Assessing Personnel Needs

Job Specification

 
The job specification describes the person expected to fill a job. It details the knowledge (both educational and
experiential), qualities, skills and abilities needed to perform the job satisfactorily. The job specification provides a standard against which to measure how well an applicant matches a job opening and should be used as the basis for recruiting.

Recruiting

 
As a small business owner-manager, you should be aware of the legal environment in which you operate. This is especially true when it comes to recruitment. Being aware of legislation that will affect your business is extremely important to efficient recruiting.

Congress has passed several laws that deal with discrimination in the workplace. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Act of 1972 are two that small businesses owners should be especially aware of. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is charged with enforcing federal law against discrimination based on

• Race.
• Color.
• National origin.
• Sex.
• Age (between 40 and 70).
• Disability.
• Veteran status.
• Handicap.
• Religion.

Another law to be aware of is the 1963 Equal Pay Act, which requires that men and women receive equal pay for equal work.

Box 1 is a list of illegal questions that are often asked during the recruitment process. Review them carefully to ensure that you avoid asking them when interviewing applicants.