i FY 
 M - U ,1" . 
 
CONFERENCE 
 
 ON 
 
 SELECTION TECHNIQUES 
 
 ALLERJON HOUSE, MONTICELLO 
 NOVEMBER 17-18,1949 
 
 SPONSORED BY 
 
 !"HE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICE OF THE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 
 
 E DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 
 
 THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY OF THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND 
 
 SCIENCES 
 
 THE INSTITUTE OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 
 
 THE DIVISION OF UNIVERSITY EXTENSION 
 
 OF 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 URBANA, ILLINOIS 
 
J c 
 
 p* 
 
 CON FERENCE PROGRAM 
 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 
 
 9:00 Welcome 
 
 C. Mi Louttit, Assistant to the Provost, 
 University of Illinois 
 
 9s V~> Orientation to the Conference 
 
 Thelma B. Fox, Research Assistant in 
 Labor and Industrial Relations, 
 University of Illinois 
 
 9 J 30 WHY A SELECTION PROGRAM? 
 
 Ross Stagner, Professor of Psychology in 
 Labor and Industrial Relations, University 
 of Illinois 
 
 10*1$ JOB SPECIFICATIONS 
 
 Leo C. Pigage, Associate Professor of 
 Mechanical Engineering in Labor and 
 Industrial Relations and Extension, 
 University of Illinois 
 
 10:U5 Work Groups 
 
 Topics; WHY A SELECTION PROGRAM? 
 JOB SPECIFICATIONS 
 Thelma B. Fox 
 
 Robert D. Loken , Professor of Management, 
 Business Management Service, College of 
 Commerce, University of Illinois 
 
 Wesley Osterberg , Assistant Professor of 
 Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and 
 Sciences, University of Illinois 
 
 12 Lunch 
 
 1j30 THE USE OF THE APPLICATION BLANK 
 
 Paul F. Gorby, Manager of Central Personnel 
 Services, Marshall Field & Co., Chicago, 
 Illinois 
 
 2:l£ Work Groups 
 
 Topic: THE USE OF THE APPLICATION BUNK 
 Same chairmen 
 
 U:30 ADMINISTRATION OF SAMPLE TEST ITEMS 
 
 DEMONSTRATION OF PERFORMANCE TESTS - DEPARTMENT 
 OF PSYCHOLOGY STAFF 
 
 6:30 Dinner 
 
 Address: SELECTION OF EXECUTIVES 
 
 Carroll L. Shartle, Professor of 
 Psychology, Ohio State University 
 
I .. •' . 
 
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 
 
 9:00 THE USE OF TESTS IN SELECTION 
 
 Stanley E. Seashore, Consulting Psychologist, 
 A. T. Kearny and Company, Chicago, Illinois 
 
 9:1|£ Work Groups 
 
 Topic: THE USE OF TESTS IN SELECTION 
 Same chairmen 
 
 12 Lunch 
 
 1:30 EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWS 
 
 Ira B. Cross, Jr., Executive Officer, 
 Robert N. McMurry and Company, Chicago, 
 Illinois 
 
 Demonstration Interviews: 
 I ra B. Cross, Jr. 
 
 R ober t B. Buchele, Assistant Professor of 
 Management, College of Commerce, University 
 of Illinois 
 
 General Discussion 
 
 U:00 THE TOTAL SELECTION PROGRAM 
 Ross Stagner 
 
 k : 30 Ad j ournment 
 
 ILIR-86 (149-50) 
 /mwk 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 194-9 
 Selection Techniques 
 
 November 17-18 
 
 Will A SELECTION PROGRAM? 
 
 by Ross Stagner 
 Professor of Psychology in Labor and Industrial Relations 
 
 University of Illinois 
 
 This year, over 2,000,000 young Americans joined the labor force. 
 This means that 2,000,000 young men and women are out looking for jobs for 
 which they are qualifier" 1 and at which they can be successful. During 194-9, 
 almost 500,000 college graduates joined the labor force. They are going to 
 be wanting job opportunities under conditions which will be favorable for 
 the success about which they have been dreaming, 
 
 I would like to suggest that it is a very misleading kind of pro- 
 cedure to talk about these individuals in terras of a labor force. These are 
 real human beings. John Smith, who is just out of college and looking for a 
 lifetime occupation, is more than a statistic j he is a real human being v/ho not 
 only needs a job; he also needs proper selection by his employer in order to 
 fit into a channel where he is likely to attain success. 
 
 What does it mean to John Smith to find a job? All of you are aware 
 of the feeling you have had when you were out looking for work and not sure you 
 were going to find it. What does it mean to John Smith to find the right job? 
 It means good earnings, security, a chance fcV promotion and an opportunity to 
 do the things that he has been dreaming about doing. Now well businessmen 
 handle the job of employee selection is one factor which is going to determine 
 what happens to John Smith and all of his millions of brothers and sisters. 
 
 Lot's look at this question also from the side of the company. Every 
 year each employer has many applications for jobs. Relatively few of these 
 applicants are hired in a so-called normal year. To take a specific company 
 with which I am familiar, the Boston Consolidated Gas Company before the war 
 used to have an average of about 20,000 applications for positions. Out of 
 these 20,000, they used to hire about 400. This gives us what the statisticians 
 call a selection ratio of 2%, What does it mean to the 19,600 people who were 
 not employed? What does it mean to the company to get the best possible 
 individuals for those positions which are open? Specifically, we might point 
 out that if the 19,600 rejected applicants are turned away with the feeling 
 that they have been treated unfairly, that they have been discriminated 
 against, that only friends of the boss are being hired, it may create a very 
 serious public relations problem for any business enterprise. In the same 
 way, it is fairly obvious that if the 400. individuals arc so chosen that they 
 fit smoothly and efficiently into their new jobs, this will be a great economic 
 benefit to the employer. It will mean a smoothly functioning work force, 
 freedom from grievances and employee problems, and in various other ways will 
 be beneficial to the company. 
 
 What docs employee selection mean to the American public in general? 
 The American public is made up of workers, businessmen, professional people, 
 
-2- 
 
 f armors, etc. Some of thaw are looking for jobs, some of them arc looking for 
 workers to emDloy, but all of them arc buying commodities from business and 
 desiring services. In other words, they arc customers. What doos it mean 
 to members of the American public to have the right man in the right job? 
 Obviously it means lower prices, more efficient production, more satisfactory 
 service, pleasant relations with the representatives of the company and freedom 
 from inconvenience and irritation due to strikes and labor troubles, 
 
 I should like to suggest, therefore, that the ramifications of a good 
 selection program arc very wide, A good selection program can be of significant 
 benefit to the company which installs it. It can be highly valuable not only 
 to the worker who is selected and placed on the job for which he is well suited, 
 but it is actually of value to the worker who is not employed. It would be a 
 disservice to this young man to hire him for a position where he was sure to be 
 a failure. It would even be in some sense not valuable for him to be employed 
 in a position where ho could do mediocre work when actually there might be some 
 other position in another company where he would be far more successful. Thus, 
 we can say, that for the main participants in the selection process, namely, 
 the company and the worker, the benefits of a good selection program are 
 very extensive. Even considering the question from the point of view of the 
 general public, a selection program has benefits which arc not lightly overlooked. 
 Thus, I think wo can say that this is another one of those cases in which by 
 doing a job and doing it well, we are not serving the interests of capital, or 
 the interests of labor, or the interoste of the public, but the interests of 
 all throe. 
 
 Virtually all of you arc here as employers, or as representatives of 
 employers. Let me raise with you some general questions about the amount 
 of money industry spends on equipment, versus the amount it spends on payrolls. 
 And then I want to ask, how much could be saved by improving the type and 
 operation of equipment, as compared with improving the quality and efficiency 
 of workers? Lot mo take a company with which I am quite familiar. It had 
 a pre-war sales volume of about 150 million dollars—now probably doing about 
 the same business, but charging 300 million dollars. In 194-1 this company 
 had about 50 million dollars invested in plants and equipment. They also had 
 an annual payroll of about 50 million dollars. Now the capital investment 
 equivalent of this payroll cannot be compute:], because we cannot place a 
 value on human beings. But we do know that the company estimated the annual 
 cost of equipment at a little over 3 million dollars yearly, assuming a life 
 expectancy of 14- years. In other words, an improvement of 10$ in equipment 
 efficiency would bo expected to net the company about 300,000 dollars annually. 
 Contrast this with the saving that could result from a 10$ improvement in 
 the quality and functioning of personnel — the sum of 5 million dollars. 
 
 Now, it is not at all uncommon for business men to talk of reducing 
 equipment costs by 5 to 10$, but it is virtually unheard of that such an 
 improvement in human functioning is possible. Yet, such changes are feasible. 
 It has been found, by actual investigation, that savings of such magnitude can 
 be made,, (Let me insert here that they cannot be made by cracking the whip 
 of fear and insecurity over the heads of the workers.) Such improvements 
 arc likely to be associated with changes more extensive than selection alone, 
 but selection is an indispensable first step. 
 
 What are some of the different kinds of savings that arc made possible 
 by good selection and placement on the job? One such factor obviously is 
 
training costs. Every new worker must be trained to do a good job. If the 
 employee is adequately selected, the training time Will be reduced. Hiring 
 square pegs to fit into round holes is at best an inefficient procedure and the 
 amount of training required to help this square peg do even a moderate job of 
 fitting in will be excessive. Training is expensive. Estimates of the cost 
 of training employees in different industries range from a low of $35 to ^50 
 for unskilled workers to estimates as high as $1000 for relatively skilled 
 and highly responsible employees. If an adequate selection program can 
 reduce this cost by oven a moderate percentage, the cost of the program itself 
 Will have been repaid within a fairly 3hort period of time, 
 
 Another aspect of this same point is the reduction of turnover. A 
 number of investigations have shown that when employees are selected by the 
 best available methods, turnover can be reduced very materially below its 
 previous level. To take a concrete illustration, a well known restaurant 
 chain was bothered by a serious turnover problem in its cashiers. The work 
 of the cashier in these restaurants was very elementary and monotonous. The 
 result was that there was a very high rate of turnover, with a largo number 
 of these young women leaving their jobs within a period of two weeks to two 
 months after beginning employment. This was not only expensive, but also 
 disruptive of service and very unsatisfactory from the management point of 
 View . 
 
 A program of simple psychological testing was introduced, although the 
 results were not at first used for selection purposes. In a follow-up after 
 a few months of activity it was found that the girls leaving employment as 
 cashiers fell into two groups; Those with IQ ! s of 100 or more, who were of 
 average or above average intelligence, and another group with IQ's of 85 or 
 below, those who were distinctly not intelligent enough to handle the require- 
 ments of the job. Thus it appeared that turnover in this job was due to two 
 factors; One, the possession of more ability than was necessary, causing 
 the employee to be bored and dissatisfied with the work requirements! and two, 
 the possession of insufficient ability to do the job satisfactorily. A 
 selection program was then introduced, using only those individuals from the 
 middle of the ability range, with IQ's of about 35 to 100. The rosu.lt was a 
 sudden and very significant decrease in the turnover rate* 
 
 It is also obvious that a good selection program can help management 
 in dealing with such problems as absenteeism, poor attitude on the job, failure 
 to cooperate with supervision, slow-downs, and other manifestations of 
 dissatisfaction on the part of the employee. When a worker is placed on duties 
 for which he does not have the necessary ability, information, interest, or 
 personality, he is likely to feel frustrated, dissatisfied, and unhappy. This 
 will cause him to bo quick to find things to complain about. He will not be 
 inclined to cooperate with his supervisor. If he has the slightest excuse 
 for failing to come to work in the morning, he is likely to accept it and stay 
 away from the job. Thus, it would seem plausible and in fact, experience 
 confirms this expectation, that the introduction of a sound selection program 
 can lead to a variety of benefits from the management point of view. 
 
 It is even interesting to note that workers like the company better 
 if a good selection program is in operation, and that better applicants come 
 to such an employment office. Workers usually interpret careful selection as 
 an indication that the company really recognizes the importance of the individual 
 employee, and they react favorably to that interest by management. 
 
-4- 
 
 V/hat do we need to know about the applicant if wo arc to do a good job 
 in selection? Thin is different for different jobs. We do not need the same 
 information in picking a new janitor as in hiring a new research engineer. 
 We would not apply the same standards for a good salesman as for a good book- 
 keeper. So first, we need data on the j_ob c This topic we shall call job 
 specifi cations, We must try to learn what kinds of people do well at each 
 job, stick to it, and so on. These specifications will provide us with a basis 
 for selecting new employees. 
 
 In general, we can say that ability , information, motivat ion and 
 personal ity are important to every job. Naturally we think first of ability, 
 A man must have capacity, not only to learn his present duties, but to grow 
 on the job. In some cases too much capacity is not desirable, if the duties 
 are dull and there is no prospect of promotion » In other cases we must select 
 a person with the ability not only to do this job, but also to move up the 
 ladder. 
 
 Often a position also requires specific skill or information* When we 
 look for a machinist, we wane one already trained, not just a man who has 
 mechanical ability* If we want an accountant or a chemical engineer, the 
 record of his education may tell the story. But it is usually wise to interview 
 the man about his training, or even to give him a written test. 
 
 Much remains to be done, in a good selection program, after we have 
 found that the applicant can actually do the work. What about motivation? 
 How much effort will he exert to do a good job? Will he be a clock-watcher 
 or an eager beaver? Will he do the bare minimum, or will he go out of his way 
 to get everything done that needs doing? 
 
 One approach to motivation comes through the study of interes ts , An 
 outdoors man cannot be expected to work well at a desk for long hours A girl 
 who hates arithmetic will not be a good statistical clerk. Some people like 
 detail, fine work 3 some get restless on this task. One man likes selling, 
 another prefers a service job. Find a man's interest and you have a key to nis 
 motives. 
 
 Another phase of motivation can be studied through work habits and 
 personal history. Has the applicant flitted from job to job? Does he have 
 personal responsibilities to hold him at work? Turnover is higher among single 
 than married men. Why? Because, for one thing, the single man can quit if he 
 is slightly annoyed about something, whereas the married man will be more likely 
 to stick through some difficulties and frustrations. How much does the applicant 
 want the rewards which will be his for doing a good job? At present we try to 
 study a man's pattern of motives, the things he wants and will work hard to 
 get, largely by a deep personal interview. One of our sessions will be devoted 
 to a sample of how this can be done. 
 
 Finally, you may well need to size up the applicant's personality. 
 Host of us do this more or loss automatically in hiring. If the person impresses 
 us, is smooth, friendly, likeable, we assume he has the right personality for 
 the job. There are two things wrong with this procedure „ First, we forget that 
 different jobs call for different personalities j an inspector has different 
 situations to face from those met by the foreman. Each job should have its own 
 set of personality specifications. Second, many of us have acquired very -mis- 
 leading standards for judging personality. I remember a story told me by the 
 
medical director of a large corporation, about the hiring practice of the 
 personnel manager. He found a lot of girls on medical exam with hair dyed red. 
 On investigation he learned that the personnel manager believed that red heads 
 Mere energetio and industrious, so ho was hiring thou in preference to blondes 
 and brunettes. The word cot around, and applicant." wero dyeing their hair I Nov; 
 you know, and I know, that color of hair is not a cluo to personality « But 
 many judgments ibout personality are based on just such false notions — and we 
 may not even know we are using them! 
 
 Some of the so problems in selection are best met by the use of written 
 or performance teste, but I would not want to give you the impression that 
 only psychological tests provide for satisfactory selection purposes. As we 
 shall try to make clear in tho sessions today and tomorrow, there are many 
 different devices which business can use for selection of employees. Tho 
 application blank with well chosen bits of biographical information, is one 
 of these methods. After all, what better prediction do we have of what a person 
 is going to do in the future than what he has don:; in the past? Anyone who has 
 done any substantial amount of employment work, on the other hand, knows that 
 many questions asked on tho application blank arc never even checked by the 
 person doing the hiring. It may very possibly be that there is a great deal of 
 useless information on the application blank and conveys cly, many questions, 
 which should be asked, have not boon included. v r e will, therefore, devote some 
 tine to a consideration of different kinds of application blanks in relation- 
 ship to different kinds of jobs and sec whether or not there are ways by which 
 these instruments car be improved. 
 
 Another method which has groat value in selection of employees is the 
 interview. Almost all of us have the feeling that we can judge human nature. 
 In fact, 'many individuals feel that they do not need any advice on selecting 
 employees because they have been studying human nature for the last 50 to 75 
 years, more or less, and feel that they know all about it. I shall not bore 
 you by giving you illustrations on how frequently and how far some of these 
 individuals miss. The fact that errors in hiring are constantly occuring even 
 when these so-called experts on human nature do the interviewing is ample 
 evidence that an interview, in and of itself, is no guarantee of pood selection. 
 However, the interview, if properly conducted, can give information which cannot 
 be gotten by any other method. It is olvious, for example, that if we are 
 going to try to evaluate the personality of the applicant, and particularly his 
 effect on other people- something like the interview is absolutely necessary. 
 Our reaction to him in a face to face situation is a pretty good indicator of 
 what other people are likely to foci in a similar situation. So, if wo are 
 selecting salesmen, retail clerks, receptionists and other individuals who 
 have to deal with customers and the public, the interview is obviously a very 
 valuable device. He arc going to consider some of the variations on the 
 interview technique and give you a demonstration of a highly useful and 
 valuable type of interview as a special feature of tomorrow's session. 
 
 Psychological tests arc, in my opinion, something like the scientific 
 tests of materials quality which arc used by every large industry. We wouldn't 
 dream of buying a carload of steel without some kind of careful testing of the 
 material to sec to it that it comes up to specification. No purchasing agent 
 in his right mind would buy chemicals or any other kind of industrial material 
 without a testing program. Yet in many instances we hire employees, who make 
 up by far the largest item of our operating costs, with no attempt to test 
 their specific qualities. One of the reasons for this, of course, is that 
 psychology has not yet provided us with tests which arc adequate for all phases 
 
-6- 
 
 of human nature. In my opinion, to reject the tosting program entirely, simply 
 because it is not yet perfect is rather like throwing the baby out with the 
 dirty bath water. He can use psychological teste in a limited way as one of 
 the devices for improving selection even though it is not practical at the 
 present time to get an entirely satisfactory selection program by the use of 
 tests alone. 
 
 Another reason why tests arc not widely used is because hiring executives 
 prefer to follow their personal likes and dislikes. You may have heard the story 
 of the psychologist who was trying to convince a business man that he should 
 install a testing program. The executive preferred to hire the girl with the 
 big blue eyesi 
 
 How the big thing to keep in mind, in all this discussion of employee 
 selection, is: what is the purpose of the Business? If you arc in business 
 primarily to enjoy locking at beautiful girls, then the method of selection 
 just described is appropriate. But if you believe in an efficient organization 
 doing a good job for your customers, then that selection program is wrong. 
 
 IJo can't talk about all phases of psychology in personnel work at 
 the same time. So I can't digress here to speak of all the precautions you 
 will have to observe if you are to get the maximum benefit from a good selection 
 program. Let me just insert a few words of warning about w hat a sele ction 
 program will no t do. 
 
 It will not keep union organizers out of your plant. A few companies, 
 I regret to say, have attempted to set up programs of psychological testing 
 and interviewing calculated to keep out potential union men. These attempts 
 have failed, and I suspect that they will continue to fail. In the last 
 analysis, workers organize into unions to solve certain problems about which 
 they are concerned. The only way management could avoid this would be to 
 solve all these problems first, and that would call for a level of mental acuity 
 about which even psychologists have only the foggiest notion. 
 
 Secondly, it will not keep wages down. Demands for wage increases are 
 related to many factors besides the price index, and in fact, the only man who 
 v/ould not occasionally want a wage increase would be one who wasn't much use in 
 the average company. A selection program will help you to get more for your 
 mon e y ; it will not work if coupled with a sub-standard wage scale. 
 
 Third, it will not end problems of training and supervision. The best 
 of material needs processing! the best of workers will need training and 
 instruction, guidance in doing the job, and help in solving human relations 
 problems. The selection process may help you get good supervisors, but they 
 in turn must learn the importance of treating every worker as a human being 
 with psychological characteristics which must be handled with respect. The 
 only difference between human beings and the atom bomb is that, once we get 
 the explosive components of the A-bomb separated, there is no danger until they 
 are put back together. With human beings, we solve one problem only to find 
 another coming up which threatens an explosion. 
 
 In brief, selection must be tied in with management policy at the top 
 level. If top management understands the importance of employees as individual 
 human beings, it is likely that personnel, production, sales, accounting, and 
 other departments and policies will fit well together. If top management treats 
 employees merely as labor unit costs on a balance sheet, there will probably 
 be trouble. 
 
-7- 
 
 In a sense, then, v;c can give a simple twist to the question, 
 why have a better selection program? We can simply ask, why are you in business? 
 If, as I believe, most of you arc in business to provide honest value and 
 efficient service to the Arierican people, then you need a good selection policy 
 to implement that purpose. First of all you can reduce costs, reduce prices 
 and improve quality in this way. Secondly, you need a selection program 
 because jobs require different abilities in the people who hold them. Third, 
 you need a selection program because people who are in the wrong jobs become 
 frustrated, dissatisfied and belligerent. Finally, you need a selection program 
 because we are all human beings, all people working together, and the only 
 reason for having business and industry at all is to serve the needs of people. 
 We believe that our democratic way of doing things will lead to more happiness 
 for more people in the long run. But if we cannot work things out in such a 
 way that people can enjoy their work, then wo might as well join the Russians 
 and make a man take whatever job needs him, without regard to his ability or 
 wishes. Selection, in other words, can be an essential part of a good way of 
 life for everyone. It can benefit the business man, the worker, and the 
 customer, A good selection program is £ood for everybody,. 
 
 ILIR-83 
 (49-50) 
 mrz 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 19h9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 JOB SPECIFICATIONS 
 
 Leo C. Pigage, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 
 Labor and Industrial Relations and Extension, University of Illinois 
 
 INTRODUCTION ; 
 
 A basic requirement in selecting (or purchasing) anything is to have 
 the specifications for what you want as exact as possible. The purchase of a 
 person's services should be no exception. However, we are inclined to dismiss 
 principles exercised in other areas of business transactions as not applicable 
 in personnel practices. Such dismissal is wrapped up with a shrug and blamed 
 upon the complexity of human nature and the corresponding difficulty of 
 measurement. This dismissal sounds reasonable, yet recent advances in personnel 
 practices do not substantiate such an attitude, But, mainly, the fault lies 
 in the failure to prepare careful and as accurate a set of specifications for 
 each job as is possible at the time. 
 
 BASIC : 
 
 Before discussing job specifications as such, one should realise that 
 many uses can be made of the basic data from which the specifications come, 
 Specifications do not, and should not, exist in a vacuum. In any plant there 
 will be found various combinations of tasks which go to make up a position. 
 In turn, positions composed of allied tasks can be classified as jobs with the 
 ultimate grouping of similar jobs resulting in an occupational classification. 
 Each has its specifications. This is illustrated in Figure 1 below. 
 
 Task 
 
 (Such as clean a machine) 
 
 Position 
 
 (Such as set, operate and clean 
 a machine) 
 
 Job 
 
 (Such as several persons doing 
 \J/ the same thing as in position) 
 Occupation 
 
 (Such as several jobs in several 
 plants. Their details will not 
 be identical) 
 
 Figure 1. 
 
 -Specifications 
 
 (appears in the form 
 of motion study, 
 narrowly drawn, ) 
 •Specifications 
 
 (appears in the form 
 of motion study and 
 basic requirements 
 rather narrowly drawn.) 
 -Specifications 
 
 (same as for position) 
 
 •Specifications 
 
 (same as position 
 but somewhat 
 loosely drawn. ) 
 
 Furthermore, the basic data, known as job analysis, from which job 
 specifications are made is not a tool whose usefulness is limited to the 
 preparation of specifications. This basic data can be used for many other 
 purposes as shown in Figure 2. 
 

-2- 
 
 Motion Study 
 Time Study _ 
 Testing 
 
 Recruitment 
 
 Placement — 
 
 Personnel Research — 
 Biomechanics 
 
 Job 
 Analysis 
 
 Vocational Guidance 
 
 Job Evaluation 
 
 Safety Administration 
 
 Merit Rating 
 
 •Selection 
 
 . Training 
 Wage Control 
 
 Figure 2. 
 
 Therefore, data collected for one purpose, say job specifications, 
 is valuable and should be used in several other practices in the company. This 
 is not only good economy but also good common sense to use the same basic data 
 so that all personnel practices are in agreement with each other. So, even 
 when talking about job specifications, one narrow aspect of the whole range of 
 possibilities, one should not divorce the job specifications from the other 
 personnel practices. And, if job specifications are not used, the whole chain 
 of events of recruitment through maintaining an employee on the job is seriously 
 weakened. 
 
 DEFINITION AND PREPARATION : 
 
 As used, job specification, is a brief description and analysis of the 
 tasks of a job, prepared in such a way as to show clearly, the minimum qualifi- 
 cations a person should possess to perform the tasks of the job in a satisfac- 
 tory manner. The desired qualities are usually listed under such headings as: 
 
 1. Identification of job 
 
 a. Title of job (with alternate titles possible) 
 
 b. Code number of job 
 
 c. Related jobs (from which transfers can be made) 
 
 2. Duties description 
 
 a. A brief description of the duties, or tasks, so 
 
 as to give the personnel office an idea of the job. 
 
 3. Job payment 
 
 a. Basic wage rate 
 
 b. Incentive system (if any) 
 
 c. Hours and overtime 
 
 U. Basic minimum requirements and desired qualifications 
 
 a. What are the basic requirements which will just meet 
 the minimum necessities for success on the job? 
 
 b. What are the desired qualities to insure success on 
 the job? 
 
 c. What physical handicaps are and are not permissible? 
 
 d. What qualities will prove to be handicaps for success 
 on the job? 
 
 5» Suggested testing methods to determine applicants fitness for the 
 job. 
 
