2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

DEVELOPING MEASURES OF OCCUPATIONAL INTERESTS AND
VALUES FOR SELECTION 39
Dan J. Putka, Ph.D.
Human Resources Research Organization
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 400
Alexandria, Va 22314
Dputka@Humrro.Org
INTRODUCTION
Christopher E. Sager, Ph.D.
Human Resources Research Organization
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 400
Alexandria, Va 22314
csager@humrro.org
491
Chad H. Van Iddekinge, Ph.D.
Human Resources Research Organization
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 400
Alexandria, Va 22314
Cvaniddekinge@Hummro.Org
Historically, personnel selection has concerned the development of predictor measures
that assess knowledges, skills, and attributes (KSAs) deemed critical to successful job
performance (e.g., Campbell, 1990; Schmitt & Chan, 1998). However, job performance is not the
only criterion that the U. S. Army desires to affect through its selection and classification
systems. Most notably, attrition is often a key criterion of interest. Unfortunately, traditional
KSA-based predictor development strategies fall short in identifying predictors of nonperformance
criteria. Fortunately, the academic literature provides alternative strategies for
developing predictors that are well grounded in theory and highly relevant for the prediction of
alternative criteria. For example, measures of occupational interests and values have a long
tradition in vocational/career counseling literature, and have been found to be predictive of both
employee turnover and several work-related attitudes that are believed to underlie turnover (e.g.,
job satisfaction and commitment; Dawis, 1991). Although common in the vocational counseling
arena, several challenges arise when such measures are considered for use in personnel selection
where intentional response distortion among respondents becomes more likely. This paper
discusses challenges that have arisen in our efforts to develop such measures for the Army’s
Select21 project.
INTEREST AND VALUE MEASURES IN SELECT21
The goal of the Select21 project (sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Institute for the
Behavioral and Social Sciences) is to develop and validate measures that will help the Army select
and retain Soldiers with the characteristics needed to succeed in the future Army. A key element of
predictor development has been to develop measures of person-environment (P-E) fit (Kristof,
39 This paper is part of a symposium titled Occupational Interest Measurement: Where Are the Services Headed?
presented at the 2003 International Military Testing Association Conference in Pensacola, FL (M.G. Rumsey,
Chair). The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this paper are those of the authors and should not be
construed as an official U.S. Department of the Army position, policy, or decision.
45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003