Improving the Validity of Letters of Recommendation: An Investigation of Three Standardized Reference Forms

Julie M. McCarthy · Richard D. Goffin

65 citations0/0 files storedMilitary Psychology

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Abstract

Although letters of recommendation are (LORs) widely used, little research has examined how accurately they predict job performance. The few existing studies have yielded mixed results, and meta-analytic estimates of validity range from .14 to .27 (Hunter & Hunter, 1984 Hunter, J. E., & Hunter, R. F. (1984). Validity and utility of alternative predictors of job performance. Psychological Bulletin, 96, 72–98.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Reilly & Chao, 1982 Reilly, R. R., & Chao, G. T. (1982). Validity and fairness of some alternate employee selection procedures. Personnel Psychology, 35, 1–62.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). This investigation was designed to improve predictive validity by developing a standardized reference form and evaluating 3 different rating formats: Multi-Item scales, Relative Percentile Method (RPM) scales, and Global Trait Rankings. A total of 520 individuals applied to the Canadian military, and 544 LORs were obtained. Complete predictor and criterion data were available for 57 participants. Regression analyses indicated that the validity of the RPM rating format (R2(adj) = .18; R(adj) = .42) was substantially higher than previous estimates of LOR validity. The 2 remaining methods produced nonsignificant results. Limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and implications for the field are discussed.

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1998The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings.1984Validity and utility of alternative predictors of job performance.1982Psychological Testing: Principles, Applications, and Issues 1989Organizational commitment and job performance: It's the nature of the commitment that counts.1988Psychological Testing: Principles and Applications 1987Behind the Mask: The Politics of Employee Appraisal 1970Some properties of ipsative, normative, and forced-choice normative measures.1982VALIDITY AND FAIRNESS OF SOME ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYEE SELECTION PROCEDURES1

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2012Select on Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability 2007Noncognitive Variables in College Admissions 2004Dimensionality and Validity of a Structured Telephone Reference Check Procedure 2017Implicit bias in letters of recommendation for an undergraduate research internship 2016Über die Sichtung von Bewerbungsunterlagen in der Praxis der Personalauswahl

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