Accuracy of self-assessment is critical to effective career planning. Over a two year period, a total of 425 students were asked to estimate their Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) after sitting the final Year 12 examination. Estimates were compared with their actual rank obtained in the state examination. On average males performed worse than expected while females performed better, although neither group self-assessed very accurately. Results are discussed in relation to the reasons for the inaccuracy, and implications for career planning are outlined.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BjorkR. A. (1995). Memory and meta-memory considerations in the training of human beings. In MetcalfeJ.ShimamuraA. P. (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing. Cambridge: MIT Press
2.
BlatchfordP. (1992). Academic self-assessment at 7 and 11 years: Its accuracy and association with ethnic group and sex. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 35–44
3.
Board of Studies of New South Wales (1993). HSC scaling: An explanation of the facts and procedures. (2nd Edition). NSW: Board of Studies
4.
DawisR. V.LofquistL. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press
5.
DunnT. R. (1982). An empirical demonstration of bias in HSC examination results. Australian Journal of Education, 27(2), 190–203
6.
EricssonA.SmithJ. (1991). Toward a general theory of expertise: Prospects and limits. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
7.
GeorgeD. I.SmithM. C. (1990). An empirical comparison of self-assessment and organizational assessment in personnel selection. Public Personnel Management, 19, 175–190
8.
HeskethB.WhiteleyS. (1995). Students' perceptions of the help received during the tertiary admissions process. Australian Journal of Career Development, 4(3), 62–67
9.
HollandJ. L. (1985). Making vocational choices: A theory of careers. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall
10.
HornJ. L. (1985). Remodelling old models of intelligence. In WolmanB. (Ed.). Handbook of intelligence: Theories, measurements and applications. New York: Wiley & Sons
11.
LokanJ. J. (1984). Career Development Inventory — Australia. Camberwell, Vic.: Australian Council for Educational Research
12.
LunneborgC. E. (1982) Systematic biases in brief self-ratings of vocational qualifications. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 20, 255–275
13.
MeyerH. H. (1980). Self-appraisal of job performance. Personnel Psychology, 33, 291–295
14.
MihalW. L.GraumenzJ. L. (1984). An assessment of the accuracy of self-assessment for career decision-making. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 25, 245–253
15.
NevilleD.SuperD. E. (1988). Career maturity and commitment to work in university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 32, 139–151
16.
RandahlG. J. (1991). A typological analysis of the relation between measured vocational interests and abilities. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 38, 333–356
17.
RobertsT. A. (1991). Gender and the influence of evaluations on self-assessments in achievement settings. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 297–308
18.
RobertsT. A.Nolen-HoeksemaS. (1994). Gender comparisons in responsiveness to others' evaluations in achievement settings. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 221–240
