MANUAL
FOR
OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFIERS
Federal Works Agency
Work Projects Administration
Division of Employment
Occupational Classification
Section
Revised May 1, 1941.
J
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Classification on WPA 1
The Work History Form 2
Introduction of Work History WPA Form 450 3
Preliminary Sorting of Forms 4
Occupational Information 5
Sources of Occupational Information 7
Appendices A and B to Operating Procedure E-9
Books
Magazines
Occupational Studies
Industrial Visits
Preliminary Review of Work History Forms 13
Personal Interviews 21
Qualifications of the Good interviewer 22
Poise and Emotional Stability
Interest in Others
Ability to Command Respect
Courtesy
Sense of Humor
Age
Education
Sex
Scheduling Interviews 26
Suggestions for Interviewers 28
Reactions based on Previous Experience
Stereotyped Mental Pictures
Judgment on Basis of Appearance
The Error of General Impressions
Length of Service as a Criterion of Efficiency
Education as a Criterion of Job Efficiency
Number of Jobs as an Index to Stability
Personality Traits 32
The Office Interview 32
Concluding the Interview 36
Accuracy of Data Obtained by Interview 37
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Psuedo-Scientific Measurements 38
Objective Measurements 39
Tests 39
Reviewing the Interview. 43
Reference Letters 43
Classification 45
Relationship of Classification to Employment Division
Functions 46
Procedure in Classification 47
Primary Classification 49
Employment Record 52
Formal Education 55
Special Training in Employment 55
Vocational Training 56
Special Abilities and Skills 57
Personal Characteristics 57
Age with Reference to Classification. 57
Height and Weight in Relation to Classification 58
Physical Conditions in Relation to Classification 58
Personality Traits and Appearances in Relation to
Classification 59
Occupational Preferences of Applicants 59
Special Qualifications, Tools, Etc 60
Classification of Foremen 61
Classification of Apprentices 62
Classification of Helpers 62
Secondary or Supplementary Classifications 63
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PAGE
Selection of Occupational Titles 65
Coding 66
Classification for Work on WPA Program 66
Assistance from WPA Operating Divisions 71
Applicants with Qualifications for Appointive Positions.... 71
Applicants with Qualifications for Supervisory Positions... 71
Classification for Training 72
Bibliography 73
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Since the inception of the Work Program one of the prima¬
ry functions of the Employment Division of the Work Projects Adminis¬
tration has "been the classification of all certified persons accord¬
ing to the occupation at which they are best qualified to work by
reason of their occupational training, experience and ability, physical
condition, education, etc., and the complementary reclassification of
such persons when additional information received indicate that the
occupational classification should be changed.
Glassification on WPA
Up to the present time in classifying workers emphasis has
been placed on the kind of work for which the applicant was qualified
on the Work Program. And rightly so, for practically the only field
for placement was on WPA projects. However, the recent establishment
of a National Defense Program and the important part that WPA will play
in it makes it necessary to revise, amplify, and bring up to date the
occupational information now in WPA files on all certified persons em¬
ployed on projects and to collate this information in such a manner as
will make it readily available and usable. Similarly, there must be
collected, collated and recorded similar information on certified
persons awaiting assignment and persons who are being currently certi¬
fied as in need.
Furthermore, workers and applicants for employment must be
classified not only in terms of the type of work they can perform on
the Work Program, but so that the WPA may have .knoitfledge of their
qualifications for referral to national defense and other private in¬
dustries or to vocational training courses set up under the National
Defense Program.
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The Work History Form
To facilitate and standardize the collection of data with
which to supplement the present information on the occupational
qualifications of workers on WPA projects and those awaiting assign¬
ment to projects, Work History, WPA Eorm 450, has been prepared to
serve as the "basic occupational record for use of the Employment
Division. It is intended to present an approximation of the abil¬
ities possessed by the applicant and his proficiency in these
abilities. It is also a guide and aid toward determining his pro¬
bable potentialities or capacity.
Properly completed and corrected, and supplemented from
time to time as fresh facts are developed, it itfill serve as;
1. A basis for the revision of the assignment file
and for proper assignment to WPA projects,
2. A basis for determination as to the possibility
of the workers becoming part of the National
Defense program either with or without the
necessity of further training, and
3. A basis for assisting or supplementing the work of
the Employment Service in making referrals to
private industry engaged in production for National
Defense.
The Work History form, therefore, becomes one of the most
important records of the Employment Division, and this fact should be
kept continually in the minds of all members of the Division.
Each form must be complete, accurate, and valid at all times.
The completeness, accuracy and validity of the forms will be largely
determined by the skill, the knowledge and the techniques employed
by the members of the Employment Division staff charged with classi-
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fying and interviewing. Lack of completeness, accuracy or validity
may lead to the complete overlooking of a worker eminently qualified
to fill some particular jot on the program or in private industry,
the assigning of a worker to a job he cannot perform, or a referral
to a training course which he is unable to complete successfully.
Time, money and effort will be wasted if these basic requisites are
not continually stressed.
Introduction of Work History WPA Form 450
In order to provide uniform methods and establish minimum
standards in connection with the obtaining of occupational inform¬
ation about persons certified as in need, immediate steps should be
taken, to obtain from each person in the awaiting assignment file for
whom adequate information is not presently available a completed Form
450. Forms should be mailed to each worker, together with a short
letter explaining the purpose of the form, instructions for filling in
the form, and franked envelope addressed to the appropriate Division
of Employment office for his use in returning the completed form.
The instructions should go into considerable detail as to how to fill
out the form and should stress the importance of answering each item
on the form clearly and accurately. A definite period of time should
be set for the return of the form which will allow him to obtain
assistance in filling it out if necessary. Pending receipt of the
form the workers' 144A card should be tabbed or otherwise identified
as being under occupational review.
For those persons being currently certified a similar letter,
copy of the form, instruction sheet and franked envelope shall be mailed
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together with the notification that the certification of eligibility-
will be considered, valid for a period of ninety days as provided for
in Section 16 of Operating Procedure E-9.
At the same time a careful review should be made of exist¬
ing 144A cards and folder files of certified persons assigned to pro¬
jects to determine whether complete and adequate information is avail¬
able on such persons.
In all cases where present records are incomplete or inade¬
quate, Form 450 should be mailed or delivered to each worker on whom
further information is desired in the same manner as outlined above
for those awaiting assignment. If the form is delivered to the work¬
er he should not be required to fill it out immediately but should be
permitted to take it home in order that he may consult with other
members of his family so as not to overlook some vital piece of in¬
formation. Foremen and timekeepers should cooperate with and assist
in the completion of the form if the worker so requests.
In localities where complete and adequate information is
already in the possession of the Employment Division it will not be
necessary to transcribe the information on Work History Form 450.
Preliminary Sorting of Forms
The most desirable procedure to incure accuracy and complete¬
ness of all forms x^rould be to use each applicants Work History as a
basis for an interview and to interview every applicant. However,
lack of funds and other considerations make this impracticable. It is
necessary, therefore, to devise a more limited method which will still
obtain adequate occupational information on applicants. This can be
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done by an initial "weeding<~out" or "screening" process on the Work Histo¬
ry forms. This screening process is one of the most important parts
of the occupational classifiers job.
Work History forms, as returned by applicants, will natural¬
ly fall into one of three general categories or groups.
1. Those forms which are so complete and accurate
as to present a clear, valid picture of the
applicant's abilities and capabilities that the
classifying officer can by referring to it and
to other available information in the files such
as WPA work history, etc., assign the applicant
his proper occupational classification (a) for
work on the Work Program, (b) for referral to
national defense or other private industry and
(c) for possible training for the defense program.
2. Those forms which are so substantially complete
that the completing information can be obtained
by correspondence.
3. Those forms which are incomplete and which re¬
quire an interview with the applicant to complete
them.
Even this initial sorting or sifting process demands certain
basic knowledge and abilities on the part of the classifying officer.
Occupational Information
Good occupational classification, referral and placement
are predicated on job information - the classifying officers' knowledge
about jobs. The classifying officer has probably acquired some occupation¬
al information before assuming his position, either as a result of his own
personal experience in industry or on the Work Program. To this original
stock he should add at every possible opportunity.
The subject of occupations is one that is almost limitless.
"The Dictionary of Occupational Titles" recently issued by the Department
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of Labor lists approximately 29,000 titles. Obviously no classi¬
fier can have exhaustive knowledge of any such array of occupations,
but he shcmld thoroughly know the occupations included in Appendix
A of Operating Procedure E~9 and at least those occupations common¬
ly used in industry in his particular., locality. There is little point
in becoming an expert on the occupations in and processes of a cotton
mill if no such mills are operating within the district. On the other
hand, a thorough knowledge of, say, machine shop occupations and pro¬
cesses will be necessary in almost every urban center.
Superficial knowledge of an occupation commonly used on
local WPA projects and private industry is not sufficient. It is not
enough to know that a crane operator is a man who operates a crane.
The classifier must know the different types of cranes, what they look
like, what they are used for, what attachments are used, how they are
operated, how operators are trained, to what extent those operators
are able to handle other and similar pieces of equipment, and what the
usual lines of promotion to and from the job are. He must know
whether the operator works alone, with one or more helpers, or as
part of a gang or crew.
Such knowledge is not easily or quickly obtained. It must
be built up fact by fact from descriptions and photographs of the
machine, by watching the machine in actual operation, and by talking
to the operators themselves. Every interviewer should be alert and
untiring in his efforts to constantly increase his stock of knowledge
on occupations.
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Even after knowledge of an occupation is gained it
must be constantly checked and often revised. Technological
changes have a marked effect on labor requirements and occupa¬
tions. One of these effects is the addition of semiskilled jobs
and a corresponding decrease in both highly skilled and unskill¬
ed jobs. Recent research studies show that the jobs of factory
production workers are steadily becoming more automatic or more
specialized and demand for the "all-around" highly skilled work¬
er is diminishing. Where an entire process becomes highly au¬
tomatic and continuous, both skilled and unskilled workers are
eliminated. Where auxiliiary devices, such as recording or con¬
trolling instruments simplify the work, operations which required
long training and dexterity are eliminated and semiskilled labor
is substituted for highly skilled labor.
Sometimes the semiskilled labor required by the new
machines is recruited from the group of highly skilled workers
whose jobs have been eliminated, but generally speaking the intro¬
duction of new machines has been followed by the hiring of a few
new unskilled or semiskilled workers many of whom have had no ex¬
perience in the industry and the consequent complete displacement
of the highly skilled workers.
Sources of Occupational Information
Many sources of information are available to the
classifier who is interested in increasing the scope of his occu¬
pational background. The following represent some of the major
sources that have been found productive:
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1. Appendixes A and. B to Operating Procedure B-9 In
these appendices will he found descriptions used in assigning
workers to Work Program projects.
