The main idea of the job questionnaire is to understand the nature of a particular job and all features associated with it. For this reason, the section General Purpose placed at the start of the document is vital for the improved understanding of the position and the following description. It provides a short outline of the primary purpose of the job and why it is needed today.
The next section is Essential Duties and Responsibilities, and it is extremely important for a better understanding of the character of the selected job. This part explains the scope of the chosen occupation, how often a specialist (administrative assistant) has to perform various duties, what indicators show that an individual succeeds in the selected field, and what are the consequences of an error if it occurs. This section is one of the most important ones as it explains how a specialist works and what major tasks he/she accomplishes.
The part Peripheral Duties and Responsibilities is less important; however, it is also demanded to review the scope of the job and realize that every specialist has a list of secondary goals, which should also be given attention to ensure that different aspects and issues are provided with the demanded level of attention and are solved in time. The existence of peripheral duties also shows the level of multitasking.
The Independence of Action session improves the understanding of the job and demonstrates the degree of responsibility peculiar to a particular position. For instance, administrative assistants are usually given general instructions, and they are free to organize their working day on their own. It introduces a high degree of independence, but it also means that they should possess good organizational skills to plan their activities effectively (Harris & Rottinghaus, 2017).
The supervisory Duties and Responsibilities section improves the understanding of the scope of the job as it demonstrates that departments or specialists should be supervised by the given occupation. For the administrative assistant, the job does not presuppose supervisory functions.
The Physical Demands part is critical for a better vision of the chosen job as it helps to understand whether a certain individual can perform various functions. The frequency of movements, walking, talking, or hearing might impact the complexity of the occupation, for this reason, this factor should be taken into account while analyzing it (Thorsen et al., 2017). It might also mean that additional physical training is needed to succeed in the selected field.
The next part is Tools and Equipment, and it includes a laptop, copier, scanner, fax, printer, and phone as the most frequently used devices needed for an administrative assistant to succeed and be able to cope with the tasks given to him/her during a day. The section is necessary for a better understanding of what resources might be required by these sorts of specialists in their daily functioning (Ospina et al., 2019).
The Work Environment section outlines the exposure to certain environmental conditions and risks linked to it. It helps to determine the complexity and the level of danger related to a certain position, which means that its inclusion in the job questionnaire is vital to analyze various occupations and improve their understanding. For instance, the work of administrative assistance does not presuppose any severe environmental risks.
The work Relationships section shows the list of contacts and the needed interaction to attain success. The part is vital for the enhanced vision of the job as it demonstrates whether there is a need for working in a team, cooperation, and building relations.
Finally, the Qualifications section helps to understand how a person can become a specialist in the given field and what education is needed to occupy a particular position.
Summarizing the given information, it is possible to conclude that the information provided in each section is sufficient and helps to conduct a comprehensive job analysis of administrative assistants. There is a detailed description of the scope of tasks, duties, responsibilities, working environment, and tools that might be required to perform various duties. The data offered in every section creates the complete vision of the selected occupation and contributes to an improved picture of what tasks can emerge and how they can be solved by a specialist. Moreover, the information about qualifications demonstrates how a person can train and prepare to work in the sphere.
Altogether, it is possible to conclude that the Job Analysis Questionnaire is an effective tool that helps to investigate a particular field and occupation. The inclusion of various sections is justified by the importance of the information provided by them and its necessity for a better understanding of a job. At the same time, filling out this questionnaire demands experience in the field, which means that by conducting this sort of analysis, it is possible to structure knowledge in a particular area and summarize it. The provided Job Analysis Questionnaire helped to outline the scope of the administrative assistant’s job and realize the basic aspects of his/her functioning. That is why it is possible to conclude about the success and high practical utility of the tool.
References
Harris, K. L., & Rottinghaus, P. J. (2017). Vocational interest and personal style patterns: Exploring subjective well-being using the strong interest inventory. Journal of Career Assessment, 25(2), 203–218. Web.
Ospina, J. H., Langford, T. A., Henry, K. L., & Nelson, T. Q. (2019). Using job analysis techniques to understand training needs for Promotores de Salud. Health Promotion Practice, 20(3), 455–465. Web.
Thorsen, S. V., Madsen, I. E. H., Flyvholm, M.-A., & Hasle, P. (2017). Associations between the workplace-effort in psychosocial risk management and the employee-rating of the psychosocial work environment – a multilevel study of 7565 employees in 1013 workplaces. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 45(5), 463–467. Web.