 The particular form that the job specifications should take will depend 
 upon the completeness of data desired. The main thought to keep in mind is to 
 design a form with allied data properly grouped. And, within each group, the 
 data arranged for ease of typing (with the minimum of stops on the typewriter) 
 and ease of reading. Examples are given in Figures 3 and U. 
 

 c 
 8 So 
 
 ° >r 
 
 ^ 5" 
 
 u 
 
 9 
 
 Eh 
 
 ►-3 
 
 O 
 M 
 Eh 
 
 w 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 
 a 
 
 EH 
 
 '•; 
 
 w 
 
 Q 
 
 &H 
 
 M 
 
 i_ 
 
 E-H 
 
 &- 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 P9 
 
 
 o 
 
 «i. 
 
 i-a 
 
 -1 
 
 
 — ♦- 
 
 co 
 
 V3 
 
 *• 
 
 
 & 
 
 »L 
 
 t| 
 
 i. 
 
 q 
 
 o 
 
 h-l 
 
 2 
 
 ft 
 
 Uj 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 a 
 i 
 
 £j CO 
 
 b 
 
 to ^ 
 
 o — 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 K. 
 
 ■ z o 
 
 si 
 
 
 -2 "*• 
 
 JO 
 
 vl 
 
 Ifl 
 
 o 
 a 
 
 g 
 
 o 
 
 vL < 
 
 
 g v,' 
 
 - «l 
 
 CO 
 
 i 
 
 Id 
 
 J 
 
 V 
 ^ 
 
 *r -3-1 <- 
 i> «. £ 
 
 jC 
 
 a 
 ■c 
 
 
 « V. « 
 
 VT) — 
 
 <&-■+ 
 
 
 
 y 
 N 
 
 g 
 IS 
 
 
 
 
 
 " f£J 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 »i 
 
 
 
 
 
 O CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO Eh 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO TA 
 
 
 
 
 
 a i 
 
 
 
 v/ 
 
 
 g P 
 
 
 N 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 RS 
 
 
 m 
 
 r 
 
 
 « p ^ 
 
 5^ 
 
 
 
 \j 
 
 
 S co 
 
 >fl 
 
 O 
 
 ' 
 
 
 Pn w 
 
 £ 
 
 r ^ 
 
 M 
 
 
 S Eh 
 
 «■ 
 
 Mh 
 
 
 
 «■* ■* 'C'' 
 
 " 
 
 (Jh 
 
 
 
 2 '^ 
 
 «• 
 
 c^ 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 V- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Eh 
 
 *« 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 ^ V 
 
 
 
 
 V «, .- 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 M £ 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 §5 J H 
 
 M 
 F-1 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 Ph 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 tn 
 
 <■<.-•> 
 
 
 
 
 jg 
 
 I Sjj 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 <* 1 
 
 M 
 
 Eh 
 <! 
 o 
 
 jT* "j i * 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 R f s: 5 
 
 En 
 
 — j 
 
 
 
 ^ ( 
 
 
 C3 
 
 o 
 
 ITS 
 CO 
 
 B 
 
 c> 
 
 o 
 
 i 
 § 5 
 
 I - 
 
 I 
 
 ri ' 
 
 CO 
 
 o 
 
 U 
 
 i| 
 
 I c 
 
 r- 
 
 CO ^: 
 
 h 
 
 I- 
 
 "-1 
 
 tfl 
 
 111 0j 
 
 ON 
 
 CO 
 
 5 
 
 lit 
 
 4 
 
 s 3 
 
 c -J 
 
 - vl 
 
 o s 
 
 c ■ 
 
 <\l 
 
 0_ V 
 
 a | s 1 — 
 
 + ! - 
 SO 
 
 I* * s 
 
 *0 
 
 a ^ 
 
 s: -_ c 
 
 o 
 
 *Np 
 
 ^Q 
 
 3 
 
 ^1 
 
 
 . '^ 
 
 s Lo 
 
 % 
 
 vr -1 - 
 
 -*- 
 
 Ol 
 
 
 VJ 
 
 T 
 
 Vj 
 
 ~ 
 
 si/ 
 
 r -= 
 
 v"l 
 
 5 3 s 
 
 c 5 h 
 
 
 __ S 
 
 A — _ ^ — 
 
 1 m 
 lo 
 
 
 | 3 
 
 Vj~l s.". 
 
 "0 ^ 
 
 vn '-» 
 
 on 
 
 2 u- 
 
 
 ^ r 
 
 y i 
 
 ^ 
 
 S h 
 
 
 3 
 
 /i — 
 
 e=i .-» 
 
 u; II O 
 
 CO 
 
 3 R 
 
 3*k = w> 
 
 -2 v/> 
 
 3 .'C 
 
 £ ^ -♦- 
 
 u 
 
 5 I ' 
 
 « ii c 
 
 5 SJfe 
 
 ? ? - 
 
 -^ 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 u> 
 
 3 
 
 vj 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 \T> 
 
 £ 
 
 s 
 
 ^. 
 
 
 
 J» 
 
 u- 
 
 •J 
 
 
 
 -a 
 
 s 
 
 c 
 
 i ^ 
 
 vO 
 
 v> 
 
 "0 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 ON 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 < -- 
 
 — !J 
 
 rO 
 
•~4r- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3-~ 
 
 
 "i 
 
 5 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 k 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - N. 
 
 *■• !/-> 
 
 
 «< 5 
 
 <■ VP 
 
 <* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 1 
 
 
 i <-- 
 
 - *• 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 5 e 
 
 «"- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -3 s 
 
 1, — I 
 
 
 * a 
 
 •. « 
 
 
 <- ? 
 
 £ 
 
 
 5 ■ 
 
 «( .. 
 
 
 i. 
 
 2. ~ 
 
 V) 
 
 H 
 
 <- 
 
 15 
 
 -r 
 
 *> L 
 
 
 C ^ 
 
 
 H 
 
 v *>^3 
 
 3 b* 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 . «" 
 
 O 
 
 ■? £3 
 
 <n Vj 
 
 
 S-J \ 
 
 ■> 
 
 
 T 
 t. 
 
 <0 
 
 
 
 4u 
 
 
 \i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 01 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 Jr 
 
 fi 
 
 
 
 h^H 
 
 d 
 
 
 
 ft; 
 
 _i 
 
 
 -~* 
 
 
 
 
 
 <, 
 
 
 
 
 
 r * 
 
 % 
 
 », 
 
 -t~ 
 
 h 
 
 1 
 
 \ 
 
 4i 
 
 
 v^ 
 
 \- 
 
 
 co 
 
 
 
 
 1-1 
 
 
 
 (v 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 h. 
 
 w 
 
 p^ 
 
 Q 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 „ 
 
 
 <X> 
 
 w 
 
 O 
 
 f— 
 
 c- 
 
 
 
 1 - 
 
 3- 
 
 
 i 
 
 r-H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <fl 
 
 I 
 
 3D' 
 
 I 
 
 H 
 
 <5 
 
 3 ^ 
 
 V 
 
 
 5 
 
 0] 
 © 
 
 +3 
 o 
 
 © 
 
 u 
 
 a 
 
 05 
 
 <D 
 
 o 
 
 © 
 O 
 
 I 
 
 -P 
 R 
 
 © 
 
 © 
 
 HO 
 aj 
 C 
 
 H 
 
 © 
 
 R 
 
 o 
 ca 
 
 © 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 n 
 
 H 
 
 © 
 
 "3 
 
 EH 
 
 I 
 
 
; ; 
 
 ' 
 
Position 
 No. & Title 
 
 Similar 
 Positions 
 
 Positions 
 Below and 
 
 Above 
 
 Description 
 of Duties 
 
 Hours 
 
 Evaluation 
 
 Minimum 
 
 and 
 
 Desired 
 
 Qualifications 
 
 Suggested 
 Tests 
 
 - 
 Figure k 
 A TYPICAL JOB SPECIFICATION 
 lll_2 — Clerk-Stonographer 
 85 Positions in the organization 
 Secretary to Section Head 
 
 Below: lh-1 — Junior Clerk-Stenographer 
 
 Above: lh-3-- Senior Clerk-Stenographer 
 
 Under supervision does both clerical and stenographic work 
 in which either the stenographic work is of more than ordi- 
 nary difficulty, such as: taking dictation which includes 
 technical or highly varied matter or reporting meetings and 
 conferences; 
 
 or 
 if the stenographic work is simpler in character, the clerical 
 work is difficult and responsible in character and includes 
 such tasks as assembling and briefing facts and information, 
 preparing the more routine periodical statistical and account- 
 ing reports, indexing and classifying complicated material, 
 giving out information on specialized subjects, composing 
 correspondence involving a considerable variety of routine 
 subject matter, or preparing legal forms and other papers 
 without frequent instructions, or clerical work of approxi- 
 mately equal difficulty. 
 
 Regular office hours; overtime infrequent 
 
 Assigned to Salary Range VII 
 
 Education: At least high school with business course. 
 two-year college secretarial course. 
 
 Prefer 
 
 Experience: At least one year of satisfactory stenographic 
 and clerical experience. This may be waived if educational 
 background and high test scores justify. 
 
 Skills: Typing at least US net words per minute; prefer 55. 
 Shorthand, must pass 100 words per minute tests; prefer 120, 
 Ability to use calculating machines desirable in some posi- 
 tions. 
 
 Clerical Checking: Minimum 60; prefer over 70. 
 
 General Mental Ability: Minimum UO; desirable maximum 
 depends on how much routine in individual position. 
 
 Arithmetic: Consider position to be filled. Minimum of 80 
 if there is much work with figures. 
 
-6- 
 
 ■M-Figure h Con't 
 
 English Usage: Consider position. Minimum of 80 if letters 
 or reports are to be composed. 
 
 Typing: Minimum of U5j prefer 55 or higher. 
 
 Shorthand: Minimum of 100; prefer 120. 
 
 Interview: If for secretarial position, check especially- 
 emotional stability and tact. 
 
 Possible Use of In some positions persons whose lower limbs are crippled can 
 Person with serve satisfactorily. Check with employing executive. 
 Physical 
 Handicap 
 
 Sources Within Junior Clerk Stenographers 
 
 the Organization Also, check file to see qualifications of persons now doing 
 clerical work who have studied stenography. 
 
 Best Outside Local School System 
 
 Sources for 
 
 Applicants 
 
 Other Recruiting Copies of help-wanted advertisements should be pasted here, 
 Suggestions with statement as to date, paper, and results. Also any 
 other suggestions. 
 
 A WQFD OF CAUTION : 
 
 No one is in a position to say always do this and never do that when 
 preparing job specifications since the situation under which any set of job 
 specifications develop is, to some degree, unique unto itself. However, a few 
 thoughts may serve as guides: 
 
 1. The title should describe the job if at all possible. 
 
 2. Active verbs will greatly clarify the description of duties 
 (or tasks). However, one should avoid general verbs such as 
 "handles", "assists", "operates", etc. without going into 
 what these actions imply, 
 
 3. Educational requirements should be rather specific such as 
 stating that the job requires the use of fractions; reading; 
 writing, etc. The years of schooling are elusive. 
 
 In Experience requirements should be spelled out in terms of time 
 and types. Reliance on traditional apprenticeship ideas should 
 be avoided until thoroughly investigated and substantiated. 
 
 5. References to testing methods used in the selection (and place- 
 ment) should be clearly indicated and be reliable and valid. 
 
 6. In some cases, it may be desirable to specify a maximum limit 
 within which an applicant for a particular job must fall in 
 order to avoid discontent through not utilizing his full 
 capacities. 
 
 p Taken from: Handbook of Personnel Management - George D. Halsey, Harper 
 & Brothers, 19U7. 
 
 ILIR No. 85 
 
 (U9-50) 
 
 /ec 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINO] 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 19U9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 THE USE OF THE APPLICATION BLANK 
 
 Paul F. Gorby, Manager Central Personnel Services 
 Marshall Field & Co., Chicago, Illinois 
 
 I. Introduction 
 
 A« What a dull topic around which to build an interesting afternoon i 
 
 B, Before getting into the subject matter I would like to take a 
 crack at answering the question raised in an earlier paper "Why a 
 Selection Program?" 
 
 1. I say we can't help ourselves - we can't keep from selecting. 
 
 2. We are selecting and sizing up people all of the time. 
 
 a. When we enter a room we look around and pick out those 
 we like and those we don't quite go for. 
 
 b. When we get onto a street car we size up the person 
 with whom we want to sit. 
 
 c. When you enter a restaurant and decide where you will 
 sit, if at a counter don't you give the waitress at 
 least a quick appraising glance? 
 
 d. Certainly a selection process goes on as to what friends 
 we associate with. 
 
 e. And the process works in some fashion as to whom we marry 
 - perhaps we men shouldn't kid ourselves as to who does 
 the selecting. 
 
 f. We select our secretaries and this leads us to the se- 
 lection of employees. 
 
 C, What part does the application blank play in this selection process? 
 
 D* First of all, I feel I must tell you how I regard the assessment 
 process. 
 
 I. What job do I assign the application blank as a player on a team? 
 
 A. Just to confuse you with another analogy, I would like to have 
 you think of what we could know about any individual if we were 
 omniscient as a three dimensional figure which looks like a fat 
 pie. 
 
 1. When we start out the entire pie is unknown and the job of 
 assessment is to narrow the unknown to a minimum. 
 
 a. What is the degree of unknown which can remain and still 
 allow us to do a job is quite a question. How about you 
 and your wife? 
 
 b. Certainly, we can all agree we must learn significantly 
 more than we now know. 
 
 c. Of course, I have found you can learn a lot about a 
 person and then not know what to do with the data, 
 (l) Tell story of my trip to learn about a candi- 
 date and when I began to evaluate all I had 
 learned I realized that many of the weaknesses 
 were of such a character that would not have 
 qualified half of the vice presidents in busi- 
 ness today. 
 
-2- 
 
 (2) Tell story of my conversation on the subject of 
 the problem of children from broken homes as 
 candidates for scholarships. I discuss with our 
 first graduate and expressed my misgivings and 
 was shocked to find her from a broken home. 
 
 (3) Problems of threshold modify all of our evalu- 
 ations. 
 
 2. Let's insert a vector for each tool. 
 
 a. Job Specifications 
 
 b. Job Requisitions 
 
 c. Selection of source for recruiting 
 
 d. Pre-application blank 
 
 e. Preliminary interview by receptionist 
 
 f . Final application blank 
 
 go Secondary or final and hiring interview 
 
 h. Tests 
 
 i. Medical Examinations 
 
 j. References 
 
 k. Credit references 
 
 1. Fingerprinting 
 
 m. Induction period 
 
 3. But further refinement of this is necessary an! that is to 
 think of the third dimension as falling into four layers 
 or levels. Each level is a different phase of our evalu- 
 ation. 
 
 a. Level one - is observational, and what you can learn 
 
 through your senses, such as to appearance, 
 pronunciations, body odors, etc. 
 
 b. Level two - is factual and has to do with personal data, 
 
 such as place of birth, education, previous 
 jobs, marital and martial status, etc. 
 
 c. Level three - is concerned with capacity and aptitude 
 
 and proficiency. This can be ascertained 
 chiefly by tests and medical examinations, 
 etc. 
 
 d. Level four - is determined by deduction and estimation, 
 
 and is concerned with the deep springs of 
 human emotion and personality. 
 
 B. Each selection tool is concerned with either one or more of the 
 four levels with varying degrees of penetration. 
 
 1. One interviewer will be able to utilize a tool more effec- 
 tively than the next. 
 
 2. One job will require more careful assessment than the next, 
 
 C. The application blank is involved in varying degrees writh all 
 four levels, 
 
 I. One other approach to this problem I must suggest and that springs 
 from my belief that the only reason for existence of any form is 
 that it meets a management need. 
 
 A. The need to select good employees I am sure has been established 
 -,s a management need of first importance. 
 
 B. A management need exists to convince the applicants your company 
 is a desirable place to work in competition vith others. 
 
<•. • 
 
-3- 
 
 C. A need exists to obtain certain basic data required by law and 
 payroll requirements. 
 
 D. A need exists to build up a basic record file on each employee - 
 the why of this is fairly obvious but if some one wants to 
 challenge it I would start off my reply by referring to problems 
 of promotion, merit rating, layoff, occupational injuries, etc. 
 
 V. Now what I propose today is to take a few apolication forms and the 
 items within those forms and measure them against a measuring check 
 list embodying the two basic jobs the application form has to do; (1) 
 meet management needs, (2) contribute to the assessment of an indi- 
 vidual at the four levels. At the same time we must make the form 
 simple, attractive and non-time consuming. Without these last con- 
 ditions the form could be endless. 
 
 A. Let's look at the list of qualifying conditions. 
 
 How to judge an application blank 
 (See form attached) 
 
 1. Note the criteria are whether 
 
 a. A management need is met such as whether on this form, 
 
 (1) required legally by government or benefit plan 
 
 (2) required as significant for company record 
 purposes immediately as a part of the appli- 
 cation form 
 
 (3) management needs to inform the applicant or 
 new employee on the form of certain inform- 
 ation concerning the company 
 
 (k) the company wants to persuade the appli- 
 cant as to the desirability of signing up 
 with the company, 
 
 b. The material on this form rather than on other forms 
 obtained later perhaps contribute to one of the four 
 levels of assessment. 
 
 (1) Does the item or material provide inform- 
 ation which can be assessed by the inter- 
 viewer's senses? 
 
 (2) Does the item or material requested supply data 
 which can later be used for assessment purposes? 
 
 (3) Does the item serve as an actual measuring 
 unit of an aptitude? 
 
 V. Now, the use of the form will vary with the type of use to which it 
 will be put, 
 
 A. If you are hiring a college graduate or a. technically trained 
 person you will want much more. 
 
 1. All of your selection tools will be more complex and 
 sharpened. 
 
 2. This tool will be just as improved. 
 
B. If you are attempting to recruit and select beginners for 
 routine jobs you will 
 
 l a want your application to be as simple as possible 
 with as few items as you can get by with; 
 
 2. want to encourage the applicant to fill out the form 
 by making the questions easy and attractive; 
 
 3. expect to get your collateral information on sub- 
 sequent forms and at later dates. 
 
 I. Conclusion 
 
o 
 
 6-i 
 
 > 
 
 CO 
 
 3 
 
 as 
 
 o s 
 
 fc o 
 M 
 
 CO <aj 
 
 H O 
 
 t-^1 M 
 
 O 0- 
 
 O 
 
 
 e 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sn 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 0) 
 
 
 
 
 
 «H 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 (0 
 
 co 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 e c 
 
 
 
 
 
 -p 
 
 ^ o 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 f-. 
 
 <H x) 
 
 
 -p 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 CD 
 
 
 n> 
 
 
 
 <*H 
 
 CO C 
 •H -H 
 
 
 bfl 
 
 
 
 rH 
 
 x: co 
 
 S 
 
 o 
 
 Tl 
 
 
 fD 
 
 -p -p 
 
 t- 
 
 -p 
 
 05 
 
 
 •H 
 
 . x> 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 -P 
 
 >H O 
 
 '-W 
 
 rH 
 
 •H 
 
 
 c 
 
 o 
 
 
 01 
 
 at 
 
 
 CD «H -P 
 
 Ih 
 
 •H 
 
 •P 
 
 
 CO 
 
 co 
 
 CD 
 
 •P 
 
 jr> 
 
 
 09 
 
 CD CD 
 
 x: 
 
 C 
 
 o 
 
 
 CD 
 
 rH ,Q 
 
 4-> 
 
 01 
 
 
 
 
 X> 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 en 
 
 
 
 ££ 
 
 
 CO 
 CI) 
 
 X) 
 
 
 X! 
 
 •H 
 
 
 
 -p 
 
 
 M 
 
 CO C 
 
 
 -p 
 
 en 
 
 
 •H 
 
 CD 0} 
 
 
 n 
 
 2 
 
 w 
 
 ffi o o 
 
 
 is 
 
 mS 
 
 o 
 n 
 
 II 
 
 II II 
 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 d 
 
 < 
 
 CQ O 
 
 
 t=» 
 
 5 
 
 a, 
 
 I . 
 
 03 > 
 r M Q.-P 
 " H 03 -H 
 
 nod 
 
 O «M 
 
 CD 
 
 o 
 c 
 
 0) 
 
 •p 
 
 C CO <D 
 
 CD B 
 E CD 
 
 > H 
 
 c 
 o 
 
 •H 
 
 H 03 -P 
 
 CD -P CO .H 
 
 (h <H M -H 03 
 03 
 
 O T3 
 
 CD «h TO <M CO -P -P 
 tt O fn O Sm 03 CO 
 
 Oh 
 <33 
 
 CD 
 CU 
 
 e c 
 
 «j -p 
 
 03 
 O 
 
 CO .p 
 C -H 
 O O 
 
 •H 
 
 s 
 
 •H 
 CO 
 
 CM 
 
 C"\ 
 
 « 
 
 U"\ 
 
 >> 
 -P 
 
 •H 
 rH 
 •H 
 
 X) 
 03 
 
 +3 
 
 •H 
 
 SO 
 
 CO 
 
 B 
 
 CD 
 -P 
 
 O 
 •H 
 <H 
 •H 
 O 
 
 P. 
 CO 
 
 ro 
 
 CO 
 CO 
 
 £ 
 
 < 
 
 C\J 
 
 o 
 
 cO 
 
 CO 
 
 (*\ 
 
 X 
 CD 
 CO 
 
 CO CO 
 
 3 CO 
 
 O CD 
 
 •H S-. 
 
 > T3 
 
 CD T3 
 
 J- < 
 
 * 
 
CO CO 
 
 c 
 
 o 
 
 •H 
 •H P 
 «3 
 
 0) S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > Jh 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •H O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O «H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fri CD 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O r-\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O «H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CD fe 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r-i CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO P 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ttfi cd 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 HH 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -P 
 
 1 
 
 CD 
 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 C 
 
 CD 
 
 •P 
 
 
 
 
 
 •p 
 
 •- 
 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 m 
 
 
 CO CO 
 
 
 CD X) 0-- 
 
 «o 
 
 T> CO 
 
 
 rH 
 
 f>. 
 
 
 G 
 
 >>P 
 
 
 
 Tl 
 
 CD 
 
 C 3 
 
 h 
 
 - -P 
 
 U 
 
 § CD C 
 S U CD 
 
 
 CD T3 
 
 
 ro 
 
 P 
 
 
 H 10 CD 
 
 Sh O 
 
 
 Tl 
 
 CD 
 
 CO 
 
 CD O 
 
 cC 
 
 4-5 CO 
 
 o 
 
 J>» 
 
 S-i 
 
 
 O 
 
 O -P 
 
 -P 
 
 CO d Tj 
 
 CO CD 
 
 rH 
 
 Sh 
 
 rH 
 
 h 
 
 £ 
 
 rH 
 
 •H CD 
 
 -p 
 
 O -H N 
 
 Jh 
 
 •H ,C 
 
 
 •H 
 
 o x: 
 
 .£3 
 
 P -P c 
 
 P C 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 •H 
 
 3 
 
 CO cO 
 
 2 
 
 > M 
 
 o 
 
 H (O-H 
 
 CO 
 
 CO -P 
 
 
 CO 
 
 Cm tsO 
 
 W) 
 
 •H CO CD 
 
 •H C 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 o 
 
 P 1 U 
 
 O 
 
 •H CD 
 
 CO 
 
 a D -P 
 
 rH 
 
 h 
 
 CD 
 
 !>» 
 
 CD tH 
 
 •H 
 
 u -p a. 
 
 rH O 
 
 X! 
 
 m 
 
 •P 
 
 
 
 -P 
 
 •H 
 
 P> P 
 
 En 
 
 B n -h 
 
 CD 
 
 •H 
 
 bO 
 
 .C 
 
 T) CD 
 
 CD 
 
 CO CO CD 
 
 •H O 
 
 O 
 
 Jh 
 
 CD 
 
 
 X 
 
 rH 
 
 o c 
 
 
 w O 
 
 CO 
 
 m 
 
 <H 
 
 (X. 
 
 cc 
 
 far 
 
 sa o 
 
 s 
 
 CO 
 
 
 Q 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 <aj KH 
 
 
 vO o- 
 
 <X> 
 
 On 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 CM 
 
 rn 
 
 -3- UN 
 
 vO 
 
 f- 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 rH 
 
 r-\ 
 
 rH 
 
 rH rH 
 
 rH 
 
 H 
 
 
 rH 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 C\J 
 
- i 
 
_7~ 
 
 C 
 o 
 
 to -H 
 CD -P 
 
 x: a? 
 
 S -H 
 O 
 
 & 
 
 CO 
 
 i 
 
 TJ 
 
 c 
 
 a) 
 
 M 
 
 CD 
 
 
 S 
 
 a 
 
 
 > 
 
 •P 
 
 •H 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 ] 
 
 / oj 
 
 CO -H 
 
 M a) 
 
 CD -P 
 CO 05 
 
 T3 
 
 U CD 
 
 O rH 
 
 CD fc 
 
 H 03 
 • 05 +> 
 I bO o) 
 
 I cd Q 
 
_■_ 
 
 M 
 M 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 CO -P 
 X) CO 
 O 
 
 T 
 
 O 
 On 
 
 "~ C7J 
 
 +H CO 
 
 O CD 
 
 !>» CD -PrH 
 
 o co p rabo 
 
 05 -P CD Q 
 
 1^ (OH • 
 
 o s os 
 o o 
 ad o 
 
 E: rH 
 •H rH 
 -P -H 
 
 -P 5* 
 
 co o 
 
 O <H 
 i-3 
 
 5-i P 60 
 
 O C 5-i 
 
 CD CD 
 
 CO TJ Si 
 
 CO -H O £>• 
 
 CD O CO CO 
 fl O'H 0) 
 
 CO Q 
 
 T3 
 
 O- CO T3 -P 
 
 to) CD CD C! | 
 
 -P - > >jrH CD -H 
 
 •H 'O «H O CD fi Ch 
 
 H C -P h C, o) , H 
 
 CD 03 03 Q, -P -P 
 
 Sh -P rH £• C CO 5-1 
 
 O CO CD CD CD -P CD 
 
 C£ O CO O 
 
 • 
 
 CD 
 
 CM 
 
 CO 
 C\J 
 
 On 
 C\J 
 
 o 
 
 ■H 
 
 -P 
 
 CO 
 
 CD -H 
 
 rH Jh 
 
 £5 CD 
 
 03 -P 
 
 CO O 
 
 CO 05 
 
 CD U 
 
 co co 
 
 CO Xi 
 
 < o 
 
 CO 
 CO 
 
 s 
 
 p 
 
 03 
 
 CD 
 
 I 
 
 o 
 
 W) ^ 
 C 5h 
 
 ■H +5 
 ^ CO CO 
 
 o c c 
 
 HH OTl£ 
 rH -H C 
 
 O <H P CO 
 fe O EC 
 
 - CD 
 -P -P 
 
 •H O CO b0 
 
 5-i 03 O C 
 
 ^ 5h -H -H 
 
 CO P rH 
 
 CO rH 
 
 H CD 
 
 Q, 
 
 CO 
 
 CM 
 
 O^ 
 
 -J" 
 
 1A 
 
 NO 
 
 M 
 ►H 
 
SM-5-49 
 
 KOPPERS COMPANY, INC. 
 
