An empirical investigation of interviewer-related factors that discourage the use of high structure interviews

• Main Authors: LIEVENS, Filip, DE PAEPE, Anneleen
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2004
• Subjects: Human Resources Management; Organizational Behavior and Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/5625; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/6624/viewcontent/Interviewer_related_factors_discourage_high_structure_interviews_sv.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

High structure interviews appear to be less frequently used in personnel management practice than might be expected given their good reliability and validity. Although several authors have speculated on the factors of resistance to high structure interviews, empirical research is very scarce. Two studies are conducted among experienced human resources representatives who frequently conduct employment interviews. The first study provides a fine-grained description of the degree of structure used in interviews, showing that in most interviews constraints are placed only on the topical areas to be covered and that scoring is done only on multiple criteria. The second study tests various hypotheses regarding interviewer-related factors, which may lead to lower levels of structure in interviews. Results show that when interviewers are concerned about establishing an informal contact with interviewees, want to have discretion over interview questions, and want to develop interviews efficiently, they are less inclined to use higher levels of structure in interviews. Conversely, people who participated in interviewing workshops and Conventional types report using significantly higher levels of structure. Implications for improving interviewer motivation to use higher levels of structure in interviews are discussed.