354

EMPLOYMENT  PSYCHOLOGY

When,  finally,  the  psychologist  or  the  expert  Interviewer ­
  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  certain ­
  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  manager ­
  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  ninetyfour
  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  importance ­
  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  described ­
  in  connection  with  the  tests  outlined  in  the
Appendix  furnishes  exactly  the  concrete  and  impersonal
basis  needed  to  make  an  intelligent  and  fair  decision  regarding ­
  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