 KOPPERS BUILDING 
 
 PITTSBURGH 19, PA. 
 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT 
 
 DATE. 
 
 LAST 
 
 STREET AND No. 
 REVIOUS ADDRESS- 
 
 r-MENT DESIRED. 
 
 OR WAGE DESIRED: 
 
 P. O. ZONE No. 
 
 OU ANY PHYSICAL DEFECT OR DISABILITY: YES d NO D 
 
 MALE Q 
 
 .FEMALE D 
 
 SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NO. 
 
 APT. 
 _NO._ 
 
 TELE. 
 -NO 
 
 DATE 
 
 .MOVED. 
 
 ARE YOU A 
 .CITIZEN OF U. S. 
 
 .BIRTH DATE. 
 
 _AGE_ 
 
 ^L STATUS: SINGLE D 
 
 MARRIED D 
 
 WIDOWED D 
 
 DIVORCED D 
 
 SEPARATED □ 
 
 NO. PERSONS 
 iTED BY YOU- 
 
 RELATION. WIFE OR 
 .SHIP: HUSBAND. 
 
 AT MILITARY OR 
 ORGANIZATIONS 
 J BELONG? 
 
 NO. CHIL- 
 
 -DREN 
 
 AGES CHIL- 
 .DREN 
 
 PAR- 
 _ENTS- 
 
 -OTHER. 
 
 SCHOOL RECORD 
 
 NAME OF SCHOOL 
 AND LOCATION 
 
 SCHOOL YRS. 
 COMPLETED 
 
 YEAR 
 GRADUATED 
 
 COURSE 
 TAKEN 
 
 MO. YR. 
 
 MO. YR. 
 
 IONAL OR 
 
 :ss 
 
 3E OR 
 !SITY 
 
 SPONDENCE 
 L 
 
 STUDIES OR 
 ATE WORK 
 
 :ts of 
 lization. 
 
 TE NUMBER OF YEARS OF EACH SUBJECT TAKEN: 
 
 
 ALGEBRA 
 
 GEOM. 
 
 TRIG* 
 
 OTHER 
 MATH. 
 
 MECH. 
 DWG. 
 
 PHYS. 
 
 CHEM. 
 
 BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 
 
 ACCTG^ 
 
 LAW 
 
 STENO. 
 
 STATIS. 
 
 MGMT. 
 
 iCHOOL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 IONAL SCHOOL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BK 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3SITY 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 igh school and/or college activities. outside regular studies, in which you participated. also any hobbies or other 
 :sts 
 
 
 TO NOTIFY 
 URGENCY: NAME. 
 
 -RELATION. 
 
 SS:. 
 
APPLICANT'S BUSINESS EXPERIENCE 
 
 GIVE THE NAMES OF THE COMPANIES FOR WHICH YOU HAVE WORKED 
 
 PRINT NAME OF 
 PRESENT OR 
 LAST EMPLOYER. 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 STREET AND NO. 
 
 P. O. ZONE NO. 
 
 PRINT NAME OF 
 
 PERSON FOR 
 
 WHOM YOU WORKED. 
 
 START- 
 ING 
 -DATE 
 
 LEAV- 
 ING 
 -DATE. 
 
 FINAL 
 RATE OF 
 -PAY 
 
 HOU 
 
 WEE 
 -MOIV 
 
 OCCUPATION- 
 
 REASON FOR 
 -LEAVING 
 
 NATURE OF 
 WORK DONE- 
 
 PRINT NAME OF NEXT 
 PREVIOUS EMPLOYER 
 
 ADDRESS. 
 
 STREET AND NO. 
 PRINT NAME OF 
 PERSON FOR 
 WHOM YOU WORKED 
 
 START- 
 ING 
 -DATE 
 
 LEAV- 
 ING 
 
 .DATE-. 
 
 ZONE NO. 
 FINAL 
 RATE OF 
 PAY 
 
 STATE 
 HOU 
 WEE 
 MOf 
 
 OCCUPATION- 
 
 REASON FOR 
 -LEAVING 
 
 NATURE OF 
 WORK DONE- 
 
 PRINT NAME OF NEXT 
 PREVIOUS EMPLOYER- 
 
 ADDRESS- 
 
 STREET AND No. 
 
 P. O. ZONE NO. 
 
 PRINT NAME OF 
 
 PERSON FOR 
 
 WHOM YOU WORKED. 
 
 START- 
 ING 
 -DATE 
 
 LEAV- 
 ING 
 
 -DATE- 
 
 FINAL 
 RATE OF 
 _PAY 
 
 HOU 
 
 WEE 
 
 _MOt 
 
 OCCUPATION- 
 
 REASON FOR 
 -LEAVING 
 
 NATURE OF 
 WORK DONE 
 
 PRINT NAME OF NEXT 
 PREVIOUS EMPLOYER 
 
 ADDRESS- 
 
 STREET AND NO. 
 
 P. O. ZONE NO. 
 
 PRINT NAME OF 
 
 PERSON FOR 
 
 WHOM YOU WORKED. 
 
 START- 
 ING 
 -DATE 
 
 LEAV- 
 ING 
 -DATE- 
 
 FINAL 
 RATE OF 
 -PAY 
 
 HOL 
 WEE 
 _MOf 
 
 OCCUPATION- 
 
 REASON FOR 
 -LEAVING 
 
 NATURE OF 
 WORK DONE. 
 
■HREE CHARACTER REFERENCES TO WHOM WE MAY WRITE OTHER THAN FORMER EMPLOYERS AND RELATIVES 
 
 OCCUPATION. 
 
 TEL. 
 -NO 
 
 .YEARS KNOWN 
 
 -OCCUPATION. 
 
 TEL. 
 
 .NO 
 
 -YEARS KNOWN 
 
 -OCCUPATION- 
 
 TEL. 
 -NO 
 
 -YEARS KNOWN- 
 
 MILITARY SERVICE IN U. S. ARMED FORCES 
 
 ^ OF SERVICE- 
 
 -RANK OR RATING- 
 
 -SERIAL NO. 
 
 E OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITY- 
 
 NTERED SERVICE- 
 
 -DATE DISCHARGED- 
 
 -TYPE OF DISCHARGE- 
 
 GENERAL INFORMATION 
 
 OU EVER BEEN CONVICTED T_ 
 
 -EXPLAIN:- 
 
 OU EVER RECEIVED ACCIDENT COMPENSATION?- 
 
 -EXPLAIN: 
 
 OU LOST TIME AS A RESULT OF 
 NT OR ILLNESS IN PAST FIVE YEARS?- 
 
 -EXPLAIN: 
 
 OU EVER BEEN DISMISSED OR FORCED TO RESIGN FROM ANY EMPLOYMENT?- 
 
 -EXPLAIN: 
 
 OU ANY JUDGMENTS OUTSTANDING AGAINST YOU7- 
 
 . EXPLAIN: 
 
 OU EVER WORKED FOR KOPPERS CO..INCL 
 
 -DIV.. 
 
 -LOCATION- 
 
 LE- 
 
 -DATES- 
 
 OU ANY RELATIVE EMPLOYED BY KOPPERS CO.. INC. 7- 
 
 -STATE NAME, RELATIONSHIP AND LOCATION- 
 
 
SUMMARIZE BRIEFLY BELOW OTHER EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS 
 
 (INCLUDE LICENSES YOU HOLD. E. G.. FIREMAN. ENGINEER. ETC. CLERICAL APPLICANTS SHOULD STATE ABILITY TO OPERATE SPECIFIC 
 
 MACHINES.)- 
 
 
 I CERTIFY THAT THE FOREGOING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF. AND AU7 
 THE KOPPERS CO.. INC.. TO INVESTIGATE ALL STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS APPLICATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT A PHYSICAL EXAM1NATK 
 BE A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT. 
 
 SIGNATURE. 
 
 INTERVIEWER'S COMMENTS 
 
 INTERVIEWED BY. 
 
 _(P) A B C D (E) A B C D (A) A B C D_ 
 
 ADDITIONAL 1NTERVIEWS. 
 
 .REFERRED BY. 
 
 REMARKS: (TO INCLUDE RESULTS OF TESTS GIVEN). 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 194-9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 SAMPLE TEST ITEMS 
 
- 2 - 
 GENERAL INTELLIGENCE TEST ITEMS 
 
 Begin Here. 
 
 Put the number 
 of the right 
 answer here. 
 
 4 fair, 5 
 4. uncle, 
 
 subject. . . ■ 
 
 5 fourth.., 
 
 5 doller, 
 
 1. Which is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 evening, 2 his try, 3 speak, 
 
 2. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 eight, 2 restrain, 3 afrade, 
 
 3. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 accept, 2 capture, 3 inspect, 4 bridge, 
 
 4. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 gentleman, 2 primary, 3 property, 4- terra ole, 5 final. 
 
 5. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 beautiful, 2 repare, 3 trouble, 4- flight, 5 importance 
 
 6. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 She lost the book. 2 He wrote a letter. 3 lou hadn't ought to do it.! 
 
 7. How many complete sentences are there in the following? 
 
 Let Harry carry the apples I will carry the milk you may carry the 
 bread . . . 
 
 8. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 He couldn't hardly do it. 2 No one is here but me. 3 Many people 
 like meat 
 
 9. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 I wish I were there. 2 I don't want no more to eat. 3 Both of us 
 are going 
 
 10. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 century, 2 assist, 3 perticular, 4 total, 5 difference 
 
 11. Which word is wrongly spelled? 
 
 1 machine, 2 success, 3 avenue, 4- entertain, 5 visiter 
 
 12. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 I don't know whom you mean. 2 He gave some of the fish to Harold and 
 1 . 3 Who will go if you don ' t? 
 
 13. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 He sat in a chair. 2 His arm was broke. 3 How do -rou know? 4- We 
 all came home 
 
 14* Which is wrong? 
 
 1 I will go too. 2 We lost our way. 3 Let me do it for you. 4 He did 
 very good 
 
 15. Which is wrong? 
 
 1 We are both older than he. 2 1 have got a bad cold. 3 We all went 
 home together 
 
 He has a certain larger 
 
 16. A man had a certain sum in the bank last year. 
 sum this year. To find how much he has saved during the year you 
 should (?) 
 
 1 add, 2 subtract , 3 multiply, 4 divide • 
 
 17. A bus makes a certain number of trips a day over the same road. Each 
 trip is a certain number of miles. To find the total number of miles 
 traveled per day you should (?) 
 
 1 add, 2 subtract, 3 multiply, 4 divide 
 
 18. If 2g- yards of cloth cost 20 cents, how many cents will 10 yards cost?.. 
 
 19. A portion of land almost surrounded by water is called (?) 
 
 1 a bay, 2 an island, 3 a lake, 4 a capo, 5 a peninsula 
 
 20. An uncle is to an aunt as a son is to a (?) 
 
 1 brother, 2 daughter, 3 sister, 4 father, 5 girl 
 
 21. If I have a large box with 3 small boxes in it and 4 very small boxes 
 
 in each of the small boxes, how many boxes are there in all? 
 
 22. One number is wrong in the following series. Wh".t should that number be? 
 
 1 2 4 5 7 8 10 11 12 14 
 v If you finish before the time is 
 
 up, go back and make sure that every answer is right.) 
 
- 3- 
 
 GENERAL CLERICAL APTITIDB TEST ITEMS 
 
 TEST II. CLASSIFICATION. 2 MINUTES 
 
 A man kept his accounts under six headings. On this page there is a column 
 for each of the headings, with the name written above it. Work down the list of 
 things which the man bought, and put a check in one of the columns to show under 
 which heading each item should be classed. The first two items arc done for you 
 as examples. Be careful to put the check exactly on the right line. 
 
 
 Food 
 
 Traveling 
 Expenses 
 
 Clothing 
 
 Amusements 
 
 Heating 
 and 
 Lighting 
 
 Sundry 
 
 other 
 
 Expenses 
 
 Postage Stamps 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 X 
 
 Baker (l week) 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Veal Cutlets 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Baseball Ticket 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 lb. Biscuits 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Matches 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "Tew Hat 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 Income Tax 
 
 -■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 Theatre Tickets 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 Electric Bulbs 
 
 1 i 
 
 _ _ 
 
 I 
 
 TEST V. CHECKING. 2h MITIUTES . 
 
 The items in Column A have been copied out in Column B, but some mistakes 
 have been made in copying. Compare the two columns and put an X in Column C 
 against any item which has not been copied out correctly; the first two mistakes 
 are marked. V/ork as quickly and accurately as you can and note that mistakes have 
 been made in the names and titles as well as in the figures. 
 
 Column A 
 
 Mr. Tom Roberts ')1225 
 
 Mrs. B. S. Van Bon .43102.50 
 
 Mr. Harvey 67 
 
 Miss Kitty Davis 330.25 
 
 Mr. Harold Dixon 127197 
 
 Mr. Urquhart 26 
 
 Mrs. Valentine 59190.50 
 Miss Angelina McNab 863 
 
 Mrs. T. Treherne 122383.75 
 
 Mrs. Belinda 72 
 
 Mrs. S. Higson 100 
 
 Mr. Stephen Mart 344174. 
 
 Miss Brown 1193 
 
 Mr. Deleuse 109.50 
 
 Column B 
 Mr. Tom Roberts 
 Mrs. B. S. Van Ben 
 Mrs. Harvey 
 Miss Kitty Davies 
 Mr. Harold Dixon 
 Mr. Urquhart 
 Mrs. Valentine 
 Miss Angela McNab 
 Mrs. T. Treherne 
 Mrs. Belinda 
 Mr. S. Higson 
 Mr. Stephan Mart 
 Miss Brown 
 Mr. Deleuse 
 
 Column C 
 $1225 
 
 43182. 
 67 
 
 50 
 25 
 
 25" 
 
 _X_ _ 
 X 
 
 330. 
 127197 
 
 
 26 
 5992 
 
 
 
 868 
 
 
 122383. 
 72 
 
 
 100 
 
 
 344174 
 
 
 1193 
 
 
 109.50 
 
REASONING 
 
 - h 
 
 NUMBER FACILITY 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 S 
 
 b 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 1 
 
 12 
 
 i o 
 
 m- 
 
 ig 
 
 r& 
 
 il 
 
 ;a 
 
 .'.*.. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NUMBER CODE is based on numerical system 
 of the ancient Maya. To prepare for test, 
 study Maya numbers to 19 (above). 
 Numbers 20 and over, expressed by combin- 
 ing symbols one above another, are de- 
 ciphered by multiplying the bottom symbol 
 by one, top symbol by 20, and adding 
 (below, right). 
 
 EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 
 
 1LXI = 7 
 
 x 20-iao 
 
 X I SB 7 
 
 l£T 
 
 ABILITY TO CALCULATE, tested by this 
 exercise, is one of the most specific of 
 the primary mental functions. It is 
 essential to clerks, cashiers and ac- 
 countants, valuable in many other pro- 
 fessions. To take the test, which should 
 require five minutes, write equivalents 
 of Maya numbers in boxes at right. 
 
 UNRELATED OBJECT in each line is out of 
 keeping with the rest. In the top line, 
 for example, all but fedora are party hats, 
 This is a test of reasoning power, which 
 is important in intellectual occupations. 
 Time: three minutes. 
 
 « . . 
 
 
 
 » • • • 
 
 
 
 
 « • 
 
 
 
 « « 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 • • • 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 • 
 ...» 
 
 
 
 
 
 » « » » 
 
 • • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 • • 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ... 
 
 
 
 ft • 
 
 » • • • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 • • 
 
 • •Oft 
 
 
 
 • »» 
 
 
 
 • ft • • 
 
 
 
 _._ 
 
 • 
 
 
 NON-VERBAL INTELLIGENCE TEST ITEMS 
 

 . 
 
 ' I 
 
- 5 - 
 PERSONALITY AND INTEREST TEST ITEMS 
 
 PART A 
 
 1. Do you feel that mary young people get ahead today because they 
 
 have "pull"? Yes ? No 1 
 
 2. Are most people thoughtless of the rights of others? Yes ? No 2 
 
 3. Are you continually comparing yourself with other people? Yes ? No 3 
 
 4. Do a lot of people you have known tend to form "cliques" or closed 
 
 groups? Yes ? No 1+ 
 
 5. Generally speaking, do you believe that the boy who has not learned 
 
 to defend himself deserves to "take a beating"? Yes ? No 5 
 
 6. Do you find that generally if you want a thing done right you must 
 
 do it yourself? Yes ? No 6 
 
 7. Can a person get ahead by his own efforts if he does not look out 
 
 for himself at every turn? Yes ? No 7 
 
 8. Do you consider yourself a rather nervous person? Yes ? No 3 
 
 9. Do you think your generation has as many opportunities for success 
 
 as your parents ' generation had? Yes ? No 9 
 
 10. Do other people pay more attention to your comings and goings than 
 
 they should? Yes ? No 10 
 
 11. When things become dull do you feel the urge to stir up some 
 
 excitement? Yes ? No 11 
 
 12. Do you think the educational system in this country is seriously 
 
 wrong in many respects? Yes ? No 12 
 
 PART B 
 On this page there are three short groups of personal characteristics. Each 
 group contains descriptions of six of these characteristics. Read through the 
 first list and then rate yourself as follows: Place a "1" on the line in front of 
 the description which you think fits you best; "2" in front of the description 
 next most characteristic of you; "3" in front of the third best; and so on 
 down to "6" for the description that least fits you. 
 
 Be sure to read all six items before writing in any numbers. Each number 
 from 1 to 6 is to be used once, and only once. 
 
 Industrious, energetic, persevering. This means you work steadily and 
 
 earnestly; finish your work in spite of difficulties or discouragement. 
 
 Sociable, cordial, cheerful. This means you like to be with people; enjoy 
 
 parties or gatherings; have many acquaintances. 
 
 Analytical, critical, intellectual. This means you are inclined to study and 
 
 observe; are quick to notice weaknesses and faults; like to get at the how 
 and why of things. 
 
 Ambitious, eager to get ahead. This means you have a strong desire to get 
 
 somewhere, to gain wealth or recognition, to surpass others. 
 
 Tactful, diplomatic. This means r \i say and do the right thing; do not rub 
 
 people the wrong way; are able to deal with others without giving offense. 
 
 Enthusiastic, eager, spirited. This means that you have strong feelings and 
 
 that you are much interested both in people and in things that are happening. 
 
! 
 
- 6 - 
 
 
 PART C 
 Each of the following questions is followed by four possible answers. Decide 
 which answer you like better than any of the others and place a number "1" in 
 front of it. Place a "2" in front of the answer you like next best; then a "3"; 
 and finally a n 4 M for the answer which appeals to you least. 
 
 Only the four answers given here are to be used, even though other better 
 
 answers may occur to you. If your preference is not clear, make the best guess 
 
 you can. There are no right or wrong answers; you are merely to express your own 
 choice. Be sure to number all four answers. 
 
 1. In the course of a week, which of the following things gives you the 
 greatest satisfaction? 
 
 a. Being told that you have done good work. 
 
 b. Helping people who are in trouble; doing things for others. 
 
 c. Being with 3 r our family and close friends. 
 
 d. Having free time to use as you please. 
 
 2. Which of the following organisations would .you prefer to belong to? 
 
 a. A political group setting out to gain control in your community. 
 
 b. An organization to protect its members against financial loss. 
 
 c. A well-known club of loading people in the community. 
 
 d. A little-known club where members informally "loaf 1 and enjoy 
 
 themselves. 
 
 ILIR-87 
 (11/11/49) 
 
 pwr 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 1949 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 THE SELECTION OF EXECUTIVES 
 
 Carroll L. Shartle 
 The Ohio State University 
 
 In developing selection methods, one finds increasing complexity as he comes 
 up the organization chart. The worker on the assembly line while technically 
 involved in a very complex operation performs tasks which are quite different 
 than those of persons whom we think of as executives. Executives are involved 
 in a complexity of human relations, as well as dealing with techrical subjects 
 in which they must have competent background. 
 
 The problem of selection of executives is so complicated that it involves 
 not merely "testing" or "measurement" techniques but likewise the application 
 of research methods from several related sciences. I refer chiefly to 
 industrial engineering, economics, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. 
 
 Claims to having solved the problem of executive selection are sometimes 
 made by persons who talk or write with a great deal of assurance, yet in 
 judging these claims one usually fails to find the factual evidence to 
 support the claims. In fact I would be willing to wager that there is 
 an inverse ratio between claims mde and the amount of scientific research 
 available to support these claims. 
 
 In developing scientific selection methods, we generally standardize them 
 on a sample of workers. We then do a check study on several samples and 
 then a follow up study to see if the techniques really work. In such studies 
 we know for what we are selecting. In executive performance, I doubt if we 
 do know in most instances even what an executive is. 
 
 Who is an executive anyway? Designation of executives vary among organiza- 
 tions. Is a Treasurer, for example, included even though he may have no 
 staff? Is the legal counsel an executive? What about the general manager 
 who spends most of his time making speeches or attending committee meetings 
 in Washington and delegates the operations activities to an assistant general 
 manager? Is the president of a corporation who holds his position because 
 he owns a large bloc): of stock and who seldom appears at his office an. 
 executive? What about an office manager who has a large clerical staff? 
 How about the Secretary of the Board, or the board members themselves? 
 
 I must admit that I am confused by the apparently careless use of the term. 
 
 Executives may be desi jnated on terms of one or move fairly simple criteria 
 such as: 
 
 1. All officers of the organization are executives. 
 
 2. All individuals in the organization holding positions above a 
 specified level in the organization chart are executives '(such 
 as all department heads and above). 
 
- 2 - 
 
 3. All person j who have under their supervision more than a 
 specified number of employees are executives. 
 
 4. All persons v/ho receive a salary above a specified amount 
 are executives. 
 
 5. All v/ho attend the general manager's staff meeting are 
 executives. 
 
 I believe that in attempting to take a scientific approach to executive 
 selection we must go much farther than the above designations in determining 
 v/hat an executive is. In fact, I would venture the thesis that (l) the 
 definition of an executive must be in terms of several criteria and (2) when 
 one designates a class of positions which he terms executive, there must be 
 subclassifications. A general grouping will combine too many unlike activities, 
 
 I would therefore propose that an early step, perhaps the first, in the 
 development of selection methods should be a careful analysis of all positions 
 which appear to come within the scope of executive performance. I would begin 
 the analysis at the top of the organization and work down. Since it may be 
 assumed that executive positions arc characteristically more numerous at the 
 top levels, one can continue his analysis downward until he reaches levels 
 where it appears that the positions no longer meet the criteria he has 
 developed. 
 
 The analysis of executive jobs for selection involves the application of 
 methods which receive loss emphasis in other tqpes of analysis. In my 
 experience in analyzing executive positions, I find that a high proportion 
 of the activities performed have four characteristics. 
 
 1. They are primarily symbolic. 
 
 2. They arc highly involved in interpersonal relationships. 
 
 3. They involve organization, formal and informal, which must 
 be studied to get a true picture of executive performance. 
 
 4. They are related to the determination of organisational goals 
 and means of goal attainment. 
 
 Job Analysis 
 
 Let us take a look at how we may approach the problem of finding out what 
 executives do and what is satisfactory executive performance. 
 
 By observation, by interviews, by questionnaire, data on the activities of 
 these executives can be prepared in both narrative terms and in quantitative 
 terms. An attempt has been made to classify the executive activities. Thus 
 far, from studies in both industry and government the activities can be 
 classified under the following 14 headings : 
 
 1. Inspe cti on of th e Organization-Direct observation and personal inspection 
 of installations, buildings, cquipmont, facilities, operations, services 
 or personnel — for the purpose of determining conditions and keeping 
 informed, 
 
 2» Investigat ion an d Research-Acts involving the accumulation and pre- 
 paration of information and data. (Usually prepared and presented 
 in the form of written reports). 
 
- 3 - 
 
 3. Plannimr -Preparing for and making decisions which v/ill affect the 
 aims of the organisation as to volume or quality of business or 
 service. (Including thinking, reflection and reading, as veil as 
 consultations and conferences with persons relativo to short term and 
 long range plans) . 
 
 4» Preparati on of P rocedures and iicthods -Acts involving the mapping 
 of procedures and methods for putting new plans into effect, as 
 well as devising new methods for the performance of operations 
 under existing plans. 
 
 5. Coordina tion-Acts and decisions designed to integrate and coordinate 
 the activities of units within the organization or of persons within 
 units, so as to achieve the maximal over-all efficiency, economy 
 and control of operations. 
 
 6. Svaluation -Acts involving the consideration and evaluation of 
 reports, correspondence, data, plans, decisions or performances 
 
 in relation to the aims, policies and standards of the organization. 
 
 7. Interpretation of Plans an d Procedures-Acts involving the inter- 
 pretation and clarification for assistants and other staff 
 personnel of directives, regulations, practices, and procedures. 
 
 3. Supervision of Technical .Operations-Acts involving the direct 
 supervision of personnel in the performance of duties. 
 
 9. Personnel Activities -Acts involving the sections, training, evaluation, 
 motivation or disciplining of individuals, as well as acts designed 
 to affect the morale, motivation, loyalty or harmonious cooperation 
 of personnel. 
 
 10. Public Relations -Acts designed to inform outside persons regarding 
 the program and functions of the organization, to obtain information 
 regarding public sentiment, or to create a favorable attitude 
 toward the organization. 
 
 H • Pro fessio nal Consultation-Giving professional advice and specialized 
 assistance on problems of a specific or technical nature to persons 
 within or outside the organization. (Other than technical super- 
 vision and guidance of own staff personnel.) 
 
 12. Nego t iation s-Purchasing; , selling, negotiating contracts or agreements, 
 settling claims, etc. 
 
 13. Scheduling:. Routine; and Dispatc h ing-Initiating action and determining 
 the time, place, and sequence of operations. 
 
