JOB ANALYSIS 
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dependent, and passive; in fact, anything but what he was 
expected to become. This common and well-recognized 
instance helps to illustrate what is meant by the statement 
that personal qualities such as have been enumerated 
here are abstract and can not be used in describing jobs. 
Different jobs have very specific and characteristic dif 
ferences, and it is impossible to describe them except 
in terms of qualities that are equally specific and con 
crete. It is quite apparent that the personal qualities of a 
worker also are not general and abstract, but are par 
ticular and very closely tied up with the specific char 
acteristics of a particular job. In the instance just de 
scribed, the man did not manifest the expected qualities 
for the job at which he was placed, but it is quite likely 
that he would have manifested those qualities if he had 
been assigned to the particular kind of job for which his 
abilities fitted him. 
Another way of making clear the abstract and general 
nature of the personal qualities is to say that they can not 
be accurately gauged or measured except in terms of some 
concrete job activity. How is it possible to measure 
patience? or attention and application? or mental acuity? 
or industry? or loyalty? or initiative? or any one of the 
many qualities previously named ? As a matter of fact they 
can not be measured when stated abstractly. All that can 
be said is that an individual either has or does not have 
certain of these qualities. No fine distinctions are possible 
except, perhaps, the distinctions between good, bad, and 
indifferent. However, the day has gone by when it is 
possible to describe people or jobs in terms of “yes” or 
“no”. Even if it were possible to say whether an appli 
cant had or did not have certain qualities, such a decision 
Would fall far short of the requirements of the present