HRD

Realistic Job Preview

Realistic Job Previews

The realistic job preview is a standard in recruiting and selection. It is a great tool to increase
the quality of applications; it ensures a fit between the person and the role and between the
person and the organization, and it helps to retain employees longer.

A Realistic Job Preview (RJP) is a recruiting tool used to communicate both the good and bad
aspects of a job. Essentially, it is used to provide a prospective employee a realistic view of
what the job entails. This measure, much like the job-fit measure, is to provide candidates a
richer description of the agency and the job (e.g., work environment, duties, expectations) to
help them decide if they are a good match. While the RJP can be useful for reducing
turnover, it should be used as a candidate self-evaluation tool rather than a traditional
selection device (e.g., cognitive ability tests, accomplishment record).
In creating a RJP, there are many factors to consider, including:

 How the RJP will be created (e.g., structured observations, meetings with
current employees)
 How the RJP will be distributed (e.g., written material, video, interview)
 How to present both positive and negative aspects of the job (e.g., always
follow a negative item with a positive item)
 When to introduce the RJP (i.e., early or late in the recruiting process)

Benefits
 Increasing self-selection. While reducing the number of applicants, the
quality of the applicants will increase. This means that people will be more
informed about the job and more motivated to start the job as there is a better
fit between the person and the job. This is likely caused by lower
expectations, one of the proven effects of being exposed to an RJP.
 Improved candidate experience. Investing time in applying for a job that
will not match is a big downer while gaining a deeper understanding of a
job you like will only make candidates more excited. As such, the RJP is
likely to have a positive impact on the candidate experience.
 Commitment to the organization. Research shows that people who have had
a realistic job preview are more committed to the organization. This is
because they know what is happening, have a better understanding of the
cultural values of the organization, and the issues that employees run
into.
 Job satisfaction. This one is more obvious – when expectations match
reality, people will be more satisfied. Employees who have had a realistic
job preview have better-matched expectations about their work – and
 about the organization – and as a result, will be more satisfied with their
work.
 Higher performance. Similarly, because of higher satisfaction, commitment
to the organization, and alignment with the responsibilities of the job,
employees are more likely to perform better.
 Lower employee attrition. Because the expectations of the job and day-to-
day reality are aligned, employee attrition decreases. This is especially
relevant for first-year attrition. Because employee onboarding is
expensive, the RJP is a great way to reduce the number of bad hires (i.e.
employees who quit shortly after being hired or underperform and stay).
So, although the realistic job preview is likely to reduce the number of applicants, their
quality will be higher and once they join the company their value to the organization
(productivity & intention to stay) will also be higher. Also, on the human side:
providing a realistic preview of the job is also likely to increase the candidate
experience.

A realistic job preview consists of multiple elements. They are:

1. Organizational vision. The vision represents where the company wants to go.
Aligning all employees with the organizational vision is crucial in reaching it.
An article in The Guardian a few years ago noted that the problem for tobacco
companies was that they couldn’t attract staff. Specifically, Phillip Morris
International (PMI), a tobacco company, reported “We may be unable to
attract and retain the best global talent”. This is one of the reasons why the
company has now stated that it wants to create a smoke-free future.
2. Organizational mission. The mission is about the company’s objectives and
how it plans to reach them. Where the vision is about the long-term, the
mission is about the short-term activities that help the organization advance.
3. Job description. Probably the most important part of the realistic job preview
is the job description itself. Painting a realistic picture of the job and its
responsibilities is crucial in retaining employees. We will give an example
later on.
4. Rewards and benefits. The compensation and benefits structure of an
organization is another key area to be featured in the job preview. A fair
overview of total rewards, including compensation, types of employee
benefits but also work-life balance, development opportunities and
recognition is key. If a role involves a lot of low-visibility maintenance with
little appreciation but that will be noticed when things go wrong, it is good to
communicate that it may not be the most rewarding job – but that the
compensation is excellent. Some people will simply fit better than others with
this kind of job.
5. Promotion system. Here again, showcasing potential career rewards also
prevents disappointments down the line. If someone is ambitious, they may
not be a good fit for a stable job with little promotional opportunities.
6. Training opportunities. Similarly, if a job provides a rich array of training,
this should be featured. Some jobs are challenging but don’t provide much
formal training. This can be attractive for an autodidact since they may hate a
formalized job with mandatory formal training.
7. Development opportunities. Similar to the previous, when a job provides
opportunities for learning that’s great – but if not, it should also be
 communicated. Some people are happy in a stable, stagnant job while others
will already be looking for a way out within a few months.
Communicating these factors before someone accepts the job will significantly impact their
satisfaction, performance, and the intention to quit after joining the company

Ways of doing RJP

Booklets or brochures

Booklets or brochures can be of varying lengths and levels of sophistication, but

should include the essential components of an effective RJP (e.g., both positive and
negative aspects of the job, information current workers report they didn't know but
wish they had before accepting the job). The materials can consist of glossy agency
brochures or even photo albums compiled by the employees working at a specific site.
Quality brochures may be expensive to design, produce, update, and print.