 14. Technical and Prqfcs signal Qpcratic ns -The performance of duties 
 specific to a specialised profession (e.g. practice of medicine, 
 conducting religious services, classroom teaching, auditing 
 records, operating machines or equipment) . 
 
- 4 - 
 
 An estimate is noted of the proportion of time spent on each ac ' ivity, and 
 a profile or pattern is prepared. No two patterns are alike. One executive 
 spends more time on public relations than any other activity. Another may 
 spend the greatest proportion of his time on evaluation. A third may spend 
 the greater proportion of his time in professional consultation, being 
 technically competent in his own field such as law, accounting, or research. 
 
 The fact that executive performance differs even in positions of the same 
 title and duties brings up the matter of studying executives. Here are two 
 presidents of corporations. The corporations are quite similar and the 
 duties of the executives are quite similar. However, President A has a 
 pattern vastly different from that of President B. They are both executives 
 with similar duties and different activities. If one wishes to study such 
 executives from the standpoint of their aptitudes, abilities, interests and 
 other characteristics, can he place them in the same criterion group? I 
 am inclined to say no. I think that studies of executives involving tests 
 have been misleading because all the executives •/ere placed in the same sample 
 and c/iterion groups have not been specified. 
 
 Thus one can see that job analysis here ?ets into the methods of sociology 
 and social psychology as well as those which have come up through the develop- 
 ments of industrial engineering and industrial psychology. 
 
 In certain long range research studies with which I happen to be working, 
 we have studied the performance of persons in high organization status 
 in a dozen different organization structures in business, and the armed 
 services. While we find that these executives hold jobs or assignments, it 
 may also be said that they have roles in social organization. Each one of 
 the organizations has goals or objectives specified or implied. 
 
 Evaluation of Executive Performance 
 
 If one knows the activities or performances of executives in various classi- 
 fications, he must in addition determine what kinds of performances are 
 better than others in this organization. Who are the executives who possess 
 those performance qualifications' 
 
 There seem to be at least two kinds of criteria that must be considered in 
 evaluating executive performance. The first kind of criteria is represented 
 by the activities of the organization for which the executive is responsible. 
 
 It is not easy to appraise the success of an organization unit, a department 
 or division and then attempt to estimate the role played by the particular 
 executive. In studying this problem, we have developed a term called goal- 
 achievement index. It is the ratio of the estimate of actual accomplishment 
 to what was supposed to be accomplished. It can be expressed in qualitative 
 and quantitative terms by ratings of superiors or by the analysis of records 
 such as financial, production, sales, ace: dents, and the like. It is a long 
 story and we can not go into details here. 
 
 Whatever technique is applied, one criterion or one group of criteria should 
 well include how an organization headed by this executive is achieving its 
 objective. 
 
- 5 - 
 
 The second classification of criteria appear to be aore in terms of the 
 executive's individual behavior and how ho is regarded by his co-workers. 
 There are a number of factors that can be explored here, and they must be 
 evaluated in relation to the factors concerning the performance of the group 
 he heads. Sometimes these nay be in conflict. The unit headed by an executive 
 may be accomplishing satisfactorily its objectives as set up by the board 
 of directors. But an analysis will show that the executive hi is elf is rated 
 low as one who gets along with his subordinates, in fact his fellow workers 
 may dislike him immensely. On the other hand, an executive may be rated 
 top as a supervisor and leader by his associates and subordinates but the 
 organization he heads may be slipping badly. 
 
 Time Factor 
 
 In the evaluation of executive performance, one is faced with the time 
 factor. Ov. r how long a period do you judge performance? One year, five 
 years, ten years? Today an executive may be rated high on the majority 
 of criteria applied. Perhaps you would regard him as an example of the 
 kind of performance you wish to select future executives to match. But 
 perhaps six months hence or a year honce the picture may have changed 
 markedly. He no longer meets your standards. How now do you rate his 
 performance? I think most of us would like to use criteria of performance 
 which cover as long a period as possible. This can be aided by a historical 
 approach to the organization and comparing evaluation from data which are 
 available from past .years. 
 
 Policy Factors 
 
 The various criteria used in evaluation of executive performance must be 
 weighed according to importance. The relative importance is often a high 
 policy matter. You may find some hints in the articles of incorporation, 
 the by-laws or board decisions. If for example, it is the policy of the 
 organization to expand rapidly, it quite naturally should be reflected in 
 executive performance and evaluation and in subsequent selection. On the 
 other hand, if there is a very conservative policy in regard to expansion 
 with great emphasis on improving what we now have, it should likewise affect 
 the criteria. 
 
 Selective Devices 
 
 Thus far we have mentioned several steps involved in the development of 
 selection methods for executives. They include; 
 
 1. Definition of what are executive positions. 
 
 2. A careful analysis of the work dene, the duties, and inter- 
 personal relationships of those now performing these tasks. 
 
 3. The classification of executive positions, according to the 
 kind of performance involved in them. 
 
 -4. The criteria for evaluating success performance and the 
 determination of the kinds of performances for which you 
 wish to select. 
 
- 6 - 
 
 Now wo come to bhe techniques which will find thorn. I believe that some of 
 the predictions which boar out the promise of validity in the future arc: 
 
 1. Physiological data (especially those relating (l) to physical 
 vigor and endurance and (2) to sensor/ threshold, sensitivity, 
 irritability, alertness and reactivity). Hints from compre- 
 hensive survey of the literature. 
 
 2. Data regarding work performance. (Especially those relating 
 to responsibility patterns, work patterns, and work methods, 
 as well as past work history) . 
 
 3. Measures of formal informal group structure (Moreno, Ohio 
 State Leadership Studios). 
 
 4. Measures of observed behavior in groups (O.S.S., Lewin, 
 Launor Garter, John Hemphill). 
 
 5. Sociological and economic data concerning status (especially 
 those which determine group identifications, mobility, 
 ideals and prejudices). Suggested by such studies as 
 those of Lloyd Earner and Dollard. 
 
 6. Measures of Personality Struetu e (especially as related to 
 concepts of self integrity, social perception, expansiveness 
 and social imagination). Most promising methods; projective 
 tests and Army Forced Choice Technique. 
 
 7. Measures of interest and personal goals (interest tests and 
 level of aspiration experiments). 
 
 8. Measures of intelligence (especially comprehension and per- 
 ceptual organization). Thurstone's studies. 
 
 9. Measures of technical knowledge (especially administrative 
 knowledge). Dorothy Adkins. 
 
 The steps which I have outlined are lengthy and difficult. But what personnel 
 in an organization deserve greater attention? 
 
 ILIR-82 
 (11/11/49) 
 
 pwr 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 194-9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-13 
 
 TESTS IN SELECTION 
 
 By Stanley E. Seashore 
 Consulting Psychologist 
 A. T. Kearney & Company, Chicago, 111. 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 I am sure that all of you have some familiarity with the testjjig of 
 applicants for employment. Some of you no doubt are now using tests as a part 
 of your employment procedure,, If you were in the military services or have been 
 in the market yourself for a job change during the last fey years, the chances 
 are that you have had a personal experience in taking employment tests. Yester- 
 day afternoon you had an opportunity to become acquainted with a number of the 
 employment tests widely used at the present time. 
 
 The growth of the use of tests in business and industry is fairly 
 impressive and surveys reported by the National Industrial Conference Board and 
 others show that the use of tests has literally multiplied in the last decade, 
 particularly among the larger and more progressive companies. It is safe to say 
 that testing is here to stay. It is a technique in selection which is well 
 beyond the experimental stage, and which has met the demands of practical applica- 
 tion in a wide variety of situations. Name any industry and you will find in it 
 some company that has made successful use of selection tests. 
 
 The fact remains, however, that the present use of tests is predominantly 
 in the larger organizations. There are reasons for this and it is entirely neces- 
 sary and proper that the larger companies should do much of the pioneering work 
 in this type of management technique. Testing has often been passed by or dis- 
 carded by the smaller organizations because of the belief that only a big operator 
 can afford testing and can get the most out of it. 
 
 TESTING IN SMALLER 
 ORGANIZATIONS 
 
 It has been my fortune during the last few years to discuss selection 
 tests with a number of organizations, some small and others large. These dis- 
 cussions have tended to follow a pattern which is now becoming familiar. Some 
 of the basic assumptions in testing appear now to be taken for granted and are 
 no longer questioned seriously. For example, few people question the importance 
 of improved selection in their organization. It is now accepted as a matter which 
 merits time, attention and money as a practical factor in the operation of a 
 successful company. Also, the idea of individual differences in aptitudes, 
 abilities, interests and motives is an accepted idea, although few people other 
 than those with specialized training have any real conception of the magnitude 
 of the differences we find among a group of applicants for a job. Furthermore, 
 the idea of measuring capacities of people, in a way somewhat comparable to the 
 measurement of the capacities of machines, has finally gained acceptance. 
 
- 2 - 
 
 These basic questions arc no longer foremost in the minds of those who 
 are considering the possibility of using selection tests « Instead the questions 
 are directed to the practical problems of doing something about it. 
 
 I am going to assume that you have seen enough of tests to know in 
 general what they are like and to know the various types of tests that are cur- 
 rently in use. Further, I am going to assume that you accept the idea of testing 
 as an aid in selection,, I am going to direct our discussion towards the practical 
 questions of what can be done about it in a smaller organization. 
 
 CONDITIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL 
 TESTING PROGRAM 
 
 I am not one to say that employment tests are appropriate in all situa- 
 tions. In fact, I spend a good part of my time explaining to over-enthusiastic 
 converts why they should not use tests, or v/hy they should limit the scope of 
 their use of tests,. Certain conditions are necessary if the program is to be 
 successful. The most important of these are determined when you decide the 
 occupations for which you are going to use selection tests and when you decide 
 which tests you are going to use. 
 
 There is no point in undertaking the use of selection tests unless you 
 have a real problem to be relieved by doing so. The employment market and the 
 employment practices of your company must be such that testing will fit properly 
 into the normal employment procedures once you have your program set up. For 
 example, it would be foolish for a company to go through a costly procedure to 
 set up a testing program for field salesmen if the test battery finally produced 
 was not suitable for use by the field managers at distant locations who actually 
 do the hiring. Similarly it is useless to set up a testing program for an occupa- 
 tion on which your turnover and performance record is already highly satisfactory, 
 A third consideration is this, that certain occupations present very complex 
 testing problems and it probably would be unwise to try it unless the conditions 
 are right. Most companies, however, have fallen heir to the common ills in that 
 they have fairly large groups of people on jobs that are suitable for testing, 
 and also have had unhappy experiences with employees whose performance and sta- 
 bility on the job leave something to be desired, 
 
 CHOICE OF TESTS 
 
 The major hurdle to surmount in beginning a successful selection testing 
 program is the choice of tests to use in each situation^ In this reelect you can 
 get little guidance from the titles of the tests or the assertions of those who 
 may be promoting the use of some particular test. On the other hand, it is a good 
 idea to know with certainty beforehand that the tests you have chosen will do a 
 job for you. 
 
 Generally speaking, there are two ways to make this determination. The 
 traditional way involves a pre-trial of the tests in your own organization and with 
 your own people, the object being to see whether the tests you are trying actually 
 differentiate between the better and poorer employees whose records are known to 
 youe, The alternative way is to depend upon the judgment of some individual who 
 has had wide experience in the use of employment tests and the appraisal of their 
 suitability for the various jobs. 
 
>.■•*.' 
 
- 3 - 
 
 If your program is broad enough to support the cost of the pre-trial 
 methods, this, without question, is the best way. The method is quite simple in 
 its outline although the details may be complex. The procedure is to select 
 from the present employee group on the particular jobs in which you arc interested 
 some employees who are known to be outstandingly good and some who are outstand- 
 ingly poor in performance, and to give to these people tho battery of tests which 
 you hope will prove to be of value, A statistical comparison then enables you to 
 determine which, if any, of the tests actually shows a difference, and whether 
 the difference is useful. The advantage of this procedure is that it gives you a 
 much greater certainty of the usefulness of tho test battery which you are going 
 to use, and it gives you a freedom to try special tests or new tests adapted to 
 your circumstances, A third advantage is that the procedure provides a basis for 
 selling the tests and the testing program to others in the organization who might 
 be hesitant to authorize the use of the tests until they have seen them in use on 
 a small scale. The main disadvantage is the cost. It involves giving tests to a 
 number of people on company time for no practical pui«pose other than the testing 
 of tho tests. In many situations, however, there are not enough employees to per- 
 mit this kind of pre-testing, or your records as to performance may be deficient e 
 Finally, if you arc in a hurry to start using tests, you may not have time to go 
 through this procedure, 
 
 Tho alternative method for choosing the tests to use is to depend on the 
 judgment of some person who has had experience with them. The advantages are 
 that you have immediately a basis for action,, Furthermore, the expense of setting 
 up the testing program is greatly reduced. Finally, this method is entirely 
 adequate in a great many situations which permit the transfer of experience in 
 other companies to your company, Tho main handicap in this method is that it 
 restricts your choice of tests, usually, to the established standard commercial 
 tests, and you are prevented from venturing into new and possibly more promising 
 types of tests. Quite frequently you will have no choice as to whether to use 
 expert judgment or a pre-trial in choosing your tests. You may not have the time 
 or the freedom to test your present employees. Possibly, you are planning to 
 hire for a newly created job. 
 
 In the course of the last twenty or thirty years a large volume of 
 experience has been built up with respect to the value of tests for certain com- 
 mon jobs. In the clerical field, for example, any competent industrial psycholo- 
 gist can make a satisfactory selection of tests and test standards once he has had 
 an opportunity to study the jobs for which you are hiring, the condition of your 
 labor market, and some of the practical hiring procedures which must be accommo- 
 dated. Similarly, in shop jobs such as certain assembly or machine operations, 
 the hunch of an experienced industrial psychologist would be a sufficiently sound 
 basis to go ahead with the initial phases of a testing program. There are other 
 types of jobs similarly for which the fund of experience from which to draw is 
 sufficiently broad so that one can act without hesitation, 
 
 I am well aware that many purists in tho field of industrial psychology 
 will challenge these statements. It is true that we still have much to learn 
 about the use of tests in employment. On the other hand, we know enough now to 
 produce useful results and the time is certainly here to make these testing tech- 
 niques available to the smaller firms who cannot afford the more costly pre-trial 
 procedures. 
 
• ; 
 
 I '"J r- ' - 
 
 I ' ; '". : 
 
- k - 
 
 NEED FOR PROFESSIONA L HELP 
 
 The setting up of a testing program is clearly not a job for an amateur 
 to tackle. There are many pitfalls in deciding, for example, whether testing 
 methods can be used successfully, in determining whether or not a pre-trial is 
 needed, in estimating the cost, in training your people in the mechanics of ad- 
 ministering and scoring tests, training your people in the interpretation of 
 test scores and in the statistical verification of the tests in use. The average 
 personnel man, and I say this without being disrespectful, is no more qualified 
 to do work of this kind than he is to design a machine for his plant. 
 
 Smaller firms rarely can justify the full time support of a competent 
 test specialist. The only solution often is to secure the part time services of 
 someone who has had experience in this type of work. 
 
 Those who set out to hire the services of an industrial psychologist 
 frequently have some weird experiences. The profession is a new and growing oes, 
 and is not yet organized to the point of having recognized standards of training 
 and experience, or any limitations as to who may practice in the field. As a 
 result, there are many quacks and incompetents who are not easily distinguished 
 superficially from the well trained men. It is well to be wary of anyone who 
 takes on the label of "psychologist" for there are no restrictions as to the use 
 of the title. We have practicing in Chicago a so-called psychologist who has 
 only two qualifications: he feels that he likes to deal with people, and he 
 clearly did not like his previous work as a lumberjack. 
 
 In speaking of the need for professional help, I don't mean to scare you 
 away from the use of tests,, After all, employment testing is not nearly as 
 difficult and complicated as, for example, employment interviewing, which all of 
 you are doing. Many persons after a brief period of experience with tests under 
 competent guidance become entirely capable of operating their own program and of 
 expanding it without further help. In fact, the object in hiring a psychologist, 
 just as in the case of hiring a physician, is to have him relieve you of the need 
 for his services as soon as possible. 
 
 The competent people in the field can be located, however, by anyone 
 who pays some attention to certain things. Most of them are connected with con- 
 sulting firms, university staffs, or are in full-time private practice. If you 
 get a man who is a Diplomate in Industrial Psychology or at least a member of the 
 American Psychological Association, you will know you have a man with some advanced 
 professional training and experience. The best test, of course, is to contact 
 some of the companies for whom your prospective adviser has actually done work., 
 
 SCOPE OF PROGRAM 
 
 Your satisfaction with the testing program will depend a great deal 
 upon how well you fit the program to your own needs. This means that the testing 
 program must be flexible, and capable of growth, contraction, and change. It 
 must be aimed at specific objectives. 
 
 Probably the best approach in most companies is to start out with a very 
 modest program, aimed, for example, at the testing of only one or two occupations 
 
. ,. , I r 
 
 . J 
 
5 - 
 
 or employee groups. It is a good idea, to tackle first an occupation that promises 
 the best return for the initial effort, or one such as the testing of office 
 employees that allows you to borrow most freely from the experience of other com- 
 panies. With such a limited start, you have a chance to become familiar with the 
 problems of testing, without going overboard on costs You can lay a firm founda- 
 tion for extending the program later to other occupational groups as your needs 
 require, and as fast as your company can profit by the expansion. A modest start 
 also tends to keep the testing in proper relationship to the balance of your 
 employment program. Companies that try to start out with large scale testing or 
 complete coverage of all jobs often find that they have bitten off more than they 
 can chew. Too much time and attention is diverted from other necessary personnel 
 activities and the program may collapse of its own weight or be discarded without 
 a real trial. 
 
 The integration of the testing work with other aspects of the personnel 
 program is also an important matter. This problem is met in tx^o respects, first, 
 in regard to the simple mechanics of giving tests without inconvenience to your 
 applicants and interviewers, and, secondly, with regard to the use of test scores 
 in arriving at a decision about the hiring or rejection of the applicant. 
 
 As to the mechanics of testing, the problems are rarely serious but 
 they do require some thought and planning. For example, you will need testing 
 space near the employment office. The amount of space depends upon the flow of 
 applicants and the kinds of tests you are to use. I know of successful programs 
 in which the tests are given right in the crowded waiting room. I have also 
 worked with one company that easily handled over 3«000 applicants per year in a 
 10 x 10 foot testing room 3 
 
 The choice of tests also is a factor in that the testing time must be 
 kept to a minimum. The average test battery requires about 30 to 50 minutes per 
 applicant, and this amount of time does not seem in practice to be too inconvenient 
 for the applicant or the company. For some key occupations, a testing period of 
 several hours may bo worth while, but normally you should think in terms of per~ 
 haps a half-hour testing period. Most tests, by the way, can be given several 
 applicants simultaneously, and this is a great convenience. 
 
 The point here is that a successful testing program must not require 
 office space or time that is prohibitive. If the testing is a burden to your 
 employees, or to the employment office staff, it will fall into disuse, 
 
 INTERPRETATION OF TBST SCORES 
 
 The real point of impact of a testing program upon the company occurs 
 when someone reviews the applicant's record and decides whether to hire or not. 
 What do the tost scores mean? 
 
 A great amount of damage has been done by enthusiasts who have over- 
 stated the accuracy of employment tests and have given tests an unwarranted im- 
 portance* When you stop to consider the matter, it is evident that using tests 
 is not likely to cause an immediate and startling improvement. For one things 
 giving people tests does nothing in itself to increase their competence j selection 
 can never be better than is allowed by the quality of the applicants. Secondly; 
 
- 6 - 
 
 most firms have a relatively stable employee group, and several years may pass 
 before new employees, hired with the aid of the tests, become a major part of 
 the employee group. Also the tests themselves are less than perfect, and even 
 with the best of tests some selection errors will continue to be made. 
 
 On the other hand, there is ample reason to regard testing as a sound 
 idea with respect to improved results and economy. In many companies, the 
 rejection of only one or two potential problem employees each year will save 
 more than the total cost of the testing program. An improvement of five or ten 
 per cent in average productivity is often regarded as a feasible and worthwhile 
 gain. 
 
 The tendency for people using tests for the first time is to rely too 
 much on test scores. The test scores do seem accurate, impersonal and so definite. 
 It is important, however, to recognize that test scores are approximations. Other 
 factors in an employment situation are often just as critical as test scores.. 
 Using tests in no way relieves one of the necessity of considering all information 
 about the applicant and then exercising judgment and common sense. To cite a 
 ridiculous example, I recall the case of an interviex^er who hired a certain boy 
 for a messenger job, because this boy had the most favorable scores on' a series 
 of tests. However, he completely ignored the fact that the boy had a foot defor- 
 mity that prevented day-long walking, and the fact that the boy was not particu- 
 larly interested in that type of work. The tests were successful but the 
 employment decision was faulty. 
 
 At best, the test scores will give you reliable information about 
 certain factors known to be significant, but there are also many other factors 
 necessary for job success which must be appraised by other means. Tests cannot 
 replace or diminish the importance of other selection methods, 
 
 RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
 A TESTING PROGRAM 
 
 Let's look now at the question of responsibility for a testing program. 
 Again, I'd like to urge the idea that the program will be useful only if it is 
 made a normal part of the operation of the employment office. This means that 
 those responsible for the employment decisions must also be responsible for the 
 testing. Everyone who makes decisions about people should, in time, come to 
 understand the meaning and limitations of test scores. This includes you key 
 supervisors as well as the employment office personnel. It takes a little time 
 to accomplish this, but key people will soon learn to appraise test scores with 
 the same approach they use in appraising any other personal information about an 
 applicant or an employee. The strangeness soon wears off. 
 
 As for the day to day giving of tests, scoring of them, and keeping 
 related records, the work usually is simple and routine. There is rarely a need, 
 except in larger companies, to have a person on the staff with forafcl training in 
 testing, Ue usually find in the employment office a clerk, a stenographer or 
 interviewer, sometimes the company nurse, who can handle the testing chores in a 
 very adequate manner after brief instruction and supervised experience 6 
 
- 7 - 
 
 CASE HISTORIES 
 
 The comments I have made must seem rather general and abstract, but I 
 did want to express to you some ideas about the factors influencing the effective 
 use of testing in smaller companies. Testing techniques are well developed and 
 there is a fund of experience on which you can draw in setting up a program for 
 your own company. The main hazards are in expecting too much from the testing 
 program, in trying such a program without adequate advice, and in going into a 
 program that is misdirected or on a scale that is too large for your budget. A 
 large number of smaller companies, during recent years have used tests with very 
 satisfactory results „ I believe it will be helpful if we take a few minutes to 
 describe some actual cases, 
 
 SORTER LISTERS AND 
 CURRENCY COUNTERS 
 
 Let's consider first the case of a bank. This bank had no previous 
 experience with employment tests,, The specific purpose of testing as they saw it, 
 was somehow to improve the selection of sorter listers and currency counters. 
 The sorter listers, by the way, are girls who sort checks for clearance, list and 
 balance the bundles of checks and arrange them for transmission to the member 
 banks. The currency counters are the girls who sort currency by denomination, 
 remove all soiled, torn, defaced and counterfeit currency, and verify the count. 
 These two occupational groups account for over half of the new hires in this par- 
 ticular bank. 
 
 After considerable discussion and a detailed study of the operations, a 
 three-step program was worked out. The first step was to try out paper-and-pencil 
 tests to see if any would prove useful in selection. The second step was to try 
 out dexterity tests, as the productivity was, in the opinion of some people, 
 limited mainly by the dexterity of the operators. The third step was to check 
 the vision of employees as a factor in job performance. 
 
 When we asked for employee volunteers to take some tests on a trial 
 basis we found, as usual, that they x^ere interested in the project and very 
 cooperative. For the trial group we used all employees who were spending full 
 time on one or the other of these two jobs, and who had been on the job for a year 
 or longer. This gave us about fifty people as our experimental group. We then 
 gave to these employees a series of 14- brief tests. Also, we secured from the 
 records information about their individual productivity during the past twelve 
 months and their error rate. These records were supplemented by the supervisor's 
 ratings on the over-all performance of each employee. 
 
 We found, as we expected, that some of these tests appeared to give 
 scores related to performance and others did not. When we selected the five most 
 promising tests and compared test scores with an index of performance, we got the 
 results shown in Exhibit I, 
 
 These figures are not particularly impressive to those familiar with 
 testing because they are based on a small group of employees. However, as pre- 
 liminary evidence that the tests will prove to be useful, we regard the results as 
 very satisfactory. These tests are currently being used in the employment of new 
 sorter listers and currency sorters. 
 
- 8 - 
 
 The second step in the program is now in progress, and these same em- 
 ployees were just last week given a series of three dexterity tests. The results 
 have not yet been analyzed. This small project for the testing of two occupa- 
 tional groups in this organization provided an easy introduction to the principles 
 of testing. Considerable interest and support was secured from the supervisors 
 involved. Fortunately an interviewer has developed a great deal bf interest in 
 the program, and shows some promise of becoming a competent person for handling 
 the testing program for the long run. The test battery presently in use we 
 expect to modify as we get the results from the other phases of the program, in 
 order that we will end up with a battery of tests requiring not over forty-five 
 minutes per applicant that will give the best results in this situation,, 
 
 CLERICAL EMPLOYEES 
 
 The previous example was one which seemed to require a pre-trial of the 
 tests in order to decide what test to use. The reason was that relatively little 
 previous work had been done in banks with that type of personnel. Let's talk now 
 of a different kind of situation involving the testing of people for standard 
 occupations such as those found in nearly all offices, namely, stenographers, 
 secretaries, typists, messengers and general clerical employees. 
 
 The case I am going to describe is that of a manufacturer of farm 
 implements. Again, this was an organization with no previous experience in the 
 use of employment tests. Their practice was rather typical in that they ordinarily 
 employed office people not for a specific occupation but for a progression or 
 series of jobs* For example, when they hired a messenger, they anticipated that 
 the messenger would eventually be promoted to a higher position, such as typist, 
 stenographer, or bookkeeper. The need was to use selection tests which were 
 sufficiently general in nature to predict success on a variety of office jobs. 
 
