Predicting Voluntary Turnover from Job Applicant Biodata and Other Applicant Information

Research suggests that biodata (i.e., personal history information) is one of the best predictors of voluntary employee turnover. Given this fact, it is surprising that research on biodata has declined in recent years, and that biodata is not commonly used by employers for selecting employees. This article presents the results of a study that focused on the ability of biodata items and other information available on job applicants to predict voluntary turnover. With one exception, the hypotheses offered were confirmed. Specifically, applicant status (i.e., previously had applied for a job), submission of optional personal history information, employment status (i.e., job applicant was employed), and recruitment source (i.e., employee referral) all predicted voluntary turnover. The ability of applicant status, submission of a personal statement, and recruitment source to predict employee performance also was examined. Applicant status and recruitment source were found to predict subsequent performance ratings.