3. Books The American Library Association, Chicago,
Illinois, Publishes "Books about Jobs" by Willard E. Parker.
This book contains approximately 8,500 references to literature
describing opportunities in more than 500 occupations. Occupa¬
tions are grouped according to similarity of functions, related
jobs being listed alphabetically under these main functions.
"The Dictionary of Occupational Titles" prepared by
the United States Employment Service and obtainable from the
Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. This dictionary
of occupations gives an unprecedented amount of data concerning
jobs - what they are, where they are and how they are performed.
The material on which the volume is based was gathered from ap¬
proximately 55,000 job analysis schedules by WPA workers in 15
states from New England to California. They were prepared with
the cooperation of 6,500 individual employers and business estab¬
lishments and the information was checked for accuracy by numer¬
ous labor unions, trade associations, and professional societies.
The job definitions in the dictionary are short state¬
ments of work performed in various jobs in a wide range of indus¬
tries.
Example:
"Diesel Engine Erector - (engine and turbine industry)
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A bench machinist who assembles the component parts of a diesel
engine before it is chipped to purchasers by felting, adjusting
and mounting the various parts and accessories on the engine
block, using scales, wronches, hand scrapers, calipers and micro¬
meters,"
"Occupations and Vocational Guidance" by Wilma Bennett,
published by H, W, Wilson and Company, New York City, Wow York,
This contains several thousand titles classified under 200 occu¬
pations, It is a source-list of free or inexpensive pamphlet
material. Since much occupational information, especially in re¬
cently developed fields, is in pamphlet form, this index provides
a means of collecting a great deal of useful information without a
great financial outlay,
3, Magazines "Occupational Index" A monthly publica¬
tion of the National Occupational Conference, 551 Fifth Avenue, Now
York City, Each issue contains bet\*roen 50 and 100 paragraphs des¬
cribing articles appearing in current periodicals, magazines, tech¬
nical journals, publications of the United States Government, pam¬
phlet publications of 500 professional associations, trade unions,
business organizations and books. There is also a section listing
free and inexpensive pamphlets on occupational subjects issued each
month,
"Monthly Labor Roviow" published by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, For sale by
the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D, C,
"Occupations, The Vocational Guidance Magazine", published
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monthly by the National Occupational Conference, 522 Fifth Avenue
New York City, New York.
"Personnel Journal" published bi-monthly for the
Personnel Research Federation by Williams and Wilkens Co.,
Baltimore, Maryland.
4. Occupational Studies The United States Employment
Service has completed and published a number of job descriptions
in various industries. They may be obtained from the Superintendent
of Documents, Washington, D. C. One of the most useful to the WPA
classifying officer is "Job Descriptions for the Construction
Industry." This is in five volumes and includes the following:
Highway construction, sewer, tunnel, waterwork and sewage-disposal
plant construction; rivers and harbor works construction; bridge
and viaduct construction; and building construction. Volume I con¬
tains a general description of each of these and an alphabetical in¬
dex to the other four volumes. Volumes II to V, inclusive, contain
job descriptions arranged in alphabetical order. Other similar
studies have been issued on job machine shops, job foundries, laun¬
dries etc.
Valuable source material will also be found in pamphlets
on occupations published by the National Occupational Conference, NYA
and other Federal, State and private agencies. The list is constant¬
ly growing, particularly with the impetus given by government sponsor¬
ed projects on occupational research.
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5» National Research Project Re-ports The Studies in
Types and Rates of Technological Change and the Studies in Pro¬
duction, Productivity and Employment published by the National
Research Project of the Work Projects Administration contain ex¬
tremely valuable information on a large number of specific in¬
dustries, Although they do not contain detailed job descriptions,
the descriptions of the manufacturing processes and the machinery
used provido valuable background,
6, Currently Active Occupations Series These releases
contain specially prepared information compiled by the Bureau of
Employment Security of the Social Security Board to assist their
interviewers in selecting and referring,applicants for vacancios
existing in National Defense industries.
Each release consists of three main sections:
Occupational Brief, Registration and Placement Factors, and
Sources of Workers,
The section on Sources of Workers will be particularly
interesting and valuable to WPA Occupational Classifiers, as it
points out allied occupations and those in which the most suit~.Ho
applicants for referral as trainees in the subject occupation will
probably bo found,
.Arrangements have been made to supply copies of these
releases to State and District Offices,
7, Industrial Vis lis. Classifying officers can increase
and clarify tlioir knowledge of occupations by observation of actual
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working conditions, "both on WPA projects and in private industry*
Visits to projects, if properly planned, will yield a wealth of
information as will visits to local industries. Arrangements for
visiting projects should "be discussed in advance with the operating
division having supervision over the project and appointments should
"be made in advance for visits to private industrial plants. Before
any visit, as much information as possible should he gathered con¬
cerning the industry and it is well to prepare an outline before
starting of the points on which information is desired.
As a guide for such an outline the classifier can use to
advantage the plan followed in obtaining job descriptions by the
United States Employment Service which follows:
I Job Title
a. Main title, e.g. the job title most generally
used in the plant. The more specific the title
and the more precise the terminology used so
much the bettor.
b. Alternate titles, e.g. other names by which the
same job is commonly known.
II Summary of Arties - duties which distinguish it from other jobs.
Ill Work Performed
a,. Description of job
b. Description of equipment and material used
IV Working Conditions
a. Surroundings
b. Hazards
V P.elation to Other Jobs
a. Promotions to and from job
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Id. Transfers to other jobs
c, Joh combinations
VI General Qualifications for Employment
a, Education
b, Experience
c, Training period
d, Special physical requirements, if any
e, Special knowledge or ability
VII Usual Method of Wage Payment
VIII Questions for Use in Interviewing
After returning from the visit, "Job Descriptions"
should be prepared for the occupations observed. Such data exchang¬
ed between district offices can have wide benefits.
Preliminary Review of Work History Forms
Work History forms that have been filled in and return¬
ed should be referred immediately to the classifier who will review
them to determine into which of the throe general categories they
fall. The information set forth on tho form should bo carefully
checked with that shown on tho Certification of Eligibility WPA
Eorm 600 and the Workers Statement of Family Resources WPA Form 605
or its equivalent.
This initial rcviow should be comprehensive and precise,
as a superficial inspection may fail to develop omissions, inaccura¬
cies and contradictions. Successful assignments will depend to a
great extent on the information recorded on the Work History form and
the classifier should be certain that both the information given on
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the form is correct and that no further information as to the ap¬
plicant's work experience in private industry is needed or desir¬
able before accepting the Work History form as a valid and basic
record for future use of the Division.
In devising Work History WPA form 450 an attempt was made
to make the form self—explanatory and easily understood by the
worker who filled it out. Early returns of these forms seem to in¬
dicate that this objective was pretty well accomplished and there¬
fore it does not seom necessary to ouvtline here any detailed in¬
structions for its completion. Neither is it possible to set forth
in detail exactly how each item should be checked for accuracy and
completeness. However, attention can be called to spme of the more
common omissions and errors which may be encountered.
As the NAME shown on the Work History will be later
transcribed on the Individual Occupational Classification Record
WPA Eorm 144A, the Classification Card WPA Form 451 and/or the
Occupational Inventory Card WPA Form 453 and from that to the Notice
to Report to Work on Project WPA Form 402 where it serves as basis
for compiling records maintained by the Division of Finance, it is
important that all names be correctly given and spelled.
The spoiling of the surname should be compared with that
given on the Forms 600 and 605 and any disagreements adjusted. If the
applicant's signature on the reverse side of the 450 Form indicates
that he is accustomed to use a nickname or derivative of his baptismal
name, draw a light line through the baptismal name shown in box and
print his nickname or first name derivative above it. Most people are
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"baptized with a middle name but prefer to use only an initial. If
the applicant's signature indicates that he does this, draw a light
line through the middle name and print the initial above it.
Second, third or fourth "middle names" are usually taken on at a re¬
ligious ceremony and should be similarly crossed out unless the sig¬
nature indicates that the applicant is accustomed to use them,
The correct post office ADDRESS is extremely important
as is also the correct county designation. Errors in stating the
county incorrectly should be rectified. If an R» F, D, route is
shown, every effort should be made to obtain more exact information
as to the precise location of the applicant's residence. Such in¬
formation should be noted on the Work History form, i,e,:
R,F,D. No, 2 - Block No, E-73 (where the state has been
divided into blocks on a uniform scale)
R.F,D. No, 2 - Mercer township
or
R»F.D, No, 2 - Route 50 app 5 miles south of inter¬
section with Pa, route 73,
Wherever possible such information should appear on the
Workers Statement of Family Resources WPA Form 605 and/or the Certi¬
fication of Eligibility WPA Form 500 and bo transcribed therefrom,
Tho AGE, HEIGHT AND WEIGHT of the applicant should be
considered in connection with any statement on physical disabilities
and the applicant's statement whether he is physically able to do
hard manual labor. The applicant may sincerely believe himself able
to do hard manual labor or may answer "yes" to this question, hoping
it will expedite his assignment to a project.
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Eoporto& PHYSIC-a! DEFECTS ahould bo examined with great
care, A general guide for this is set forth ir. Section 43 of
Operating Procedure E-9,
Information on EDUCATION should bo examined with special
care in the case of white collar workers, and those who might bo con¬
sidered for minor supervisory positions. In the latter case limited
formal schooling may not be a disqualifying factor, but it probably
will be a factor of some importance in selection.
The response to the question posed in Item 8 may be very
informative. Here the applicant is, in effect, attempting to classi¬
fy himself and many times he will do a surprisingly good job of it.
His response should be correlated carefully with his employment re¬
cord and evaluated carefully with the other data given on the form.
It should not be changed or altered merely because the classifying
officer does not agree with the applicant's claims or beliefs.
The classifying officer's ability to distinguish between
generalized information and that which is specific is taxed to an ex¬
treme degree in answering the response to Item 12 and the MACHINES
which the applicant claims proficiency in operating. Entries such as
"operate all shop machines" or "operate all machines of the trade"
are valueless and do not constitute complete and accurate information.
Nor is the entry "lathe" or even "turret lathe" adequate, as it is
too general and permits too many possible interpretations. On the
other hand "Warner and Swazey Turret Lathe - 3 inch - semi-automatic"
present complete and valuable information for either classification
or selection purposes.
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In the wood and metal working industries and in certain
other kinds of occupations where a machine has to undergo a variety
of adjustments and changes in order to perform a specific type of
operation, it is essential to know not only whether the applicant
can operate the machine, "but if he can also make these adjustments
and changes. This is known as "setting-up". Persons capable of
setting up as well as operating machines are known as job setters,
tool setters, die setters or machine set—up men and always command
higher ratings and salaries in the eyes of employers. If reference
is made to the definition given for a Turret Lathe Operator, Automa¬
tic on page 981 of "The Dictionary of Occupational Titles" and that
for Job Setter II on page 487 the difference is immediately made
clear.
