The turning academic tide: Chances for personnel selection research

The psychology of personnel selection is one of the oldest and most important applied domains within psychology. After a period of little academic interest in the Netherlands for this domain, the present age offers new chances for selection research. The Dutch governmental research organization NWO requests submitted research proposals to deliver results which are societally useful. Selection research without any doubt fulfills this requirement. Results from 82 meta-analyses of psychological research (Mitchell, 2012) demonstrate the significance of research valorization as well: the tenability in practice of psychological lab research was best for work and organizational psychology, specifically in the area of selection, training, personnel management and organizational behavior. Selection research needs to make use of the favorable impression it makes by conducting more and innovative research, such as studying technologically advanced selection methods and the usefulness of social media for selection. Such research will promote an evidence-based selection practice.