Structured interviews offer significant advantages over their unstructured counterparts, primarily because they enhance fairness, reliability, and effectiveness in the hiring process. The three main reasons they are considered superior are that they are more objective, more predictive, and more legally compliant.
Key Advantages of Structured Interviews
Structured interviews follow a predetermined format, asking all candidates the same set of questions in a consistent order. This contrasts with unstructured interviews, where questions and conversation flow more freely and can vary greatly from one candidate to the next.
Here are the three key reasons why structured interviews are superior:
1. They're More Objective
Structured interviews greatly reduce bias by standardizing the process.
- Consistent Questions: Each candidate is asked the same questions based on what is required for the role. This ensures that everyone is evaluated on the same criteria, directly related to the job requirements.
- Standardized Evaluation: Responses are typically scored using a predefined system or rubric. This minimizes the influence of interviewer subjectivity, personal biases, or 'gut feelings,' leading to fairer comparisons between candidates.
- Focus on Job-Relevant Skills: Questions are designed to assess specific skills, knowledge, and behaviors identified as critical for success in the position, making the evaluation more relevant and less prone to irrelevant factors.
This objectivity makes the hiring decision less about rapport or personal chemistry and more about a candidate's actual ability to perform the job.
2. They're More Predictive
Research consistently shows that structured interviews are better predictors of future job performance than unstructured ones.
- Consistent Data: By collecting consistent information from all candidates, organizations can better identify patterns and traits that correlate with success in the role.
- Behavioral and Situational Questions: Structured interviews often use behavioral questions (e.g., "Describe a time you faced a challenging deadline...") or situational questions (e.g., "What would you do if..."). These types of questions are proven to be more effective at predicting how a candidate will act in future work situations.
- Reduced Influence of Non-Predictive Factors: Since the focus is on job-relevant responses scored against a standard, factors like how much the interviewer liked the candidate personally have less impact, allowing the candidate's true potential to stand out.
This increased predictability means that companies are more likely to hire candidates who will perform well and stay with the company longer.
3. They're More Legally Compliant
Structured interviews help organizations adhere to legal and regulatory requirements related to fair hiring practices.
- Defensibility: The standardized nature of structured interviews provides clear documentation of the questions asked and the criteria used for evaluation. This makes the hiring process more defensible if challenged legally on grounds of discrimination.
- Reduced Bias Risk: By minimizing subjective bias, structured interviews help prevent unintentional discrimination based on protected characteristics (e.g., race, gender, age, religion).
- Job-Relatedness: Questions are tied directly to job requirements, ensuring that candidates are evaluated based on their ability to perform the job duties, which is a key principle in employment law.
Utilizing structured interviews demonstrates a commitment to fair and objective hiring, reducing legal risks and promoting equitable opportunities for all candidates.
In summary, structured interviews provide a clearer, more equitable, and more effective way to evaluate candidates, leading to better hiring outcomes and reduced legal exposure compared to unstructured approaches.
