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What are the qualifications for being a PSA grader?
Flintboy
Posts: 150
After reading about Ron Burgundys disaster, I was wondering what PSA looks for in a card grader. Seriously, how does PSA interview? Do they give them raw cards and ask them how they would grade them and why, and then let one of their head graders see if they agree? Do they have a "card knowledge" quiz? Anyone know the process??????
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If they have to be trained for six-months,
it is likely some basic knowledge at the
front-end would be good, but probably
not ultra critical.
Handling LOTS of examples of any collectible
is the most important element in learning
how to determine its condition/value.
I have trained dozens of stamp sorters.
The ones that like stamps, learn modern
grading in six-months to a year. Cards
are a likely a little easier to learn.
In any event, more than one grader allegedly
looks at the cards before they are slabbed. So,
any disaster is sort of by consensus.
They give ya a test - ya have to grade 10 cards.
Process
1. they give ya 10 marbles and ya put them in your mouth.
2. every time ya grade a card - if correct - ya get to spit out one marble.
When you've lost all your marbles - your a genuine fortified officiating grader and Imperial Wizard!
with apologies to Jonathan Swift
I know they never called him back though, and I've found him to be pretty meticulous in his evaluation of cards, as well as knowledgeable on a wide range of issues. If nothing else the rampant mechanical errors that erode consumer confidence would've been greatly reduced.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
the primary thing they are looking for.
It seems they would want young folks; cheaper starting
pay, fewer bad work habits. Oral communication skills
would have to be good; some ability to communicate
in writing; attention to detail.
They are probably looking for the same kind of person
that any business looks for in a position that is a
cross between production work and admin-assistant.
PLUS some affinity for cards/sports.
NickM could have been the perfect candidate, but
hiring is subjective. Just like grading.
My Sandberg topps basic set
My Sandberg Topps Master set
<< <i>I made a statement on what I thought was seeing a woman grading at the 2005 National in Chicago. I swear I saw a woman on the show floor looking at a card through a lighted magnifying glass/light. I assumed this to be a grader. CarolJ jumped all over my statement in the thread stating cards were taken to a seperate room by armed guards blah blah blah. Well last year at the National the psa booth had a big blue curtian behind it. Point being I think they are hiding the graders. >>
For some reason this post made the Elephant Man come to mind. PSA's newest grader behind the curtain:
jump back-shes not the all wise all seeing omnipinant oz or anything
<< <i>Let's see...
They give ya a test - ya have to grade 10 cards.
Process
1. they give ya 10 marbles and ya put them in your mouth.
2. every time ya grade a card - if correct - ya get to spit out one marble.
When you've lost all your marbles - your a genuine fortified officiating grader and Imperial Wizard!
OMG .. that is absolutely hilarious!!!!!!!!!
I can safely say that a lot of the speculation about how graders work and what they do is very misinformed (considering how many contradictory things have been suggested by different people, simple logic shows that).
I haven't received an official rejection (the last I heard from anyone at PSA was that they were still interviewing and testing graders and hadn't reached decisions yet), but after several months I'm not expecting to be hired.
Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
Needs'
1972 Football-9's high#'s
1965 Football-8's
1958 Topps FB-7-8
<< <i>I heard there might be a grading school near PSA that helps people prepare for the exam. Is this true? >>
"In Nineteen-Hundred-and-Seventy-Four, a card manufacturer by the name of Tah---Tah---Anyone? Anyone? Topps... got word that a baseball team might be moving to Washington D.C. Anyone know the name of the team? Anyone? Something P-A-D... PAD? Anyone? Padres. San Diego Padres. So instead of putting "San Diego Padres" on the front of cards, they put something else... Washington... Anyone? N... Anyone? National League. But later they realized the PADRES weren't moving to Washington, so they went back to San Diego Padres on the cards. The Washington cards are known as a VARIA--- Anyone? VARIA-- Variation, and this variation must be mentioned when the card is encapsulated."
<< <i>I made a statement on what I thought was seeing a woman grading at the 2005 National in Chicago. I swear I saw a woman on the show floor looking at a card through a lighted magnifying glass/light. I assumed this to be a grader. CarolJ jumped all over my statement in the thread stating cards were taken to a seperate room by armed guards blah blah blah. Well last year at the National the psa booth had a big blue curtian behind it. Point being I think they are hiding the graders. >>
I don't think I jumped on you but I do like to correct misinformation.
The woman you saw was a receiver or spec person looking at the information on the card in order to enter it in the system.
In my 10 years with the company the graders have always been "hidden away".
Carol
<< <i>Nick, are you telling me they didnt hire you? How can they not hire a valued message board member, that is a shame. >>
I heard he failed the pee test. High traces of synthetic cardboard was found in his system.