Deck 4: Job Analysis and Talent Management

Question 1

What form of data collection most likely involves recording work activities into a handheld dictating machine?

A) diaries
B) interviews
C) observations
D) questionnaires

Answer 1

A
Explanation: A) Workers may be asked to keep a diary or a log to list what they do during the day. Some employers provide workers with handheld dictating machines to facilitate the process.

Question 2

Which of the following best supports the argument that jobs should be described in terms of competencies rather than duties?

A) New employees in high-performance work systems receive extensive job skills training for their specific positions.
B) Globalization and telecommuting require workers to be able to self-manage and perform duties without close supervision.
C) In high-performance work systems, employees serve as team members rotating among various jobs.
D) Managers in global firms are empowered to forecast personnel needs using both trend analysis and ratio analysis.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: C) Competency-based job descriptions are more appropriate than traditional job descriptions when high-performance work systems are the goal. In a HPWS, workers are encouraged to serve as team members and to rotate freely among jobs, so competencies should be the focus rather than a list of specific job duties that might hinder employee flexibility.

Question 3

Which term refers to a procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements for a specific job and the kind of person most suitable for a position?

A) HR management
B) job description
C) job analysis
D) talent management

Answer 3

C
Explanation: C) Job analysis is the process of determining the duties of a specific job and the characteristics of the people who would be most appropriate for the job. A job analysis produces the necessary information to develop job descriptions and job specifications.

Question 4

Which of the following jobs would be most suitable for the direct observation method of job analysis data collection?

A) janitor
B) attorney
C) data analyst
D) research assistant

Question 5

Which of the following describes a job in terms of the KSAOs that employees must be able to exhibit to get their multiple jobs done?

A) functional job analysis
B) Department of Labor procedure
C) competency model
D) job qualifications inventory

Question 6

Purrfect Pets is a local pet supply store with a following of loyal customers who appreciate the personal service the store's employees provide. After a very profitable year, Purrfect Pets is expanding by opening two more stores. Before hiring employees for the new stores, the manager is considering the idea of conducting a job analysis for each position. Which of the following most likely undermines the argument that the Purrfect Pets manager should observe workers in order to gather job analysis information?

A) Most employees of Purrfect Pets perform repetitive tasks on a daily basis.
B) Part-time and seasonal workers fill most of the positions at Purrfect Pets.
C) Most positions at Purrfect Pets include some element of physical activity.
D) The tasks of most Purrfect Pets employees vary widely from day to day.

Question 7

Competency profiling focuses on ________.

A) what work is accomplished
B) how work is accomplished
C) when work is accomplished
D) where the work is accomplished

Question 8

Which of the following summarizes the personal qualities, traits, skills, and education needed for a particular job?

A) job specification
B) job analysis
C) job report
D) job description

Question 9

What type of information is contained in the job identification section of a job description?

A) performance standards
B) job summary
C) major duties
D) job title

Question 10

Which of the following terms refers to the goal-oriented and integrated process of planning, recruiting, developing, managing, and compensating employees throughout an organization?

A) global HR management
B) succession planning
C) talent management
D) team building

Question 11

Which of the following questions will most likely be addressed by a manager who is writing a job description based on a competency-based job analysis?

A) What are the typical duties and responsibilities of this job?
B) What are the working conditions and safety issues related to this job?
C) What advancement opportunities are available for employees in this job?
D) What should employees be able to do in order to perform this job successfully?

Question 12

The information resulting from a job analysis is primarily used for writing ________.

A) job descriptions
B) corporate objectives
C) training requirements
D) performance standards

Question 13

Which term refers to a written statement that describes the activities, responsibilities, and working conditions of a job?

A) job specification
B) job evaluation
C) job description
D) job context

Question 14

During a job analysis, a human resources specialist will most likely collect information about all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) human behaviors
B) physical working conditions
C) responsibilities of the position
D) employee benefits options

Question 15

O*NET is a resource for employers who need to write ________.

A) employee training manuals
B) job application forms
C) job descriptions
D) finance audits

Question 16

Which of the following questions is most likely answered by a job specification?

A) How will an employee be rewarded for excellence in this job?
B) What types of skills and experiences are required for this job?
C) What are the essential activities required in this job?
D) What are the performance standards for this job?

