Impact of Job Experience and Ability on Job Knowledge, Work Sample Performance, and Supervisory Ratings of Job Performance

Based on data from four independent studies with a total sample size of 1,474, path analysis was used to examine the causal impact of job experience on job knowledge, performance capability as measured by job sample tests, and supervisory ratings of job performance. Findings support the conclusion that when (a) mean job experience is in the neighboorhood of 2 to 3 years, (b) there is substantial variance in job experience, and (c) the jobs are of an intermediate complexity level, job experience has a substantial direct impact on job knowledge and a smaller direct impact on performance capabilities as assessed by job sample measures. Job experience also has a substantial indirect effect on work sample performance through its effect on job knowledge, which, in turn, was found to be the strongest determinant of work sample performance. The pattern and magnitude of causal effects of general mental ability was found to be similar to those of job experience. The effect of job knowledge on supervisory ratings was found to be several times stronger than the effect of job sample performance, confirming the findings of Hunter (1983) . When job experience was held constant, the direct impact of ability on the acquisition of job knowledge increased substantially, and this, in turn, increased the indirect effect of ability on job sample performance. Implications of these findings are discussed.