246 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
certainly not like a capable stenographer. And yet she 
picked up a notebook and took down the dictation given 
her with a rapidity and assurance that were most con 
vincing. And when she began transcribing her notes, she 
did so with a vigor and confidence that left no mistake as 
to her ability. The capability which this girl displayed in 
action was entirely out of harmony with her general ap 
pearance. 
The employment interviewer is usually on the lookout 
for actions which will enable him to form a better estimate 
of an applicant. Even if he is not consciously looking for 
such actions, he is influenced by them nevertheless. The 
candidate’s language, his manner of expression, his general 
attitude, his walk, and a number of other acts which may 
express themselves during the course of an interview, all 
play a very important part in the final conclusion. How 
ever, the usual interview is so short as to make it impossi 
ble to watch more than a very few of the applicant’s 
activities, and the knowledge of the individual which they 
reveal is therefore very superficial and fragmentary. The 
most important objection to forming judgments in this 
way is the fact that the actions which the candidate re 
veals during an interview are in most cases totally irrel 
evant; that is, they are actions which have little or nothing 
to do with the work for which the candidate is applying. 
An applicant for the position of tool maker, for instance, 
may stutter his replies and act very awkwardly during an 
interview, thus producing a very unfavorable impression 
on the interviewer. However, his clumsy actions in this 
respect are no reliable indication of his ability as a tool 
maker. The lack of activity and -alertness which the girl 
just described manifested while she was being inter 
viewed was not a good indication of the energy and ability