Looking back on the term I think the most important thing I learned this term was the variations between structured and unstructured interviews and their limitations. These two interview types allow for an organization to better set up interviews that focus more on the job and the organization as a whole through specifically built guiding questions or the lack thereof. I have been in several interviews (both as the interviewee and the interviewer) and was never truly focused on how we approached the interview.
Knowing these differences is key to not only avoiding possible legal issues due to issues such as an information bias or similarity bias appearing through an unstructured interview but can also help to better find a candidate that fits the job’s needs rather than a candidate who we “feel” is right. The guiding questions used in a structured interview are a perfect way to not only steer the interview but also help interviewers avoid the primacy effect (earlier information carries more weight in an interview than later info.)and truly see their candidate for their abilities and fit rather than following their gut.
While we may see unstructured interviews as a more “comfortable” approach for the interviewer and interviewee, the lack of a set question bank to ask from can open the door to legal concerns as a question asked to one candidate may not be asked to someone else creating a possible bias between candidates if made public. These interviews also open the door to decisions being made based on similarities between interviewers and interviewees as this type of decision-making is a human tendency, that we avoid normally through pre-set questions.
A structured interview, on the other hand, is designed to simply be focused on the job, not as much on the individual. The provided guiding questions help us to properly lay out and plan for an interview with a set goal in mind. While also helping us avoid biases and legal troubles, even if candidates are not always the fondest of these approaches. Overall, no matter the format of the interview used, in my mind knowing the differences and ways to approach these interviews allows you as an HR rep./manager to properly approach a candidate and make sure you are looking for a candidate that best suits the job rather than best suits your wants.
2 Comments
Add Yours →Hello Matthew, First off-Love the side view mirror image looking back- great choice! I thought it was interesting that you brought up the structured interviews part and I am a big fan of fair rubrics and sticking to structure however, I saw a really good method I thought I would share. For over 7 years I worked at OSU Career Services, Hundreds of employers came through using interview rooms to conduct interviews. Almost all of them (from Nike-NASA) use the standard 30 minute interview with 5-10 minutes at the end to pick something out of their resume or transcripts to ask questions like, “So tell me a little about yourself, I see here that you are a:
certified scuba diver
Eagle Scout
getting your pilot license
avid skier
ride motorcycles
volunteer at the food bank
started a non-profit
were a cady on the PGA golf tour
went with your friend when they tried out for the Olympics
have worked with your family in their construction business
know 5 languages
rebuilt computers for the elementary school
conduct instrument tutoring for music
were the finance officer of your frat
are an avid rock climber
are in a rock band
toured the world for free working on cruise ships for a year
In all, they looked for connection, fit and to simply get to know them a little better.
So while structure is a non-negotiable in my book, I have seen the personable fit make or break the tie.
Hi Matt,
It sounds like you’ve gained some insights this term about structured and unstructured interviews and their respective strengths and limitations. I also thought this was very interesting and made me reflect a lot on my own interview process that I conduct when hiring on my team. Understanding these differences is definitely necessary for conducting effective and fair interviews.
I couldn’t relate more that structured interviews can mitigate biases and legal issues by providing a consistent framework is a significant takeaway. It’s true that structured interviews, with their guiding questions, help interviewers focus on the candidate’s abilities and job fit rather than personal impressions or biases, such as the primacy effect. While unstructured interviews might feel more relaxed and natural, your point about the potential for bias and legal concerns was also something that is smart to reflect on. These interviews can inadvertently lead to inconsistencies and biases if not managed carefully. I personally feel like I have fallen to doing unstructured interviews and realize some of the poor hires that came out of it.
Great reflection on structured and unstructured interviews!