Too much emphasis cannot bo placed on the importance of
carefully analyzing the EMPLOYMENT RECORD, In the majority of
cases the classifying officer will base his classification chiefly
on this section.
Here again it is essential to be able to distinguish
between general and specific information, Por example, such entries
as "timekeeper" or "shop foreman" are of little value unless accom¬
panied by specific information as to the kind of shop or business,
number of men handled, etc, Further information as to the classifi¬
cation of foremen will bo found on page 61 of this Manual,
Even when the applicant is a laborer it is accessary to
know the exact type of work he performed. It should never be assumed
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that the mention of the title of a job implies the specific kinds
of operations performed. Nothing could be farther from the truth,
especially in this age of specialization. Too much information can
not be given about any applicant's job and one of the salient
characteristics of a good classifying officer is his ability to de~
termine whether sufficient, accurate detailed and pertinent in¬
formation has been furnished,
A case in point is the applicant who has a work history
as a farmer, a farmhand, a sharecropper or some similar classifi¬
cation, The careless classifying officer will accept this as suffi¬
cient information and classify the applicant as a "Laborer" without
further ado. The careful classifier will check further and may find
that the applicant has a considerable knowledge of the operation and
perhaps the repair of tractors, automobiles end various kinds of
farm machinery. Such skills may serve as a basis for referral to
national defense industries or training for such industries.
It is important that the total working time covered in
the employment record represents a good proportion of the applicant's
possible work history, considering his ago. Temporary or distress
jobs, however, which have been accepted by applicants to earn their
way through school or tide them over until a job more in line with
their potentialities is offered should not form the bo,sis for classi¬
fication.
No space is provided on the york History form for setting
forth work experience obtained on WPA projects. In designing the
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form this was believed to be an unnecessary duplication of effort,
as a complete record of assignments, separation etc., is contained
in the folder file.
In order to insure consideration of all pertinent fac¬
tors it may be advisable to supply the classifier with a check
sheet, such a check sheet might follow the pattern outlined here¬
with. Such a form would, of course, hove to bo revised to include
local form. numbers and. is only suggested as a guide.
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OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFIER'S CHECK SHEET
Name Identification No._
Form 600 or Form 605 reviewed
Form 608 Reviewed Date of form
Form 144A Reviewed
Form 450 Reviewed
Forms 402, 403 and 404 Reviewed
Supervisor's Reports Reviewed
Forms 418 Reviewed
Employment Service Classifications
Correspondence Reviewed
Case Complete
Letter Necessary
Interview Necessary
___J Verification Necessary
Information or Verification Needed Concerning:
Obtain By
Mail Telephone Interview
1
2
3
4
5
6
Comments
Date
Classifier
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If after careful examination the information is found to
be complete, apparently accurate; if the information on the form
agrees with that set forth on other documents and records and no
further information is needed, the classification officer should
complete the lower portion of the reverse side of the 450 form,
date and sign it and deliver it to a typist who will prepare Form
451, 453 or 144A.
In certain cases where omissions are apparently the re¬
sult of carelessness or inability to understand the items on the
questionnaire or there seems to bo conflicting statements presented
in answering different items on the questionnaire the information
can be often obtained by moans of a letter. The letter should be
straightforward and phrased as simply as possible. Under no cir¬
cumstances should an endeavor bo made to "trap" the applicant or
give any indication that it is suspected that the applicant may
have purposely given incorrect information. Except in the ca.se of a.
very well trained classifier, it is advisable to keep such inquires
by lottor to a minimum. Certainly all "border line" cases where
there is a question as to whether information should be requested
by nail or the applicant interviewed to obtain desired information,
the interview method should be chosen.
Personal Interviews
In many cases it will seem advisable for the classifying
officer to have a personal interview xirith the applicant. In such an
interview it should be possible;
(1) To obtain missing factual data.
(2) To supplement data furnished on the form
(o) To clear up ambiguities and gaps in the record
(4) To observe appearance, behavior and attitudes of
workers
Except in the case of a very well trained interviewer,
it is better to err on the side of too many rather than too few
interviews. Every interview adds to the stock of knowledge and im¬
proves the interviewing, techniques of the interviewer, and full ad¬
vantage should be taken of this fact. This is particularly true
of interviews with skilled or semi-skilled applicants.
Interviewing in general and the occupational interview
in particular have been the objects of intensive study for years by
personnel experts and psychologists. One of the best treatments of
this subject is contained in "How to Interview" by W. y# Bingham and
33, V. Moore. This book can be obtained from most libraries, and
every classifying officer should be familiar with its contents. The
book contains many suggestions about the kind and type of questioning
best used to appraise the applicant's occupational experience, although
it docs not pretend to probe the proficiency or degree of ability with¬
in the occupation itself. Determination of the latter cannot as a
rule be obtained successfully through an interview alone, but involves
the use of tests of various kinds.
Qualifications of the Good Interviewer
In considering the interview and interviewing techniques,
the first question that arises is "What qualifications must the in¬
terviewer, himself, possess which will enable him successfully to
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solve the problem of talking with, classifying and referring to
jobs, men and women representing all races and creeds, all de¬
grees of skill and awkwardness, education and ignorance?" The
answer is not simple. Interviewing skill cannot bo described in
terms of one general ability for the interview is a subjective
process and interviewing skill represents a combination of per-,
sonality traits, skills and individual methods.
Certainly, to be a good interviewer demands more than
a mere knowledge of occupations and trades, A classifying offi¬
cer who possesses a wide knowledge of jobs, working conditions and
the demands of public and private employment is by no means nec¬
essarily a good interviewer. He must know and practice the basic
principles of human relationship. On the other hand, if he knows
all the principles of dealing with people, but little or nothing
about jobs, ho cannot be a successful classifying officer.
Contrary to a very generally held opinion, good in¬
terviewers are made, not born. It is doubtless true that some in¬
dividuals have an apparent knack of matching people and jobs, and
most of us, unless wo have had long experience in this field,
feel that we have this knack. However, reliable experience has
shown that the absence of accurate standards and measurements, and
the inability to provide defenses against the profusion of pre¬
judices to which individuals are liable, bring ineffective and in¬
valid results too often to make it advisable to adopt such a pro¬
cedure.
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Since there is no exact pattern of a "typical applicant" -
for no such thing as a "typical applicant" exists - there is, sim¬
ilarly, no exact pattern for and in fact no such thing as a "typical
interviewer". However, it is possible to outline some of the person¬
ality traits that go to make up a good interviewer. Some of the
traits he should possess are:
1. Poise apd Emotional Stability The interviewer should
be a well adjusted individual. Probably no one can successfully in¬
terpret the mental mechanisms of others until he has seen first to
his own adjustments and has rather detailed knowledge of the rationali¬
zations, motives and attitudes that guide his own behavior as well as
that of the applicant. He should be well poised, not prone to show
impatience under strain and with a steady control over his own emotions.
2. Interests in Others The successful interviewer cannot
be self-centered. He must have a real and spontaneous interest in the
problems and troubles of other people. Insincerity, sterness and
coldness should have no part in his makeup. Ho must have a sympathe¬
tic understanding of the applicant's natural reserves and sense of
self respect and the ability to see the applicant's problems from
the applicant's point of view. This is considered so important by
some personnel managers that from time to time they send out their
interviewers to apply for work to learn what the applicants arc
typically up against.
3. Ability to Command Res'oect Ho should be able to com¬
mand the respect of the applicant without intimidating him.
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the applicant should consider hin a person of importance and dig¬
nity, but find hin friendly and cordial. His personal appear¬
ance should be acceptable and he should be plainly and neatly
dressed. Conspicuous or untidy attire should be avoided. He
oust have the ability to adapt hinself to persons with fewer ed¬
ucational and social assets than he has himself and meet them on
an equal footing,
4, Courtesy The interviewer should be courteous and
polite. Bullying and abrupt manners are decidedly out of place.
He should never contradict or dispute another's point of view and
should carefully avoid arguments. He should remember, in dealing
with persons vrhose knowledge of English is limited, that failure
on the part of the applicant to understand his question will not be
corrected by merely repeating the same question in a louder tone of
voice. This is a strange but very common failing.
5. Sense of Humor Finally, the interviewer should have
a sense of humor. Nobody loves a "sour-puss". Furthermore, oc¬
casionally the interviewer encounters an applicant who is suspicious
or hostile or who has a "chip on his shoulder" against the whole
world. Such attitudes cause "emotional blocks" in the development
of the interview and require special handling. The interviewer must
be on the watch for these blocks and stand ready to prevent their
development to the point of creating a stalemate. A sense of humor
often assists in smoothing over a situation that is developing un¬
comfortably. On the other hand, the interview is far too serious a
A2448
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matter for a too highly developed sense of humor, and it should
"be kept within proper "bounds.
6. Age Other qualifications desirable in an interview¬
er are equally difficult to fit into a rigid pattern. Interview¬
ing calls for extreme patience, sympathy and fineness of feeling
regarding the sensibilities and reticences of applicants. It is
only the exceptional youngster who has these qualities and it is
generally believed that mature interviewers are tho more desirable.
7. Education No educational standards have been de¬
finitely validated, but an interviewer should be at least as well
educated and refined as those with whom he is to deal.
8. Sex No determination is yet possible as to the sex
of interviewers in rele,tion to the sex of applicants. Generally
speaking, men have been found more satisfactory in interviewing men
especially in manual employment.
Scheduling Interviews
The efficient scheduling of interviews is an important
matter. Whenever possible, without causing hardship or undue trav¬
eling to the applicant, t.l© interview should be held in the District
Employment Office. Interviews should be scheduled at definite hours
and the applicant should be notified to oresent himself at that time.
A short testing period will determine the proper rate at which to
space the interviews so that neither the interviewer will have spare
time nor the applicant be required to wait too long for his interview.
As far as possible, applicants should be interviewed in
the order they' are scheduled. This will avoid suspicion on the
part of the applicant that favoritism is being used in holding the
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interviews and therefore (as he may think) in making assignments
to jobs. Applicants consider it very important that they be in¬
terviewed in their proper turn and allowance should be made for
such feelings.
All psychologists and trained personnel managers stress
the importance of comfortable and attractive waiting rooms for ap¬
plicants. Applicants who have been forced to wait for long periods,
standing in crowded, badly ventilated rooms are not likely to feel
inclined to talk freely to an interviewer.
