Unit 5 Discussion 1 –  External versus Internal Skills

* Finding the best mix of new perspectives and existing knowledge is an important aspect of the public sector human resources manager’s challenge. 

* Consider and explain how to bring necessary skills into the organization without upsetting productivity in the workforce. 

* Describe the challenges and pitfalls you need to be aware of as you balance locally available skills with internal skills as you recruit talent to your organization. 

* Be sure to support your positions with appropriately cited references to academically sound sources.

Unit 5 Study 1- Readings

Use your Public Personnel Management text to complete the following:

• Read Chapter 5, “Defining and Organizing Work.” The text will explore the topic of job descriptions from the viewpoint of different groups, such as elected officials and employees, and the role of the job description in the organization in helping the employee advance.

OBJECTIVES

To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:

1. Use existing theory bases to explain the requirements of the job description in maintaining progress within the organization.

2. Discuss the function of the job description and its impact on operations within a public setting.

3. Demonstrate the ability to create more efficient personnel management practices by explaining the function of the job description within a public setting.

INTRODUCTION – Unit 5 – Job Design and Skills Inventories

In this unit, you will take up the concept of the job description. Job descriptions are necessary for current employees to understand what they are to do to forward the objectives of the mission of the organization and its goals, and for

human resources managers to recruit and hire employees with the skills to complete the job tasks needed in order to deliver services.  

With the job description completed, a human relations manager must understand what skills the job has and the skills that the organization has within its current staff with the use of a skills inventory. This comparison allows the development of a list of skills that must be acquired by either training current staff or recruiting new staff with these skills. You will experience the skills inventory this week in your project and explore whether it is more effective to train staff or hire new staff for your organization.