RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONALITY AND GENERAL MENTAL-ABILITY IN MANAGERS JUDGMENTS OF APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS

Eighty-four managers who make hiring decisions in 1 of 6 occupations r epresentative of J. L. Holland's (1973) 6 job typologies (medical tech nologist, insurance sales agent, carpenter, licensed practical nurse, reporter, and secretary) rated 39 hypothetical job applicants on 2 dep endent variables, hirability and counterproductivity. Applicants were described on the Big Five personality factors (Emotional Stability, Ex traversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousne ss) and on general mental ability. Results showed that general mental ability and conscientiousness were the most important attributes relat ed to applicants' hirability and that Emotional Stability, Conscientio usness, and Agreeableness were the most important attributes related t o counterproductivity. In most respects, these results mirror meta-ana lytic reviews of validity studies, thereby confirming hypotheses.