 In this instance, it was not felt necessary to use any pre-trial of the 
 tests. Instead, their consultant recommended the use of a mental ability test, a 
 general clerical skills test, a typing test and a shorthand test, and for these 
 tests he set up arbitrary standards which varied somewhat depending upon the par- 
 ticular job for which the applicant was being considered. 
 
 It took about two or three days to investigate this situation, set up 
 the tests recommended for their use and to train one of the girls in the employ- 
 ment office to administer and score the tests© The test battery was put into use 
 immediately and the test results were made an element in the appraisal of appli- 
 cants. 
 
 As in any testing program, it was considered important to find out as 
 objectively as possible whether the tests were serving their purpose. Therefore, 
 at the end of the first year, a survey was made of all new employees hired in that 
 period to determine how their performance related to their test scores at the fcim3 
 of hiring. The results of this survey are shown in Exhibit II, These results 
 concern only those employees who actually were hired; that is, the lowest-scoring 
 applicants had been eliminated. Even with this condition, there remains a &efi~ 
 nite relationship between performance and test scores among those who successfully 
 met the standards imposed by the company. In the case of the clerical skills test, 
 we apparently had drawn a dud, as there was very little relationship between the 
 
,;.:■ .! ; :."- 
 
 <i ,'■. 
 
 :>': r -il"t" 
 
 . ! ... 
 
 ■ 
 
 
- 9 - 
 
 test scores and subsequent job performance, A more detailed analysis of the 
 records, however, indicated that this test was particularly useful in certain 
 occupations and the test is being continued on a trial basis for an additional 
 period of time to check this possibility, 
 
 WOODWORKING MACHINE OPERATOR S 
 
 Let f s consider next the case of a company in the furniture manufacturing 
 business. This company, due to a need for expansion, had encountered some serious 
 problems in the plant relating to low production rates, poor quality work and an 
 inability to build up the skills necessary to operate the shop adequately. In 
 this company, the practice was to hire men for a sequence of jobs, as they had 
 been unable for many years to hire skilled men for specific occupations, A new 
 man, unskilled, would be likely to start as a trucker, receive some training a3 a 
 machine helper or on a drill press, and then go perhaps into sanding operations, 
 machine operations -or assembly. Those who showed unusual promise might be promoted 
 on to the more complex operations such as sticker or double end tenoner operation, 
 form sanding or repair work. 
 
 The company decided to go ahead immediately with the use of two tests, 
 which, after discussion, appeared to be the most promising. These tests had to 
 be chosen with some special considerations in mind. For example, the plant was 
 located in Kentucky, in an area where educational standards are extremely low. 
 Many applicants could scarcely read or write. In addition, because of the high 
 rate of hiring, and the high percentage of rejections at the employment office, 
 the testing battery had to be brief to permit the handling of large numbers of men. 
 We solved the first problem by giving an intelligence test, not in a papor-and- 
 pencil form, but in a recorded form, so that the men received oral directions and 
 had a minimum of writing to do« A second test \^as used which was designed to 
 sample their understanding of elementary mechanics and physics, and this test was 
 presented in pictorial form. The second problem was solved by giving the tests 
 to the applicants in groups, as many as ten to fifteen at a time, 
 
 A check was made to see whether the tests actually showed some relation- 
 ship to the performance of the men on the job. The results in this case are shown 
 in Exhibit III, 
 
 Subsequent to this initial test program, the company decided to under- 
 take a study of dexterity tests in further refining their selection, A survey 
 was made of available dexterity tests, and a detailed study of the shop jobs was 
 made. From this preliminary work, we arrived at the design of an entirely new 
 dexterity test intended to simulate the work elements of importance in most jobs 
 in the plant. 
 
 In this instance we were not in as much of a hurry as in the case of the 
 paper-and-pencil tests and the test itself was untried, so we chose to make a pre- 
 trial of the test before using it in actual employment. We secured the voluntary 
 cooperation of men from the shop, and compared their trial test scores with per- 
 formance records and supervisory ratings. The test showed a correlation of f,43 
 with performance, about the same as in the case of the paper-and-pencil tests. 
 
- 10 - 
 
 Incidentally, at this plant, wc found working as a clerk in the employ- 
 ment office a young man who had had experience in the Array in test administration. 
 This young man lias easily taken over the testing program and will handle it ade- 
 quately through the coming years with a minimum of outside assistance. 
 
 A PACKAGED PROGRAM 
 
 All through this talk, I have oriented my comments toward the small 
 company that wishes to work towards a complete testing program for permanent use. 
 It should be recognized, however, that there are some situations in which a com- 
 pany has need of testing only for a spot job, or a limited emergency In cases 
 like this, it seldom is worthwhile for the company to master the intricacies of 
 setting up a testing program and setting up the administrative details. It 
 probably is best to purchase the testing and appraisal services from an outside 
 person or agency that is qualified to handle it„ 
 
 To illustrate, consider the case of the small farm implement company 
 here in Illinois that found it necessary some months ago to employ about eight or 
 ten time study men, greatly expanding their existing small staff. Because of the 
 unfavorable market for that type of personnel, they decided to accept untrained 
 people who had the qualifications that would enable them quickly to learn the job. 
 They felt that it would bo difficult to appraise untrained people for work of this 
 kind without the help of some aid, such as employment tests. 
 
 An outside firm was accordingly hired to test and appraise a group of 
 applicants previously screened by the company. These candidates, about 25 or 30 
 in all, were given an extensive battery of tests, designed to sample their mental 
 ability, knowledge of simple arithmetic, mathematical reasoning, mechanical com- 
 prehension and other factors that were felt to be of importance for the job in 
 question. The results for this group of applicants were compared with the stan- 
 dards found necessary by other companies who had been hiring similar personnel 
 for a number of years and had carefully validated their test scores. The implement 
 company received a brief report on each applicant which gave them substantial help 
 in weeding out the grossly unfit, and directing their attention towards the more 
 promising of the candidates, who were then subjected to the usual interviewing 
 and other screening methods B 
 
 In this specific instance, the original group selected by the company 
 for testing did not provide the number of men they needed© This led to some 
 revision of the standards the company had in mind and has greatly facilitated 
 subsequent employment of men needed to maintain this force of time study men 
 
 CONCLUSIONS 
 
 Obviously, there is much more to be said about using selection tests 
 in smaller organizations, much more than we have time for today. However, I 
 hope that these brief comments have given some assurance that testing is appro- 
 priate for the smaller companies as well as for the larger ones and that there 
 arc practical methods for beginning such a program without an undue obligation 
 as to cost, time or personnel. During the balance of the morning you will have an 
 opportunity to explore any particular phases of the problem that seem most impor- 
 tant or most interesting to you. 
 
 ILIR-88 
 (49-50) 
 
 /jmk 
 
- 11 - 
 
 EXHIBIT I 
 
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEST SCORES AMD JOB PERFORMANCE 
 
 SORTER LISTERS 
 
 Employee Passing / 1|W 
 
 U or $ of 5 l-&i£ — &&£- 
 Tests 
 
 Employee Fail- 
 ing to Pass U 
 or $ of Tests 
 
 l / Hi , Li I, . I 
 
 /■ 7 m 
 
 10 20 30 UO $0 60 
 Probability of Above Average Job Performance 
 
 70 
 
 CURRENCY COUNTERS 
 
 Employee Pass 
 k or $ of 5 
 Tests 
 
 ink/ / / / / / /:) hy /rJ AV /J 
 
 Employee Fail- 
 ing to Pass U 
 or f> of Tests 
 
 TTwrm 
 
 10 20 30 Uo £0 60 
 Probability of Above Average Job Performance 
 
 70 
 
 SAMPLE: All employees on job over one year; 2$ and 20 cases 
 respectively. 
 
 TESTS: Mental ability, number checking, name checking, code 
 interpretation, proofreading. 
 
 CRITERION OF PERFORMANCE: Production rate, error rate, and super- 
 visors' ratings, all pooled and adjusted for length of 
 service. 
 
 A. T. Kearney & Company 
 

 ■ 
 
 
 - - -_!._.■. •- 
 
 
 - I 
 
 i ' ' 
 
- 12 - 
 
 EXHIBIT II 
 
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEST SCORES AND JOB PERFORMANCE 
 OFFICE - CLERICAL EMPLOYEES 
 
 Mental Ability- 
 Test 
 
 Upper Third 
 
 Middle Third p^' a^j /■*-./ a*^/ Aw> h&& » 
 Lower Third 
 
 Typing Speed 
 Test 
 
 Upper Third 
 Middle Third 
 Lower Third 
 
 Shorthand Test 
 
 Upper Third 
 Middle Third 
 Lower Third 
 
 /■■■' >&■■■" /:>■■■'; 7 foW/ <-r"L-.hr> '■■■;■■>•-■' ,v-.v'v, Jgj 
 
 *7 rvfrY ^V ifrr^y /.^v 1 
 
 ■V A--:-./ /--.:X:7 '--rffiU 's^W fei ' vV *-^ 
 
 :? , ^ -it — m 
 
 " — W\ 
 
 Ih tfl J ^*r fr#'V i-m im-H ^m — I 
 
 
 i — a 
 
 Clerical Skills I 
 
 Test 
 
 Upper Third [v^y n*m-i _}..m<i ^■■,.v wt<.--.r m#>/ ikj 
 
 Middle Third { &■>,/ m$--/ -»* ' / ' fr^ ' -v hw wn 
 
 Lower Third 
 
 -:■/ h-^i *&>/ im:x/ tw-^ /*%! W lm'4 
 
 10 20 30 i|0 50 60 
 Probability of Above Average Job Performance 
 
 .70 
 
 SAMPLE: All new female office workers hired in two year span. 
 Total number - 170. 
 
 CRITERION OF PERFORMANCE: Supervisors' ratings made periodically 
 in connection with salary adjustments. 
 
 A. T. Kearney & Company 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
- 13 - 
 
 EXHIBIT III 
 
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEST SCORES AND JOB PERFORMANCE 
 PRODUCTION WORKERS , FURNITURE PLANT 
 
 Employees With 
 Favorable Test 
 Scores 
 
 ■ /:///& i j i/m rm 
 
 Employees With 
 
 Employees With \i ,,7 — WW) — J~ 
 Unfavorable ) ; j 1 I /;; 
 
 10 20 30 Uo 50 60 
 Probability of Above Average Job Performance 
 
 70 
 
 SAMPLE: 98 volunteer employees with service of one year or more 
 representing a variety of job assignments. 
 
 TESTS: Oral Directions Test and Mechanical Comprehension Test. 
 
 Employees with average percentile rank of UO or more were 
 considered to have "favorable" test scores. 
 
 CRITERION OF PERFORMANCE: Supervisors* performance ratings using 
 paired comparison methods 
 
 A. T« Kearney & Company 
 
- 
 
 
 
 "■ • . '^' 
 
 I • 
 
 '• 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 19h9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 
 EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWS 
 
 Ira D. Cross, Jr. 
 Executive Offices, Robert N. McMurry and Co, 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 
 Material from "The Step-By-Step Selection Program" Published by Dartnell Corp. 
 
. . ' 
 
Checking the Applicant's History- 
 Applicants can be expected to present their stories in as favorable 
 a light as possible. Since they want to be hired, it would be unnatural for 
 them to do anything else. In their eagerness to impress a prospective em- 
 ployer, however, applicants may substitute fiction for fact in any of the 
 following ways: 
 
 1. By giving a favorable slan t 
 
 Almost all applicants slant their work histories in their own favor* 
 Some, however, carry this to such an extreme that the truth is actually 
 obscured. Applicants who have changed jobs frequently are usually poor 
 employment risks. Yet these people often present the smoothest, most 
 plausible story of how their experience has broadened as a result of 
 their various jobs, Their stories are so believable because they are 
 accomplished "job shoppers*" They have learned by experience to tell 
 their stories cleverly* 
 
 2. By covering up 
 
 Unfavorable facts in applicants' work histories are sometimes concealed 
 by stretching dates of employment to cover up periods of unemployment 
 or jobs involving poor references ; by inflating salary figures; or by 
 claiming a higher level of skill or responsibility than they actually 
 reached* nn applicant for a junior executive position, for example, 
 stated in his application that he had been employed by Company A from 
 March, 1939, to September, 19hS> and that he had then left to accept 
 a position with Company B% The check with Company B was completely 
 satisfactory* However, a telephone call to Company A revealed that he 
 had actually left its employ in January , 19ii5* Further investigation 
 uncovered the fact that from January to September* 19U!?> he had worked 
 with Company C in a job almost identical with the one for which he was 
 applying and that in this position he had been a complete failure* 
 
 The most common cover-up is found in an applicant's stated reasons for 
 leaving a job* In one case, a man stated in his application that he 
 had left a previous employer because he felt that he had no future with 
 the company* A check with this company disclosed that the man had left 
 because his theft of *190*00 from the petty cash fund had been discovered. 
 His future with the company was certainly poor, but for a somewhat 
 different reason than he had implied in his application* 
 
 Applicants also attempt to cover up personal troubles such as drinking, 
 gambling, or domestic strife which have caused them to fail on previous 
 jobs* They assume that the prospective employer will contact only per- 
 sonal references rather than previous employers, and that such misstate- 
 ments will be undetected* 
 
 3* By falsifying 
 
 Occasionally an applicant will deliberately lie about his qualifications. 
 a distinguished looking, middle-aged man who applied for a $10,000 a 
 year executive position claimed to have a.B* 1 *- M*A*, and L.L*B» degrees* 
 Telephone checks revealed that actually this man had "flunked out" 
 of three universities and had failed to obtain even a year's credit, 
 much less a degree* The paradox of this situation was that the man had 
 actually been hired for three well-paid executive positions, because his 
 employers accepted his "academic background" without question* He had 
 not been successful on any of these jobs. 
 
■.--•■ . 
 
 ' : ; i • ' > . 
 
- 2 - 
 
 Because people will slant their stories in their own f'tvor, and be- 
 cause some of them will cover up and falsify, it is essential that their his- 
 tories be checked with other sources so that complete and accurate facts will 
 be available. 
 
 Methods of Checking Other Sources 
 
 There are many ways in which an employer may check the information 
 provided by applicants: 
 
 1. "To whom it ^ay concern" letters. 
 
 2. Personal references given by the applicant. 
 
 3. Official college transcripts. 
 U, Service discharge papers. 
 
 5. Credit reports. 
 
 6. Checks with the police and the F.B.I. 
 
 7. Checks with previous employers. 
 
 a. Written inquires mailed to previous employers. 
 
 b. Personal visits with former employers. 
 
 c. Telephone checks with previous employers. 
 
 8. Telephone checks with schools. 
 
 The advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods are dis- 
 cussed below. 
 
 » 
 
 "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN" LETTERS: This type of reference letter is 
 of little value except to provide dates of employment, and the job or jobs on 
 which the applicant has worked. Obviously, no applicant will produce a letter 
 which is not a complimentary one. 
 
 PERSONAL REFERENCES: Personal references furnished by the applicant 
 can seldom be taken at their face value. No one looking for a job will in- 
 tentionally refer a prospective employer to someone who will ^ive him an un- 
 satisfactory report. Only rarely will a personal reference contribute uncom- 
 plimentary information. Personal references may have value, however, where 
 the applicant has no work histo ry at all, or where he will need contacts to 
 do the job for which he is applying, ""'here contacts are valuable on the job 
 the status and occupation of those *iven as references may be revealing. 
 
 COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS: Transcripts of courses taken and grades attained 
 are a matter of record in ill colleges and universities. However, some insti- 
 tutions will furnish transcripts only to former students, and many make a small 
 charge for furnishing this information. Since it takes from several days to 
 several weeks to obtain this information, consideration must also be given to 
 the time factor involved. For professional, technical and managerial jobs, 
 a record of the applicant's scholastic achievements is essential to the pro- 
 spective employer and is veil worth the time and effort involved in securing it. 
 
 SERVICE DISCHARGE PAPERS: Former servicemen often have their dis- 
 charge papers with them. Some states forbid employers to request discharge 
 papers from an applicant before employment. If the state does not prohibit 
 this practice discharge papers should be checked and the date and type of 
 discharge should be noted. Some ex-servicemen also carry a form giving infor- 
 mation on their service experience which is supposed to indicate vocational 
 aptitudes. Unfortunately, this information is usually of little real value 
 to prospective employers. 
 
- 3 - 
 
 CIEDIT REPORTS: Credit reportin icies such as the Retail 
 
 Credit Company , H ooper-Holmes, and other national and local credit organi- 
 zations will conduct investigations and give personal reports on applicants* 
 These reports provide information about the person's financial standing, his 
 credit rating, and a check of police, job, and school records of the applicant. 
 Frequently they also include comments from neighbors, friends, and business 
 acquaint ances. However, credit reports often have two major deficiencies. 
 First, many investigators are limited in their capabilities, and the appraisal 
 of a man's business ability or performance on the job is often superficial 
 or based on second-hand information* In such cases, the reports are mainly 
 concerned with an individual's reputed integrity, financial standing, and his 
 personal life. Second, it usually takes a week or more to get a credit report; 
 often this is too long a time to wait to make a decision on the candidate. 
 
 Credit reports have value as supplementary information, however, in 
 the case of applicants for executive positions and other positions of trust. 
 
 CHECKS WITH THE POLICE AND THE F.B.I. : In most cases, checks of this 
 nature do not produce new information, although on occasion they can uncover 
 very significant facts. Police and F.B.I, checks should be made on all 
 applicants who apply for positions involving handling money or valuable prop- 
 erty. Some companies make these chocks directly while others rely on their 
 bonding companies to get the information. Since the F.B.I, is reluctant to 
 release information direct to employers, arrangements to obtain it must usually 
 be made through the local police authorities. 
 
 CHECKS TTTH PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS: The best source of information about 
 an applicant is his previous employers. They know from first-hand experience 
 how he has worked out on the job. They have observed him in action. They 
 have seen him under pressure. Frequently they know some of his personal weak- 
 nesses - whether he drinks to excess, gambles, or gets into debt consistently. 
 And, unlike his friends and relatives, they will probably have no particular 
 reason to withhold any unfavorable information. 
 
 Checks with previous employers may be made in three ways. The first 
 method is the wri tten inqu iry. This involves sending a letter or questionnaire 
 to former employers with a request for certain information about the applicant. 
 This is a very slow technique, however, and many employers are too busy to 
 compose a reply which will contain information of real value. Some employers 
 are also reluctant to put criticisms in writing, fearing that their comments 
 will not be kept confidential. 
 
 The second method is the personal vis it. Under proper conditions 
 this is an excellent means of obt -lining information, but it has the drawback 
 of being expensive and time-consuming. In fact, it is rarely practical except 
 when the previous employer is located in the same community. To investigate 
 applicants for all jobs in this manner would bo out of the question. It 
 should be done if possible, however, in the case of applicants for top level 
 positions. 
 
 The third and most satisfactory method of contacting previous em- 
 ployers is the telephone check. Because this method has universal application 
 and provides such excellent results, it is discussed in considerable detail 
 below. 
 
'Vhy the Telephone Check is Effective 
 
 1 . 1 1 is the most rapid m ea ns of getting information about the applicant . 
 Ordinarily each telephone check pi 3 only five to ten minutes. Checks 
 may be made while the applicant is waiting to be interviewed or while he is 
 taking tests. Thus it yields much valuable information without increasing 
 the time of the employment procedure. 
 
 2. "'lo re and better information is gained . If you use the proper approach 
 in a telephone conversation, you can easily induce previous employers to "open 
 up," and to say things they would never put in writing. When the facts you 
 uncover do not seem to correlate with those on the application form, you can 
 probe for further information; a technique which is impossible if you use a 
 written inquiry. 
 
 3. It is an inexpensive means of investigation . Ordinarily telephone checks 
 involve only two or three local phon.3 calls, and the considerably greater 
 expanse of personal visits and of correspondence is avoided. Even in those 
 few cases when it is necessary to make long distance calls, the cost is usu- 
 ally well justified by the value of the information obtained. 
 
 k . The information is in the hands of the interviewer before the interview . 
 Experience has shown th'at making this chuck before the interview has several 
 important advantages. Certainly it is easier for the intcrviev»rer to plan his 
 questions if he has advance information. He will know what areas to stress, 
 what items require careful probing and -what aspects of the applicant's back- 
 ground noed clarification. Checking before the interview is also a time- 
 saver. If the interview is conducted before the telephone check is made, any 
 discrepancies between what the applicant has put down on his application 
 form and what are actually the facts will not be noted in time to investigate 
 them in the interview. Then, when these discrepancies are discovered, a 
 second interview may be required. Such a procedure is unnecessary if the 
 checking is done before the interview, 
 
 5. Tone of voice 'tnd i nf lection are revealing . The way in which an em- 
 ployer answers a question such as: " vr ould you re-employ?" will give a valuable 
 hint as to his actual opinion of the applicant. An alert investigator can learn 
 much from the tone of voice and inflection of the person contacted. 
 
 6, It is a systematic technique for getting informati on. The telephone check 
 is a carefully planned inquiry, designed specifically to get the information 
 needed on ^very applicant. The questions on the form are arranged in a 
 specific order so that by the time the more personal topics .ire reached, the 
 employer is talking freely. 
 
 1 
 'That Role Does the Telephone Check 
 Flay in Selection? 
 
 The telephone check in itself is not a screening device in most 
 situations. It may be used to screen, however, when adverse reports are 
 obtained from most of the applicant's former employers, and there is no doubt 
 that he is undesirable. The main objectives of the telephone check are: 
 
 1. To verify the statements made by the applicant on the amplication form. 
 
 2. To obtain previous employers' estimates of the applicant's strong and 
 weak points so that these can be carefully explored in the interview. 
 
 3. To obtain an over-all appraisal of the applicant from people who have 
 actually worked with him. 
 
- 5 - 
 
 How to Make Telephone Checks 
 with Former Employers 
 
 (M TO CONTACT: There are two sources you can contact in making 
 telephone checks with former employers: (1) the applicant's immediate super- 
 visor; (2) the personnel records office. You will get better results by 
 contacting the former supervisor. He will be able to give many details about 
 the individual's capacities and personality characteristics which do not 
 appear on the personnel records. In cases where exact dates of employment 
 are of particular interest, it may be necessary to contact both the supervisor 
 and the personnel records office. 
 
 NOTE : Never check with an applicant's present employer unless he has given 
 you specific permission to do so . 
 
 THE APPROACH: Your approach is all-important in getting the in- 
 formation you want. Obviously no employer or personnel department is going 
 to give out information unless they know who is calling and why the information 
 is needed. Identify yourself immediately, and then make a simple statement 
 such as: 
 
 "I would like to verify some information given to us by 
 Mr. Thompson, a former employee of yours, who is applying 
 for a position with us." 
 
 Emphasizing the word "verify" will act as an opening wedge to obtaining 
 additional information that is not just a verification of facts given by the 
 applicant. 
 
 HHAT IF YOU MEET RESISTANCE? Occasionally the person contacted is 
 reluctant to reveal any information. Usually this reluctance may be over- 
 come in one of two ways: 
 
 1. If it is evident that the previous employer or supervisor is unwilling 
 to talk because he is not sure of your identity, ask him to call back. 
 If it is a long distance call, tell him to call collect. 
 
 2. If the person contacted cannot give out information because of a 
 company policy, ask to speak to his supervisor andoffer an explanation 
 something like this: 
 
 "This is Mr. Jones of Ace Publishing Company speaking . 7e 
 have a Mr, Thompson in mind for a job with our organization 
 and understand that he worked for you as a sales promotion 
 man in 19a5." 
 
 Pause here for a moment and then continue: 
 
 ""' r e're naturally particular about the type of people we 
 take into our organization and wondered if you could give 
 us some information about the man on a strictly confidential 
 basis. Could you verify some of the statements he has made 
 in his application?" 
 
. 6 - 
 
 State that you under ind - rfectly that the company policy does 
 not permit the giving of information over the phone but you would like very 
 much to make a decision about the man that day. If the person contacted will 
 not release the information, and if this is a particularly important interview, 
 ask if you may speak to his supervisor. Then repeat your story. It may re- 
 quire two or three contacts, in some cases, before; the right person is reached. 
 
 In nearly every instance this straightforward approach brings re- 
 sults. Either the person contacted will tell you what you want to know, or 
 he will turn you over to someone who can. 
 
 TECHNIQUES IN USING THE TELEPHONE CHECK: The first facts that you 
 will want to uncover are the dates of employment. Check both the month and 
 the year . Then follow the general outline of the telephone check form, filling 
 in the remaining blanks as you go. 
 
 The Key Question : The key question on the check form (purposely 
 placed near the end so the person contacted will be talking freely) is the ques- 
 tion: ""■ r ould you rehire the na n?" The person contacted frequently will re- 
 veal facts of particular importance in indicating why he would or would not 
 rehire the applicant. Often a report which has been rather favorable up to 
 this point will undergo a drastic change. It should be noted, however, that 
 some companies have a policy against rehiring former employees. In such cases 
 it is important to determine what the answer would be if there were not such 
 a policy. 
 
 Questions printed in red : The questions which are printed in red 
 are designed to help the investigator in interpreting the answers received. 
 They are never asked directly. However, they will frequently suggest sub- 
 jects on which the investigator should probe for more complete information. 
 
 Double check question s: The final questions, """?hat are the man's 
 strong points?" and " T vhat are the man's weak points?" serve as a check to 
 catch any information that may have been missed and offer a final opportunity 
 for the person to volunteer further information. 
 
 Probe inconsistencies : Follow-up to insure complete information. 
 Often inconsistencies or discrepancies are discovered. These should be probed 
 in detail. You may discover very significant facts. 
 
 There are three other general rules concerning the use of the 
 telephone check: 
 
 Keep confidences : The information obtained through the telephone 
 check is strictly confidential. Under n o circum stances should the interviewer 
 reveal to the applicant anything which a p re vi ous "employer has said . If the 
 former employer discovers that his remarks were revealed to the applicant, he 
 may form an unfavorable opinion of your organization. From both an ethical 
 and public relations standpoint, such information should never be revealed. 
 
 Check more than one past employer : Getting the viewpoints of several 
 people is always advisable. Occasionally you will find that a previous employer 
 has a prejudice or bias about an applicant on purely personal grounds. This 
 may happen if an extremely valuable employee leaves an organization. Some- 
 times the employer may try to block his efforts to get another job. Such an 
 extreme case very seldom occurs, but it points out the danger of judging an 
 applicant solely on the word of one employer. If possible, two or more 
 telephone checks should be made on each applicant. 
 