Question 17

Which of the following data collection techniques would be most useful when writing a job description for a software engineer?

A) analyzing organization charts
B) interviewing employees
C) developing process charts
D) observing employees

Question 18

What is the first step of the talent management process?

A) recruiting internal candidates
B) deciding what positions to fill
C) conducting screening interviews
D) building a pool of job candidates

Question 19

Which of the following most likely depends on a job's required skills, education level, safety hazards, and degree of responsibility?

A) telecommuting opportunities
B) OSHA and EEO compliance
C) employee compensation
D) organizational culture

Question 20

All of the following would most likely be included in a competency statement EXCEPT a(n) ________.

A) proficiency levels
B) compensation range
C) summary of observable behaviors
D) brief description of the competency

Question 21

Maria, an HR manager at ATX Manufacturing, needs to know what sorts of people to recruit for a process engineering job at the firm. Which of the following would be most useful for Maria's task?

A) job analysis
B) organization chart
C) industry standards
D) performance appraisal

Question 22

Which of the following is a workflow chart that shows the flow of inputs to and outputs from a particular job?

A) organization chart
B) Gantt chart
C) process chart
D) SWOT chart

Question 23

Which method for motivating workers was advocated by Frederick Herzberg?

A) job reengineering
B) job enrichment
C) job enlargement
D) job rotation

Question 24

Julian, an assembly line worker at a furniture assembly facility, attaches headrests to office chairs. Now, Julian's manager wants Julian to attach arm rests to the chairs as well. Which term best describes the change in Julian's job?

A) job rotation
B) job reengineering
C) job enlargement
D) job enrichment

Question 25

Which of the following would LEAST likely involve the use of job analysis information?

A) recruiting decisions
B) training requirements
C) performance appraisal
D) diversification oversight

Question 26

What is the first step in conducting a job analysis?

A) developing a job description
B) collecting data on job activities
C) deciding how to use the information
D) selecting representative positions to observe

Question 27

Oscar, an HR manager at Garvin Pharmaceuticals, needs to determine whether certain jobs at the firm should even exist. Which of the following would best help Oscar with this task?

A) workflow analysis
B) job rotation
C) business engineering
D) job analysis

Question 28

Which of the following questions would LEAST likely be asked during a job analysis interview?

A) What are the hourly wages?
B) What are the job's mental demands?
C) What are your responsibilities?
D) What are the health and safety conditions?

Question 29

What should be the primary purpose of the talent management process?

A) retaining high-performing employees
B) providing competitive compensation
C) measuring organizational performance
D) achieving the firm's strategic goals

Question 30

Systematically moving workers from one job to another is known as ________.

A) job rotation
B) job enlargement
C) job enrichment
D) job reengineering

Question 31

Anita, an HR manager, is in the process of conducting a job analysis. She has just finished selecting a sample of representative positions. What should Anita do next?

A) develop a job description that includes working conditions and responsibilities
B) contact supervisors to verify employees' tasks, responsibilities, and working conditions
C) interview employees to gather information about the job's duties and responsibilities
D) conduct a workflow analysis and develop a diagrammatic process chart for each job

Question 32

What is the final step in the talent management process?

A) rewarding and motivating employees
B) appraising employees
C) training and developing employees
D) screening employees

Question 33

Which of the following is recommended for conducting an effective job analysis interview?

A) follow an unstructured interview format because each job is different
B) overlook occasional duties performed by the worker to save time during the interview
C) after the interview, review collected information with the worker's immediate supervisor
D) let the worker know that the collected information will be used for performance evaluations

Question 34

What is the underlying theory behind job enrichment?

A) Employee retention rates increase with frequent task changes.
B) Opportunities for training motivate employees to be productive.
C) Intrinsic and extrinsic rewards lead to long-term employee loyalty.
D) Empowered employees are motivated to perform their jobs well.

Question 35

What is the final step of the job analysis process?

A) creating a process chart
B) writing a job description
C) determining a sample group
D) verifying data with supervisors

Question 36

Which of the following involves combining steps in a business process and implementing the use of information technology to do the jobs previously done by multiple departments?

A) job analysis
B) job enlargement
C) workflow analysis
D) business process reengineering

Question 37

Job analysis is most important because managers use it to ________.