Similarly stressed is the desirability of private offices
for interviewing. If private rooms or offices are not available,
furniture should be arranged in such a manner as to create an atmos¬
phere of privacy. Uo applicant likes to feel that his conversation
with an interviewer is being overheard and perhaps commented upon
bjr others, furthermore, when more than two persons are present at an
employment interview, both applicant and interviewer aro apt to be¬
come solf-conscious and thus limit the freedom of the conversation.
Persons who are being interviewed in the same office in which other
applicants are waiting for interviews should be seated so that their
backs are toward those waiting to bo interviewed.
Interviewers will find it helpful to have their desks
clear of all materials except those that aro necessary for the con¬
duct of the interview. Applicants tend to concentrate more fully on
the conversation if not given an opportunity to look at objects
which divert thoir attention.
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In some cases interviews may of necessity "be held, at
the project site. At first glance this would soem to be almost as
satisfactory a procedure as to hold them in the office "but such
interviews have several decided drawbacks.
Aside from the disruption that always results from a
stranger's interruption of normal working conditions on a project,
the greatest handicap that the "project-site" interview encounters
is the lack of proper interviewing facilities. Very often the in¬
terview has to be conducted from the running board of an automobile,
a pile of lumber or in other unsuitable surroundings. If there is
a shack on the site it is generally being used by timekeepers,
matorie,l clerks and other project employees and privacy is impossible.
Another drawback is the extra time need.ed to establish
rapport with the worker. Many workers on being taken off their work
and told to report to a stranger for interview "freeze up" and it is
necessary for the interviewer to spend more time in getting the
worker to talk freely. «'•
Whore there is a choice between office interviews and
project-site interviews, the former should be preferred and project-
site interviews held only when, because of distance from the appli¬
cant's home to tho office or other unalterable factors, thoy arc
necessary.
Suggestions for Interviewers
The extent to which all of us, without exceptions, are
committed to certain convictions, opinions, points of view, or
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preconceptions without a reasonable basis, is seldom realized. Every¬
one has some prejudices. Of many of them we are completely unaware
and generally will indignantly and vigorously deny them. Nevertheless
they exist.
Many of the errors arising in interviews are the result of
prejudices which the interviewer unconsciously permits to qualify or
dominate his decisions on the applicant's statements as to his quali¬
fications and experience. The following sources of errors in judgment
arc common and affect the validity of the results of the interview:
1. Reactions b.ased on previous experience Previous asso¬
ciations of physical and mental characteristics sometimes affect the
impression made by the applicant on the interviewer by producing the
same reaction that occurred at the time of the first experience. This
is technically termed a. "conditioned reaction". If an applicant has
some peculiar mannerism, physique, posture or features which cause the
interviewer to fool resentment or dislike toward him, the samo outward
peculiarity in another individual is liable to arouse the samo fooling
of dislike or resentment oven though the original experience is apparent¬
ly forgotten. The interviewer must be constantly on his guard to pre¬
vent such tendencies from affecting his work,
2. Stereotyped mental -pictures A somewhat similar error
is found in those mental pictures that arc called stereotypes.
Novelists, a.ctors, movies and tho radio all help build up those stereo¬
types. Thus, the firm-jawed man is supposed to have dogged determin¬
ation; the man. with a weak handshake, a flabby personality; high fore¬
heads indicate the thinker, etc. No factual basis for these stereotypes
has ever "been found by psychological laboratories.
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3. Judgment on basis of arroearance Indications of some
qualities such as cleanliness, neatness or orderliness may "be shown
in an applicant's personal appearance. However, care should he
exercised not to hase judgments too freely on these indications.
Errors in judgment of this sort are known as the "general habit".
It was formerly believed, and some people still believe, that if
one forms a habit of neatness in some particular connection, say,
in paper work in an office, that this habit will be manifested or
"carried over" into other situations or conditions and a general
ho .bit of neatness would be formed. This idea is probably erro¬
neous, Habits are specific and do not carry ever or tend to run in
groups. Each one is separately learned and, therefore, it does not
follow that an applicant who is neatly dressed will bo neat in his
work, nor does the fact that he is carelessly dressed indicate that
he is a careless workman.
4. The Ermr of General Impression This error occurs
when the interviewer's judgment of definite traits is colored or
warped by his general or overall impression or knowledge of the
applicant. If the general impression is favorable, unfavorable as¬
pects arc disregarded. Conversely, if the general impression is
unfavorable, his good points arc underestimated.
5. Length of service as a criterion of efficiency E^r a
long tine it was assumed that length of service on a job was neces¬
sarily a measure of efficiency on the job. Recent tests and studies
have led many to question the correctness of this assumption.
Employers' policies sometimes place more weight on seniority than
A2448
- 31 -
efficiency and particularly in late years many concerns have given
a great deal of consideration to social factors, such as the number
of dependents a worker has, in reductions in employment.
6. Education as a criterion of .io~b efficiency It is a
very general tendency to assume that the more education a person has
the better job he can do. Studies conducted by the Minnesota
University Employment Stabilization Research Institute indicate that
many people who had received high school diplomas had academic nu¬
bility only equivalent to seventh, eighth or ninth grade work; but
thoy had somehow slipped through the educational system to a point
far beyond their actual qualifications. On the other hand, many
young people who were unable to go to school beyond the eighth or
ninth grade had abilities that would warrant high school, if not
college training. This has been particularly true during the past
decade during which time many capable persons have been unable to
continue their schooling for financial reasons.
7. Uumber of .jobs as an index to stability Another
frequent error is based on the idea that the man who has held many jobs
is necessarily a less stable workers and possibly a poorer employment
risk than the man who has held only a fcw jobs. This was also the sub¬
ject of study at the University of Minnesota. It was developed that
those who became unemployed in the early part of the depression wove
poorer in measured occupational abilities than those dismissed in the
latter part of the depression. However, there was no difference in
the average number of jobs held by the early and late depression un¬
employed even though they were critically different in'terms of occu-
A2448
- 32 -
pational ability. It is, therefore, unwise to assunc that length
of tine on one job is necessarily an index to success in another
job.
Personality Traits
Traits which do not enter specifically into the be¬
havior of the applicant during the interview cannot bo judged with
any accuracy. For example, an interviewer cannot determine how
dependable, loyal or honest an applicant r.ir.y be. Interviewers can
obtain impressions of those personality traits which the applicant
shows by his conduct 01- conversation during the interview, but such
impressions should be accepted guardedly. The interview at best is
too different from the normal or usual situation in which the appli¬
cant is placed to warrant the assurance that his reactions are a re¬
liable guide to what he would do \inder other conditions. It is
often true that the more the man needs the job, the less promising
he is likely to appear during the interview. Yet his anxiety and
embarrassment may arise from his devotion to his family and his
fears for their welfare and thus actually indicate that he is a
better, more reliable and steadier workman.
The Office Interview
Preparation for a specific interview should consist of a
review of the Work History and any supporting data including work
experience on WPA projects available. Often it is advisable to
make a rough check list of the items to be discussed with the appli¬
cant to eliminate the possibility of failure to cover all points on
A2448 - 33 -
which further data are desired. The check list outlined previously
can be used for this purpose.
All applicants should be greeted on arrival and the
purpose of their visit determined. As each one's turn comes, he
should be called into the interviewer's office, or the interview¬
er should come to him to conduct him to his desk.
The applicant should be greeted by name by the interview¬
er, who should introduce himself before embarking on the interview.
Introductions should bo brief, but not curt. The applicant should be
requested to scat himself and permitted a few seconds to become ac¬
customed to his surroundings and gain a little poise before the in¬
terrogation relative to his work history is begun.
If the interview is to be successful it is imperative
that the interviewer gains the applicant's confidence from the start.
Some interviewers with keen intuition and ready sympathy create this
feeling immediately and easily. Others have to achieve it by much
thought and practice. But without it there is certain to be mis-
unders tanding.
No mutual confidence of the applicant in the interviewer
and the interviewer in the applicant can be developed if the inter¬
vener's attitude tends to make the interview an inquisition. A
tense attitude on the part of the interviewer will almost always be
reflected in a similar attitude on the part of the applicant.
It is not always advisable to plunge headlong into ob¬
taining the desired information. To be sure, no long discussion of
irrelevant topics is necessary or desirable, but interviewers will
A2448
- 34 -
find that a pleasant remark about the weather or some popular
topic will effectively break the ice and put the applicant at
ease.
Now is an opportune time for the interviewer to ex¬
plain to the applicant the purpose of the interview and stress
the advantages that can come to the applicant from it. The appli¬
cant should be persuaded that the interview will be worth while
only if he does his best to furnish the interviewer with the facts
desired and describes his occupational abilities as accurately as
possible.
The interviewer should neither be dominating nor patro¬
nizing — both are equally resented. Questions should be asked
in a business-like .anner which will suggest their importance, but
the applicant should be neither coaxed nor threatened.
The imnortance of clearly stated questions cannot be
over estimated, for the answers to the questions will be the basis
on which the interviewer's knowledge of the applicant will rest.
Interviewers should not try to be subtle or shrewd in framing
questions, nor try to trap the worker into conflicting or incor¬
rect statements. Questions should always bo started as clearly and
simply as possible. The interviewer should make sure the applicant
understands him.
The answer should never be implied in asking questions.
Applicants are generally anxious to please the interviewer and are
liable to answer as they think the interviewer wishes them to rather
than in accordance with the facts.
A2448
- 35 -
Some questions should be asked that will permit the
applicant to show pride in his knowledge. Everyone likes to be
recognized.
The applicant should be given a chance to talk. Inter¬
viewers who have trained themselves to be good listeners often dis¬
cover important facts that had previously been omitted or inadequate¬
ly answered. If the applicant tends to wander or talk of irrelevant
matters, he should be brought back to the main subject by a question
or remark, but he should not be rushed. The interview is an important
matter to most applicants; some of them may have come considerable
distances for it and each one likes to feel that he is receiving at¬
tention as an individual and not as "just another case."
It is not uncommon for an interviewer to be faced with the
problem of interviewing an applicant who presents a history of employ¬
ment in an occupation about which the interviewer knows practically
nothing. This is not a completely hopeless situation. He can gather
pertinent facts about the applicant's work experience if the follow¬
ing points are considered:
1. (a) What was your job called?
(b) How long did you work at it?
(c) What did you do?
(d) How did you do it?
(c) What was the final product?
(f) What was your rate of pay?
(g) Was the work interesting to you?
2. (a) What tools do you own?
(b) What instruments, appliances, implements,
machines did you use?
A2448
- 36 -
3. (a) What kinds of machines have you operated?
(h) What machines did you set up?
(c) Give the name of the manufacturer of the machine.
(d) Tell the purpose of the machine.
(e) State the size of the machine.
(f) List the products it can make.
(g) What did you do with the machine?
(h) What was the final product?
