Personnel Management

Job Specification

A job specification describes the knowledge, skills, education experience and abilities which are essential to performing a particular job. Job specification is developed from job analysis. It is a written statement of minimum acceptable qualities required to complete a job and perform it effectively. It specifies various features of job holder, where as job description provides various features of the job and follows job description or it is based on the job description. Job specification can be used for following purposes.

According to Flippo

Job specification is a statement of the minimum acceptable human qualities necessary to perform a job properly. It is a standard of personnel and designates the qualities required for acceptable performance.

The personal attributes that are described through a job specification may be classified into three categories:

• Essential attributes : skills, knowledge and abilities (SKAs) a person must possess.
• Desirable attributes : qualification a person ought to possess.
• Contra- indicators : attributes that will become a handicap to successful job performance.

Essential components of Job Specification

1. Education and Training

A job specification states whether the job requires school or college level education. It mentions the technical or professional qualification requirements of the job holder. Finally it specifies the minimum training requirements the job holder must have completed.

2. Work Experience

A job specification prescribes the work experience requirements for the job holder and sometimes also the minimum experience for effective performance.

3. Skills and Competencies

Under this component head, a job specification states the types of skills necessary for the satisfactory performance of the job. It indicates the nature of skills required like computer skills, communication skills, technical skills and statistical skills.

4. Physical Strength and Stamina

If the job involves physical activities like lifting or moving heavy objects, the job specification also mentions the physical requirements of the job holder.

5. Stress- coping ability

When the nature of the job requires a lot of stress endurance and involves constant work pressure in the form of deadlines or night shifts, the stress management ability of the candidate should be mentioned.

6. Special needs

If the job requires any special skills, knowledge and ability like extensive travelling, working at odd hours, and good memory power, it should be clearly mentioned.

Purpose of Job Specification

•  To specify about the personal characteristic such as age, sex, education, job experience, co-curricular and extra curricular activities about the prospective employee.
• To specify about the physical characteristics such as height, weight, chest, vision, hearing, health, voice, hand and foot co-ordination etc. of the prospective employee.
• To specify about the mental characteristics such as general intelligence, memory, judgement, foresight, ability to concentrate etc.
• To specify about the minimum qualification (degree) required with the specified percentage which is mandatory, without which an individual is not entided.
• To specify about the social and psychological characteristics such as emotional stability, flexibility, manners, initiative, drive, conversational ability, creativity etc.

Specimen of Job Description for Compensation Manager

Difference between Job Description and Job Specification

Basis of distinction	Job Description	Job Specification
1. Meaning	A written statement of the contents of a job.	A written statement of the qualities required for performing a job.
2. Contents	Title, duties, working conditions, supervision, relationships involved in a job.	Education, training, experience, aptitude etc. required for a particular job.
3. Purpose	To identify, define and describe a job.	To facilitate recruitment, selection training etc. Of people for the job.
4. Sequence	Prepared before job specification.	Prepared after job description.