A Narrative Review of Post-1989 Employment Interview Research

This narrative review covers both selection- and recruitment/com-munication-oriented employment interview research published since 1989. Brief comparisons of older reviews' findings to recent findings are presented. Key topics reviewed include validity and reliability evidence, decision making in the interview, applicant characteristics, applicant reactions, and interview communication processes. Key findings of the present review include: interview validity, under certain conditions, may rival that of mental ability tests; more structure in selection interviews is better; previewing applicant information (e.g., resumes) by the interviewer can harm selection interview effectiveness; and certain recruiter behaviors can influence applicants' willingness to work for the firm.     

An Empirical Review of the Employment Interview Construct Literature

The purpose of this paper is to summarize available empirical research on the association between employment interview ratings and various construct measures using a theoretical model developed as part of the study. The model posits 3 main sources of construct‐related variance in interview ratings: job‐related interview content (e.g., job knowledge), interviewee performance (e.g., impression management tactics), and personal/demographic characteristics (e.g., candidate attractiveness). Results suggest some potentially important findings, including that the mean correlation with interview ratings is twice as large for constructs related to interviewee performance as it is for constructs pertaining to job‐related interview content. Directions for future construct research are also identified. For instance, despite being central to the interpersonal make‐up of the candidates, research regarding the influence of interests, goals, and values on interview ratings is almost nonexistent.     

Review of Research on Age Discrimination in the Employment Interview

This paper reviews the research literature on age discrimination in the employment interview and related contexts. Twenty one studies were identified which explored whether age discrimination occurs within the context of the employment interview since the Age Discrimination in Employment Act was put into law. Sixteen studies were conducted in laboratory settings. It was concluded that evidence of age discrimination in the employment interview is commonly observed in laboratory studies which do not assess the influence of other job-relevant characteristics. Laboratory studies may create too much artificiality, where the impact of qualifications is artificially minimized and the impact of irrelevant factors like age are maximized. Only 5 of the 21 studies were conducted in the field, but they found far less consequential age discrimination in the employment interview.     

The Employment Interview

In view of the continued reliance on personal interviews to select employees, the author suggests guidelines that will lead to increased validity of the interview process.     

The Validity of the Employment Interview: A Meta-Analysis

The interview is the most widely used personnel selection method, but has revealed low reliability and validity compared with other selection methods (Mayfield 1964; Ulrich and Trumbo 1965; Schmitt 1976; Arvey 1979). Thirty-one studies on the validity of the interview were meta-analyzed. The result was an average validity coefficient of .27. The estimated true validity of the interview was calculated to be .38. These values indicated that the interview has moderate validity as a personnel selection device. Six characteristics of the interview were also examined in relation to the validity of the interview: structure of the interview; number of interviewers; length of the interview; gender of the applicant pool; blue-collar/white-collar jobs; and use of college students versus job applicants. The six study characteristics accounted for 30.9% of the variance in the validity of the interview. Structure of the interview appeared to be the only characteristic that moderated the validity of the interview. The relationship of this study to other meta-analyses of the employment interview is discussed.     

The Employment Interview: A Self-Validation Model

I relate two subjects—speech communication and employment interviewing—by applying a developmental theory of interpersonal communication to the initial job interview. Since I view an employment interview as symbolic interaction, I provide a self-validation model that is analogous to interpersonal perception theory. I suggest the usefulness of the model by describing how interviewers and job applicants can enhance their interviewing skills.     

The Type A Structured Interview: A behavioral assessment in the rough

The Type A behavior pattern is the focus of considerable research in behavioral medicine because of its causal relevance to coronary heart disease. The primary assessment of Type A behavior is a global rating made from a structured interview. From the perspective of behavioral assessment, this Structured Interview (SI) is important for two reasons. First, it provides an example of the superiority of an observed behavioral measure compared to self-report questionnaires for the assessment of an overt behavior pattern. Second, it provides a unique opportunity for the application of behavioral assessment technology. However, while the SI has demonstrated its clinical and research utility as a diagnostic procedure, its usefulness could be further enhanced in the areas of treatment selection and evaluation. The historical relationship between behavior and coronary heart disease is described. The development of the SI and the strengths of this assessment relative to other measurement approaches are reviewed. The standard questions and administration procedures for the interview are presented, along with several variations and modifications. Following this overview, the SI is discussed from the perspective of behavioral assessment.     

The Effect of Physical Activity on Children With ADHD: A Quantitative Review of the Literature

Research on the effects of physical activity on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is promising, yet no attempt has been made to integrate current findings using meta-analytic techniques. Using a meta-regression, the present study examined the effectives of physical activity for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on a number of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional outcomes. From 20 empirical studies, 164 effect sizes quantifying the effectiveness of physical activity for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were extracted from 22 independent samples. Results indicated an overall moderate-to-large effect for physical activity on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with a significant effect for emotion/mood. Limitations of the study, future directions, and implications for school professionals are discussed.     

