Biodata

Patrick D. Converse & Frederick L. Oswald

Biodata, or biographical data, are paper and pencil measures that ask respondents to reflect or report on their life experiences. Scores from biodata are typically used in conjunction with other employment measures for predicting individual performance in a given job. Biodata have been used across a wide range of occupations as an indicator of the likelihood of job success, where success may be defined as task-specific job performance, teamwork, or other organizationally relevant outcomes. Biodata can therefore be a useful tool for organizations seeking to examine job applicants' backgrounds in a consistent, transparent, and fair manner. The fundamental premise underlying the use of these measures is that past experience should be a reasonable predictor of future work behavior. That is, it is assumed that individuals shape their life experiences, and they are also shaped by these experiences. Given these processes are relatively continuous over time, having critical information about an ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.