This study examines whether people who have similar cognitive ability, vocational interests, and personality characteristics choose similar jobs. Subjects were 139 job applicants at a private employment agency: 49 individuals applied for general laborer positions, 48 for bookkeeping positions, and 42 for secretarial positions. As expected, people who had similar cognitive ability and vocational interests chose similar jobs. Contrary to expectations, however, persons who shared similar personality characteristics did not choose similar jobs. The results suggest implications for personnel selection, attraction-selection theory, and applications of human resource management technologies.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alexander, R. A. , Alliger, G. M., & Hanges, P. J. (1984). Correcting for range restriction when the population variance is unknown. Applied Psychological Measurement, 8, 431-437.
2.
Bretz, R. D., Jr. , Ash, R. A., & Dreher, G. F. (1989). Do people make the place? An examination of the attraction-selection-attrition hypothesis. Personnel Psychology, 42, 561-581.
3.
Burke, M. J. , Normand, J., & Doran, L. I. (1989). Estimating unrestricted population parameters from restricted sample data in employment testing. Applied Psychological Measurement, 13, 161-166.
4.
Colarelli, S. M. (1994). The context of hiring practices. Manuscript submitted for publication.
5.
Colarelli, S. M. , Dean, R. A., & Konstans, C. (1987). Comparative effects of personal and situational influences on job outcomes of new professionals. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 558-566.
6.
Costa, P. T., Jr. , McCrae, R. R., & Holland, J. L. (1984). Personality and vocational interests in an adult sample. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69, 390-400.
7.
Dunnette, M. D. (1966). Personnel selection and placement. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
8.
Gottfredson, G. D. , Holland, J. L., & Ogawa, D. K. (1982). Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
9.
Hartigan, J. A. , & Wigdor, A. K. (Eds.). (1989). Fairness in employment testing. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
10.
Hays, W. L. (1973). Statistics for the social sciences. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
11.
Hogan, R. (1983). A socioanalytic theory of personality. In M. Page (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation 1982. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
12.
Holland, J. L. (1962). Some explorations of a theory of vocational choice: I. One- and two-year longitudinal studies. Psychological Monographs, 76(26, Whole No. 545).
13.
Holland, J. L. (1963). Explorations of a theory of vocational choice and achievement: II. A four-year prediction study. Psychological Reports, 12, 547-594.
14.
Holland, J. L. (1985a). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
15.
Holland, J. L. (1985b). Vocational preference inventory manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
16.
Jackson, D. N. (1976). Jackson Personality Inventory Manual. Goshen, NY: Research Psychologists Press.
17.
Jackson, D. N. (1977). Reliability of the Jackson Personality Inventory. Psychological Reports, 40, 613-614.
18.
Jackson, D. N. (1984). Personality Research Form Manual. Goshen, NY: Research Psychologists Press.
19.
Jensen, A. R. (1986). g: Artifact or reality. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 29, 301-333.
20.
Lunneborg, C. E. , & Abbott, R. D. (1983). Elementary multivariate analysis for the behavioral sciences: Applications of basic structure. New York: Elsevier.
21.
McCormick, E. J. (1979). Job analysis. New York: AMACOM.
22.
Neiner, A. G. , & Owens, W. A. (1985). Using biodata to predict job choice among college graduates. Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, 127-136.
23.
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.
24.
Pearlman, K. (1980). Job families: A review and discussion of their implications for personnel selection. Psychological Bulletin, 87, 1-28.
25.
Schein, E. H. (1985). Leadership and organizational culture. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
26.
Schmidt, F. E. (1985). Review of the Wonderlic Personnel Test. In J. V. Mitchell, Jr. (Ed.), The ninth mental measurements yearbook (Vol. 2, pp. 1755-1757). Lincoln: University of Nebraska, Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
27.
Schmidt, F. L. , Hunter, J. E., & Pearlman, K. (1981). Task differences as moderators of aptitude test validity in selection: A red herring. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66, 166-185.
28.
Schneider, B. (1987). The people make the place. Personnel Psychology, 40, 437-453.
29.
Schneider, B. , & Schmitt, N. (1986). Staffing organizations (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
30.
Shrauger, J. S. , & Osberg, T. M. (1981). The relative accuracy of self-predictions and judgments by others in psychological assessment. Psychological Bulletin, 90, 322-351.
31.
Super, D. E. (1957). The psychology of careers. New York: Harper & Row.
32.
Tom, V. R. (1971). The role of personality and organizational images in the recruiting process. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 6, 572-592.
33.
White, R. W. (1959). Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence. Psychological Review, 66, 297-333.
34.
Wonderlic, E. F., & Associates. (1983). Wonderlic Personnel Test Manual. Northfield, IL: E. F. Wonderlic & Associates.