- 7 - 
 
 Develope cooperative re la tionsh ips; It is often advisable to 
 become personally acquainted with the personnel managers of the companies 
 with which you will make most of your telephone checks. This facilitates 
 cooperation. Naturally, all such arrangements must be reciprocal. 
 
 How to Make Telephone Checks 
 with Schools 
 
 Many young applicants have no work record at all, or have held only 
 part-time jobs. In these cases, checks with previous employers are impossible, 
 and the school is the place to go for additional information. With colleges 
 and universities, the best source of information on former students is the 
 registrar's office or, in a small school, the dean. Then, for more personal 
 information, check with members of the faculty or with members of the admini- 
 strative organization who knew the applicant during his student days. Most 
 large high schools have guidance or vocational counselors who know all of 
 the students who graduate. In smaller high schools the principal will usually 
 be able to give this information. If you make such checks frequently, it 
 will be a real advantage to establish a personal relationship with the approp- 
 riate representatives of key colleges and schools so that you can obtain com- 
 plete information quickly. 
 
- 8 - 
 
 the Patterned Interview 
 
 In the preceding steps of the selection program you have accomplished 
 two important things. First, you have eliminated those applicants who are 
 clearly unqualified. Second, you have obtained a fairly good initial picture 
 of the remaining candidates. From the application, the tests, and the checks 
 with other sources, you have a fairly good conception of what each applicant 
 can do. During the interview you will round out this "can do" picture by 
 thoroughly reviewing his work and school history* The remaining problem is to 
 determine what the applicant will do . This is precisely where the Patterned 
 Interview makes its most vital contribution. 
 
 "Till do" is the extent to which the candidate may be expected to 
 make use of his basic equipment (his "can do" ) . This is determined by the 
 individual's character traits, emotional maturity, and motivation. Evaluating 
 will do may be illustrated by means of an example from everyday life. 
 
 Suppose you are called upon to give your impression of someone whom 
 you have known very well for a long, long time — that you are asked to pre- 
 dict how that person will perform in a particular situation. You might say, 
 "Mary will work hard," or "Bill's selfishness will get him into trouble." And 
 nine times out of ten you will be right. 
 
 \hy is it that you are able to make such accurate predictions in this 
 kind of a situation? There are two good reasons. First.... You know Mary and 
 Bill. You have observed them in action. You knoxv that Mary has always been 
 a hard ^TOrke^ and that Bill has always been .selfish. You are not guessing at 
 what Mary and Bill will do. You are predicting what they will do on the basis 
 °^ how they have performed under many si mil ar circumstances in the past* Al- 
 though you may not have thought of it in these terms you are actually saying 
 that one of Mary's basic habits is industry and that one of Bill's habits is 
 selfishness * Second. .. .you assume that Mary and Bill will continue to show 
 these habits. And once again you are right. Unless something very exceptional 
 occurs in a person's life he will always exhibit the same basic habits* In 
 other words, a person's basic habits rarely change. 
 
 The principles underlying this illustration are vitally important 
 in predicting job success* In fact, they form the basis on which the Patterned 
 Interview operates: 
 
 1« '.hat a person will do is largely determined by his basic habits. 
 
 2. These basic habits develop early in life. They become deeply rooted 
 and are almost impossible to change. 
 
 3. A careful review of what a person h as done in all major areas of his 
 life — work, school, early home life, etc., will reveal his basic 
 habit patterns. 
 
 h» tfith a comprehensive knowledge of these patterns it is possible to 
 predict how they will influence his performance on the job for which 
 he is being considered. 
 

 
- 9 - 
 
 In other words, the Patterned Interview is actually the equivalent 
 of a long and close acquaintanceship with the applicant. In fact, it usually 
 provides an even better knowledge of the individual. It gives you a clear 
 picture of what he has done so that you can determine his basic habit patterns. 
 Using this information, you can predict with surprising accuracy what the 
 applicant will do . 
 
 How is the Patterned Interview 
 Different? 
 
 Almost every company uses some sort of interview in selecting and 
 placing personnel. But most ordinary interviewing procedures have three major 
 weaknesses. First of all, the interviewer does no t get complete or relevant 
 information (some interviewers do n ot even know pr ecisely what information to 
 look for ) . Often an interviewer will confine his questions to those dealing 
 with the applicant's skills and training, and some interviewers will t alk to 
 a candidate for quite a while without finding out anything about him except 
 the fact that they are both interested in golf or both went to the same school. 
 
 The second major weakness of the ordinary interview is that 
 the interviewer does not know how to interpret the' information. he 
 has gathered. He" does not know what it means. To be sure, most experienced 
 interviewers are able to evaluate the can do factor quite accurately, but they 
 do not know the significance of the patterns of an individual's past behavior 
 for predicting future behavior. They lack a yardstick with which to measure 
 the will do factor, and they are also very apt to be influenced by the excuses, 
 rationalizations and promises of the applicant rather than determining what 
 he will do on the basis of what he actually has don e. 
 
 The third weakness of the ordinary interview is that it provides no 
 control on the personal biases and prejudices of the interviewer . Most people, 
 for example, have a definite mental picture of now a salesman, a janitor, 
 an executive, or a clerk should look. These mental pictures are called 
 stereotype s. Obviously it is risky to attempt to determine a person's over-all 
 qualifications simply by the way he looks. 
 
 The interviewer's own personal experiences may also be a source of 
 error. One interviewer may, for example, always reject former automobile sales- 
 men because he once hired one who turned out to be lazy and no good. Another 
 interviewer may have completely forgotten that he once had a painful and hu- 
 miliating experience with a teacher who had big ears and red hair. Yet when 
 an applicant who has such characteristics comes in this interviewer is apt 
 to take an instant dislike to him and turn him down. If, on the other hand, 
 the applicant reminds the interviewer of someone he likes, he may hire him, 
 regardless of his qualifications. In each case, the judgment is not a sound 
 one. 
 
 A further source of bias are the so-called "traditional" beliefs 
 about people. These include such convictions as: 
 
 1. People with close-set eyes are always dishonest. 
 
 2, A limp handshake means a weak character. 
 
 3» People who cannot look one in the eye are dishonest. 
 

 ! '; .■' 
 
 • 
 
- 10 - 
 
 None of these or other similar convictions has any scientific justification. 
 It is important, that such be] Li Cs be supplanted by a more factual approach. 
 
 The Patterned Interview has been designed to overcome the faults 
 and limitations of ordinary interviewing procedures. It provides four important 
 controls: 
 
 1. A systematic plan for the inter view er to fol low. Complete coverage of 
 the candidate's work experience, education and training, family back- 
 ground, present domestic and social situation, financial condition, 
 
 and health is provided. The interviewer knows exactly whj.t information 
 he must obtain. 
 
 2. A technique for getting the facts , n series of penetrating and meaningful 
 questions bring out the specific information the interviewer needs to 
 make an accurate evaluation of the candidate. The questions start with 
 subjects on which the candidate ex pects to give answers. Then, when a 
 good relationship has been established, they progress to the more per- 
 sonal topics. This technique brings out a wealth of pertinent facts about 
 the candidate. 
 
 3. A set of prin c iples to use in int erpre ti ng t he facts. These principles 
 not only make it possible for the interviewer to determine what the 
 applicant can do, but through an understanding of character make-up, 
 motivation) and. emotional maturity, also permit him to predict what 
 the applicant will do . Thus, the interviewer can match the man to the 
 job more effectively. 
 
 k» A method of minimizing personal bia se s and pre jud ices . Because the inter- 
 viewer is required to get and analyze all bhe facts, he is much less 
 likely to be influenced by stereotypes, or to allow his own personal 
 experiences or beliefs to influence his judgment. 
 
 Because of these important controls, the Patterned Interview is an effective 
 and reliable instrument for predicting job success. 
 
- 11 - 
 
 Using the Patterned Interview 
 
 Whan an interviewer is first introduced to the Patterned Interview^ he 
 can profit from a few fundamental rules which have been developed from years of 
 experience. 
 
 The prime purpose of the Patterned Interview is to obtain the facts 
 about the applicant, regardless of whether these facts are favorable or unfavorable. 
 To achieve this goal, the applicant must be encouraged to talk freely, and his 
 natural tendency to conceal or to play down unfavorable information must be over- 
 come. IThen an applicant believes that certain facts are unfavorable, he will 
 usually follow one of these courses: 
 
 1« Ke may sa?/ - nothing about them, (This can be overcome by watching for 
 
 gaps in his record and probing on points where his statements don't check 
 with the information from other sources ; ) 
 
 2. He may deliberately lie * (When he does, contradictions which can be 
 probed are almost sure to arise, since few people can lie consistently 
 for any length of time,) 
 
 3 . He may adui.it unfa vorable facts but provide plausibl e excuses or alibis • 
 (When the interviewer suspects the applicant's statements are surface 
 explanations, he should probe behind them,) 
 
 /., He may become defensive or indignant, (The interviewer should find out 
 the cause of the resistance and determine why the applicant is unwilling 
 to reveal the information.) 
 
 Following the fundamental rules for using the Patterned Interview which are 
 listed below will help to insure that all of the necessary information is 
 obtained from the applicant, 
 
 1. PREPARE FOR TIE INTERVIEW. 
 
 Before starting the interview, the interviewer should study the 
 application, the test results, and the information obtained from other sources. 
 This advance information provides a basis for planning the interview and points 
 out the areas which require special attention. However, it should never be used 
 as a substitute for any part of the interview. All phases of the applicant's 
 background should be thoroughly covered during the interview, because frequently 
 an interviewer will find important inconsistencies between what the applicant 
 has written and what he says, 
 
 2. PROVIDE PROPER SURROU" DINGS FOR TIBS INTERVIEW. 
 
 No one wants to talk confidentially about himself when other prople 
 are listening. If at all possible, interviews should be conducted in a private 
 office. If this is out of the question, choose a quiet spot with a minimum of 
 distractions and interruptions. 
 
. 
 
 I 
 
- 12 - 
 
 3. PUT THE APPLICANT AT EASE. 
 
 At tho start of the interview the Interviewer should put the applicant 
 at ease and make him feel welcome. Give him a comfortable chair - one which 
 does not face an electric light or a window. Offer him a cigarette and spend 
 a few minutes in casual conversation. Sometimes it is also advisable to tell 
 the applicant the purpose of tho interview and to explain that it ia to both 
 his and the company's advantage to be sure the right person is placed on the 
 right job. 
 
 4. COVER ALL SIX AREAS III THE INTERVIEW. 
 
 Tho Patterned Interview is designed to cover systematically six major 
 areas of information about the candidate — his w ork history , education and 
 training , his family background ? financial situation y domestic and social 
 sit uations . and his .health record. The interview starts with ordinary questions 
 concerning work history and education, which the applicant expects to be asked. 
 During this period a good relationship can be established with the applicant. 
 After the conversation is rolling, and the candidate is "warmed up," the 
 interviewer can probe successfully into more personal matters such as his domestic 
 and financial situation. 
 
 5. BE SURE TO GET THE ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION. 
 
 Each question on the interview form is included for a particular 
 reason. The form has been developed after long experience and includes those 
 questions which have been found most likely to be significant. Obviously, each 
 question will not produce a significant answer In every interview. A particular 
 question may only rarely produce worth while information, but when it docs, the 
 reply nay be extremely valuable. 
 
 6. ASK PERSONAL QUESTIONS NATURALLY, 
 
 It is impossible to make an adequate interpretation of the intcrvicv/ 
 unless information about the applicant's personal affairs is obtained. Frequently 
 inexperienced interviewers are reluctant to ask about an applicant's financial 
 status or other personal natters for fear of being rebuffed. Yet, these personal 
 areas have an important bearing on the applicant's job success and must be covered. 
 If the interviewer adopts the attitude of assuming the candidate will give the 
 information, he will almost always be successful in getting it, 
 
 7. LET THE CANDIDATE DO THE TALKING, 
 
 This is the cardinal rule of interviewing. The interview is a fact- 
 finding process. The candidate has the facts and should be encouraged to talk 
 and to volunteer information. Remember that the interviewer has one factor in 
 his favor -- the candidate will be talking about his favorite subject, namely, 
 himself. If the interviewer conducts himself properly, he should have no trouble 
 in getting the whole story, 
 
 8. TAKE ADEQUATE Til .3 FOR THE INTERVIEW. 
 
 Never hurry an intcrvicv;. If the candidate pauses for a few moments, 
 wait patiently without questions or comments. Some people arc not rapid 
 conversationalists. Often it takes time for an applicant to collect his thoughts 
 
-13- 
 
 when he tries to recall facts from ten to twenty years or more in the past. Re- 
 member that he is undo i* some strain and is trying to make the best impression 
 possible * 
 
 9. HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS. 
 
 One of the worst mistakes an interviewer can make is to read the 
 questions mechanically from the form. These questions are designed as guides 
 only; they arc there to remind the interviewer of the a reas in which he needs 
 full information. To help the interviewer phrase the questions in his own way, 
 many of the questions on the forms have not been stated in complete sentences. 
 A few questions arc, however, stated in full, because experience has shown that 
 a particular wording generally gets the best results. 
 
 10. AVOID LEADING QUESTIONS . 
 
 Leading questions should n ever be used in the interview. They give 
 the candidate a ready-made answer and an opportunity to avoid embarrassing 
 situations. If, for example, the interviewer asks, "You left school to go to 
 work?", it is easy for the candidate to answer, "Yes," even though if asked to 
 volunteer his answer he might reveal that he was expelled from school. Any 
 questions which can be answered "yes" or "no" give the applicant an easy way out 
 and do not encourage him to talk freely. 
 
 11. THE ORDER OF QUESTIONS CAN BE CHANGED, 
 
 There is no objection to changing the order of the questions, if the 
 change occurs naturally in the conversation. Never halt the flow of conversation 
 or ask the candidate to hold the information until later in the interview. Mere- 
 ly record it in the proper place on the form* 
 
 12. AVOID MAKING MORAL JUDGMENTS. 
 
 Regardless of how the interviewer feels about statements made by the 
 candidate, his personal feelings should be kept hidden. The importance of 
 creating a sympathetic, persuasive atmosphere cannot be overemphasised. Criticism 
 by the interviewer, either spoken or implied, will discourage the candidate 
 from talking freely, 
 
 13. RECORD THE ANSWERS AS THEY ARE RECEIVED. 
 
 A written record of the information given by the applicant is necessary 
 for several reasons. It must be available at the time the over-all evaluation of 
 the candidate is made, because no interviewer can possibly remember every fact 
 about the candidate, A written record puts all of the facts in an organized 
 form so that the interviewer can make an objective analysis of the applicant's 
 qualifications. Furthermore, in some cases more than one person in the 
 organization must pass on the candidate's qualifications, A written record is 
 essential for such a review. 
 
 The theory that writing during the interview will deter the free flow 
 of conversation has been completely exploded by years of experience with this 
 method* After the first few questions, the candidate usually forgets that the 
 interviewer is recording his answers. Many candidates are even reassured by 
 by the fact that the interviewer is using a definite form, and that all candidates 
 go through the same procedure* The applicant's answers should be recorded as 
 briefly but as accurately as possible. 
 
. . '.. . ... 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 .- ■ 
 
 ■■ ■ ■ :'i •' .' 
 
 ■ ; ■■ 
 
 -. 
 
 
 
-14.- 
 
 H, ALWAYS GET EXACT DATES. 
 
 It is ossontial that tho applicant account for the entire period of 
 time since he left school until the present. The month as woll as the year 
 of starting and leaving each job should be recorded, and gaps should be thorough- 
 ly probed. 
 
 15. CHECK INCONSISTENCIES CAREFULLY* 
 
 When inconsistencies are encountered, call them to the candidate's 
 attention in a friendly manner. Give him an opportunity to explain. 
 
 16. HOW TO USE THE RED QUESTIONS. 
 
 The questions printed in red on the interview form are designed to help 
 the interviewer to obtain complete information and to interpret its significance. 
 They indicate the possible importance of certain replies to the questions and 
 suggest areas which should bo investigated. These questions arc for the inter- 
 viewer's use only. Applicants arc never asked them. 
 
 17. PROSE FOR THE WHOLE TRUTH. 
 
 When the interviewer feels that the candidate's answers do not reveal 
 all of the significant facts, he should depart from tho questions on the form and 
 probe for the whole truth. 
 
 18. HOW TO HANDLE RESISTANCES. 
 
 If an applicant becomes defensive, the interviewer can handle the 
 situation in one of two ways. The s implies t method is to drop the question and 
 come back to it later in the interview. Tho second approach, which is more 
 direct, is to explain that all applicants are asked these questions and that they 
 provide necessary facts for deciding whether tho candidate is qualified for the 
 job. Then add, "But if you have some reason for withholding this information, 
 naturally \iq won't insist." A pause after this statement may induce the candidate 
 to speak. It puts him in a position where he must provide the desired information 
 or explain why he refuses to do so, 
 
 19. SELL THE JOB ONLY WHEN YOU ARE SURE YOU WANT THE APPLICANT. 
 
 Many interviewers made the serious mistake of selling the job to the 
 Candida to before they have decided that they want to hire him. Of course, tho 
 nature of the job should be explained to the applicant, but any selling should 
 come after the interview, and only if the interviewer feels that the candidate 
 should be accepted. If he has been sold on the job before the interview and turns 
 out to be unqualified or undesirable, the problem of rejecting him becomes twice 
 as difficult. Furthermore, in selling the job at an early stage, the interview- 
 er's enthusiasm may load him to lose sight of tho fact that he is supposed to 
 make an objective appraisal of the candidate. 
 
 20. CONCLUDING THE INTERVIEW, 
 
 If it becomes apparent that the candidate is unqualified, the interview 
 may be concluded at any logical stopping point. The applicant should be told that 
 his qualifications do not match those necessary for the job, and he should bo 
 thanked for applying. If the interview is completed, the interviewer should 
 
■ 
 
 ■4 
 
 * 
 
 I 
 
 - 
 
 
 « 
 
-15- 
 
 cithcr make an over-all rating of the candidate and inform him of the decision or 
 tell him when the company will let him know what tho decision is. It is extreme- 
 ly important to retain the applicant's goodwill by terminating the interview 
 graciously. 
 
- 16 - 
 
 Interpreting the Patterned Interview - 
 The Basic Character Traits 
 
 n the Patterned Interview is completed, sufficient facts should 
 be available to permit a sound prediction of what the applicant will do * But 
 before the interviewer can make- such a judgment, he must know what the facts 
 mean * Therefor-.:, the next step is to interpret the information which has been 
 gathered* 
 
 To predict what an applicant will do , it is necessary to determine: 
 (1) the extent to which he possesses certain basic character traits, (2) his 
 motivation and (3) his emotional maturity.. All of these factors can be evaluated 
 from the comprehensive review of the applicant's life which the Patterned 
 Interview provides. 
 
 An individual's character traits are nothing more than his basic 
 habits . The importance of various character traits will vary from job to job, 
 but the following traits must usually be considered as essential for any job; 
 stability, industry, perseverance, loyalty, self-reliance, and ability to get 
 along with others. In some instances, leadership and competitiveness are also 
 important. The evaluation of each of these eight traits is discussed below. 
 
 The extent to which an applicant possesses a particular trait can 
 be determined from the pattern of his past behavior. These habit patterns 
 manifest themselves again and again in the applicant's life and are clearly 
 evident from the Patterned Interview record. The interviewer should have 
 little difficulty in evaluating them. Tyito warnings are in order, however: 
 
 1. Judgments should always be made on the basis of what the applicant has 
 done; not on the basis of his alibis, excuses, and promises. 
 
 2. It is the pattern of the applicant's behavior which is important: the 
 interviewer should never jump to conclusions on the basis of isolated 
 instances. 
 
 The key to what a man will do is what he has do ne throughout his life. Basic 
 habit patterns rarely change. 
 
 Definitions of the eight character traits and explanations of how 
 they are evaluated in the Patterned Interview follow. These discussions should 
 make it clear that only common sense judgments are required in order to eval- 
 uate an applicant's basic character traits. 
 
 STABILITY — The extent to which a person has shown the habit of remaining 
 on one job, in one line of activity and in one place of residence for a reas- 
 onable- length of time. Evidences of stability will be found in answers to 
 such questions as: 
 
 1. Has he remained on his jobs a reasonable length of time? OR Has he 
 jumped from job to job? 
 
 2. Did he scatter his energies in school among many different activities? 
 OR Did he concentrate on just a few and make a success of them? 
 
- 17- 
 
 3. Did he stay in one college? OR Did ho try several colleges? 
 
 k* Has he lived in the same place for a reasonable length of time? OR Is 
 he constantly changing his residence? 
 
 5. Has h^ kept the same hobbies and. social interests? OR Is he constantly 
 trying something new and then dropping it? 
 
 6. Has he remained married? OR Has he b-.on divorced, separated, remarried? 
 
 The key question with regard to stability is whether the applicant 
 will remain on the job long enough to bring the employer an adequate return 
 on the money invested in him. 
 
 INDUSTRY — The extent to which a man has the habit of working steadily, 
 voluntarily, conscientiously, and productively on wrhatever job he is given. In 
 other words, is he the type of person who is uncomfortable if he is not occupied 
 with some constructive activity? The most important areas to consider are these: 
 
 1. Has he worked steadily and made progress on his jobs? OR Have there 
 been many periods of idleness? Hiv3 they been long? 
 
 2. Has he been promoted and had merit Increases? OR Has he stayed on the 
 same job and received only automatic increases, if any? 
 
 3. Has he chosen hard jobs? OR Is he always looking for an easy way to 
 earn a living? 
 
 k» Has he shown initiative on previous jobs? OR Has he just coasted along? 
 
 5. Did he apply hinself in school and make good grades? OR Did he take 
 it easy and just barely get by? 
 
 6. Did he start working at an early age or take part in constructive activi- 
 ties? OR Did he spend all of his time as a boy in play? 
 
 The key questions with regard to industry are whether the man likes 
 to be busy, whether he accepts a tough job as a challenge, and whether he 
 actually works hard, not merely talks as though he were a hard worker. 
 
 PERSEVERANCE — The extent of a man's capacity to persist in an activity despite 
 difficulties and opposition. It is the habit of finishing what he starts. 
 Evidences of perseverance will be found in answers to the following questions: 
 
 1. Has he carried his education through to a logical stopping point - a 
 graduation? OR Did he quit in the middle of his schooling? 
 
 2. Has he stayed on tough jobs? OR Has he quit when the going got rough? 
 
 3. Does he keep his enthusiasm for a new job? OR Does he become easily 
 discouraged. 
 
 h» Has he completed any night or correspondence courses he has taken? OR 
 Has he dropped the courses before the end? 
 
- 18 - 
 
 The key question with ird to perseverance is whether the individual 
 has the habit of finishing what ho starts to the point that he can be counted 
 on to finish any task which may be assigned to him. 
 
 LOYALTY — The extent of a man's willingness to put the interests of others 
 before his own and, if necessary, to go beyond the ordinary requirements of 
 his job to serve the interests of his employer. The loyal individual is the 
 one who identifies himself closely with the organization and is a member of 
 the team. He is essentially unselfish. The extent of a man's loyalty may 
 be found in the following areas of the interview: 
 
 1. Does he speak well of his former employers, his wife, family, and the 
 organizations to which he belongs? OR Does he state that his bosses 
 were "dishonest," "unreasonable," or "partial to pets," and that even 
 his wife has many shortcomings? 
 
 2. Does he boost others? OR, Does he "knock" at every chance he gets? 
 
 3. Has he usually done more than his duty in helping out friends, relatives, 
 business associates, community, and employer? OR Does ho always look 
 out for himself first? 
 
 The key question with regard to loyalty is whether he will consistently 
 put the interests of his supervisor, his associates and the company before his 
 own. 
 
 SELF-RELIANCE — The extent to which the man has the habit of doing things for 
 himself rather than depending upon others to help him. It is his ability to 
 stand on his own feet and to solve his own problems. Evidences of self-reliance 
 are found in the answers to the following questions: 
 
 1. Has he found his own jobs? OR Has he always depended on friends and 
 relatives to find his jobs for him? 
 
 2. Did he become self-supporting at an early age? OR Did he depend on 
 his parents for help as long as possible? 
 
 3. Has he accepted the financial responsibilities of his family? OR Has 
 he let his wife or relatives carry his responsibilities? 
 
 U. Does he seem to get things done under his own power? OR Is he afraid 
 to make decisions or assume responsibility? 
 
 5. Did he finance his own higher education? OR Did he go without it or 
 let his parents pay his way? 
 
 6. Has he enjoyed jobs requiring self-reliance? OR Has he been happier 
 when others could make decisions for him? 
 
 The key question with regard to self-reliance is whether the man 
 will be able to stand on his own feet without constant assistance from his 
 superiors or others. 
 
> .. 
 
- 19 - 
 
 ABILITY TO GET ALONG : "ITH OTHERS ~ The extent to which a man can make and 
 hold friends, maintain good working relationships with his supervisors and 
 associates, and obtain good personal acceptance by others. Evidences of this 
 trait will be found in these questions: 
 
 1. Did he get along well with others on his past jobs? OR fas he constantly- 
 having difficulty in his relations with people? 
 
 2. Did he like the people he worked with? OR Does he make unfavorable 
 comments about his past associates? 
 
 3. as he most successful in jobs in which he had to work with others? OR 
 as he most successful where he could work alone? 
 
 k» Does he enjoy games and sports in which he must play with others? OR 
 Do his hobbies and interests snow that he tends to withdraw from others? 
 
 £. Does he seem to have good relationships with his family? OR Does he 
 have chronic domestic and family troubles? 
 
 6. Does his school record show that he got along well with teachers and 
 fellow students? OR Was he always in difficulty with teachers and 
 students? 
 
 The key question is whether the applicant's past behavior reveals 
 that he likes and gets alon r with people and that they accept him. 
 
