The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is a source of occupational information maintained by the United States Department of Labor. The database contains standardized descriptions of various occupations. Each year, the database is updated after O*NET personnel survey a random sample of incumbent workers in a broad range of occupations. The O*NET Data Collection Program provides several hundred rating scales that are based on the responses of the sampled workers. There are four different questionnaires for the incumbent workers to complete related to occupation and employee characteristics. Personnel consultants complete a questionnaire that focuses on the sample workers’ abilities (O*NET, n.d.).

As a potential personnel consultant, you might collect this data and incorporate it into the next version of the O*NET database. You need to ensure that your rating is reliable by checking that your measure is consistent and the measurement error is reported. You can test reliability using various models. For example, you can test the consistency of your measure through interrater reliability by examining the percentage of agreement between raters.

For this Application Assignment, review the media, “Employee Observation” and “Employee Interview,” for the job analysis. Presume the purpose of the job analysis will be to construct a selection instrument for the job displayed in the media.

Reference:

O*NET. (n.d). O*NET® data collection overview. O*NET Resource Center. Retrieved January 27, 2012, from http://www.onetcenter.org/dataCollection.html

The Assignment (3–5 pages)

• Complete the abilities scales from the O*NET using the media, “Employee Observation” and “Employee Interview,” to provide the ratings of the abilities of the incumbent worker. Your ratings are only for your analysis and not for submission.
• Analyze the results from the O*NET generalized work activities (dataset provided in this week’s Learning Resources). For your analysis:
  • Calculate a mean rating for each question on the survey.
  • Use SPSS to calculate interrater reliability and agreement statistics (see the “SPSS Supplementary Document” for instructions).
• Explain the generalized work activities scales and your ratings of the abilities scales on the O*NET.
• Explain the statistical findings and the interrater analysis for the generalized work activities scales.
• Summarize both the abilities and work activity analyses you have conducted on the employee in the media.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.