Understanding Job Analysis vs. Job Specification: How Do They Impact Your Organization?

What is the difference between job analysis and job specification, and what is the use of both in an organization?

In an organization, job analysis involves the process of gathering, documenting, and analyzing information about a job's tasks, responsibilities, and requirements. This helps in understanding the nature of the job and what it entails. On the other hand, job specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and attributes that a person needs to perform a particular job successfully. It specifies the individual characteristics required for a job.

Both job analysis and job specification play crucial roles in an organization. Job analysis helps in creating job descriptions, determining job requirements, identifying training needs, and evaluating employee performance. Job specification, on the other hand, assists in recruitment and selection processes by setting clear criteria for candidates, ensuring that the right person is hired for the job.

Overall, job analysis and job specification are essential tools for organizational management to ensure that job roles are well-defined, employees are competent, and the right talent is recruited and retained.

Good Morning Chandni,

Job analysis helps in understanding the tasks and responsibilities associated with a job and the competency set required to perform the tasks and fulfill the responsibilities.

Job specification provides a complete list of competencies and qualifications required to match the job description.

Savita Soni

Dear Chandini,

Job analysis consists of Job Description and job specification. The term Job specification implies the minimum acceptable human qualities required for the successful completion of a job, such as age, sex, mental health, and experience. Job analysis is the process of analyzing the job with respect to the nature of duties, methods and mechanisms of carrying out the task, level of supervision and control needed, together with the minimum qualities one should have to discharge the said responsibility assigned to him/her.

Hi Chandni,

Job Analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together an effective job description.

Job Specification defines the characteristics of the activities associated with the job and is given in the job description. It describes the skill sets and qualifications that a candidate for the job should possess.

Regards,
Sudha

Hi Chandni,

Job specification is a part of Job Analysis. Job analysis is a complete anatomy of a job, where Job Description and Job Specification are its two products.

Job Description is a complete description of a job, which covers the job title, roles, responsibilities, KRAs required. It is a description of a job, whereas the specification is a description of the job holder. What minimum qualities are required in a job holder - the qualification, experience, skill set, etc.

There is actually quite a bit of difference between the two:

Job analysis is a view of the work being done or needing to be done. You are analyzing the position which exists or is being created. You would look at what jobs are being done and how much time each job takes of the total. What responsibilities are involved. Whether or not supervisory duties are involved. How much is clerical or non-exempt work. Is the position classified exempt or non-exempt? What is the salary for the position? It is a plan and a prerequisite to write the job description. It actually gives you the information to write the job description. Basically, it is a fact-finding undertaking. I have a job analysis form I use for new job creations and for reevaluating current jobs.

The Job specifications are what is needed to do the job. What skills are needed, what education is needed. Which job within the job needs special skills. Why are the skills needed for that specific part of the job. What education is needed to complete it and what experience is needed. What experience plus education is required. Sometimes it will be 5 years of experience or a 4-year degree or something similar. This is the internal analysis of what it actually takes to get the job done broken down by specific jobs and their specific functions and what it takes to perform them.