Analysis of job advert and discussion of selection methods and job design
Question 1
The job is an office receptionist of an organization that deals with selling and managing property. I will be required to receive visitors in person or through telephone, manage calls and messages, handle inquiries and complaints by visitors, direct visitors to various areas in the organization, and market the organization's services. This position is perfectly in line with the career am pursuing which is Public relations. This has always been what I wanted to pursue and I know working for this company will build me career wise as I study to complete my degree. After completing my high school studies, I undertook a computer course which has equipped me with good computer skills that will enable me carry out my duties such email correspondence, management and backup of files efficiently. I have a very outgoing personality too, I can easily create conversations and make anybody feel very free. This will be very useful because as a receptionist I will be the first point of contact to any visitors/clients and so they will feel welcome.
The main competencies required are an educational background in public relations or front office, proficiency in usage of computer and its applications, good communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills such as self-motivation, team player, neatness and ability to work under minimal supervision. A suitable candidate would therefore have to meet these requirements. An applicant can show they have knowledge of computer skills by attaching a copy of their computer course certificate to their application form, this would be concrete evidence that they have a knowledge of computers.
The applicant can show explain how their education is suitable in making them a good receptionist. It does not necessarily have to be a college degree or diploma, they may have undertaken training on customer service and they can use this when applying for the job. They have to demonstrate the skills and abilities they acquired during the training. Communication skills can be demonstrated even in writing the application letter. The applicant must ensure good sentence structure and correct spellings and grammar formations.
Question 2
Selection is the process of choosing from potential candidates of a particular job position. The chosen candidate should definitely be the one with the greater likelihood of success. Selection methods available include, preliminary interviews, selection tests (personality, aptitude, ability, behavioral, skill tests), and final interviews (Lewis 243). I believe each of this methods is fundamental in selecting a suitable candidate for this job.
Personality test will enable us know if the candidate has the suitable personality to be a receptionist. A receptionist is always the first point of contact of any company or organization and they can build or destroy the image of that company. It is very obvious that nobody wants to be welcomed by a person who is arrogant or appears rude to them. A person who is shy and does not like talking much, may also not be a good receptionist as much talk is involved as well as meeting different and new people every day. The best test I would use is the Myers-Briggs Type test as it is very comprehensive.
Face to face interview with the candidate will be a method that the company will consider (Lewis 243). A panel interview will be the most suitable as I believe different people see different things. An interview will enable us know the candidate in terms of the language their body speaks for example how they walk can tell us if they are confident or not. The candidate will also be evaluated on how fluent they are in speaking and how they answer different questions. A panel interview will be more suitable because there will be different views on the candidate.
Skills test will be useful as we would want to hire the candidate with the most suitable skills to the advertised job. This can be used to disqualify candidates who may indicate certain skills in their resumes but in reality they cannot perform the skills. In this scenario, a writing test or typing test would be more suitable. The test will evaluate how fast, fluent and grammar correct the candidate is because they will be actively involved in writing and responding to mails in their job (Lewis 243). They can also be tested on their telephone handling skills like hoe they respond to calls, the language they use and how fast they answer the calls.
Behavioral tests will enable us understand how the candidate analyzes situation and how they make their choices. This test is very important as it ensures more honest responses are gotten from the candidates as they have to think on the spot and give answers. This is unlike the resumes where people have time to craft their answers and design appealing competencies that they may not be possessing as a matter of fact. This test can provide feedback on the way a candidate will behave in the working environment (Lewis 243). An example could be, how would you behave if a client came complaining of poor services? How this question will be handled by the candidates will be helpful in analysis of their potential.
Question 3
Job design simply entails how the duties, activities and tasks of a certain job are organized (Armstrong 332). They can therefore be reorganized from time to time if need be for example to enhance customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is basically how content an employee is with his/her job and working environment. Organizations use job design to increase their levels of productivity because it is obvious that a satisfied worker will be more productive. The receptionist job could be designed in a way that would make it more satisfactory. There are several design methods that could apply here such as job compensation. Compensation is basically the wages I get in return for the services I offer as a receptionist. Pay is mostly if not always what determines if somebody will take a job or not because people work to earn a living and make their lives better. The organization should show that they value my services and that they also want to see my life change for the better, the compensation should thus be generous but also fair in relation to the work am doing.
Job flexibility should also be looked into. Flexibility in terms of working hours such that as an employee, there can be a positive work-life balance (Armstrong 332). Extremely long working hours with very little time for being away from the office can contribute to poor productivity. The organization should value and trust the employee and respect the fact that they also have a life away from the office. The dressing mode can be made more flexible like some days casual wear can be allowed to work. Flexible leave schedule is also to be considered, it should be one that balances the organization's interests and my interests as an employee. In addition, it should allow for personal career growth. This will make me feel cared for as an employee and I will be motivated to work well.
The working environment is very important to me as an employee and more especially as a receptionist. I believe an environment can directly or indirectly affect how I carry out my duties. There should be office equipment such as pens, visitor books, working telephones as well as supporting hardware for my duties. The sitting desks should be very comfortable as well as have spaces for breaks and standing as sitting all day may be cumbersome. I think an open-plan office with departmental segments will be appropriate as it will allow more casual collaboration and make us more comfortable. The 'boss' can also engage us by walking around, it will make us more motivated and free.
The job could also be designed in relation to the technological revolution we have around us. As the face of the company, it would only be fair that the changes in technology are embraced for example I would not expect to be using the analog telephone landlines when making calls as there are more advanced ones that are also very efficient. There should also be a working computer(s) for electronic correspondence, while an additional smartphone and laptop for remote access can be considerable for remote working when and if need be. These will make me more productive and also efficient in my work.
Other than compensation, a competitive benefits package will be important to me. The benefits may include insurance schemes such as health care and wellbeing benefits like club memberships where we can access fitness centers or gyms and swimming pools (Armstrong 333). The company should also consider contributing to my pension scheme. A healthy and happy employee will definitely be motivated and committed to working well and so the company will be more productive.
Another important design can be social activities such as team building activities, office trips, games. A little time out is very important to rest and relax the mind and body. There is much potential that can be realized when people engage in social activities and a sense of togetherness is also built which will result to a more productive workforce.
Work Cited
Armstrong, Michael. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page, 2006. Print.
Lewis, Pamela S. Management: Challenges for Tomorrow's Leaders. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western, 2007. Print.
