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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  convincing. ­
  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  appearance. ­

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.  However, ­
  the  usual  interview  is  so  short  as  to  make  it  impossible ­
  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  reveals ­
  during  an  interview  are  in  most  cases  totally  irrelevant; ­
  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  interviewed ­
  was  not  a  good  indication  of  the  energy  and  ability