The Case for Structured Interviews
- 1. HR’s Powerful Influence EMPLOYEE SELECTION: HOW TO TALK YOUR HIRING MANAGER OUT OF DISMISSING A CANDIDATE FOR HAVING MUSTARD ON HIS TIE
- 4. Early 1900s: “Studies…did not appear to agree in their results.” (Schmidt & Hunter 264) 1970s: “Most of the differences across studies were due to…the use of small samples in the studies.” 1970s-1980s: “Studies based on meta-analysis provided more accurate estimates.” 1980s-1990s: “________ interviews had mean validity coefficients twice those of _________ interviews.” (Wiesner & Cronshaw) HISTORY OF ACADEMIC STUDY ON ASSESSMENT TESTS FOR EMPLOYMENT
- 5. “The reduction in procedural variability across applicants.” Reduction in interviewer discretion Standardization of: Interviewer questions Response scoring STRUCTURE DEFINITION Huffcutt & Arthur p 186
- 6. 1. Validity: Job analysis, core competencies, targeted questions. 2. Reliability: Ask the same questions of each candidate. 3. Create rater agreement (BARS, calibration). EEOC Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. HSI OVERVIEW
- 7. STRUCTURE DEFINITION Huffcutt & Arthur p 187
- 8. “Evidence for criterion-related validity typically consists of a demonstration of a relationship…between the results of a selection procedure (predictor) and one or more measures of work-relevant behavior or work outcomes (criteria).” Is there a correlation between interview “scores” and on the job performance “scores?” CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY IN SELECTION TESTING Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. p 13
- 9. Is there really any evidence to support using a structured approach? MAKING THE CASE FOR THE (H)SI
- 10. Conduct your own validation study internally Correlation between criterion and predictors Same process as validating a pre-employment test (e.g. cognitive abilities test) MAKING THE CASE (CONTINUED)
- 12. One study found just 29% of large organizations use structured interviews. That same study found that only 24% of organizations performed validation studies. “The dominant class of explanations for not using structured, standardized interviews was beliefs concerning the usefulness of the staffing practice.” Terpstra & Rozell p 483, 487 EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT…
- 13. What reasons have hiring managers given to support their reticence to using a structured interviews? WHAT OBJECTIONS HAVE YOU HEARD?
- 14. Structured interviews aren’t effective Structure restricts HM satisfaction (sterile, impersonal, don’t allow for connections) Structure restricts interviewer discretion and flexibility (boring, beneath skillset of interviewer) Formality of structure is socially unpleasant Lievens & De Paepe HM OBJECTIONS FROM STUDIES
- 15. Structure requires preparation Structure restricts an “experienced” HM from using their expertise Complex jobs (e.g. Sales Mgr) aren’t conducive to structure HM RESISTANCE (CONTINUED)
- 17. Complete the structured guide in its entirety before discussion begins (including scoring) Then frame discussion by talking through the interview guide sections Start with scores, and ask HMs to support their answers YOU SET THE AGENDA
- 18. Start with the score Weight the predictors in the event of a tie Take legitimate “X-Factors” into consideration (carefully) Interviewing is one part of the overall assessment picture COMPARISONS
- 19. “Fit” Halo/Horns Common network/connection Common school, club, or other affiliation (e.g. sports) Dress/appearance Buzzwords Pet peeves Wrong answer (to one question) HM memory limitations Personality conflict MUSTARD
- 20. Three Brave Volunteers THREE CANDIDATE EXERCISE
- 21. REFERENCES Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor, Department of Justice. (1978). Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. Federal Register. 43. 38290-38315. Huffcutt, Allen I., & Arthur, Jr., Winfred. “Hunter and Hunter (1984) Revisited: Interview Validity for Entry -Level Jobs.” Journal of Applied Psychology. 1994. V79 N2. Lievens, Filip & De Paepe, Anneleen. “An empirical investigation of interviewer -related factors that discourage the use of high structure interviews.” Journal of Organizational Behavior. V25. 2004. Murphy, Joseph P., et. al. Practical Rigor: Evidence-Based Management to Improve Hiring in High Population Jobs. Creelman Research, Inc. 2013. Pulakos, Elaine. “Selection Assessment Methods.” SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). 2005. Schmidt, Frank L., & Hunter, John E. “The Validity and Utility of Selection Methods in Personnel Psychology: Practical and Theoretical Implications of 85 Years of Research Findings.” Psychological Bulletin. 1998. V 124 N2. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures. Fourth Edition. 2003. Terpstra, David E. and Rozell, Elizabeth J. “Why Some Potentially Effective Staffing Practices are Seldom Used.” Public Personnel Management. V26 N4. Winter 1997. Wiesner, Willi H., & Cronshaw, Steven F. “A meta-analytic investigation of the impact of interview format and degree of structure on the validity of the employment interview.” Journal of Occupational Psychology. 1988. V61.