276 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
cant without any special training applies for some in 
definite kind of office work. The first step is to give her 
some general clerical tests, then some more specific tests 
such as the filing tests and arithmetical tests. On the 
basis of these tests it is possible to assign her at once to the 
work for which she seems best fitted, and also to establish 
a tentative rate of compensation. Once assigned to a 
certain kind of work in the vestibule school, the new em 
ployee is instructed in this work with the view of preparing 
her to assume that work as soon as possible in the main 
office. So far as practicable, the work of the vestibule 
school should consist of actual routine work taken from the 
main office, in order that all practice and instructions may 
have an immediate practical bearing upon the future work 
of the pupil. 
The same general procedure applies to a new employee 
who claims previous education and training. Take, for 
example, a stenographer who claims to be a graduate of 
some business school and to have a considerable amount 
of experience. Such an applicant is tested, first of all, for 
her ability to take dictation and transcribe, in order to 
discover the degree of proficiency which her training and 
experience have enabled her to acquire in these essentials. 
Besides this, she is given certain clerical and special in 
telligence tests, in order to determine what her natural 
capabilities are. On the basis of her performance in these 
tests, she is assigned to a certain type of work and given a 
tentative rating, after which she is given instructions in 
the work for which she seems best fitted. In all cases, 
the duration of the period of training depends entirely 
upon the initial ability of the pupil and the rapidity with 
which the pupil learns the work assigned. 
During this period each pupil is under continual ob