THE  OBSERVATIONAL  METHOD

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ability  necessary  for  an  accountant.  What  an  industry  is
interested  in  is  not  so  much  general  qualities  as  specific
abilities.  This  is  an  age  of  specialization  in  every  field,  of
the  utmost  division  of  labor  and  talent.  The  task  of  the
employment  office  of  a  large  or  a  small  industry  is  to
classify  applicants  into  groups  which  are  as  specific  as
are  the  various  jobs  which  they  are  called  upon  to  perform. ­
  For  this  task  the  old  method  of  observation,  even
in  the  hands  of  the  most  skilled  observer,  is  entirely  inadequate. ­

However,  it  may  be  claimed  that  observation,  even  if
limited  to  general  impressions,  has  a  valuable  place  in  the
process  of  employment.  This  may  be  admitted  and  it
may  still  be  said  that  the  place  which  at  present  it  holds
is  far  too  valuable.  Far  too  much  weight  is  placed  upon
the  results  of  observation.  As  one  instance  typical  of  the
emphasis  on  observation  are  quoted  the  following  items
which,  together  with  certain  other  items  discussed  in  a
previous  chapter,  appear  on  the  application  form  of  a  very
large  industry  well  known  for  its  progressive  employment
methods:
Personal  Appearance:  Dress,  neat  medium
or  slovenly  Carriage,  alert  medium  or
slouchy
Initiative:  Wants  to  lead  in  everything  Creative
Quiet  pusher  Prefers  to  be  led  Good
Mixer
Activity:  Live  wire  nervously  quick  moderate ­
  phlegmatic  slow  but  steady
These  items  are  headed  “Interviewer’s  Impressions”,  and
constitute  the  chief  basis  upon  which  the  applicant  is
hired.  They  are  so  characteristic  and  so  frequently  met