Job Analysis Simulation: Recruitment Strategy

QUESTION

With this assignment you will develop a recruitment strategy for a job of your choosing at a real organization, possibly one that fits with your career plans.  You will simulate the analysis typically required to produce a job posting including planning, job design, job description, and ultimately an external posting.  This assignment is related to Assignment #2.

Assignment Instructions:

• Review Chapters 1-5, including briefly Chapter 6.
• Select a job you are interested in exploring (possibly a career option for you).
• Conduct job analysis research using the NOC database and any other resources you chose in order to understand the job.
• Develop a job description and job specifications per the “Job Description and Job Specification – Schwind McGraw Hill” template found on the course Moodle site.
• Discuss your options about how you could fill the position. Your discussion should conclude that to fill the position you need to hire externally.
• Develop a job advertisement/posting to attract the right candidates with the right skills. Consider the handout “Attributes of Good Job Ads and Sample Posting,” found on Moodle.
• Your deliverable is a 2-3-page report which includes: an introduction and description of how you approached the assignment (the steps above paraphrased); a job description and job specifications; a job advertisement/posting; and a conclusion (next steps – see briefly Chapter 6!).

Grading will be based on the depth and breadth of your work, broadly outlined as follows: − Introduction and approach (0-2 points) − Job description and job specifications (0-5 points) − Job advertisement/ posting (0-5 points) − Summary and conclusion (0-3 points) − Overall professionalism, readability, and quality of report writing (0-5- points)

Exploring the approach and format for this work is more important than the content.  Include citations as appropriate and a bibliography.

ANSWER

Job Analysis Simulation

Introduction

Carrying out a job analysis refers to the activities involving the identification, description, and recording of various aspects of a job and noting down the specific skills and requirements that are necessary to perform the job (Morgeson & Campion, 2000). A job analysis is carried out for purposes of preparing job specification and job description documents, which give conclusions for proper job evaluation. It is necessary to conduct a job analysis to ensure that the right quality of employees is hired into an organization, having the necessary skills and qualifications. The HR department uses job analysis as a way of gathering or collecting information for purposes of employee selection, recruitment, classification, training, and compensation (Fine & Getkate, 2014). For this assignment, the retail sales associate job was selected, after which extensive job analysis research was conducted to clearly understand the job. Using the data and knowledge obtained from the job analysis, job description and job specifications were developed for the job. Options on how to fill the retail sales associate job were discussed and a job advertisement developed to attract potential candidates with the right skills.

Retail Sales Associate Job Description

Job Title: Retail Sales Associate.                                            NOC Code: 6421.

Job Analysis Date: October 18, 2019.                                     Department: Sales.

Reports to: Sales Manager

Job Summary: The retail sales associate is responsible for all the sales operations and duties within the sales department, from answering customer questions, greeting customers, offering assistance to customers, suggesting items or goods, providing product information to customers, and lending opinions about products. It is the responsibility of a retail sales associate to demonstrate outstanding customer service and sales skills, keep the store and selling area stocked with goods, assist in display of goods and organizing, and provide customers with directions and information requested. The retail associate has to process payments for all purchases made, process checks and receipts, and deal with customer refunds professionally. The retail associate also has to develop product knowledge by attending training and reading vendor tags and provided pamphlets to enable them to communicate about products with the customers. Lastly, it is the responsibility of the retail sales associate to stay current with sales and promotional events.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Receive and greet customers.
• Ascertain what every customer wants or is looking for.
• Describe products by explaining their specifications, use, operation, and features to customers.
• Select, recommend, and assist in locating products based on the needs of customers.
• Stock and display products on shelves.
• Answer questions about products and the store, product delivery times, and product warranties.
• Compute prices, sales, total purchases, cash payments, credit payments, and balance related accounts.
• Interact with customers via email, Microsoft Outlook, and point of sale (POS) system.
• Recognize security risks and theft and know how to handle them.