(i) How many months experience have .you had with it?
(j) Do you consider yourself an expert?
4. (a) What was the tolerance allowed on each kind of
machine on which you have worked? In each
operation if no machine was involved?
(h) Can you read, "blueprints?
(c) Can you read scales? Micrometers?
5. (a) What safety measures do yo\i use in your work
to protect you from injury?
(D) Are any safety devices required?
S. (a) Where did you learn your trade? How?
(b) Did you serve an apprenticeship?
(c) How long?
(d) Did it include study?
(e) Did you complete your training course?
7. (a) Do you have a trade license?
00 Is it active? If so, when does it expire?
(c) Have you ever held a license? If so, why
did you let it lapso?
(d) Could you get a license today?
(e) How?
8. (a) Do you "belong to a trade association (union)?
(b) Is your membership active?
(c) Did you take an examination to get in?
(d) Have you ever belonged to an association?
If so, why did you quit?
(e) Could you get into the association today if
you desired?
Concluding the Interview
After all the necessary information has boon obtained the
interviewer should terminate the interview firmly, but politely.
Even when time is at a premium it is unnecessary to be abrupt. Some
interviewers in order to end an interview favorably make statements which
A2448
- 37 -
tend to raise false hopes regarding the possibility of an early
assignment or referral. This should never be done.
It is the responsibility of the interviewer to see
that all information with respect to the applicant appears on his
Work History Form. All facts obtained during the interview should
be recorded at once. Specific data on the form may be entered as
the interview proceeds. The extent to which applicants like to have
interviewers write down what they say is surprising. The recording
seems to give it importance in their eyes.
If the space on the Work History form is inadequate for
recording the observations and data obtained during the interview, a
supplementary sheet may be used. This may be mimeographed local form
or a plain sheet of paper. Whichever is used the name and identifi¬
cation of the applicant should always be shown and the sheet should
be dated and signed by the interviewer.
Accuracy of Data Obtained by Interview
One of the major disadvantages of the interview is the ex¬
tent to which the emotional reactions of the two persons concerned
and their attitude toward each other colors the information which is
recorded. Interviewers should recognize this fact as well as the fact
that there are some data which cannot be obtained from an interview.
As previously stated, it is impossible to determine how dependable,
loyal, honest or persistent an applicant may be by interviewing him.
Interviewers can obtain impressions of personality traits
such as mental alertness in conversation, forcefulness and likeable-
A2448
- 38 -
ness in the course of an interview hut even such judgments should
"be carefully scrutinized. Intelligence and leadership are factors
which must be measured objectively not judged as are attitudes and
aptitudes.
Psuedo-Scientific Measurements
Although there is wide belief that individual differences
in the size and shape of the body or certain parts of the body can
be used as valid bases for character analysis, no such claims have
been scientifically justified.
Among these psuedo-sciences is phrenology, which pretends
to solve the occupational and other problems of individuals by chart¬
ing and analyzing the contour of the skull.
Another is the division of individuals into blond and bru¬
nette types each of which is supposed to possess certain definite
characteristics. This theory was advanced in 1919 by Dr. Katherine
Blackford and Arthur Newcomb in their book The Job, the Man, the Boss.
A critical analysis of all the 26 characteristics named by Dr. Blackford
made two years later by Dr. Donald G. Paterson and Katherine E. Ludgate
of the University of Minnesota, conclusively proved that there are no
differences of the kind claimed between blonds and brunettes and that
any definite and dogmatic assertions relative to blond and brunette
traits are not only misleading but false.
A third psuedo-science is graphology or the analysis of
character by handwriting. Careful studies of the claims of graph¬
ology together with exact measurements of test handwriting itself
A2448
- 39 -
disclosed that the relationship between the character traits and
the handwriting was little or nothing. An analysis of the appli¬
cant' s Work History form, if self-written, will determine whether
the applicant writes legibly and neatly, but that is all.
Objective Measurements
The desire to supplement the interview by some objective
measurement is a natural one and considerable progress has been
made toward setting up such measurements. These are commonly known
as tests.
The literature on psychological tests is extensive and
much of it is of only academic interest to interviewers on the
Work Program at the present time. It is not recommended that inter¬
viewers take the initiative in administering tests. Individuals in
charge of testing should be technically trained and qualified to in¬
terpret test results. Poorly administered tests and misinterpreted
tests do more harm than if no tests were used. Interviewers, how¬
ever, should be familiar with modern professional standards in per¬
sonnel practice and should be conscious of the general significance
of psychological testing.
Tests
There are several general kinds of tests now available
which may be classified as follows:
1. General intelligence tests
2. Aptidude tests (clerical, mechanical)
3. Special ability tests (manual dexterity)
4. Trade knowledge and skill tests (trade tests)
5. Interest tests
6. Personality tests
7. Rating scales
A2448
- 40 -
General intelligence tests or mental alertness tests
are among the most generally used of all mental tests. The tests
have had their widest application in industrial fields in execu¬
tive, office, and selling occupations. Johnson O'Connor's
Vocabulary, and the Pressy and Otis general intelligence tests
are good examples Of this type. Tests that measure general mech¬
anical ability or clerical ability are widely used and have been
found valuable. The Minnesota Clerical Tests are widely used as
are the tests of Johnson O'Connor in this field.
Tests of Special Ability measure such special abilities
as manual dexterity, spatial relations, etc. Also included in this
group are the special tests for individual jobs which have been ap¬
plied in some industries with considerable success. H. L. Link,
M. Viteles and numerous others have made outstanding contributions
in this field.
Trade tests are of three types. One type is a pencil
and paper test which consists of a set of Questions so contrived that
only the experienced worker can reply correctly. A second type is in
the form of pictures from which the applicant is required to identify
and name parts of the machine, operations or tools. The third is a
performance test at some portion or miniature model of the work.
A clear distinction should be drawn between "trade tests"
and "trade questions." Trade questions may be collected and used
by the interviewer to eliminate the bluffer and novice and to give
the interviewer some idea of the degree of trade knowledge and skill
possessed by the applicant. Trade tests are properly constructed
A2448
- 41 -
psychological tests which must be given under standard test con¬
ditions and controls.
"Interviewer Aids and Trade Questions for Employment
Offices" by L. A. Thompson, Jr., and Associates and published by
Harper and Bros., New York City, New York, will be found to be a
mine of information on trade questions and an immense help to
every classifier. It includes sets of trade questions covering a
large number of skilled occupations which have been developed at
the Cincinnati Employment. Center.
These trade questions, and particularly those covering
occupations commonly used in National Defense industries will be
found to be extremely helpful not only in determining occupational
classifications for use in referral to these industries but in the
selection of applicants for training.
The questions and answers set forth in these interviewers
aids are not, of course, completely free from error but the general
standard of merit is high. The same is true of the rating scales
suggested for some occupations.
When used as a rating device, however, there are several
dangers inherent. One danger is that, in some instances the inter¬
viewer may be, unknown to himself, testing trade knowledge rather
than trade skill. It is quite possible for an individual to possess
a large fund of trade knowledge without possessing the ability to do
the work that his answers seem to indicate. He may, for instance,
have worked as a lathe hand in a factory where only a limited number
A2448
- 42 -
of lathe operations are performed and outside of this limited
number of operations be entirely untrained in the many operations
that a qualified lathe operator knows intimately. Such a man may
be able to "talk" a much better job than he can perform.
Another danger is the very human tendency to form the
habit of accepting a rating or test as final, complete and con¬
clusive evidence as to an individual's proper classification. It
is, of course, no such thing. Interviewers and classifiers must be
continually on guard against this tendency which builds up slowly
but tends to become very strong unless constantly checked.
Trade questions can be a very valuable tool for the
classifier but it cannot be too strongly emphasised that they are
only one of many tools and that the measurement of an applicant's
trade status should be determined by a careful interpretation of
the whole work history and other available data.
These sets of trade questions have not been validated as
was the Manual of Army Trade Tests on which some of them are based,
and this fact should be taken into, consideration in using scores ob-?
tained from them.
Interest tests and personality tests are used but little
industrially. They are used somewhat in vocational guidance work
but are generally difficult to score and will serve little or no
purpose in the Work Program. Strong's Vocational Interest Blank for
men .and Manson's for women and Bernreuter's Personality Inventory are
some of the better known tests of this kind.
A2448
- 43 -
Rating scales are used primarily in relation to matters
of individual progress, promotion, training of supervisors and
selection of executives rather than in the initial process of
classification and, therefore, need not "be discussed here.
Reviewing the Interview
Skill in interviewing like most other skills is increased
in proportion to the number of times the process is completed. The
speed with which the inexperienced person attains his skill will de¬
pend largely upon his ability to think constructively about what he
is doing and systematize his experience.
One of the pitfalls that an interviewer has to be care¬
ful to avoid is the mechanization of his interviews. Unless checked
there is a very common tendency to lot interviewing slip into a rou¬
tine procedure in which a small part of the data is more or less
thoroughly examined and the balance passed over with little or no
examination.
After an interview, and the sooner after the interview is
concluded the better, it pays well to review the interview step by
step, noting the good features so that they can be used again and
selecting the weak spots for correction. Some interviews will go
well, some badly. Contrast one of the good interviews with one of
the bad ones and generally the differences and the necessary correct¬
ions will be thrown into high relief.
Reference Letters
The extent to which reference letters are used ve.ries
widely both in private industry and in public and private employment
A2448
- 44 -
offices. Undoubtedly many roforonco letters are practically value¬
less to an occupational classifier. The ordinary "to whom it may
concern" letter, the letter from a small or unknown firm referring
to the applicant in glowing terms, letters from relatives and person¬
al friends should be heavily discounted if not completely ignored,
However, letters from responsible employers, particularly those who
maintain proper personnel records and policies can be extremely
valuable in clarifying an applicant's employment record and in off¬
setting his very natural tendency to exaggerate or overcolor the
importance of the jobs he has held.
The decision of whether or not to write former employers
or how many of them to write is one that the classifier must make in
accordance with his judgment and knowledge of the case. Generally
speaking, it is not advisable to write for information when the job
was of short duration or was in an unimportant classification.
Neither has it been found advisable to contact employers unless the
employment is fairly recent.
If reference letters are sent, it is well to prepare a
mimeographed form which will reduce to a minimum the clerical work
necessary to send it and to reply to it. Such a letter should state
that the applicant has started that he was employed for such and such
a period at a certain occupation and request verification or correction
of his statement. Other points that night bo covered are:
1, Former employer's rating of his efficiency on
the job
2, His reliability
o. His initiative
4. Why he loft
5, Whether former employer would be willing to rehire
him if vacancies existed.
A2448
*
- 45 -
The abovo can "be sot up in question form with "boxes in
which the employer can signify his answer by a chock nark. Wher¬
ever possible offer more than two choices for his reply.