A) apply talent management
B) support all HRM activities
C) comply with ADA requirements
D) provide employment data to the government

Question 38

Anna, a new employee at Concord Electronics, wants to make sure she understands who to report to at the firm and the title of various positions. Which of the following would most likely help Anna?

A) organization chart
B) workflow analysis
C) process chart
D) position analysis

Question 39

Which of the following involves assigning workers additional same-level activities?

A) job rotation
B) job enlargement
C) job analysis
D) job enrichment

Question 40

A manager with a talent manager perspective will most likely agree with which of the following statements?

A) Mission-critical and average employees should be rewarded and developed equally.
B) Applicant screening and testing is more important than employee training and development.
C) Strategic goals should be considered when staffing, training, and compensating employees.
D) Job analysis should be conducted with questionnaires and observation for better accuracy.

Question 41

Which of the following is a characteristic of most job analysis questionnaires?

A) costly implementation
B) short development time
C) complies with federal laws
D) efficient for large groups

Question 42

Which method for collecting job analysis information is best when an HR manager needs to compare jobs for pay purposes?

A) participant diary
B) position analysis questionnaire
C) direct observation
D) group interview

Question 43

In most job descriptions, which of the following would LEAST likely be included in the job identification section?

A) job title
B) exempt/nonexempt status
C) job location
D) responsibilities/duties

Question 44

Ruben, an HR manager at Chrysler, needs to perform a job analysis for an assembly-line position at the plant. Which method for collecting job analysis information will Ruben most likely use?

A) direct observation
B) questionnaire
C) participant diary
D) individual interview

Question 45

Carla, an HR manager at a carpet manufacturing firm, needs to write a number of job descriptions and plans to use O*NET. Carla already knows which positions are needed and has modified the firm's organization chart. What should Carla do next?

A) write a job summary to clarify the duties of the job
B) interview employees about their responsibilities
C) discuss the positions with department supervisors
D) gather information about the job's current duties

Question 46

Which of the following is recommended for conducting an effective job analysis?

A) use one job analysis tool to simplify the results
B) help the employee's supervisor write the job description
C) quantify the results with a structured interview
D) clarify the process and questions to the employee

Question 47

Which section of a job description indicates who is supervised by a jobholder?

A) job identification
B) job summary
C) responsibilities
D) relationships

Question 48

An employer striving to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act would benefit the most from ________.

A) frequent performance appraisals
B) effective job descriptions
C) regular job coaching
D) annual job analyses

Question 49

According to the EEOC, which of the following is a reasonable accommodation?

A) flexible benefits
B) job restructuring
C) succession planning
D) union representation

Question 50

Which of the following would most likely be included in the job specification for a position being filled with untrained individuals?

A) interests
B) marital status
C) length of previous service
D) previous job performance

Question 51

According to experts, the job summary section of a job description should NOT include a statement about ________.

A) performing other duties, as assigned
B) working with efficiency
C) being conscientious
D) showing attentiveness

Question 52

Anita, an HR manager at a computer firm, is in the process of writing a job description for a Level I data analyst position. Which of the following will best help Anita determine the duties of the job?

A) job summary
B) job specification
C) job analysis
D) job identification

Question 53

Vijay, an HR specialist at Farley Manufacturing, needs to write a job specification for an entry level assembly line position. Individuals will receive training on how to assemble small circuit boards. Which of the following requirements should most likely be included on the job specification?

A) physical strength
B) personality
C) finger dexterity
D) managerial experience

Question 54

Which of the following classifies all workers into one of 23 major groups of jobs that are subdivided into minor groups of jobs and detailed occupations?

A) SOC
B) O*NET
C) BLS
D) ADA

Question 55

Job descriptions are used for ________.

A) collecting job analysis data
B) writing job specifications
C) quantifying job pay rates
D) identifying job applicants

Question 56

According to the text, what is the source of most job specifications?

A) statistical analysis
B) industry standards
C) government data
D) managerial judgment

Question 57

Which of the following is LEAST relevant when determining a job's essential functions as related to the EEOC?

A) the degree of skill or expertise required to perform the function
B) the number of other employees available to perform the function
C) whether the function involves the use of equipment
D) whether the position exists to perform that function

Question 58

All of the following are the basic activities found on position analysis questionnaires EXCEPT ________.