Working Conditions:

• Works in a clean, well-ventilated, and brightly-lit retail store environment.
• Must be able to work shift-wise.

Retail Sales Associate Job Specification

Job Title: Retail Sales Associate.                                                   NOC Code: 6421.

Job Analysis Date: October 18, 2019.                                            Department: Sales.

Reports to: Sales Manager.

Education: High School Diploma or higher.

Experience: Prior sales experience of more than 12 months in a consumer goods company is preferred.

Requirements:

• Proficient in written and verbal English language.
• Basic understanding of customer service and sales principles.
• Knowledge of market and customer dynamics.
• Ability to read, write, and effectively communicate with peers, management, and customers.
• Solid interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proper telephone etiquette.
• Multitasking ability.
• Ability to listen to customers and remain flexible to their needs.
• Customer service focus.
• Friendly, enthusiastic, and energetic with a desire to provide customers with excellent service.
• High school diploma or higher; Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a relevant field preferred.

Physical Demands:

• The retail sales associate position involves constant movement, listening, talking, reaching, and standing for more than two consecutive hours.
• The job may occasionally involve kneeling, stooping, climbing ladders, and crouching.

Technology Skills:

• Competency in the use of email and Microsoft Outlook.
• POS software.
• Cash registers and Microsoft Excel.

Other Skills:

• Persuasion and negotiation – the ability to persuade customers to purchase goods or change their minds.
• Active listening – the ability to listen to customer needs and recommend suitable products.
• Service orientation – the desire to serve customers well and assist them in any way necessary.
• Speaking – the ability to speak clearly and provide product information to customers to facilitate product selection.

• Organization and basic Math.
• Product knowledge.

The above information is correct as approved by:

(Signed) ______________________________.     (Signed) ____________________________

Customer Service Representative.                            Customer Service Supervisor.

Since the organization does not have existing employees that are qualified for the job position, it is necessary to develop a job posting to attract qualified candidates to apply for the open position.

Job Advertisement

                                                                                                                      Costco Inc.

We are hiring

 

Retail Sales Associate

Qualifications:

• Proficient in written and verbal English language.
• Basic understanding of customer service and sales principles.
• Knowledge of market and customer dynamics.
• Ability to read, write, and effectively communicate with peers, management, and customers.
• Solid interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proper telephone etiquette.
• Multitasking ability.
• Ability to listen to customers and remain flexible to their needs.
• Customer service focus.
• Friendly, enthusiastic, and energetic with a desire to provide customers with excellent service.
• High school diploma or higher; Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a relevant field preferred.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Receive and greet customers.
• Ascertain what every customer wants or is looking for.
• Describe products by explaining their specifications, use, operation, and features to customers.
• Select, recommend, and assist in locating products based on the needs of customers.
• Stock and display products on shelves.
• Answer questions about products and the store, product delivery times, and product warranties.
• Compute prices, sales, total purchases, cash payments, credit payments, and balance related accounts.
• Interact with customers via email, Microsoft Outlook, and point of sale (POS) system.
• Recognize security risks and theft and know how to handle them.

If you fulfill the eligibility criteria, can fulfill the duties listed and desire to grow in a sales career, please apply online at our website www.costcogroupltd.com/career to the HR manager by the 30^th of November 2019. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Conclusion

Conducting a job analysis is an important Human Resource task, as it enables the HR department of an organization to hire, recruit, train, appraise and remunerate qualified employees to fill a particular job position. Through job analysis, an organization is able to determine the skills and qualifications necessary for a specific job, which assists in the development of various documents, including a job description, job specifications, and job advertisements.

References

Fine, S. A., & Getkate, M. (2014). Benchmark tasks for job analysis: A guide for functional job analysis (FJA) scales. Psychology Press.

Morgeson, F. P., & Campion, M. A. (2000). Accuracy in job analysis: Toward an inference‐based model. Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior, 21(7), 819-827.