Whenever reference letters are sent a rolcasc should bo
obtained fron the applicant at the tine of interview. The release
can be a part of the lcttor of inquiry and should read approximately
as follows:
This form is being sont at my request, and it is
agreed that I shall not hold you liable in the event
that your reply is in anyway to my discredit, A
prompt reply will be appreciated.
Signature Late 19
Such a release has certain definite advantages. The employ¬
er being freed from possible legal reprisals is more liable to give an
honest, impartial and confidential report on the applicant. The appli¬
cant is impressed by the business-like procedure and less liable to
"dress up" his employment record. The interviewer also has an oppor¬
tunity to discover the naturo of any past disagreements with previous
employers, since in such cases the applicant is reluctant or unwilling
to sign the release. In such cases, of course, no letters should bo
sent.
When the letter is returned by the employer the information
is checked by the classifier with the information given by the appli¬
cant, any necessary corrections or changes are made and the letter
then is filed in the folder file and becomes part of the applicant's
record,
f lo.ation
Classification in the Work Program is the process of inter-
A2448
- 46 -
preting, evaluating, summarizing and labeling occupational and other
data concerning an applicant^ The major objective of classification
is to insure that the applicant's abilities are clearly and accurate¬
ly set forth so that he can be selected for assignment, training or
placement in the minimum amount of time and with the maximum chance of
his being acceptable wherever he may be sent. Adequate, accurate
classification can be obtained only when, and if, classifiers fully
understand and apply this principle.
In placement service work, either public or private, the
classifier is concerned only with classifying the applicant in terms
of placement in private industry. The WPA classifier must not only
do this but he must also classify the applicant in terms of possible
work opportunities on projects and of possible training either in vo¬
cational training school classes or in the factories and shops of
private industry, engaged in production for National Defense,
This three-fold classification job may seem extremely
difficult and complicated at first sight. It is a difficult job but
it is not an impossible one and if it is broken down into its com¬
ponent parts it is not nearly as complicated as it first seems.
Relationship of Classification to Employment
Division Functions
Classification does not stand alone as a single and sepa¬
rate function of the Employment Division, but bears a very definite re¬
lationship to other ordinary divisional activities such as filing,
assisting in project planning, assignment, and labor relations, and
such special activities as the Training Program for National Defense,
A2448
- 47 -
Obviously- it has a direct relationship with filing,
Somo awaiting assignmont files aro sot up occupationally and it
is thoroforo essential that exactly the correct classification is
shown on the file cards.
The files in turn serve as the basis for determining the
location and extent of the labor load so that projects can bo pro¬
perly planned and put into operation.
Inaccurate or incorrect classification next leads to bad
assignment which in turn prevents economical and effective project
operation, and in many cases load to labor relations difficulties,
Finally proper classification is vital if WPA is to play
its part well in placing workers in jobs or in training for jobs which
are essential to the National Defense Program,
Procedure in Classification
As stated previously classification is primarily the summar¬
ization, into one or more job titles, of the types of work an applicant
is capable of performing. And although the WPA classifier is respon¬
sible for three different kinds of classification wo may initially
consider only one. This is the classification of the applicant in
terms of the work he is qualified to perform in private industry.
Once this is determined his classification as to the work he is
qualified to do on WPA projects and as to qualifications for receiv¬
ing training will follow easily.
As to private industry the task of tho classifier is to
select tho occupation or occupations in private industry for which
A2448
- 48 -
the applicant, at the present timo is best qualified to be employed
by reason of his work history, both in private industry and on WPA
projects, his training, his special abilities and his personal
characteristics, Tho occupation or occupations should be those at
which the applicant can compete in the. open labor market for job
openings, perhaps with or perhaps without cortain handicaps as re¬
gards other applicants, but in which there is at least a reasonable
chance of his being accepted for employment by private industry.
The fact that a man has served an apprenticeship, learned a trade and
successfully practised that trade over a period of years should not
automatically lead to his classification in that trade if ho is
physically or mentally unable to pursue it at the present timo.
The occupation for which the applicant is best qualified
by reason of these four factors is called his "primary" occupation
or "usual" occupation. Other occupations for which the applicant is
also suited by reason of the some factors are called "secondary" or
"supplementary" occupations.
With some applicants, classification will bo found to be a
relatively simple matter. Others will be found more difficult, but in
every case the same process must be followed in arriving at the final
classification.
Occupational classification should take place either just
before the close of the interview, or just after the applicant has left
the interviewer's dosk. Interviewers often find it desirable to dis¬
cuss the applicant's classification with him before terminating the
interview. This is particularly true in the case of applicants with
12448
- 49 -
an executive, commercial, or highly skilled trade background. If
the interviewer does not wish to discuss the classification with the
applicant, as in the case of unskilled workers, the classification
should he made immediately after the applicant has left the inter¬
viewer' s desk and before the next interview has been begun.
There need not and should not be any secretiveness or
mystery about the classification assigned to an applicant. He is en¬
titled to know what classification is believed to be correct. Classi¬
fiers can and do err and occasionally the applicant in commenting on
the classification chosen may proffer additional information that will
alter or modify the whole picture that the classifier has formed of
him.
Any delay in classifying should be avoided. Immediate
classification makes for accuracy and saves the time spent in reviewing
the information to refresh the interviewer's memory.
It is recognized that occasionally difficn.lt problems of
classification will arise on which the classifier may wish to consult
other data or consult with someone. In such cases, the actual classi¬
fication may be postponed until a more opportune time.
A primary classification, representing the occupation for
which the applicant is bost qualified should be placed on every occu¬
pational file card. Wherever justified secondary or supplemental
classifications should also be assigned showing occupations that the
applicant is qualified to perform in addition to his primary occupation.
Prijaa£2L Usual Classification
As previously stated the terms "primary" and "usual" as applied
A2448
- 50 -
to occupations are often considered as synonomous and interchange¬
able and both terms have been used from time to time on WPA forms.
However, it is apparent that the use of the word "primary11 is pre¬
ferable to that of "usual" as the former carries with it the idea
of the work that the individual is now qualified to do whereas
"usual" sometimes is interpreted to mean the work that ho was accustom¬
ed to do in the past more or less regardless of whether he is present¬
ly qualified to do it.
With the exception of those applicants whose work histories
are extremely sketchy, entirely lacking or of the "stop-gap" variety,
and those older applicants whose skills have become obsolete, the
applicant1s Work History is the most important single factor in the de¬
termination of his primary classification.
An occupation rendered useless by basic technological changes
in industry may be disregarded. However, extreme caution must be exer¬
cised in such evaluations. Occupations rendered useless by technological
changes should not be confused with occupations at which there are lack
of opportunities for placement at the particular time the determination
of the worker's primary occupation is made. Arbitrary decisions that an
occupation is outmoded may result in misinformation about the character
of the labor supply. Thus to determine improperly a worker's occupation
may discriminate against him in the event of cnangos in tho labor market,
Factors such as local supply and demand in the particular
occupation or the similarity of the job to others in \diich there is
greater present opportunity for placement should not influence the de¬
termination of tho classification.
12448
- 51 -
Nor should the applicant's desire to be classified to do
a particular kind of work influence the classifier unless it also
represents the work he is most capable of performing. However, an
applicant whose work experience indicates an occupational classifi¬
cation he is no longer capable of performing because of age or
physical conditions may be given a classification for a different type
of work if he is competent to perform it.
Training, special abilities and personal characteristics
are other factors to be considered. It is impossible to set up here
definite rules as to how much weight should be given to each of these
factors in making the final decision. Obviously they will vary wide¬
ly in different types of jobs and the classifier must develop, from
his knowledge of jobs and job conditions, a sense of balance that will
enable him to evaluate each factor in each particular case.
Having examined the Work History, the classifier should next
consider the applicant's training. The two principal factors to be con¬
sidered in weighing training against work experience are (l) the level
of achievement, and (2) the recentness of the training. If either his
\rork experience or training wore received so long ago that skills or
knowledge have been partly .lost or forgotten, the classifier should give
more weight to the factor which is most recent. Nor this reason it is
most important that the applicant's work history on CWA, HERA and WPA
projects be given careful consideration along v/ith his work history in
private employment. Many workers have had no other employment beyond
that on work relief programs for a considerable period of time and an
applicant's work history on these programs may entirely outweigh
A2448
- 52 -
earlier training obtained in school or private industry.
If ability to apjjly skills or knowledge have been complete¬
ly lost they should be ignored in the classification process.
Special abilities and personal characteristics should also
i
be given due weight in the classification process, A more detailed
analysis of these factors follows.
Employment Record
In analyzing the applicants employment record the classi¬
fier should carefully consider the following aspects:
1, Details of .jobs held
2, Length of employment in each job
3, Recency of the various types of employment
4, Degree of skill and proficiency attained
These items are discussed below in greater detail,
1, Details of jobs? held
In this analysis, the classifier should constantly compare
the applicant's statements as to his work experience with the classifier's
own knowledge of job definitions and job requirements. The greater the
classifier's knowledge of jobs and job requirements, the bettor analysis
he will be able to make, If the interviewing has been done with care
and thoroughness and has developed just exactly what the applicant has
done on each of his jobs, the determination of the correct job title
will bo materially facilitated.
In addition to the tasks ordinarily included in a job the
applicant may have performed additional tasks and thereby may have at¬
tained special experience or additional skills. These should bo taken
into consideration.
A2448
- 53 -
2» Length of Eirolovmont in each ,iob
Consideration of this factor frequently will determine
the workers primary occupation. Often his primary occupation is
the job which he has hold the longest or at which he has the most ex¬
perience, However, consideration should also he given to the fact that
because of changes in the local labor market, depression periods, etc.,
a worker may have had difficulty in obtaining work in that occupation
for which he is best fitted and consequently his employment record may
reflect longer periods of omploymont at some occupation for which he is
loss qualified.
Also additional training may have fitted a worker for an¬
other and better occupation than that in which ho has been longest em¬
ployed, lor example, a worker may have been employed as a laborer for
a largo part of his working life. However, through training he may have
become qualified as a machine operator although employed in this capacity
for only a comparatively short period of time. In such a case it does
not automatically follow that because he has worked longest as a labor¬
er he should be classified as a laborer. In fact, the opposite will
probably bo true,
3, Recency of various types of onroloyncnt.
Recency of employment in a particular occupation is of consider¬
able importance in determining which is his primary occupation. This is
particularly true in fields whore a rapid loss of skill results from a
failure to continually perform the occupational tasks such as stenography,
teaching, highly skilled machine work, otc. Recency of employment is of
12448
— 56 ~
On the other hand training received on WPA projects
may strongly influence the determination of the applicant's
primary occupation. This is particularly true of women who had
little or no work experience before being assigned to a work
project but who have now, by virtue of the training received on
the project, gained a skill that is marketable in private in¬
dustry.
