A survey of 40 senior personnel directors of medium-sized and large employers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area identified characteristics of unskilled applicants most highly valued by employers. These personnel directors estimated the probability that 16 hypothetical unskilled individuals would be hired at their firm. Each hypothetical individual was described by seven characteristics: high school completion, job-specific training, work experience, motivation, reliability, appearance, and speech. The primary finding was that the motivation, reliability, and attitude of entry-level job applicants were more important than completing high school or a training program. In fact, personnel officers reported that completing high school or a training program did not significantly improve the likelihood of being hired for an entry-level position. The hiring decision for entry-level positions was, unlike the case for many higher paying jobs, not a single discrete event. It consisted of several stages, often continuing over a period of several months. Each stage typically required applicants to demonstrate their motivation, attitude, and reliability to a different representative of the firm. Personnel officers felt training programs serving persons with limited employment qualifications should devote themselves to improving their participants' motivation and reliability. (Appendixes include information on conjoint analysis, the survey instrument, and a 21-item bibliography.) (YLB)