Explain job analysis and criterion development

Job analysis involves data and information gathering and analysis, usually by the human resources department of an organization. Such data and information concern the content, context, and requirements of jobs, and are useful in a number of ways such as to determine job placements. Job analysis enables organizations to perform tasks such as to formulate job descriptions, including the qualifications required for a job, the duties the job entails, and remunerations for the job; to identify channels by which employees may progress in their careers; and to group jobs into job families, jobs for which applicants with similar professional backgrounds may apply, which facilitates decision-making regarding available positions to advertise.

Criterion development involves predicting and evaluating the performance of personnel on the job. It entails a number of steps including defining the task a worker performs, analyzing it, deciding on measures of success performing the task, how these measures will be measured, and incorporating feedback mechanisms into the exercise. Criterion development provides employers with an objective method of appraising the performance of their workers, in determining who is promoted, and who will best fit a particular job. As such, criterion development makes job placement objective and fair.