Job analysts work in the human resources (HR) department of a company or organisation, conducting in-depth research about occupations and job descriptions. They focus on worker classification systems while studying the effects of industry and occupational trends upon worker relationships. They also provide management with descriptions of what each employee in the company does, so that human resources recruiters will know what to look for when hiring employees, as well as understand the components of each job.
The job analyst’s role has become increasingly significant as companies and organisations realize the importance of hiring the most qualified employees according to the particular job descriptions and requirements, thereby contributing to the profitability and success of any business. Job analysts often serve as the technical liaison between the firm and industry, government, and labour unions. They are usually employed by larger companies and organisations, as their skills are very specialised in the HR department.
Job analysts gather information about jobs through interviewing employees, observing performance in certain tasks, asking employees to fill out questionnaires and worksheets, and by collecting further information about a job from other sources.
Job analysts will then write up their findings from such an analysis and review them with management. After this, the documentation is presented to the senior manager / supervisor for review. He may edit the documentation by adding, deleting or modifying duties, knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics and requirements relevant to the job. A signed and dated job description is then prepared and the job description becomes the official company record for a particular job.
The employment analyst field comprises two differing roles -- job analysts and occupational analysts. The main difference between the two is that a job analyst looks directly at the worker whereas an occupational analyst studies how a particular worker fits into their career.
Satisfying Aspects
- generally working regular office hours
- working with people
- playing an important role in the running and success of a business
Demanding aspects
- pressure of meeting deadlines
- working with difficult people
Requirements
- possess superior communication and interpersonal skills
- enjoy working with people
- have sound judgment and problem-solving skills
- manage time properly, and be well organised.
- able to synthesize information
- have the ability to understand a variety of viewpoints and backgrounds
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: Mathematics
Recommended Subjects: Accounting, Business Science, Economics, Languages
Training
There are no specific guidelines outlining the requirements needed to become a job analyst, however, most have an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree. Some job analysts even have a PhD. The majority of job analysts have extensive education in industrial and organisational psychology. This field of psychology deals with how people perform work tasks and how they interact at the workplace. Such programmes focus on statistics and relate to other disciplines such as sociology, economics, as well as other branches of psychology.
Employer
- universities
- government departments
- large retail stores
- financial institutions
- manufacturing companies
- health care institutions
- CSIR
- SABS
- Eskom
- private consultants to smaller companies who recruit and work for “headhunting” or employment agencies
Contact
Any of the above.