The Effects of Realistic Job Previews on Applicant Self-Selection and Employee Turnover, Satisfaction, and Coping Ability

This article describes afield experiment which examined the effects of providing realistic job previews (RJPs) to applicants for the job of inventory taker. Subjects were 28 individuals (16 males and 12 females) who were randomly assigned to either an experimental (RJP) or a control (no RJP) condition. Data were gatheredfrom responses to questionnaires, personnel records, and self-report indices. Participants' responses were evaluated on 5-point scales. In comparison to individuals not receiving RJPs, RJP recipients were more likely to turn down a job offer, perceive the organization as being honest with them, be able to cope with job demands, be satisfied with their jobs, and remain in their jobs. The value of RJPs for both academics and practitioners is also discussed in the study.