Another typo of training in employment which will
strongly influence, if not determine the applicant's primary
occupation is the training gained by younger workers who have been
members of the Civilian Conservation Corjjs, CCC work and training may
qualify an applicant in one or more of many standard occupations and
his experience in camp should be carefully and thoroughly probed for
classification purposes.
If for example he was employed on firebreak Construction
and Maintenance he may bo qualified as a Buckcr (IV) a Falker, a
Brushnan (II), a Grubber or in some cases a Mowing Machine Operator,
If employed in quarrying and crushing stone he may be a Blaster (V),
a Compressor Operator (portable), a Jackhammcr Operator, a Crusher
Man (iy) or a Laborer (quarry).
All these possibilities need careful analysis, particular¬
ly since in many camps a definite attempt is made to rotate the work
so that each youth will have experience in as many jobs as possible,
Vocational Training
In general, the sane factors involved in the analysis of
formal education also apply to the analysis of vocational training.
A2448
- 57 -
In fact, "because of its definite relationship to industrial re¬
quirements, vocational training may often have even greater value
than formal education in sdlving the classification problem.
Special Abilities and Skills
Special abilities and skills acquired during or outside
an applicant's work experience should be taken into consideration.
They will rarely influence the primary classification but may prove
excellent basis for the assigning of supplement classifications.
Such skills, special training and vocational training will be refer¬
red to again in discussing selection for training and discussed in
more detail in that section.
Personal Characteristics
The fourth, major factor to be analyzed by the classifier
during the classification process is the personal characteristics of
the applicant. This factor is generally of importance in determining
the primary classification of the applicant in the cases of young
persons without work experience, specific training, or special abili¬
ties and in the white collar field. In such cases the applicant's
personal characteristics may be the decisive basis for classification.
Age with Reference to Classification
Young applicants of 18 to 20 and the older applicants over
50 present a special problem to some classifiers. Knowing the hiring
standards in industry, the classifier knows that many employers re¬
ject both the younger and older worker for certain occupations. They
have felt, therefore, that there was little use in classifying appli¬
cants in these occupations regardless of their work history or training.
A2448
58
Such a viewpoint, although apparently humanitarian,
actually does not further tho applicant's interests. Age standards
in private industry shift in accordance with the amount of available
labor, being held strictly when there is plenty of labor available,
and being relaxed as soon as a labor shortage starts to develop.
Furthermore, at the present time of emergency many firms
are definitely changing their policy on age standards so as to at¬
tract the older worker who is less liable to be mobilized into our
defense forces. Particular care should be exercised by the classi¬
fier, therefore, to avoid setting up in his own mind any general
disqualifying age standards. People differ and a man at 65 or even
70 may be entirely qualified to go out and compete for jobs in the
open labor market while his brother at 55 is quite unable to do so.
The general principle that classifiers should follow is
to classify applicants regardless of specific age ranges, and accord¬
ing to the four factors mentioned previously.
Height and Weight in Relation to Classification
Height and weight are important in some occupations and
should be given consideration in the classification process when
these occupations are involved.
Physical Conditions, in ILalakioji-kfi....C.las,siXdoi-dLiaa
General physical condition should have most careful con¬
sideration in relation to classification. Minor inabilities to per¬
form some of the tasks normally falling within an occupation do not
necosse.rily disqualify the applicant from that occupation. A car¬
penter, for instance who cannot work on scaffolding far above the
A2448
- 59 -
ground should still "be classified as a carpenter with a notation as
to his special handicap entered as a factor to be considered during
the placement process. A former carpenter who now cannot handle
the tools of his trade "because of injuries or other causes should
not be classified as a carpenter.
Applicants with minor or temporary illnesses should be
classified in accordance with previously outlined procedure. The
classifier should resist the temptation to temporarily assign an
"easier" occupation with the idea of changing the classification
later when the applicant1s health has improved.
Relation"to Classification
In most cases personality traits and/or appearances will
not affect classification. Occasionally, particularly in the white
collar occupations, personality traits or appearances enter into the
picture and should be given close attention.
Occupational Preferences of Applicants
Daily the classifier will bo presented with the problem of
the applicant's preference as to occupations.
First he has the applicant who insists he wishes to be
classified at some occupation for which he is poorly qualified or
completely unqualified. Generally this proference is the result of
knowledge or belief that there are immediate job possibilities in
that occupation. Needless to say, such preferences should be dis¬
regarded.
On the other side of the scale is the applicant who is
thoroughly qualified for some occupation, who emphatically states that
AP448
- 60 -
he does not wish to he classified in that occupation. His prefer¬
ence, too, generally should he disregarded for experience has shown
that such an attitude is almost invariably a transitory one and the
result of some temporary irritation. Such statements, however,
should he carefully examined and questioned to make sure that the
desire not to he classified at an occupation for which he is quali¬
fied does not arise from some personal or health factor that has
not heen hitherto disclosed*
In between these extremes are the applicants who may he
qualified for work in more than one occupation and express a defi¬
nite preference for one over the other. Such preferences should he
given careful consideration by the classifier and if they seem
soundly based may he accepted as the deciding factor.
Special Qualifications, Tools, Etc.
Even though it is realized that many concerns demand
special qualifications such as membership in a union or require that
the applicant possess certain tools or equipment, such requirements
should not enter into the classification process. These are matters
to he handled during the process of placement and should not enter
into classification.
On the other hand, if the special qualifications involve
licenses which are required by local, state or federal governments
as a condition for practicing certain professions or trades the
classifier must take the possession or non-possession of such docu¬
ments into consideration when classifying the applicant.
A2448
—• 61 ~
For example, an applicant who claims to "be a "blaster
cannot be classified as such, even if his work history seems to
indicate that it is his primary occupation, if in that state a
blaster is required to have a license and the applicant has none
and cannot get one. If the applicant has had such a license in
the past and has simply not kept it up to date and is confident
that he could obtain a license should a job opportunity develop he
may be tentatively classified in the occupation in question and the
pertinent facts recorded 011 his file card so that the matter can be
arranged during the placement process.
Similarly an applicant who has graduated from law or
medical school cannot be classified as a lawyer or doctor until he
has been admitted to the bar or received his license to practice.
In such cases the applicant can be classified to a closely related
job title which will reveal his capabilities and at the same time
differentiate him from a licensed applicant.
Classification of Foremen
I11 general it may be stated that foremen fall into three
principal groups.
1. Those functioning in the capacity of foremen because
of their familiarity with and superior knowledge of
a particular kind_of work or trade. Examples of
this type are carpenter foremen, steel erecting
gang foremen, etc.
2. Those whose work is primarily of an acv.inistrative
na,ture a„nd who may not have any particular skill
in a trn.de such as a foreman who supervises but
cannot porform the work of several groups of
power machine operators.
3. Those who supervise labor gangs and whose jobs de¬
pend on their ability to control and direct a group
of laborers.
A2448 - 62 -
For those in the first group the occupational title to
"be used is that of a journeyman in the particular trade in question
followed "by the word "Foreman" as carpenter, journeyman, Foreman.
For those in the second group use the title "Foreman"
alone, and for those in the third, "Foreman, Labor Gang. " These
classifications are those used by the U.S.E.S.
Classification of Apprentices
Apprentices are defined, as those who are formally in-"
dentured to a person or a company for a stipulated number of years
for the purpose of learning an art or a trade. Apprentices should
not be confused with helpers who are merely assisting journeymen
and not learning the trade. A person who completes an apprenticeship
is usually given a certificate of proficiency, qualifying him to
work as journeyman in the trade in which he has served his appren¬
ticeship. Applicants who have concluded their apprenticeships
should be classified as journeymen even though they may not yet
have worked as journeyman in their trade. The number.of years of
completed apprenticeship should be always shown.
Classification of Helpers
Helpers are defined as those who primarily assist work¬
ers in recognized arts or trades. Helpers should never be con¬
fused with apprentices as they are not indentured and seldom become
journeymen.
Classifiers should also guard against classifying as
helpers those persons who perform jobs in conjunction with and
incidental to a certain operation, and who may call themselves helpers,
A2448
- 63 -
when as a matter of fact their jobs have specific titles of their own.
U. S.E.S. Classifications
In making a determination of the primary occupation of a
certified person, there should ordinarily be agreement with the classifica¬
tion assigned by the local employment office of the State Employment Service,
where that office has made a classification based upon the complete occupa¬
tional history and in keeping with the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.
If the determinations are in conflict, an effort should be made to arrive
at some agreement as to the appropriate occupational classification.
Secondary cr Supplementary CI ossifications
Some applicants are capable of performing efficiently in more
than one occupation. The term "secondary" occupation is not intended to
imply that the applicant's skill in this classification is not on a par
with that which he possesses in his primary classification. Secondary
classifications are additional skills which the applicant possesses and
with which he can compete in the labor market. Therefore the classifier
should use just as much care and judgment in the assigning of secondary
occupations as he does in assigning primary occupations.
Ordinarily secondary occupations should be assigned for every
distinct occupation for which an applicant is qualified in addition to
his primary classification.
In those cases where the primary occupational classi¬
fication assigned to an applicant on the basis of his training and
experience is obsolete or nearly obsolete, or where certain disa¬
bilities limit the applicant's employment at his primary occupa¬
tion, particular care should be exercised to examine all reasonable
A2448
- 64 -
possibilities of secondary classifications so that the applicant
will not "be left in a "blind alley."
Secondary classifications representing lesser degress of
skill or responsibility in the same line of work in the primary
classification should never be assigned. An applicant whose pri¬
mary occupation is that of a bricklayer, for instance, and who is
willing to work as a helper should not have the latter classifi¬
cation assigned as a secondary. The fact that he is willing to
work as a helper may be mentioned under general comments and can be
given consideration in the placement process. Similarly a quali¬
fied stenographer should not receive a secondary classification as
a typist.
Secondary classifications should never be granted pure¬
ly on the basis of the applicant's reauest or on the basis of
placement possibilities. Nor should the classification "Laborer"
be assigned as a secondary classification unless the part work
history in private industry indicates that the applicant was ac«»
customed to work as such a reasonable portion of his total period
of employment.
Selection of Occupational Titles
Having analyzed all the available data regarding an
applicant, the classifier should choose the proper occupational
titles for the primary classification and such secondary classifi¬
cations as are desirable.
The titles entered as primary and secondary classifi¬
cations should be selected from the Dictionary of Occupation
Titles, published by the United States Employment Service. In all
A2448 - 65 -
cases, main titles should be used. Alternate titles which are
followed by the word "see" in the Dictionary should not be used as
they are simply different names used by different emoloyers for the
same job. The main title selected should always be the specific
title for the specific job the applicant performed. General terms,
as such, should not be used nor should uncoded task titles which
Identify parts of jobs rather than complete jobs.
