Modeling Error Variance in Job Specification Ratings: The Influence of Rater, Job, and Organization-Level Factors

The authors modeled sources of error variance in job specification ratings collected from 3 levels of raters across 5 organizations ( N = 381). Variance components models were used to estimate the variance in ratings attributable to true score (variance between knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics [KSAOs]) and error (KSAO-by-rater and residual variance). Subsequent models partitioned error variance into components related to the organization, position level, and demographic characteristics of the raters. Analyses revealed that the differential ordering of KSAOs by raters was not a function of these characteristics but rather was due to unexplained rating differences among the raters. The implications of these results for job specification and validity transportability are discussed.