THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY WERE TO DETERMINE WHETHER TRAINING EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED YOUTH IN JOB-SEEKING SKILLS HAD AN EFFECT ON THEIR ABILITY TO COMPLETE COMPOSITE APPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT, OR ON THEIR JOB-SEEKING BEHAVIOR. STUDENTS FROM SIX SCHOOLS WITH CLASSES FOR MENTALLY RETARDED WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP (68) AND TO THE CONTROL GROUP (90). EACH STUDENT COMPLETED AN APPLICATION FORM AND RANKED SELECTED JOB-SEEKING TECHNIQUES. THE EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ABOUT JOB SEEKING AND APPLICATIONS. A MONTH LATER 129 SUBJECTS COMPLETED AN APPLICATION FORM IN A SIMULATED EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW. SIX JUDGES RATED THE FORMS ON THE APPLICANT'S CHANCES OF JOB-SEEKING SUCCESS. SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP BEFORE AND AFTER TRAINING, BUT NOT FOR THE CONTROL GROUP. AFTER FOUR MONTHS THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP EARNED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MONEY PER JOB AND WORKED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE HOURS PER JOB THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. NO DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND IN HOURLY RATE. AGE AND SEX WERE FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANT IN THEIR INFLUENCES ON VOCATIONAL SUCCESS BUT NOT INTELLIGENCE. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS SAMPLE MATERIALS USED IN THE STUDY. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTAINS 162 ITEMS DATED FROM 1919 TO 1966. (EM)