Since the titles shown in the Dictionary represent only
titles used in private industry no "Housewife" title will be found
in the Dictionary. Women who have no experience in private in¬
dustry or training except in the home should, therefore, be given
the primary occupation, Housekeeper, Working (Code 2-03.11). This
classification may be mofified or changed at a later date as a re¬
sult of training and/or experience gained on WPA orojects.
Classification titles may be used to designate the
occupation only when the applicant's experience qualifies him
for two or more specific jobs listed under the Classification
Title.
For example, a Sewing Machine Operator who is only ex¬
perienced in stitching together the inner and outer panels on men's
tailored garments should be classified as a Back Maker (garment)
not as a Sewing Machine Operator (garment) which is an uncoded
grouping title for all sewing machine jobs in the industry, nor
Sewing Machine Operator (men's tailored garments) which is the
classification title for sewing machine operators "who perform
any or all of the machine operations on men's tailored garments."
However, if he has performed several operations desig¬
nated by specific titles such as Back Maker, Armhole Baster,
A2448 - 66 -
Coatlining Maker, ete., he may he classified as Sewing Machine
Operator (men's tail-red garments).
Coding
The coding used in the Dictionary of Oc^ipational Titles
will not he used in connection with classifications hy WPA classi¬
fiers, If it is decided to install a coding system at a later date,
supplementary instructions will he issued.
However, a general knowledge of the USES codes and the
coding structure will he of value to every classifier, A careful
study of pages XVIII to XXXII inclusive is recommended.
Classification for Work on IffA Program
Having determined the correct occupational classification
in private industry applicable to the applicant, the classifier
should next proceed to classify him as to the occupation in
which he is best qualified to work on WPA, because of his work
history including both work in private industry and work on WPA
projects, his training, his special abilities and his personal
characteristics.
This, in many instances, is a comparatively easy task
as the number of possible occupational titles which can be used is
limited to those titles found in Appendix A and Appendix B to
Operating Procedure E-9.
Many of these titles are identical to those used in
private industry and the task of classifying the applicant in
terms of the work he is qualified to perform on the Work Program
is simply a matter of transcribing the title.
Some WPA titles, however, although the same as those
A2448 - 67 -
used commonly in private industry, describe jobs that differ con¬
siderably. For example the title Rough Carpenter is sometimes con¬
sidered to be equivalent to the WPA classification of Carpenter's
Helper. This is in error. A Rough Carpenter as described in the
Dictionary of Occupational Titles is a skilled man, just as skilled
in his particular type of work as a Finish Carpenter is in his.
The WPA Carpenter's Helper is a semi—skilled man who most resembles
what is known in private industry as a Laborer, Carpentry (const.)
and described on page 512 of the Dictionary.
Many of these differences arose from the fact that in
preparing WPA classifications it was necessary to consider factors
which are not important in orivate industry. For instance it was
necessary to set up a list of classifications that could be applied
to the whole country instead of following local usages. Also it
was necessary to insure that there were not too many classifications,
and too many different ways of classifying what amounts to the same
job. Therefore some WPA classifications are considerably broader
than those used in private industry. In the construction field, 'for
instance, the WPA classification Power Shovel Operator covers several
allied jobs which are often given separate classifications in private
industry, such as Back Hoe Operator, Skimmer Operator, etc. In such
cases it is always advisable to insert in parentheses under the title
the particular type of equipment the applicant operates.
Broadening the classification also tended to increase the
duties and responsibilities of certain jobs which accounts for the
classification of a WPA job in a higher wage class than is indicated
in the Dictionary. A number of WPA intermediate titles will be
A2448
— 68 —
foond to be mostly closely matched by a "Laborer" classification in
the Dictionary for this reason.
Many of the non-construction titles in Appendix A of
Operating Procedure E-Q do not conform exactly with titles used in
private industry. This arises from both a lack of standardization
of titles in private industry and from the fact that many clerical
jobs on WPA are peculiar to the program and are not found in private
industry.
The use of special titles of this kind creates a real
problem in classifying the individual, and therefore, in assigning him.
Care must be exercised that the applicant is not precluded from an
opportunity for assignment merely because his "Work Qualified for"
occupation is one that technically differs from the job title on
the requisition.
In the clerical or white collar field it often happens
that a person who is oualified to perform the work required in one
classification is equally qualified at one or more other and closely
related classifications. To classify him, therefore at only one
classification may tend to restrict unfairly his chances for assign¬
ment at some other classification for which he may be qualified.
In such cases the applicant should be classified at the
broadest title in the wage class; one that will insure him the ut¬
most consideration when workers are being selected for assignment.
If this is not sufficiently exact an alternate "Work Qualfied For"
classification should be determined and a secondary salmon colored
451 card prepared.
A2448 - 69 ~
In determining the selection of secondary or alternate
classifications the following guides should "be used:
1. Do not use lower grades of the same work as alternate
classifications, e.g., do not use Jr. Clerk as an
alternate when the Work Qualified For classification
is Sr. Clerk or Carpenter's Helper as an alternate
for Carpenter.
2. Do not use Laborer as an alternate for any person
whose "Work Qualified For" classification is above
the unskilled wage class, except in exceptional in¬
stances.
3. Do not use an alternate classification which is
closely related to and in the same wage class as
the "Work Qualified For" classification.
Sometimes a worker may have been employed at such a
variety of tasks that it is difficult to determine for which of
several WPA classifications he is best qualified. In determining
which shall be his primary "Work Qualified For" classification,
consideration of the following factors will assist in correctly
classifying him.
1. The tasks at which he has had the longest exper¬
ience.
2. The tasks at nrhich he has had the most recent ex¬
perience.
3. The tasks for which his educational and training
background best fits him.
4. The highest grade or rank he has attained in the
work for which he is qualified.
A2448
- 70 -
5. Which WPA classification most closely conforms to
his past experience, even though it is not exactly
the occupation which is his regular work.
In certain cases no' occupational classification will he
found in Appendix A which corresponds with the applicant's classi¬
fication in private industry. These cases require a special study
of the applicant's whole background and history. No detailed pro¬
cedure can he outlined for determining the controlling factors in
making proper classifications of this sort. Any or all of the items
on WPA Form 450 may he factors in the decision. However, one thing
should certainly not he done. Such cases should not automatically
be classified as laborers.
Assistance from WPA Operating Divisions
In addition to the sources of assistance previously men¬
tioned, there are also available to occupational classifiers the ad¬
vice and assistance of technically qualified personnel from the oper¬
ating divisions. In cases where technical and professional abili¬
ties are involved, classifiers should feel free to seek the assist¬
ance of those persons in determining the proper classification.
Applicants with Qualifications for Appointive Positions
Should the applicant appear to possess qualifications of
the type required for emoloyment in an appointive position with the
State Work Projects Administration, the interviewer or classification
officer should request him to prepare Application for Employment
WPA Form 251 which shall be submitted to the State Personnel Officer
(see page 1.5.027) of the Manual of Rules and Regulations. Notation
that such referral has been ma.de shall be made in the section headed
A2448
- 71 -
"Action Taken" on the reverse side of the Form 450.
Applicants with Q.ualifications for Supervisory Positions
Should the applicant appear to possess qualifications of
the type required for employment in a supervisory position with the
State Work Projects Administration, WPA Form 251 should be filled in
and referred to the appropriate operating division or the Division of
Finance for determination of the supervisory classification, if any,
under which such person may be qualified. The form should be referred
by means of a written memorandum to insure its return to the files
of the Division of Employment.
Classification for Training
The classification of persons for referral to training courses
designed to provide additional workers in occupations required for Nation¬
al Defense purposes will depend largely upon local conditions, i.e., upon
the training courses which are being and which may be offered. The clas¬
sifier shall consult with vocational school authorities, and with plant
officials where industrial plant facilities are being used for training,
to determine the qualifications desired of potential trainees. From
the information thus obtained standards may be-set up to guide the
classifier in classifying each potential trainee for the type of training
for which he is best qualified..
A2448
- 72 -
J IB LI 0
Anderson, V. V.
Bingham, W. V. and M. Freyd
Bingham, W. V. and V. M. Moore
Burtt, H. E.
Darley, J. D., D. G. Paterson
& I. E. Petersen
Donald, W. J. (Editor)
Griffitts, C. H.
Harrison, Shelhy, Millard
Kollingworth, H. L.
Kornhauser, A. W.
Laird, D. A.
Link, H. C.
Moore, B. Y. and G. W. Hartman
Myers, Chas. S.
G R A P H Y
Psychiatry in Industry
Harper & Bros., New York, 1929
Procedure in Employment Psychology
A. W. Shaw Co,," N. Y., 1926
How to Interview
Harper & Bros., N. Y., 1934
Principles of Employment Psychology
Houghton-Mifflin, 1926
Occupational Testing and the Public
Employment Service
Univ. of Minn. Press
Handbook of Business Administration
Fundamentals of Yocational Psychology
Macmillan Co., N. Y., 1925
Public Employment Qffices - Their
Purposes, Structure, and Methods
Hussell Sage Foundation, N, Y., 1924
Yocational Psychology
D. Appleton & Co., N. Y., 1916
Psychological Test in Business
Univ. of Chicago Press. Chicago, 1924
The Psychology of Selecting Men
McGra.w Hill Co., N. Y., 1925
Employment Psychology
MacMillan Co., N. Y. 1917
Readings in Industrial Psychology
D. Appleton & Co., N. Y. 1931
Industrial Psychology
Peoples Int. Pub. Co., N. Y. 1925
A2448
Bibliography (Continued.)
O'Connor, Johnson
Paterson, D. G. and J. G. Darley
Proffenberger, A, T.
Scott, W. D., R. R. Clotheir
& S. B. Mathewson
Starbuck, E. D.
Stenfjuist, J. L.
Tead, 0. and H. C. Metcall
Thurston, L. L.
Viteles, Morris
Watkins, G. S.
Born That Way
Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1929
Men, Women and Jobs
Univ. of Minn. Press, 1936
Applied Psychology
D. Appleton & Co., N. Y., 1928
Personnel Management
A. W. Shaw Co. Rev. 1933
Tests and Measurement of Character
Nat'l. Educational Assn., N. Y. 1924
Measurements of Mechanical Ability
Columbia Univ. Press, N, Y., 1923
Personnel Administration
McGraw-Hill, N. Y., 2nd Ed. 1926
Trade Tests
World Book Co., Yonkers-on-Hudson,
N. Y., 1922
Industrial Psychology
W. W. Norton & Co., 1932
Labor Management
McGraw-Hill, N. Y., 1928