COMBINING BIODATA TEST AND INTERVIEW INFORMATION - PREDICTING DECISIONS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

An important question in real world selection situations is: How do in terviewers integrate employment test scores and interview information in making selection decisions? The present study expands on previous r esearch by examining how valid biodata test scores and interview infor mation interact in the prediction of actual interviewer selection deci sions and actual job performance criteria for hired candidates. The sa mple for the study was 577 actual candidates for the position of life insurance sales agent evaluated by insurance agency managers from a si ngle company. The results indicated the presence of interaction effect s in predicting both the interviewers' decision and 12-month survival. The interview information predicted the decision and survival best fo r candidates with low passing scores on the biodata test and poorest f or candidates with high passing scores. The results clarify the condit ions under which interview information is most predictive of job perfo rmance criteria.