Predicting Job Performance Criteria From Interview-based Impressions Of Personality

Two laboratory experiments investigated the utility of evaluating applicant personality characteristics in the employment interview for purposes of predicting relevant job performance criteria. In Study One, three target applicants were created from personality information drawn from the two poles of an accounting/advertising factor dimension and a second dimension. Subjects judged the personality characteristics of the target applicants, their suitability for one of two jobs (accounting/bookkeeping or writing and advertising copy), and their probable level of job performance. It was predicted that job applicant targets congruent with the job characteristics would be judged more suitable for the job than targets who were incongruent with the job. Results indicated that reliable and accurate personality judgments of the three job applicants were made. Congruence between applicant personality traits and specific jobs was the critical factor in determining general suitability judgments (including job satisfaction). However, this congruence had no apparent effect on predictions of future job performance.;In Study Two, criterion measures were obtained on two job related tasks (an accounting/bookkeeping task and an advertising copy writing task). Subjects in this experiment were chosen on the basis of their scores on two factor dimensions of personality demonstrated to be conceptually and empirically related to jobs involving accounting and bookkeeping tasks and advertising copy writing tasks. Controlling for differences due to experience and intelligence, results indicated that congruence between personality traits and the specified jobs was related to job satisfaction, but not job performance criteria.;The prediction of job satisfaction from interview based impressions of personality in Study One was found to have a basis for validity, as demonstrated by the significant relationship between job satisfaction and congruent personality obtained in Study Two. Personality traits were not generally used by subjects in Study One to discriminate among applicants on job performance criteria, and in Study Two, no relationship was found between these criteria and congruent personality traits. Results are discussed in terms of the potential of the employment interview for predicting job satisfaction from applicant personality and the implications of this prediction for personnel selection