LIMITATIONS OF THE INTERVIEW

Limitations Of The Interview



Limitations Of The Interview

Interviews

A selection procedure designed to predict future job performance on the basis of applicants' oral responses to oral inquiries. In general, interviews have the following weaknesses:

1. validity of the interview is relatively low

2. reliability of the interview is also low

3. stereotyping by interviewers, in general, may lead to adverse impact against minorities

4. the subjective nature of this procedure may allow bias such as favoritism and politics to enter into the selection process

5. this procedure is not standardized.

6. not useful when large numbers of applicants must be evaluated and/or selected

Interviews are conversations whereby a candidate interacts with one or more people who assess the candidate and, in a selection interview, decide on whether this person should be offered a job.

Such interviews typically last 15 to 60 minutes although they can be shorter or longer.

Interview structure

The structure of an interview is based on the degree of control exerted by the interviewer as to the predictability of what questions are asked and what information is sought. When there is specific informational needs, then a more structured approach may be used.

* Unstructured interviews are unplanned, non-directed, uncontrolled, unformatted, bilateral communications and flexible. They require skills in questioning and probing.

* Semi-structured interviews are pre-scheduled, directed but flexible, major topic areas are controlled and there is a focused flow.

* Structured interviews are pre-planned, interviewer directed, standardised, pre-formatted and inflexible. They have a full structure and use highly-designed, closed questions. They assume a consistent format will get consistent responses.

Interview types

There are four common type of selection interview:

* Situational interviews use situation-specific questions based on job and look at hypothetical performance. They are conducted by specialists: psychologists or trained people.

* Job-related interviews ask about past behaviour on job. They are typically conducted by HR or managers.

* Psychological interviews assess personality traits. They are conducted by work/organizational psychologists.

* Competency interviews widen psychological interviews to include competencies such as interpersonal skills, leadership and other identified key competencies.

Interviews may involve a varying number of people. One-to-one interviews are common, although there are benefits for using multiple interviewers, for example where one person asks the questions and the other observes in a more detached 'third person' position. This objective position can look for body language and other subtleties which the person questioning may miss.

Behavioral interviews

Behavioral interviews assume that past behaviour is likely to predict future behaviour, and the more evidence there is of a previous pattern then the more likely it is that it will be repeated in the future.

The interview is developed with Job Analysis and Critical Incident Technique of effective and ineffective performance, through which a range of 'performance dimensions' are devised that indicate critical categories and which provide basis for detailed question themes.

The interviewer then pays particular attention to past behaviours in critical categories and also probes for motivations behind behaviours.

Variations include Behavioral Patterned Description Interviews (BPDIs), Behavioral Events Interviews and Criterion Referenced ...