A) being physically active
B) using information technology
C) operating vehicles/equipment
D) performing skilled activities

Question 59

Which section of a job description usually includes the major functions or activities of the job?

A) job specification
B) job analysis
C) job summary
D) job identification

Question 60

A jobholder's authority to hire new employees or discipline department personnel would most likely be found in the ________ section of a job description.

A) job summary
B) responsibilities and duties
C) job specification
D) standards of performance

Question 61

Questionnaires used for job analysis purposes consist of structured checklists rather than open-ended questions, which take too long to enter into a database.

Question 62

According to research, what job-related behavior is important to all jobs?

A) creativity
B) industriousness
C) manual dexterity
D) extroversion

Question 63

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics are components of ________.

A) organizational development
B) performance appraisals
C) cognitive tests
D) task statements

Question 64

Observation as a data collection method in a job analysis is most appropriate for jobs entailing a lot of mental activity.

Question 65

Which of the following is the best example of unruliness in the workplace?

A) handling personal business during work time
B) failing to cooperate well with other employees
C) leaving work tasks to be handled by others
D) arriving at work later than other workers

Question 66

What is the benefit of a job requirements matrix?

A) provides a clear comparison of job candidates
B) eliminates unnecessary job duplication
C) clarifies the purposes of job tasks
D) ranks employees by performance

Question 67

The information gathered during a job analysis is primarily used to ensure that firms are complying with OSHA, state governments, and the ADA.

Question 68

An HR manager who is basing a job specification on statistical analysis has completed the first four steps of the process. What is the last step required?

A) writing a task statement that will be legally defensible
B) choosing a human trait that predicts future job success
C) deciding if the human trait predicts job performance
D) measuring the job performance of each candidate

Question 69

What is the first step an HR manager must take when basing a job specification on statistical analysis?

A) testing applicants
B) analyzing the job
C) writing task statements
D) testing candidates for skills

Question 70

When basing job specifications on statistical analysis, the goal is to determine the relationship between a(n) ________ and a(n) ________.

A) interest; criterion
B) predictor: trait
C) skill; interest
D) predictor; criterion

Question 71

An organization's HR specialists are legally required to conduct all job analyses to ensure fairness and consistency.

Question 72

Keith, an HR manager at a manufacturing facility, needs to hire three workers to work on the assembly line. Keith will be basing job specifications on statistical analysis. Keith has already analyzed the job and decided how to measure job performance. What is the next step that Keith must take in the process?

A) testing and comparing job candidates for the position
B) writing a task statement for each of the position's tasks
C) selecting personal traits that will predict job performance
D) using managerial judgment to evaluate education and skills

Question 73

An observable and measurable human behavior or skill that makes job performance possible is known as a(n) ________.

A) competency
B) attribute
C) trait
D) task

Question 74

Job analysis produces information used for writing job descriptions and job specifications.

Question 75

What is the primary benefit of basing job specifications on statistical analysis?

A) strong legal defense
B) simple procedure
C) clear task statement
D) useful competencies

Question 76

Which term refers to a brief summary of what a worker does on one particular job activity, how the worker does it, and the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes required to do it?

A) task statement
B) job predictor
C) task criterion
D) job requirements matrix

Question 77

Tanya, a cashier at Target, was walking to the break room when she noticed a sweater that had been left in the home goods aisle. Tanya picked up the sweater and returned it to the junior's department where it belonged. Which job-related behavior is Tanya most likely exhibiting?

A) schedule flexibility
B) off-task behavior
C) thoroughness
D) attendance

Question 78

All of the following are ways to compile information on the knowledge, skills, ability, and other characteristics a job requires EXCEPT a ________.

A) job profile
B) task statement
C) competency model
D) job requirements matrix

Question 79

Vijay, a manager at a manufacturing facility, needs to hire three workers to work on the assembly line. The position requires employees who have finger dexterity. Finger dexterity would most likely be characterized as a ________.

A) job specification
B) predictor
C) job description
D) criterion

Question 80

A firm that uses task statements to summarize a job will most likely have the information compiled in a ________.

A) position analysis questionnaire
B) job requirements matrix
C) job description profile
D) job specification