Employer Preferences for the Form and Substance of Employment Application Cover Letters

This study investigates the effect some principal characteristics of employment application cover letters have on personnel officers. A sample of personnel executives from 100 major companies was queried as to their perception of the desirability of 12 common cover letter characteristics. The results indicate that the personnel officers do not consistently perceive letters in the manner suggested by the existing literature. Some characteristics are shown to elicit negative responses from personnel officers, and thus should be avoided by job applicants. Several characteristics are strongly preferred by the sample surveyed. The model for an employment cover letter derived from this study should enhance the applicant's chances for a favorable response, or at least prevent letter forms which might detract therefrom.     

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF VERBAL, ARTICULATIVE, AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION TO EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS IN THE JOB INTERVIEW SETTING

Recruiter ratings of 338 on-campus interviews were used in a discriminant analysis procedure to determine the relative importance of the verbal, articulative, and nonverbal dimensions of communication during the job interview. Correlation of seven variables with the discriminant function indicated that appropriateness of content, fluency of speech, and composure were of greatest importance in contributing to a favorable employment decision. These findings were contrary to the recent literature which has emphasized the importance of nonverbal behavior. Implications for job-interview skills training are discussed, and suggestions for a comprehensive workshop model are presented.     

Introducing Novice Therapists to “Go-Between” Techniques of Family Therapy

The training of family therapists requires that learning objectives and expectations be specified in empirical terms so that the trainer and trainee can achieve clear goals, identify areas of progress, and meet the special needs of the trainee. This paper articulates the competencies, objectives, and criteria for evaluation used during a time-limited training program for therapists involved in family therapy research conducted at Centennial School of Lehigh University.     

Male and Female Preferences in Selected Career Factors

This study investigated seven factors relating to personal preferences in choosing a career. Differences between male and female preferences were also studied. While males and females express similarities relating to the seven factors, they also reveal differences that should be considered by counselors helping individuals explore career choices.     

The Relationships Between First- and Second-Order Measures of Cultivation

In the research literature on the cultivation hypothesis, there are two types of measures: first order and second order. First-order measures require respondents to provide estimates of occurrences. Second-order measures assess respondents’ attitudes. This study seeks to determine whether this measurement distinction results in operationalizations that are independent or related to one another. It was found that the two are related to a weak degree at a general level, but stronger relationships are found on a contingent analysis. Subgroups defined by relevant situational variables and certain general variables (such as IQ and especially age) reveal significant differential patterns of relationships. Also, evidence was found of an asymmetric pattern on several topics where first-order estimates usually form a basis for second-order beliefs.     

Improved Test–retest Reliability Criteria as Applied to Probability Assessments

Test–retest reliability is a common indicator of response consistency. It is argued that using regression coefficients for detecting systematic response error is less appropriate than testing for shifts in the mean (median) and variance. This procedure is exemplified using probability response data. For this data, shifts in centrality were found to be about 2.5 times more likely than shifts in variability. The shifts in centrality did not favor any particular direction; however, variability tended to decrease over time in early sessions.