Eight Decades of Employment Interview Research: A Retrospective Meta-review and Prospective Commentary

Abstract

This article presents a critical review and commentary on eight decades of research into the employment interview. Two alternative theoretical perspectives are identified from the body of empirical studies into the interview: the objectivist-psychometric perspective and the subjectivist-social perception perspective. Criticisms of both are presented, and calls are made for additional research into impression management behaviour, dysfunctions in interviewer decision-making, and situational power effects at interview. The article concludes with a cautiously optimistic evaluation of the interview research paradigm but emphasizes the requirement for future research efforts to be concentrated upon integrative theory-building in conjunction with ongoing empirical studies.     

多元概化理论在结构化面试中的应用研究

使用多元概化理论对由7名评委和34名考生组成的结构化面试数据进行了分析.结果表明:1.面试设置的5个维度中,仪表举止维度与其它4个维度之间的协方差相对较小;2.各个维度的概化系数都在0.69以上,其中,概化系数最小的是仪表举止维度,最大的是口语表达维度;3.通过增加评委人数可以提高面试信度,但增幅递减.     

The Influence of Videoconference Technology and Interview Structure on the Recruiting Function of the Employment Interview: A Field Experiment

This field experiment examined whether interview medium and interview structure affects the attractiveness of organizations, interviewer friendliness and performance. Attractiveness ratings of 25 organizations were provided by 92 real job applicants, assigned to either a face–to–face (FTF) or a videoconference (VC) interview. An interview medium X structure interaction showed FTF applicants were attracted most to organizations who conducted their interviews with less structure, while VC applicants were more attracted to organizations using structured interviews. Interview structure had no effect on applicants’ perception of the interviewer’s performance; however, interviewers’ performance was rated higher for FTF than VC interviews. Applicants were more satisfied with their FTF performance in less structured interviews and more satisfied with their VC performance in highly structured interviews.     

结构化面试预测效度的贡献成分分析

以情境面试和行为面试为主要形式的结构化面试,被广泛证明能够预测员工绩效,但其构念效度一直没被清晰地证明.面试的结构性、应聘者印象管理行为、动机、认知能力和人格特征等成分对结构化面试的预测效度都有积极贡献,这种对结构化面试预测效度贡献成分的分析有助于认清结构化面试的构念效度.未来的研究需关注结构化面试构念是否以人际技能为主,以及人际技能、动机、认知能力各自所占比重.     

The Employment Interview Workshop: A Focus on Communication Skills

The employment interview is essentially a communication situation in which skill in communication is the important determinant of success. In a workshop that focuses attention on those critical interview communication skills that often distinguish the successful applicant, the authors discuss what makes a competent communicator and describe possible workshop components and their integration into successful training workshops.     

研究性访谈及其应用现状和展望

在科学研究中,研究性访谈作为一种定性研究方法得到了广泛的应用,然而这种定性方法在当前的研究领域中并没有受到足够的重视。本文立足于研究性访谈这种重要的研究方法,着重讨论三个问题：一是研究性访谈的概念、分类和程序;二是目前关于研究性访谈的方法论研究;最后对研究性访谈的应用和发展进行了评价和展望。作者认为结构因素可能是影响访谈效度的主要因素;而信度与结构化、标准化、主试培训等因素有关;社会背景和访谈情境的交互作用将成为未来访谈研究的新趋势;研究性访谈在我国的应用存在一定的文化适应问题,并有待加强和科学化。     

ABCs of the Interview: The Role of Affective,Behavioral, and Cognitive Responses by Applicants in the Employment Interview

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of a job applicant's verbal statements on interviewer ratings of an applicant's interpersonal characteristics. Applicant verbal statements were coded as containing affective, behavioral, and cognitive components. Verbal statements were analyzed using regression analysis and findings indicated that behavioral and cognitive speech components significantly impacted interviewer ratings of an applicant's self-confidence. In turn, interpersonal characteristics of enthusiasm, self-confidence and effectiveness had a significant influence on an interviewer's rating of an applicant's overall quality and the ultimate hiring decision.     

Getting the Job: Attributional Retraining and the Employment Interview1

This study examined the effectiveness of attributional retraining (AR) in an employment interview setting. Our sample consisted of 50 co‐operative education students completing job interviews who were randomly assigned to a control or writing‐based AR condition. Dependent measures included attributions, expectations, and affect, as well as behavior with respect to an interview skills workshop, and actual employment outcomes. Results showed AR to promote controllable failure attributions, expectations, motivated behavior, and interview success, particularly among participants with maladaptive baseline attributions. Findings further revealed AR effects on emotions mediated by post‐treatment attributions. Implications for attribution theory and research on AR in employment settings are discussed.     

The Role of Applicant Nonverbal Communication in the Employment Interview

This research examined the effects that the nonverbal behavior of job applicants had on subsequent hiring evaluations. Interviewees (n = 32) were instructed to use one of four styles of nonverbal behavior during the recording of short job interviews with a standard content. The videotaped interviews were watched by behavior raters (n = 22), who assessed nonverbal-cue usage, and by judges (n = 50), who evaluated the applicants as prospective employees. The applicants were also rated by judges (n = 30) for physical attractiveness. Results supported the hypothesis that nonverbal behavior in the job interview operates as subtle reinforcement. Implications for job-counseling programs are discussed.