 LEADERSHIP — Leadership is the capacity to inspire confidence, admiration, 
 and trust in others so that they turn to the man for help and guidance. Evi- 
 dences of leadership will be found in the responses to these questions: 
 
 1. Did he enjoy being a supervisor? OR "fould he rather have been "just 
 an employee?" 
 
 2. Was he able to keep a supervisory job? OR ir j.s he ever demoted back 
 to the ranks? If so, why? 
 
 3. Did he achieve positions of leadership in school activities, in the social 
 groups to which he belon. s, in civic, lodge, and church activities? OR 
 Was he content to be just a member of the group? 
 
 k* Is he the leader in his home? OR Does his wife run the family? 
 
 5« as a child, was he able to hold his own with his playmates? OR Did 
 he fail to develop habits of leadership at an early age? 
 
 The key question with respect to leadership is whether the applicant 
 has been a leader and whether there is evidence that others accept his leader- 
 ship. 
 
 COMPETITIVENESS — The extent to which an individual prefers activities in 
 which it is possible to compare his achievements with those of others or 
 with his own past record. Evidences of this trait will be found in these 
 areas: 
 
.. 
 
 I 
 
 • 
 
 
- 20 - 
 
 1. Have his previous jobs involved competition with others? OR Has he 
 shied away from jobs which are competitive? 
 
 2. Has he won any competitive prizes, letters, or other awards? OR Has 
 he been content to let others outshine him? 
 
 3. Has he taken part in activities, such as sports, which involve compe- 
 tition? OR Has he preferred activities, such as reading, in which 
 there is no competition? 
 
 The key question is whether the applicant's past behavior shows 
 that he can be expected to compete with others and to try to excel them. 
 
 as will be pointed out in the section dealing with the over-all 
 rating, not all of these character traits are necessary or even desirable 
 in the same degree for all jobs. However, the degree to which a partic- 
 ular applicant possesses them must be evaluated to determine the extent to 
 which he is fitted for any given job. 
 
- 21 - 
 
 Interpreting the Patterned Interview - 
 Motivation 
 
 In addition to possessing the necessary "can-do" and having the pro- 
 per character traits, an applicant must have two other qualities if he is to 
 succeed. One of these is emotional maturity, which is discussed in the next 
 section* The other is motivation . 
 
 Motivation consists of the forces within an individual which cause 
 him to stay on the job, to work hard and to be a conscientious employee. There 
 are three factors which affect an individual's motivation with regard to a 
 particular job: 
 
 1. The needs, drives or hungers within the individual which spur 
 him to action. Most typical among these are: 
 
 a. The need for e c onomic security (the desire to maintain a 
 good standard of living for himself and his family, to accept 
 financial responsibilities, and to provide for the future) 
 
 b. The need for recognition - the desire to improve his status 
 (dissatisfaction with present level and the urge to acquire 
 a higher standing or more prestige) 
 
 c. The need to understand - (fascination with a particular type 
 of activity, such as chemistry — in short, his interests) 
 
 d. The need to excel - rivalry or competitiveness (the aggres- 
 sive desire to surpass or win out over others) 
 
 e. The need to achieve - conscientiousness and craftsmanship 
 (high personal standards of performance) 
 
 f. The need to acquire - acquisitiveness (the desire to get and 
 hold something for one's self, such as money, rare books, etc,) 
 
 g. The need to serve - altruism (the desire to help others or 
 to fill a useful role in society) 
 
 In one individual all of these needs may be present. In another 
 individual particular needs may be almost totally lacking. But in 
 any event the various needs of a particular individual will pro- 
 bably not all be equal in strength, 
 
 2, The situation of the individual , with special reference to the 
 extent to which is needs are already being satisfied independ- 
 ently of the job for which he is being considered. For example: 
 
 a. He may already have ample means to satisfy his economic needs 
 (private income, a wife who works, or a pension) 
 
-.': > 
 
 , : .o 
 
 . ■ ' •■ ' 
 
 .': : *. "U 
 
 ■ ... 
 
 '■ ' "> '! 
 
 ;< . »J : ' 
 
 
 .• 
 
 
 " '-' .■».! = • - 
 
 ffl , * -X > 
 
 
 
 •j i; .■ .'-- 
 
 rs " ■ f • 
 
 ■ ■ : '; .. lii 
 
 ■ ■ 
 ■ 
 
 
 
- 22 - 
 
 b. His status or his standards may already be such that he 
 has no incentive to improve himself 
 
 c. His interests may oe in fields unrelated to the job 
 
 d. He may already be satisfying any need for aggressive com- 
 petition (for example, in sports) 
 
 3 • The principal needs of the individual which remain to be 
 
 satis f ied on bhe j ob — i,. e., which are not fully gratified off 
 the job. The strength of those needs and the extent to which 
 they are unsatisfied off the job determine the applicant's 
 motivation. 
 
 How Motivation is Judged with the 
 Patterned Interview 
 
 The determination of an applicant's needs and the extent to which 
 they are gratified by his off-the-job situation is readily accomplished with 
 the Patterned Interview. Just as in evaluating the character traits, the 
 applicant's past behavior is carefully scrutinized for consistent evidences 
 of the expression of his principal needs (e.g., a definite pattern of 
 attempting to improve his status). The applicant's present off-the-job cir- 
 cumstances are next considered to determine the extent to which these needs 
 are being satisfied by outside activities. 
 
 Finally, this information is combined to determine the principal 
 needs of the individual which are not being satisfied off the job. If the 
 applicant is only satisfying his pri ncipal needs to a slight degree off the 
 job he may be considered to be we ll-m otiva ted . If, on the other hand, he has 
 many outside sources of need-satisfaction which gratify all of his principal 
 needs, then the applicant is poorly motivated . 
 
 The key question : Does the applicant have sufficient motivation to 
 stay on the job, to work hard and to be a conscientious employee? 
 
 
! ' 
 
 ■■v. ;. 
 ■ - 
 
 'ji'-'i'ii a 
 
 : 
 
 , 
 
 . . , , ; i . .-j j . - . , . 
 
 ', ■■• ■ .... : 
 
 ■ 
 
 ■ •■ - 
 
- 23 - 
 
 Interpreting the Patterned Interview - 
 Emotional Maturity 
 
 Itis a fairly common experience to meet people who are highly intelli- 
 gent, well educated and personally very charming, but who show consistently 
 poor judgment and a complete lack of ordinary common sense,, They do foolish 
 things which get them into difficulties. Then they do even more absurd things, 
 which not only fail to help, but which often make the situation worse. Such 
 people seem to have no capacity to be realistic in their thinking, to discipline 
 themselves, to consider others, and in general, to have an adult outlook on 
 life. They are actually children living in an unreal wish-world of their own 
 creation - they are immature people. They may have positive traits such as 
 industry, ability to get along with others, charm, and so on, and still be 
 liabilities to employers because of their immaturity. 
 
 No one ever outgrows his childish behavior patterns completely - 
 complete maturity is practically non-existent. This is probably fortunate - 
 it is immaturity that adds the variety, sparkle and color to life a But it 
 is the degree to which a person possesses it that counts. An individual can 
 exhibit immaturity from a very minor to an excessive degree. 
 
 A slight degree of immaturity can be tolerated in an employee. Indeed 
 it may even be desirable. But an excessive degree spells danger for the employ- 
 er. Studies have shown that as high as 90% of the "problem employees" in 
 industry are immature. They lack self -discipline and consideration for others. 
 Many are obviously lazy They are usually unstable, chronic absentees, accident- 
 prone, and constantly dissatisfied. They are the troublemakers and are often 
 the perennial compensation cases. 
 
 The characteristic of immature people which poses the greatest diffi- 
 culty for the employer and is hardest to reconcile with their frequent high 
 level of intelligence is their unwillingness (actually, their incapacity ) to 
 think rationally and logically. They are simply not interested in straight 
 thinking, "They want what they want when they want it" without regard for 
 consequences or the rights and feelings of others. As a result, they cannot 
 be relied upon to make sound judgments nor to act in a consistent manner. 
 
 The best way to understand immaturity is to compare the immature 
 adult with a young child - the infant who is two, three or four years old. 
 Qualitatively, the two are much alike. Immature adults are simply children 
 who may have developed physically and intellectually but who have retained 
 the infants outlook on life and incapacity for self-control . 
 
 The chief distinguishing traits seen in the behavior of the infant 
 are the same as those that manifest themselves in the immature adult: 
 
 1, Dependence 
 
 2, Selfishness 
 
 3, Pleasure mindedness, (unwillingness to do 
 anything unpleasant) 
 
 k» Disregard for consequences 
 
 5« Wishful thinking 
 
 6, Show-off tendencies 
 
 7, Lack of self -discipline and self-control 
 
 8, Refusal to accept responsibility 
 

- 2U - 
 
 Specific evidences of immaturity as it is found in the adult are 
 presented below. 
 
 Dependence 
 
 He cannot stand on his own feet. He is timid, fearful and a chronic 
 worrier. He has strong feelings of insecurity and anxiety. He wants his sup- 
 eriors to help him as his parents' did. He avoids responsibility and expects 
 others to find jobs for Mm. Often he tries to deny, conceal, or compensate 
 for inadequacies by showing behavior of opposite type: i.e. by becoming a. 
 bully or boaster. 
 
 Selfishness 
 
 He makes no personal sacrifice unless he can gain by so doing. 
 May "put up a good front" to obtain his own ends. He is the "lone wolf" in a 
 business - seldom identifying with supervisors, organizations, or clubs. He 
 is incapable of loyalty to anyone but himself. 
 
 Pleasure Mindedness 
 
 He indulges in immediate pleasures. He may gamble, eat, or drink 
 to excess. He spends money on small luxuries instead of saving for important 
 purchases. He puts off until tomorrow things which should be done today. 
 He may be a "clock watcher" or one who "lives for the weekend." He quits jobs 
 to take extra vacations, or goes off on a lark that offers more pleasure than 
 staying on the job. 
 
 Disregard for Consequences 
 
 He has a happy-go-lucky disregard of consequences. He drives a car 
 after drinking heavily, or indulges in "horse play" when surrounded by dan- 
 gerous machineiy. He goes into debt because he lives beyond his means - then 
 borrows from friends or loan agencies to meet an emergency. He loses his 
 credit standing or is forced into bankruptcy. 
 
 Wishful Thinking 
 
 He has never outgrown his wishful daydreaming. If he wants to do 
 something badly, he may convince himself that it is the right thing to do. He 
 gets into debt and then plays the horses to regain his losses. The more he 
 loses the more he bets. His wish to win is so powerful that he can't admit 
 to himself that he might lose. He may inflate the importance of past jobs, 
 the level of earnings, and the number of people he supervised on previous jobs. 
 He dreams of success instead of working for it. 
 
 Show-off Ten de ncies 
 
 His show-off tendencies may be desirable on some jobs if properly 
 controlled; e.g., public speaking, dramatic work, training others, demon- 
 strating products, etc. On more routine jobs they are a decided liability . 
 He may "show off" on the job to the point of becoming a nuisance or a safety 
 hazard. He may be a braggart. He may be a hypochondriac who uses his illness 
 as a means of attracting attention to himself. 
 
- 2$ - 
 
 Lack of Self-Discipline and Self Control 
 
 He gives way to his emotions easily. He has not learned to pause, 
 take stock, or think through an activity. He creates emotional situations 
 where none are justified. He may be prone to temper tantrums. He can't take 
 criticism or accept constructive suggestions. He cannot look at his part in 
 a series of events in an objective manner. 
 
 Refusal to Accept Responsibility 
 
 He maneuvers others into carrying his share of the load. He may be 
 expert at making excuses or covering up past failures. He may rely on his 
 wife for additional income so he can spend his own earnings foolishly. He may 
 refuse jobs requiring responsibility, or accept the jobs and fail in them. 
 When subjected to pressure, he yields and subsequently attempts to clear him- 
 self with excuses. He may feel society or the government owes him a living. 
 
 The Importance of Maturity 
 
 There is no sharp line of demarcation between mature and immature 
 individuals. As indicated, everyone shows immaturity in some degree. However, 
 it has been estimated that at least one-fourth of the adults in this country 
 show evidence of serious immaturity. This does not mean that the majority 
 of these persons are unsuitable for employment. Some exhibitionists, for 
 example, have capitalized on their immaturity by becoming highly successful 
 salesmen, orators, lawyers, and actors. On the other hand, a cost clerk's 
 job does not call for show-off tendencies, nor is high-speed machine safely 
 manned by someone with these tendencies. So, depending upon the job require- 
 ments, some manifestations of immaturity can be assets; other immature traits 
 may not be too important one way or the other; and still others may be dis- 
 tinctly undesirable. However, people who show many clear evidences of im- 
 maturity are poor risks for most occupations. 
 
 How Individuals Become Mature 
 
 Why is it that some children develop into mature, realistic individ- 
 uals with desirable character traits, while others remain immature all during 
 their lives? The answer lies, for the most part, in the environment in which 
 the child was raised. At an early age most children begin to associate with 
 other boys and girls. They also begin to be influenced by their parents, other 
 family members, teachers, pastors, and similar persons. As a result of these 
 contacts, most children soon discover that if they are selfish, refuse to 
 accept responsibility, or exhibit other immature traits, they will be subjected 
 to various unpleasant social pressures. They will not get what they want and 
 will not be accepted by the others. They are forced to learn, often the hard 
 way, that they must be realistic in their thinking. They learn that they must 
 be considerate of others, satisfy their own needs and be able to discipline 
 themselves. 
 
 Why Some Individuals Never 
 Become Mature 
 
 The early life of the child who develops into an immature adult is 
 usually marked by this distinguishing feature: He has been over protected 
 from contact with reality; he has not been entirely weaned; he has been kept 
 
i\<; ; - :• ■■ ■ 
 
- 26 - 
 
 a child too long. In shorty he has been spared the hard knocks which build 
 character self-discipline^ and a realistic outlook on life. The ehildhood 
 environment which most often leads to the carrying over of infantile habits 
 into adulthood is marked by one or more of the following conditions: 
 
 li The child is the baby of a large family. The other 
 
 children may be taught always to make concessions to him 
 and spoil him in other ways. 
 
 2» The child is sickly. He is never asked to do anything for 
 himself, is a constant center of attention, and is the object 
 of pity and indulgence. 
 
 3. The parents are exceptionally indulgent to the child. 
 
 U. The parents alternately mistreat and spoil the child, so 
 that he never knows where he stands. He is afraid to 
 venture out of childhood. 
 
 5, The child is orphaned at an early age or his home is broken 
 by death, divorce, or separation. He may be brought up by 
 grandparents or other fond relatives, or by only one parent. 
 As a result, he may be shown all the affection and protection 
 which normally would be devoted to several children, 
 
 6, He is an only child who has never had occasion to learn to 
 adapt himself to other children. 
 
 Under any of the foregoing circumstances it is almost certain that 
 the child will retain many of his babyish, dependent, irresponsible, selfish 
 characteristics. Either it has not been necessary for him to develop other 
 more mature and socially desirable character traits, or he has been afraid 
 to do so. As a matter of fact, many parents go out of their way to lengthen 
 the babyhood of their children. Some mothers frankly state: "I don't want 
 my baby to grow up," Often, as a result, he never does. 
 
 Why Immaturity is Difficult 
 to Recognize 
 
 As immature people grow up, they often become skillful at justifying 
 (rationalizing) or concealing their childish tendencies. First, they become 
 adept at excuse-making . The individual who shifts from job to job because 
 he is unwilling to work hard enough to hold a position, or because his super- 
 iors do not treat him with the consideration which he received from his parents 
 during babyhood, always has a plausible explanation for making each change 
 which denies the real reason. In some cases, he will report that the work 
 offered no future. In other instances, he will state that working conditions 
 were terrible. In still other cases he will say that he was mistreated by 
 his supervisors or associates. As a rule, the greater the immature individual's 
 intelligence and the better his education, the more expert he is at finding 
 "good" (but not necessarily "true") explanations for his behavior. 
 

 
- 27 - 
 
 Second, many immature adults learn early in life to be affable or 
 "good" boys or girls. Such an individual learns to be "good" because people 
 like and are kinder to "good" children, And he discovers that "charm" can be 
 used to conceal his true motives. He learns to radiate good cheer and friend- 
 liness in order better to exploit others. This superficial good fellowship 
 becomes important to him even though it may involve buying "beers around" 
 with his last dollars If he can induce others to like him, they will be less 
 critical of his short-comings, and it will be easier for him to mislead them 
 to his own advantage. 
 
 How Immaturity is Detected Through 
 the Patterned Interview 
 
 The basic principle that should be followed in interpreting the 
 findings of the Patterned Interview is that all judgments must be based upon 
 facts , not excuses or promises. It is what the applicant has done that is 
 important. His explanations and justifications of his failures and short- 
 comings, or his promises of what he will do in the future cannot substitute 
 for these facts. All too often, the applicant's explanations are extremely 
 impressive, but they are not the "real" or "true" key to his make-up. As 
 such, therefore, they are unreliable for predicting what he will do if he is 
 employed. The Patterned Interview has been designed to provide comprehensive 
 and detailed information on the applicant's actual record in all the important 
 phases of his life. Evidences of immaturity may be found in any of the six 
 principal areas of his background: in his work history; his school record; 
 his early environment; his financial background; his domestic and social 
 situation; and his health record. By carefully reviewing what the applicant 
 has done in the past you can see with surprising clarity evidences of 
 maturity or immaturity. 
 
 The technique used in the Patterned Interview is specifically de- 
 signed to break down the immature adult's excuses and to reveal the essential 
 falsity of the justifications which he offers to explain his shortcomings. 
 It serves as a sort of fluroscope. It enables you to see the applicant as 
 he actually is, not as he wishes to appear. It helps you to look behind the 
 "front" of half-truths, excuses, evasions, inconsistencies, and outright 
 falsehoods which the individual builds up to conceal his true nature. The 
 Patterned Interview makes it possible to obtain the "inside dimensions" of 
 the man. 
 

 •'. . » I- ■- ■■■ 
 
- 28 - 
 
 Making the Over-all Rating 
 
 The final step in the selection procedure is to make an over-all 
 rating on each applicant. This rating is extremely important because it em- 
 bodies the interviewer's prediction of the applicant's probable job success 
 and serves as a basis for the decision to accept or reject the applicant for 
 the particular job. 
 
 The Form of Rating 
 
 The over-all rating is made on the basis of a four-point scale. 
 "1" means that the candidate is outstandingly qualified for the particular 
 job in question; "2" means that he is well qualified but not outstanding; 
 "3" means that he is marginally qualified; and "U" means that he is unqua- 
 lified. The use of a four-point scale is designed to overcome the tenden- 
 cy of the interviewer to rate every candidate as "average"* It forces the 
 interviewer to decide whether the person is above or below the average point. 
 
 The Basis for the Over-all Rating 
 
 The decision as to which of the four categories an applicant belongs 
 in is based on a review of all the facts. It is not a mathematical summing 
 up of points, but rather a comparison of the applicant's qualifications with 
 those required by the particular job. For example, no matter how well quali- 
 fied the applicant may be in other respects, if he completely lacks one 
 qualification which is essential for the job, he should be rated a "U". There 
 is no possibility of using any sort of a statistical or averaging process 
 in making the over-all rating* 
 
 Furthermore, over-all ratings cannot be made in a vacuum; they 
 should always be made i n terms of a specific job . It is quite possible for 
 an applicant to be a "1" for one job and a "U" for another job. Most vice- 
 presidents, for example, TOuld not be good sweepers, and vice versa. What 
 the applicant can do and what he wi ll d o must always be matched with the 
 requirements of a specific job. 
 
 Evaluating the Can Do Factor 
 
 Whether the applicant can do the particular job depends on his 
 technical knowledge, skills, specific aptitudes, mental ability, and physical 
 qualifications. These factors are evaluated on the basis of tests, checks with 
 other sources and the work and school history sections of the Patterned Inter- 
 view. Most experienced interviewers have little difficulty in evaluating the 
 can do factors, provided they have a thorough knowledge of the job require- 
 ments. 
 
 Evaluating the Will Do Factor 
 
 The applicant's basic character traits, motivation, and emotional 
 maturity determine whether he will do the job. The checks with other sources 
 and the Patterned Interview provide the necessary information. 
 

- 29 - 
 
 Each one of the character traits, motivation, and emotional maturity 
 should be evaluated separately. Many interviewers find it helpful to use a 
 word rating scale of "Outstanding," "Good," "Marginal," and "Poor" in evalua- 
 ting these factors. It should also be kept in mind that some of the character 
 traits may be relatively unimportant or even undesirable for particular jobs. 
 Too much leadership, for example, can be a distinct disadvantage on a routine, 
 closely supervised job. Similarly, certain manifestations of immaturity may 
 be desirable or permissible on a particular job while other immature traits 
 are distinct handicaps to job success. 
 
 The Actual Over-all Rating 
 
 The assignment of a particularly over-all rating consists of the 
 weighing of the applicant's strong points and weak points. Few individuals 
 will have just exactly the qualifications desired. On the other hand, few 
 applicants will be completely lacking in qualifications. The over-all rating 
 expresses the interviewer's judgment concerning how the applicant's strong and 
 weak points will affect his job success. Depending on how successful he pre- 
 dicts the applicant will be on the particular job, the interviewer should rate 
 the applicant: 
 
 "1" — Outstandin g. (He possesses all of the necessary qualifications 
 for the job, and has virtually no undesirable characteristics.) 
 
 "2" — Well-qualified but not outstanding . (He can do the job and 
 shows only a slight deficiency in one of the necessary 
 character traits. If the deficiency is only slight it should 
 not bar him from serious consideration for the job, ) 
 
 "3" — Marginally qualified . (There is some doubt that he can do 
 
 the job; he is definitely deficient in one necessary charac- 
 ter trait; he is somewhat deficient in several character 
 traits; he is slightly lacking in motivation, or he is some- 
 what immature. He may be hired if the need for men is great 
 and there are no better candidates available.) 
 
 "U" — Unqualified . (He cannot do the job; he has serious deficiencies 
 in one or more of the character traits; he is seriously lack-, 
 ing in motivation; or he is seriously immature. The chances 
 of his being successful are so slight that he should be reject- 
 ed regardless of the need for men. ) 
 
 V/ho Should be Hired? 
 
 The most important function of the over-all rating is in deciding 
 whether the candidate will be hired. A company may decide to set a standard 
 whereby it hires only "l's" or "2's". In a tight labor market, however, the 
 company may be willing to hire some "3's". The decision as to where the company 
 will draw the line in its hiring must be a realistic one, founded upon the 
 company's need for manpower and the condition of the labor market. But these 
 factors should not in any way influence the over-all ratings on specific appli- 
 cants. They are important only in determining whether "l's"; "l's" and "2's"; 
 or "l's", "2's" and "3's" will be hired. In this way, regardless of economic 
 factors, the company uses the same yardstick at all times. It knows what 
 quality of applicants are being hired. If marginal candidates are hired, there 
 are no surprises when they become mediocre employees. 
 

 , 
 
 V.. i ■ 
 
 I 
 
 ".. ■ 
 
 • ." ■ ■ 
 
 ■ ■ . 
 
 ■ . " ' - : ;- : ..i 
 
 f' - 14 
 
 • . L . 
 
 
 
 
- 30 - 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 Through the use of this step-by-step program for selecting employees, 
 it is possible to select men and women who are inherently stable, productive 
 and satisfied. But sound selection is not enough; it is merely the essential 
 first step. Employees must also be adequately indoctrinated, properly trained, 
 given sound supervision, and provided with adequate outlets for grievances. 
 All of these programs must be fitted together. They are all inter-related. 
 Developing and maintaining a stable, productive and satisfied work force 
 requires an Integrated Personnel Program. 
 
 ILIR No, Qk 
 (U9-50) 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 Personnel Management Conferences, 19U9 
 Selection Techniques 
 November 17-18 
 
 SUMMARY OF THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS 
 
 Ross Stagner 
 Professor of Psychology in L. IoR. 
 
-1- 
 
 I would like to say just a few words at the beginning of this summary 
 about the general problem of the relationship between the selection program 
 and general management policy. I believe that, in starting off the discussion 
 yesterday, I did not give quite as much consideration to that particular 
 point as I should have, and there have been various questions coming up in 
 the discussion groups about it. I think it is fairly obvious, of course, 
 that the selection program is significant to all aspects of an industrial 
 enterprise. It has a bearing on production, but also on sales, on office 
 work, and particularly — as Mr* Gorby expressed yesterday — on public relations. 
 
 The selection program is a real part of management policy and it 
 should be considered as such. A selection program is not likely to work 
 very successfully if it doesn't have the backing of top management. It is 
 not very satisfactory to try to introduce a selection program unless the 
 people at the top are sold on it and willing to go along with it. It means 
 more than just having the personnel man draw up a proposal for a selection 
 program, submit it to the president, and have him say "o.k. we'll let you 
 fool around with this stuff if you want to." The people at the top really 
 have to believe in the importance of the selection program; recognize a need 
 for it; and put this across to the people in the lower echelons of the 
 executive organization. A program which is excellent on paper can be fouled 
 up by the fact that foremen, office managers and other minor executives 
 don't believe in it. 
 
 This is likely to be a serious problem in those organizations where 
 executives have been accustomed to hiring their own people. The custom of 
 course varies in different companies. In some places you'll find hiring 
 centralized in the personnel office. In some cases you will find that 
 hiring is completely de-centralized and most places have a sort of hybrid 
 status somewhere in between those two Perhaps the personnel office does 
 some screening and then the departmental head does the final selection. 
 Now obviously if you are trying to improve the selection program in connec- 
 tion with the application blank, telephone checks, tests, data, interviewing 
 procedure — if you are trying to improve the selection program in regard to 
 those things, but you have a de-centralized hiring policy — that is also 
 likely to be pretty unsatisfactory. You may make your improvements in the 
 personnel office, but the department head who is doing the hiring doesn't 
 pay any attention to this change, and the result is you have gone to a lot 
 of work and perhaps invested considerable money for no return. So there 
 must be a recognition of the need for the improvement in the selection 
 program and there must be cooperation by the executives if the thing is to 
 be a success. 
 
