Final answer:
A job competency refers to the observable and measurable skills and behaviors necessary for job performance. I-O psychologists identify these through methods like observation, surveys, and interviews, and use databases like O*NET for comprehensive job analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
An observable and measurable human behavior or skill that makes job performance possible is known as a job competency. This term refers to the qualities, abilities, and aspects of an individual that contribute to successful performance in a specific job. Methods like observing current employees in the role, conducting surveys, and holding interviews are often used to identify job competencies. Moreover, Industrial and Organizational (I-O) psychologists make use of job analyses to determine the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) needed for a job, and these can be found in comprehensive databases such as O*NET provided by the United States Department of Labor. Job competency is contrasted with a job description, which outlines the duties and responsibilities associated with a job, and job qualifications, which are the prerequisites one must have to be considered for a position. In the context of I-O psychology, especially the industrial subsection, professionals are tasked with analyzing jobs to match individuals to roles within an organization, a process that is critical in ensuring employees are well-fitted for their positions, thus enhancing job satisfaction and performance. Therefore, job competency is central to the work in industrial psychology and crucial for organizational effectiveness.