The importance of job analysis to the selection process

To understand the importance of job analysis to the selection process, you need to understand what job analysis is. Job analysis is a process used to identify and determine detailed job duties and requirements and the importance of these duties for a specific job. The important concept of the analysis is that it is conducted on the job not the individual person. It is a collection of information of the duties and tasks, the environment of the job, the tools and equipment used, relationships such as supervision given and recieved and the requirements such as knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and the competencies required to perform the job.
The importance of job analysis to the selection process is that it can be used to identify or develop several things such as:
-Job duties that should be included in the posting of vacant positions whether advertised internally or externally.
-Apprpriate salary levels for the positions to assist in determining what salary to offer a candidate.
-Minimum requirements (education and/or experience) for screening applicants.
-Important interview questions to determine the ability to handle the environment, tools and relationships of the job
-Selection tests that would be appropriate and valid ( written tests, oral tests and job simulations).
-Applicant appraisals to confirm if the candidate has the appropriate KSA's and competencies for the job.
-Orientation materials neccesary for applicants/new hires.
In the selection process it is important to understand what a specific job entails to ensure that it is being filled by a candidate that is qualified to meet all the criteria to promote productivity and success to the company.