Group RJPs

This type of RJP involves informing groups of potential applicants about the job. The
meetings can be divided into three or four, 5-10 minute segments. During each
segment, information about the job is provided and questions are answered. After
each segment, a break provides an opportunity to leave for those who decide the job is
not a good match for them. Like other methods, a group RJP requires time to identify
which aspects of the job to highlight and how. Development and implementation costs
will vary depending on the materials/methods used.

Meetings with current employees or customers

In RJP meetings, current employees and/or customers explain in their own words
what the job entails in terms of potential rewards, challenges, and benefits, as well as
discuss the applicant's needs and expectations. Current workers should be trained for
 RJP meetings. It is essential to clarify to all involved whether the meeting will be used
only for RJP purposes or whether employees will also make recommendations about
applicant fit. As for structured observations, the agency should establish guidelines
for employees and customers who participate in this process. These meetings are very
similar to structured observations in terms of costs. Implementing this method,
however, requires staff time and training, making it more expensive to maintain.

Multimedia presentations

RJPs using multimedia formats, such as videotapes, CDs, or web-based presentations,

demonstrate to an applicant what the position entails by showing people actually
engaged in the job. The agency will have to assess what situations show the job more
realistically and/or are the ones typically causing early turnover due to lack of
information about the job. Multimedia presentations can be very expensive to
produce. However, if they are well produced and content is not date-sensitive, they
can be used for a long time, making them more cost-effective.

Pre-application job preview

This type of RJP is usually made available to anyone who is interested in learning
more about a job. Information can be posted on the organization's website, or
provided when a person calls an agency or otherwise asks for an application. This RJP
method is brief and designed to help the prospective employee ascertain if he or she
meets minimal criteria and is interested in the type of work involved. These RJPs can
be adapted to include basic information, such as pay scale, benefits, general job
responsibilities and requirements, work hours, and job locations. As with any other
RJP method, the pre-application job preview should be structured and consistent
across applicants. In terms of cost effectiveness, if the job preview is brief and to the
point, it will save the agency both time and money if people who are clearly
mismatched for the position opt not to apply.
Structured observations

Applicants can observe the work site to gain an overview of the job. In a structured
observation, current employees may discuss the job with the observer, but it is more
effective for the staff to simply perform their usual daily duties. Structured
observations require thorough planning to ensure effectiveness and
comprehensiveness. They are the least expensive RJP method because staff time is
not required during the observation and any materials are generally inexpensive to
produce and update. Typically, structured observations should be used later in the
hiring process when fewer candidates are being considered for the position.

Realistic Job Preview (RJP)

Implementation Checklist 

 Develop an Implementation Plan with Timelines: The plan will explain the
need for a RJP and the major steps required to develop the RJP. A pilot test
should be included if possible.
 Establish Work Team(s): Identify the implementation team, including
current managers, employees, and human resources staff.
 Assess Current Situation: Determine if the RJP will be used to resolve a
current problem (e.g., too much turnover among new hires) or to proactively
avoid a future problem.
 Obtain Management Commitment: Communicate to management the
strategic intent of the RJP and the desired end results. Management support is
necessary to ensure successful development and implementation.
 Identify Issues to be Addressed: Identify relevant job duties and
organizational characteristics and the ways the typical employee reacts to
both. This information will help inform what should be covered in the RJP.
 Include "Judgmental Information": The RJP should include judgmental
information (e.g., things that satisfy and dissatisfy employees) about the
position to be filled. This information may be obtained through interviews or
employee surveys.
  Focus on a Few Targeted Issues: The RJP should ensure the most important
job characteristics are readily understood by job applicants and are not lost
among other information.
 Balance Negative and Positive Information: The RJP should match
something positive for every piece of negative information provided to the
applicant.
 Select a Communication Medium: RJPs are most often presented through
brochures and/or audio-visual methods (A-V). Consider resource and time
constraints in selecting a medium.
 Identify the Message Source: Applicants identify with the message when it is
conveyed by incumbents to whom the applicant can relate.
 Determine Where the RJP Fits within the Application Process: An RJP
may be used at various points in the hiring process. Consider presenting an
RJP early to enable some applicants to self-select out of the process,
minimizing organizational costs.
 Select an Implementation Approach: Determine whether the RJP will be
used for all positions, or for targeted positions.
 Create a Communication Plan: The plan should ensure widespread
knowledge of the goals of the RJP and implementation timelines.
 Provide Training: If applicable, identify and train employees who will
participate in the RJP.

Evaluate the Results

Monitor implementation and evaluate the RJP process on a periodic basis to ensure the plan
is followed and the intended results are achieved. Make adjustments to the RJP as necessary