily dependent on data, however. As a result, HR professionals need reliable sources of information to perform a job analysis effectively.
The website for this assignment is hosted by the Department of Labor. It has been included in this course, because it is a database that contains comprehensive information on job requirements and worker competencies. (O*NET replaced the Dictionary of Occupational Titles [DOT]. Human resource professionals frequently used the DOT in the past in the performance of their work.)
Here are several tips for successfully completing this case study.
Be sure to allow yourself up to 3 hours to complete this exercise. (In other words, do not wait until the last minute to complete this assignment, because it requires some work.)
Explore the site fully as explained below, and feel free to do further exploration beyond the steps that are required to get a full understanding of the utility of this site.
Be sure to answer each question and fully explore your thoughts. Point deductions will be made for incomplete answers.
Your answer for EACH question must be within the range of 250 to 350 words (use MS Word’s word count feature on the Review tab to ensure that your answer is not too brief or too verbose). Be sure to answer each question fully, because you are subject to point deductions for incomplete answers. Use 1.5 line spacing. Please remember that you will be using information supporting your position from sources such as our textbook, articles, and the Internet. You MUST use proper APA citations and references. Also, do not rely too heavily on borrowed material. It should NOT dominate your work. Point deductions will occur if more than 15% of the answer is borrowed. I want to read YOUR thoughts on these questions.
Below are the steps to take and the questions you are to answer.
View this website when working on this week’s assignment:
O*NET Resource Center
Copyright 2012, U.S. Department of Labor. O*NET website used with permission.
Web Navigation Steps
First, familiarize yourself with O*NET by reviewing the information provided on the About O*NET page.
Select the Content Model link, and review the conceptual model underlying this project.
Return to Home (by clicking on the O*NET logo at the top of the page) and select the Visit O*NET OnLine link.
Go to the My Next Move and enter an occupation you are familiar with (e.g., one you have held or hope to hold) in the keyword search box, or use the Industry search feature if you prefer.)
Select the Search or Browse button.
Select the occupation that best matches what you are looking for (or use other search terms until you find something that interests you) and review all of the data provided for that position.
After completion of these navigation steps, proceed to complete the assignment by discussing the learning questions below.
Learning Questions
How easy was it to find the specific occupation you were looking for, and how comprehensive was the information provided about that occupation?
What did you think of the occupations O*NET suggested as matching your skills? Was the occupation you are in or preparing for among those listed?
As an HR professional, how could O*NET be useful in conducting a job analysis? Explain specifically how you would use the data from this site to assist your organization.
As a director of human resources, would you have your staff use this site? Why or why not?
This assignment is NOT about reporting about the specifics of the job you researched but about your experience on the O*NET website as specified in the four questions above. Remember, use quotation marks and source info even if using a snippet from the O*NET site.