We analyzed decision-making processes of personnel staff during the sc
reening of application forms by means of TYPAG. TYPAG is a formal meth
od for the detection of frequent decision rules in predictor data. The
study is based on judgments of 331 real application forms made by per
sonnel staff at 23 German companies. Large differences emerged between
the importance of various aspects of the application as rated by pers
onnel staff during the screening of application forms, and the importa
nce of these aspects according to the reconstruction of the decision-m
aking rules by means of TYPAG. in addition, negative decisions (i.e.,
a decision that applicants should not be invited for an interview) are
dominated by format aspects, whereas in positive decisions (to invite
an applicant) the applicants vocational qualifications receive more w
eight, although formal aspects still have some importance. Finally, th
e use and limits of TYPAG for analyzing decision-making are discussed.