354 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
When, finally, the psychologist or the expert Inter 
viewer has concluded his examination, he must express 
his conclusions in concrete and intelligible terms. It has 
been found possible, by means of the pro-rating formulae 
described in the Appendix, to express the results of cer 
tain series of tests in terms of percentage. This is a very 
desirable method for several reasons: First, it is easily 
understood. Secondly, it enables the employment man 
ager or whoever has the final decision in the matter to 
make a very close comparison between several individuals 
who are all applying for the same work at the same time. 
Other things being equal, the candidate rated ninety- 
four would naturally be given preference over the one 
rated eighty-two. Thirdly, it provides a standard basis 
upon which to set the initial salary at which the individual 
shall be employed. This point in itself is of vast impor 
tance to the employer. There are, to be sure, maximum 
and minimum wages for certain classes of work, but it 
is extremely desirable to have some means by which the 
setting of these wage rates can be guided within these 
limits. At the present time, this matter is handled in 
much the same individualistic and haphazard manner in 
which selection is handled, with the result that all kinds 
of discrepancies and inconsistencies occur. The presence 
of a definite rating such as that mentioned and de 
scribed in connection with the tests outlined in the 
Appendix furnishes exactly the concrete and impersonal 
basis needed to make an intelligent and fair decision re 
garding the salary or rate at which the applicant should 
be started. A candidate who stands high will naturally 
be started at a salary approaching the maximum starting 
wage for that work, while one rated very low will be 
started near the minimum. The point in the scale of one