 We tried to emphasize yesterday the importance of job specifications — 
 of knowing exactly what job you are hiring for and trying to fit the appli- 
 cant to the particular job specification. As Mr. Cross pointed out in just 
 the last few minutes, you do not set the same standards for an office 
 manager as you would for a salesman (particularly a liquor salesman J) and 
 certainly you would not set the same standards for executive jobs as you 
 would for rank and file jobs. The quality of leadership may be a vital 
 consideration in one situation and may be very unimportant in the other. 
 So job analysis — finding out precisely what the individual is going to do 
 on the job, — is necessary before setting up specifications in terms of 
 intelligence, training, interest, motivation, and personality. Now of course 
 these specifications must be made as clear as possible if you are going to 
 have a good selection program* 
 
■ - 
 
 : 
 
 \ 
 
 
 . - ■ 
 ■ 
 
 <■ • • . < 
 
 " ■ - ■ 
 
 : ■ ' ■ 
 
 •:■ *•■: ■'- ■: ■ ■ 
 
 ■ ' ■ : . ■ 
 
 : ' 
 
 ■ .; •. . 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 . ■ . ; ' ''" 
 
 ■■•.,.'.•■, ■ : e . '■ ■ ■ 
 
 ;. 'I ' " ■ 
 
 - 
 
 ■■ . : ■...'■ 
 
 ... , 
 
 ! 
 
-2- 
 
 I think it is also obvious that you cannot separate selection from 
 wage and salary administration. If you haven't got a soundly established 
 compensation program, your selection procedures are likely to be very un- 
 satisfactory. At least you may pick the right people and you can't keep 
 them after you've got them. So selection, training, wage policy, all these 
 things have to be coordinated in order to get a successful human relations 
 program. 
 
 Furthermore, selection has to be continuing program. There is no 
 way by which you can come to us, or to a good consulting firm, and get a 
 final answer to your problems. You can go to any expert in the field and 
 say, "Here, please fix me up a selection program," and he may be able to 
 fix up a selection program which is good for your organization as it is 
 righ t now : making certain products, using certain processes, having a 
 certain kind of labor force available to you; and. in six months many of 
 those circumstances may have changed. If you start using new machinery, 
 your job content changes, and you need a new selection set-up for those 
 particular jobs„ If your organization changes, you have a new type of 
 distribution of responsibility, and again your job specifications will be 
 different. If a work simplification program is introduced, you cannot 
 continue to use the same selection standards after the job has been simpli- 
 fied, Now these things seem awfully elementary, and perhaps I'm saying 
 things that just aren-t worth saying. But I have seen many companies try 
 to continue to wee a set of tests or a set of interview standards after 
 the occasion had disappeared for using those particular devices and procedures. 
 
 I would like to emphasize that the process of evaluatin g the_ selec - 
 tion program should be going on all the time. We should constantly be 
 critical of \vhether or not we are really picking out the rig ht people for 
 the jobs as they exist at this particular time. 
 
 Now with that general introduction to the problem of management 
 policy and organization in relationship to selection, let me go over a few of 
 the points that have come up in connection with the specific sessions that 
 we have had 9 First, let's talk about the application blanko Out of the 
 discussion groups it became apparent, to some of us at least* that the 
 problem of determining the validity of the different items on the application 
 blank was one which needed special emphasis. We throw things together on 
 an application blanks Why do we put these particular items on? Why do 
 you have height and weight on an application blank? Is the job one that 
 requires physical strength? Are you hiring midgets or giants? Do you have 
 any particular physical qualifications for the job? Does an ybod y pay any 
 attention to it? Why is this particular information obtained? 
 
 The problem of re cord keeping in relationship to application blanks, 
 I think, deserves particular emphasis in this connection-, Do we know 
 whether or not poople who have certain characteristics really do make good 
 employees? Let's take this question of height B It isn't beyond the bounds 
 of imaginative possibilities, at least, that men ever 6 feet tall are more 
 likely to be successes on the job. On what job? Well ; it might make a 
 good deal of different, don't you think, as between different jobs in some 
 cases. For salesmen, person to person salesmen, I believe height is an 
 advantage. There have been some psychological data collected which indi- 
 cate that height is a real factor influencing the success of the salesman. 
 
-3- 
 
 But unless we keep records showing what kinds of employees have been successes 
 in this particular job, and unless we check those records back against the 
 application blank to find out whether these particular items really do have 
 anything to do with job success, we are wasting paper; we are wasting the 
 applicant's time, and we are wasting storage space by filing stuff away that 
 doesn't contribute anything to the industrial organization. 
 
 Mr. Gorby reminded us yesterday afternoon that one of the ways of 
 defining the purpose of a business is to say that a business exists to make 
 a profit. Are we increasing the profits of our organization by multiplying 
 forms, by making bigger and bigger forms with more pages, with fancy printing 
 complete with cartoons and so forth, or are we simply increasing operating 
 costs? Now obviously there are other considerations to be balanced there, — 
 for instance, the question of using the application blank as a kind of adver- 
 tising device. If you have a department store, a public utility, some 
 organization that deals with the general public so that every applicant is 
 also a consumer, then the advertising aspect of the thing may very well be 
 worth the money that's put in on it. But I want to stress, very heavily 
 because it seemed to be so important in the discussions, this question of 
 determining what is a successful employee and what characteristics does 
 he really have. 
 
 It was even suggested that perhaps we ought to have a conference in 
 which the problem of determining the validity of application blank items, 
 test items, interview procedures, rating devices could be considered. How 
 do you go about finding out what things are valid and what things are not? 
 It's really very simple. You merely ascertain which employees are success- 
 ful, and which ones are not, and check them back against their records. 
 Of course the standard of success varies according to what kind of job and 
 what kind of purpose you have in mind. 
 
 There were several other questions on the application blank but they 
 came from very few individuals, and I think I am going to skip on down to 
 the subject of testing. You showed a great deal of interest in this pro- 
 blem of testings Of course it is a complex subject in which there are a 
 good many pitfalls. A lot of people think in terms of tests and then they 
 use test instruments which are not suited for the particular purpose they 
 have in mind. A friend of mine who was traveling in northern Ohio, teaching 
 foreman training classes, turned up at my office one day with a very amusing 
 story. He had been conducting classes in a small rubber factory up north 
 of Akron, and he said the president of the company had a theory or rather 
 he had a trick device. He had an application blank which was fairly long 
 and he would have the applicant sit in his office— this was a small company 
 so this wasn't too much of an honor — the applicant sat in his office and 
 filled out this application blank. The president would surreptitiously 
 time the individual to see how long it took him, and he was using that as 
 if it were an intelligence test. The people who filled out the blank rapidly 
 got a high score and those who filled it our deliberately and slowly got a. 
 low score. This instructor thought he would have some fun so he got the 
 president, the vice-president, the production manager and two or three other 
 top executives into the room and got them to take this application blank and 
 fill it out, and the president took longer than anyone else.' So he stopped 
 using that particular device for selection because he was now convinced 
 that it wasn't valid. (Of course he was obviously more intelligent than 
 any of the others.) Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to get people to 
 check on the validity of their own testing devices. 
 

 . . ■ . , , - .. 
 
 .'.,•■ 
 
 . ■ • ■ . 
 
 
 • '■'■'.'■ ' 
 
 .- 
 
 ' ■ 
 
 • 
 
 ,; ' . • ■ i . • ' 
 
 id 
 
 ■ 
 
 . 
 
 
 ! 
 
 ■:.•■ i ■- • . 
 
 . ■ - . ■■ ■ '■■ ■ 
 
 1 - . 
 
 ■ ! 
 
 
 i ■ 
 
 
 ■ ■ ■ ■ • •■ . : * • 
 
 • .4 , ■■ ' . • 
 
 . ■ ■ ' ' ' •.. ■ 
 
 ..:•■■.-..' i 
 
 • . . . . ■ ' • ' • ■ ■ 
 
 ■ 
 
 < 4 U 
 
 ■ •. ■ ' I ' 
 
 
-k- 
 
 One of the things we must emphasize is that if you are going to use 
 tests, they must be used in a situation that is appropriate. So, if you are 
 going to try to use intelligence tests, that's fine for a situation where 
 intelligence is important. But if you are hiring for mechanical jobs, then 
 you want some performance test of the type that we had here for you to look 
 at yesterday afternoon (Incidentally, many of you seemed to enjoy them, 
 after you got over your suspicions that we were going to try to psychoanalyze 
 you on the basis of what you did.) Tests can be fun, and curiously enough 
 they can have value even when they aren't picking the right people. One 
 of my students was doing a thesis on the laundry and dry cleaning business 
 in New England last year. He went down to Hartford and found a big laundry 
 there, where they were giving tests. They had three different tests which 
 they gave to all their applicants. Some personnel manager had installed 
 these back in 19U5 or thereabouts but had never gotten around to checking 
 to see whether they were picking people who were successful on the job, A 
 new personnel manager came in, in 19hl f and he ran come correlations between 
 turn-over, production record and things of that sort and came to the con- 
 clusion that these tests had a validity of approximately .00. That is to 
 say, they were not discriminating in the least between the superior and the 
 worst kinds of employees. But when they did a morale survey on the workers 
 in the laundry, and asked them the question, "What do you think about the 
 companies testing policy?" The opinion was practically unanimous that they 
 thought it was a very fine idea because it showed that the management was 
 interested in them as individuals. So the testing program was really serving 
 a useful purpose, but it would have served a much more useful purpose if it 
 had been based on valid tests 4 They weren't going to throw the testing pro- 
 gram out, but they were going to try to find some tests that would correlate 
 a little better with success on the job. 
 
 Now there is a feeling on the part of the discussion group leaders 
 that there was too much emphasis on intelligence testing. We'd like to 
 emphasize the value of clerical aptitude tests, stenographic tests, typing 
 tests, mechanical ability tests — these various kinds which call for per- 
 formance as opposed to mere general intelligence. And I would like to 
 emphasize the point, which I did make yesterday, that there are many cases 
 for which you ought to set a ceiling on the job, that you don't want to 
 hire people above a certain level, or else they will become discontented 
 and dissatisfied if the job doesn't offer enough opportunities. So we have 
 this notion of hiring 90 percent of your routine people with an ability 
 ceiling and hiring about 10 percent above that level — because they are going 
 to be the people who will move up into the executive organization. In 
 trying to pick these tests I think that you would be well advised either 
 to go to a consulting psychologist organization, of which we've had two 
 excellent representatives here, Mr. Seashore and Mr. Cross; I won't put in 
 a plug for either of their firms specially, but they are both highly reput- 
 able organizations. Or you can go to a professor of psychology at a nearby 
 college. Most college professors are willing to pick up a little spare 
 change by serving as consultants, and they might be in a position to spend 
 more time with you than the consulting organization,, (Excuse me for putting 
 in the plug for the professors; I can't resist the temptation to do that too.) 
 
 Now we are inclined in general to advise against the use of person- 
 ality tests for selection purposes. There have been a great many questions 
 raised about projective tests, such as the thematic apperception test and 
 the Rorschach. Dr. Henry of the University of Chicago has gotten a good 
 deal of publicity on his work in that area. I'd like to say this: the 
 

 1 * 
 
 ■". 
 
-5- 
 
 thematic apperception test is one of the most extraordinarily difficult things 
 to interpret that you could find in a long day's walk, and it is not feasible 
 at this time— I don't think it is feasible for anybody to use thematic apper- 
 ception tests — unless he has a very extensive training in professional 
 psychology and a good deal of experience in industry (that is, if he is going 
 to use it for industrial purposes.) I don't think that any organization 
 could com - ; in and train your personnel manager to use a device of that type. 
 So you would have to hire a professional psychologist if you were going to 
 venture into that field. If you have one, then that is fine. If you don't, 
 then I would say leave it alone, don't get mixed up with it. 
 
 This patterned interview technique is much more satisfactory from 
 the point of view of a trained amateur as opposed to a professional psycho- 
 logists Furthermore, and this is perhaps to some extent my own personal 
 opinion, I think that some of the people who have been using projective 
 tests have exaggerated how good they are, I mean, they get enthusiastic. 
 You start using a test, you like it, it is your baby and you use it perhaps 
 with a flair that you can't teach somebody else, and you claim that you get 
 wonderful results, Well, sometimes you do, and maybe you forget about the 
 cases where you didn't. Anyway, the projective test people are a little 
 inclined, I think, to exaggerate what they can do. At any rate it is not 
 an area which we can encourage you to venture into. 
 
 One question has come up that I think deserves a moment of attention. 
 This is the question of the confidential character of test scores. It's 
 one about which there is a difference of opinion. There is one rule which 
 you can certainly follow, and that is that test scores must be confidential 
 within the organization. I mean by that, that it is extremely hazardous 
 to give foremen, office managers and people who are not trained in the use 
 of tests — it is very hazardous to give them test scores. They are likely 
 to become biased in their judgment of the individual employee simply because 
 he got a score of a certain amount. If he gets a high score, the foreman 
 says he's going to be a bang-up worker. He does poorly and the foreman finds 
 excuses for him. He says, "well the machine wasn't working right, or it 
 was too hot that day" or something of that sort, whereas if he hadn't known 
 about the score, he would have been more critical about the employee's behavior. 
 Conversely the man may get a low score, he comes in and does a good job, 
 and the foreman just doesn't pay any attention to it. He's convinced this 
 fellow isn't going to be any good, and he doesn't see the good work which 
 h3 actually does* So I would say, the first rule is not to give test scores 
 i.-o supervisors. 
 
 The other question that frequently comes up is: do you give them to 
 the applicant himself? Now my approach to that is one which is probably 
 not too practical, I would like to sit down with the applicant, go over 
 his test scores and say, "Now look, here are your strong points, here are 
 your -weak points. I think the kind of job you really ought to apply for 
 is such and such." In other words I would use the test for counselling pur- 
 poses. Now if you test a lot of people in the course of a week, you can 
 imagine whst that can do to your personnel organization. You'll be busy 
 counselling people and you won't be doing your job for the company. A 
 compromise solution there is to tell the applicant, if you are going to 
 reject him, "Nov-/ we have a testing program here; we gave you those tests, 
 and those tests are scored in terms of what kinds of people have been success- 
 ful in our organization. These don't necessarily show that you wouldn't be 
 good somewhere else. At some other job you might be a very fine worker and 
 
' 
 
 i ' 
 
 5 > 
 
 . . .■ y. : . . 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
-6- 
 
 you might have characteristics that would make you a success, but as far 
 as our particular job is concerned, these tests indicate that you probably 
 wouldn't be a success. We don't think we would be doing a favor to you 
 by giving you that job." Now many applicants will treat that as a brush 
 off and maybe it is; but I think it is a little more painless than to say 
 "No; you flunked the test" and let it go at that. And of course the former 
 is a more realistic \vay of presenting the thing. 
 
 There is another type of solution to this problem which is being 
 adopted in some communities, and which I would like to throw out just very 
 briefly for you consideration, In Pittsburgh and in some other communities, 
 industries have banded together to set up a community counselling agency. 
 This community counselling agency gives tests to anybody who chooses to 
 come. I mean it is a kind of free public service, and the applicant can 
 then say, "I would like these test scores sent to the Jones and Laughlin 
 Steel Company," or I would like these sent to the Koppers Company, or to 
 Boggs and Buhl. The tests then are given centrally; you don't have the 
 problem of repeating the test over and over. If five different companies 
 give the applicant the ^onderlic intelligence test, he'll probably be making 
 a very high I.Q. by the time he gets through, simply because he has had so 
 much practice. So a community testing service has an advantage there. It 
 also has the advantage that they can give counselling. They can say to the 
 applicant "The best kind of a job for you is thus and so" and you don't 
 get into this problem of the personnel manager being too busy to do that 
 kind of thing. So I'd like to throw out the general question: should small 
 industries, which cannot afford much of a testing program on their own, 
 should they pool their resources and set up a community agency which can 
 do this job much more satisfactorily than any of the individually? 
 
 Now one final point about tests and that's the question of relation- 
 ships with the union. The insistence on seniority has been cited by 
 several of you as a barrier to the use of tests, particularly for promo- 
 tional purposes. Most unions don't care about hiring; they don't care 
 about selection in our original sense. They do care very much about the 
 promotional techniques. Now I had an experience during the war which I 
 might cite as an illustration of what can probably be done here. It's 
 usable only when you have good relations with the union. (If you haven't 
 got good relations with the union, probably nothing is going to work very 
 well anyway. ) We had a clause in the union contract in one of our plants 
 which said "promotions shall be based on seniority if ability is equal". 
 Then of course you 'get into that nice argument about when ability is equal. 
 The company had a merit rating plan. I took the rating blanks for several 
 hundred employees and by a very simple statistical computation, determined 
 that the probable error of a rating on this particular blank was 3 points. 
 We then pointed out, in accordance with good statistical procedure, that 
 k probable errors — the distance indicated by h probable errors — can occur 
 by chance about once in 10 thousand times. Therefore we suggested to the 
 union a definition that when two workers were separated on the rating scale 
 by 12 points, then ability was definitely not equal and seniority would 
 not govern. If the distance between the two employees was less than 12 points, 
 then we would say ability was equal and seniority would govern. I don't 
 know whether it was my statistics or what it was, but the union accepted 
 that solution and we solved a good many conflicting problems in that way. 
 Generally speaking the union is concerned with avoiding favoritism. If 
 you can present an objective basis for making promotions, if you can present 
 data which they are sure are not based on favoritism or prejudice on the 
 
■-<:■ ■-:■ 
 
 ! 
 
 :■;■'.'■' . ; ■ ■■■■'-• ■' > ■ ' ■'■ 
 
 • 
 
 V 
 
 ' - ■' • ; ; 
 
 V '■ sk> m* : - : ' 
 
 . ' : ... 
 
 u 
 
-7- 
 
 part of the supervisor, they are quite likely to accept it. So I think if 
 you present test scores as a means of determining ability which is com- 
 pletely free from any kind of prejudice on the part of the company, it is 
 quite likely that they will accept it. Of course it has to be sold to them. 
 You have to show them the test. You have to give them access to the forms 
 and so forth; I don't think that's necessarily bad So I think the union 
 problem can be solved if we work at it. 
 
 Finally I'd like to talk about interviewing just very briefly. How 
 good are our employment interviewers? The interviewer usually thinks he 
 is pretty good. That's hardly surprising. He says """Veil, I've been picking 
 most of them right. Of course I get a good fellow once in a while but the 
 production department handles him badly and he goes sour, but that's not 
 my fault. That's the fault of the production supervisor," If we go to 
 the production supervisor and ask him how the interviewer is doing, his 
 opinion may be quite different, How do we evaluate the goodness of our 
 employment interviewers ? We have~to go about it in exactly the same way 
 that we do for anything else. We've got to find out whether he is picking 
 people who are successful in terms of standards out there on the job. Now 
 one way to do that is in terms of the kind of thing Mr, Cross was talking 
 about a minute ago. The interviewer should rate every applicant on a scale. 
 It might be one, two, three, four, five; it might be a, b, c, d. Then we 
 should follow up those people who are hired, those who are discharged, and 
 those who quit, and ask ourselves: what kind of ratings did these people 
 get when they were interviewed? You may find that some of your interviewers 
 are doing a very good job, and some of the other interviewers are doing a 
 very poor job, In that case you've got a problem for training. The inter- 
 viewing training program itself is an interesting one which I would like 
 to get into, but it's beyond the scope of this conference. 
 
 In conclusion let me say just a few irords about the approach of 
 scientific psychology to industrial problemso We are all human; by which 
 I mean that we act in terms of what vre want (motivation), what we are cap- 
 able of doing (ability), and what we have learned to do (training). The 
 task of the industrial personnel program is to select people whose motives 
 can be satisfied in the business, who have the appropriate abilities, and 
 who have had the necessary experience. 
 
 But the organization as a whole must work on sound human relations 
 principles. If threats, fear and insecurity are used to bully people into 
 working harder; if promotions and rewards are arbitrary and capricious, 
 based on favoritism; if jobs and authority are not clearly understood; if 
 people are afraid to say what they think — if any of these conditions exist, 
 you will have trouble, 
 
 A good selection program alone is not a solution to management's 
 problems. With a good over-all policy, and good execution, it will be of 
 tremendous value to you. 
 
 ILIR-107 
 (ii9-50)ec 
 
I '• • 
 
 y 
 
PERSON" !EL MANAGEMENT COI1FEREITC5ES 
 
 Confer once cm Se lection Techniques 
 
 November 17 and 18, 194-9 
 
 tobert Allerton Park 
 
 Albery, Duane 
 Director of Training 
 Corn Products Refining Co. 
 63rd and Archer Avenue 
 Argo, Illinois 
 
 Baxter, S.N. 
 Personnel Supervisor 
 Prim Hosiery, Inc. 
 219 West Stacey Street 
 Chester, Illinois 
 
 Beck, Elizabeth Mrs, 
 Personnel Director 
 R.J. Ederer Co. 
 54-0 Orleans Street 
 Chicago 10, Illinois 
 
 Berry, Hiss 
 Carson Pirie Scott 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Bowlus, O.H. 
 Personal Manager 
 Continental Ins. Co, of IT.Y, 
 135 S. La Salle Street 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Bridgers, Jeanne tte 
 Sales Supervisor 
 naperville Prince Castle Co, 
 324 S, Washington Street 
 Naperville, Illinois 
 
 Browne, Glen 
 Employment Manager 
 Illinois Agricultural Ass'n. 
 4-3 East Ohio Street 
 Chicago 11, Illinois 
 
 Cole, Floyd R. Jr. 
 
 Employment Interviewer 
 
 The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Co, 
 
 MOO E. 53rd Street 
 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Donalson, Brinton 
 Personnel Supervisor 
 Bakelite Corporation 
 612 Pearl Street 
 Ottawa , Illinois 
 
 Dunk, Everton 
 
 Assistant Personnel Director 
 
 Kable Brothers Company 
 
 12 W. Center Street 
 
 Mt, Morris, Illinois 
 
 Erickson, Uillard E. 
 Assistant Personnel Manager 
 Ceco Steel Products Corporation 
 Chicago 50, Illinois 
 
 Faassen, Fred 
 
 Assistant Personnel Manager 
 
 Abbott Laboratories 
 
 14-th St. and Sheridan Road 
 
 North Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Fredeiihagen, W.S, Jr. 
 Sales Supervisor 
 Naperville Prince Castle Co. 
 324. 3, Mashington Street 
 Naperville, Illinois 
 
 Gislason, John 
 
 Asst. Manager Industrial Relations 
 
 Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. 
 
 412 II , La Vergne Avenue 
 
 Chicago 44-, Illinois ' 
 
 Gordon, Frank ■'• 
 Employment Interviewer 
 Block & -Kuhl Company 
 127 Jay Street 
 East Peoria, Illinois 
 
 Happenny, J.C. 
 
 Ass't Vice President 
 
 Central Illinois Public Service Co, 
 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 
 Kardin, John 
 Personnel Director 
 Universal Oil Iroducts Co. 
 310 South Michigan Avenue 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Harney, Helen B. 
 Personnel Representative 
 Fred Harvey Rm. 1701 
 30 E. Jackson 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
Conference on Selection Techniques Cont. 
 
 Hartley, Paul 
 Navy Pier 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Henderson, Charles L, 
 Manager Employment Office 
 Illinois Bell Telephone 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Ileneghan, Frederick J, 
 Personnel Manager 
 Blockson-Chemical Co. 
 517 E, 12th Street 
 Lockport, Illinois 
 
 Hodde, Harry 
 Employment Manager 
 Allis Chalmers 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 
 Johnson, Herbert IT* 
 Personnel Manager 
 R.G. LeTourneau, Inc. 
 2301 II. Adams Street 
 Peoria, Illinois 
 
 Lacey, Don T, 
 
 Personnel Manager 
 
 Central Illinois Public Service Bldg, 
 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 
 Lindsay, Bill 
 Asst, Personnel Manager 
 Corn Products Refining Co, 
 63rd & Archer Avenue 
 Argo, Illinois 
 
 Lindemer, R.M, 
 Staff Assistant 
 Public Service Co. 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Looger, L.L. 
 Personnel Director 
 Hiram Walker & Sons Inc. 
 Peoria, Illinois 
 
 Luck, Frank 
 Navy Pier 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Matthews, George 
 
 Adm, Asst. Personnel Department 
 
 State Farm Mutaul Auto Ins. Co. 
 
 519 McGregor 
 
 Bloonington, Illinois 
 
 Maurath, R.R, 
 
 Industrial Relations Assistant 
 Public Service Co. northern Illinois 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Morryweather, Mr. 
 Chief Employment Interviewer 
 Commonwealth Edison Company 
 72 17. Adams Street 
 Chicago 90, Illinois 
 
 Myers, Walter E. 
 Illinois State Library 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 
 Powell, A.J. 
 Plant Auditor 
 Central Soya Co , Inc. 
 316 North Wood Street 
 Gibson City, Illinois 
 
 Putnam, Kenneth W. 
 Personnel Manager 
 Formfit Company 
 4.00 S, Peoria Street 
 Chicago 7, Illinois 
 
 Ridgely, William D. 
 Peoria Mfg's Association 
 213 S. Jefferson Avenue 
 Peoria, Illinois 
 
 Rose, Russell J, 
 
 Department of Prod. & Engineering 
 American Institute of Laundering 
 Chicago St. & Doris Avenue 
 Joliet, Illinois 
 
 Schultz, Edward 
 Interviewer 
 
 Williamson Candy Company 
 4-701 Armitage Avenue 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Stalter, Lucille 
 Employment Manager 
 State Farm Auto Ins. Co. 
 Bloomington, Illinois 
 
 Vandevoir, Vic 
 Personnel Manager 
 Hyster Company 
 1003 Myers Street 
 Davnille, Illinois 
 
Conference on Selection Techniques Cont. 
 
 Vogelmann, Walter A. 
 Trg. & Ed. Director 
 Elgin Match Company 
 107 National Street 
 Elgin, Illinois 
 
 Wiese, C.V. 
 Director of Personnel 
 Household Finance Corporation 
 919 N. Michigan Avenue 
 Chicago, Illinois 
 
 Winsborou;;h, Robb 
 Fcrsonncl Representative 
 Central Illinois Public Service 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 
 :/hisnant, Lewis E. 
 
 Assistant Secretary 
 
 Mississippi Valley Structural Steel 
 
 2000 E. Eldorado Street 
 
 Decatur, Illinois 
 
 Wyant, Tim 
 Personnel Director 
 Central Soya Company, 
 316 IT. Hood Street 
 Gibson City, Illinois 
 
 Inc. 
 
 ILIR-92 
 (49-50) 
 
 mrz 
 

 UNivERsrnr of illinois-urbana 
 
 3 0112 110193916