1. Snap Judgements
One of the most consistent findings in the interviewing literature is that interviewers tend to jump to conclusions- make snap judgments about candidates during the few minutes of the interview, or even before the interview begins based on test scores or resume data. For example, one study showed that interviewers’ access to candidates’ test scores biased the interviewer’s assessment of the candidate. In another study the interviewer’s evaluation of a candidate was only related to his or her decision about hiring candidate for candidates with low passing scores on a selection test. A great percentage of interviews make up their minds about candidates before the interview begins on the basis of applicants’ application forms and personal appearance. Findings like this underscore that it’s important for a candidate to start off on the right foot with the interviewer. Interviewers usually make up their minds about candidates during the first few minutes of the interview and prolonging the interview past this point usually adds little to change their decisions.
2. Negative emphasis
Jumping to conclusion is especially troublesome when the information the interview has about the candidate is negative. For example in one study the researchers found that interviewers who previously received unfavorable reference letters about applicants gave the applicants less credit for past successes and held them more personally responsible for past failures after the interview. Furthermore the interviewer’s final decisions to accept or reject applicants based on the references, quite aside from their interview performance. In other word impressions are much more likely to change from favorable to unfavorable than from unfavorable to favorable. A
common interviewing mistake is to make the interview itself mostly a search for negative information. In a sense, therefore, most interviews are probably loaded against the applicant. an applicant who initially rated high could easily end up with allow rating, given applicant who is initially rated high could easily end up with low rating, given the fact that unfavorable information tends to carry more weight in an interview. An interviewee who starts out with a poor rating will find it hard to overcome that first bad impression during the interview.
3.Poor knowledge of the job
Interviewers who don’t know precisely what the sort of candidate is best suited for it usually make their decision based on incorrect stereotypes about what a good applicant is. They then erroneously match interviewees with their incorrect stereotypes. On the other hand , interviewees who have a clear understanding of what the job entail hold interviews that are more useful.
4 .Pressure to hire
Pressure to hire also undermines an interview’s usefulness .For example, a group of managers was told to assume that they were behind in their recruiting quota .A second group was told that were ahead of their quota. Those “behind’’ evaluate recruits much more highly than did those “ahead ‘’.
5.Candidate –Order [contrast] Error
It is an error of judgment on the part of the interviewer due one or more very good or very bad candidate just before the interviewer in question .Mean that the order in which you see applicant affects how you rate them.
6.Influence of nonverbal behavior
Interviewers are also influenced by the applicant’s nonverbal behavior .For example, several studies have showed that applicants who demonstrate greater amount of eye contact head moving, smiling and other similar nonverbal behavior are rate higher .In fact these nonverbal behaviors often account for more than 80% of the applicant’s rating.
An applicant’s attractiveness and gender also play a role. Researchers found out that whether attractiveness was a help 0r a hindrance to job applicant depended on the sex of the applicant and the nature of the job. Attractiveness was advantageous for male interviewees only when the job was non-managerial.
7.Telegraphing
Some interviewers are so anxious to fill a job that they help the applicant respond correctly to their questions by telegraphing the expected answer .An example might be a question like.“This job calls for Handling a lot of stress .You can do that ,can’t you?’’ the telegraphing isn’t always so obvious .For example interviewer ‘ first impression of candidates [from examining application blank and test scores ] tend to positively linked to use of a more positive interview style and vocal on the part of the interviewer .This can translate into sending subtle cues [like a smile ]regarding what answer is being sought .
8. Too much /Little Talking
Too much or little guidance on the interviewer’s part is anther common mistake. Some interviewers let the applicant dominate the interview to the point where too few substantive questions are pursed .At the other extreme some interviewers stifle the applicant by not giving the person sufficient time to answer questions.
Designing and Conducting the Effective Interview
Designing and an effective interview can avoid problems like those addressed.
The Structured Interview
Since structure situation interviews are usually the most valid interviews for predicting job performance , conducting an effective interview ideally stars with designing a structured situation interview, a series of hypothetical job-oriental questions with predetermined answers that are consistently asked of all applicant for a particular job .Usually a committee of person familiar with the job develops situation and job-knowledge questions based on the actual job duties .They then reach consensus on what are not acceptable answers to these question .The actual procedure consist of five step as follows:
Step.1: Job Analysis: First, write a description of the job in the form of a list of a job duties, require knowledge, skill, abilities and worker qualification.
Step 2: Evaluate the Job Duty Information.
Next, rate each duty no its importance to job success and on amount of time required to perform it compared to other task .The aim here is to identify the main duties of the job.
Step .3: Develop Interview Questions. The employees, who list and evaluate the job duties, then develop interview questions. The interview questions are based on the listing of job duties with more questions generated for the more important duties.
A situational interview may actually contain situation; job –knowledge and “willingness ‘questions [although the situation questions pose a hypothetical job situation tend to be the most valid]. Situation question pose a hypothetical job situation ; such as “job knowledge the job .These often deal with technical aspects of a job .Willingness questions gauge the applicant ‘s willingness and motivation to do repetitive physical work to travel , to relocate and so forth .
Step 4: Develop Benchmark Answer. Next develop answer and a five-point rating scale for each question , with specific answer develop for good [a 5 rating ] ,marginal [a 3rating ] ,and poor [a 1rating ] .
STEP 5: Appoint Interview Panel and Implement .These types interviews are generally conduct by panel, rather than sequentially. The panel should consist of three to six members, preferable the same employees who participated in writing the interviews and answer. Panel member may also be supervisors of the job to be filled, the job incumbent, peers and HR representatives .The same interview member should be used to interview all candidates for the job.
Before the interview, the job duties, question and benchmark answer are distributed to the panel members and reviewed Next the panel and to ask all questions of all applicants in this and succeeding interviews to ensure consistency. However, all panel members record and rate the applicant’s answer to each question falls relative to the ideal poor, marginal or good answers. At the end of the interview, each applicant is directed to someone who will explain the follow-up procedure and answer any question applicant has.
