| Abstract: | Biodata as a selection technique is gaining greater acceptance in Australia and interest in the technique appears to be growing. There are a number of reasons for its rise in popularity, including particular advantages afforded by the technique such as enhanced validity and decreased adverse impact. This paper presents an overview of the development of a biodata instrument for large-scale recruitment and focuses specifically on how clients' needs were met by incorporating biodata in a revised recruitment system. The reader is also referred to another article in this issue by Karas and West that reports on this project, but covers technical aspects of the rational-empirical approach taken to instrument development. The biodata technique was chosen to meet specific requirements of a new selection system for entry level clerical and graduate staff of the Australian Public Service. Broadly, the system sought to assess a range of job-related skills encompassing both cognitive and noncognitive abilities and to maximize the validity and fairness of the recruitment process. The addition of a biodata questionnaire, as an integral part of the selection system, assisted in meeting these aims and providing clients with a more comprehensive process which offered greater flexibility and the reliable assessment of noncognitive attributes that are critical to success in today’s workplace. |
