Job Interview Structure: Approach, Components and Best Practices

Introduction

A Job interview is a formal process in which the interviewer and the candidate seeking the job meet to assess how suitable the candidate is for the position. The structure of the job interview is essential to guarantee that the selection process proceeds in a fair, honest and efficient way. A good interview structure not only increases the credibility and validity of the interview but can also reduce the bias that often occurs during unstructured interviews.

The job interview structure consists of five main stages:

• Introduction : exchange of greetings and a brief introduction between the interviewer and the applicant as well as a brief overview of the applicant's background.
• Questions and Answers : the core stage of the interview with questions about work experience, skills, and behavioral scenarios (behavioral questions).
• Company Informatio : the interviewer provides information about the company, its values, work culture, and the position being applied for.
• Candidate's Questions : applicants are given the opportunity to ask questions that demonstrate interest and understanding of the position and the company.
• Closing : interview conclusion and explanation of the next stage in the hiring process.

Structured Interview Components In The Scientific Literature

Studies show that a structured interview consists of several main components:

• Consistent questions between candidates
• More complex questions (such as situational and behavioral questions)
• Notes made during the interview
• Use of the interviewer panel
• Standardize the assessment of answers

The component is associated with increased reliability and validity of interviews. However, there is a tendency for interviewers to maintain interpersonal relationships (rapport building) and conduct probing although this may reduce the level of Interview structure.

Best practices for reducing Bias in interviews

The literature also emphasizes the advantages of structured interviews in reducing various types of bias such as halo effect, horn effect, affinity bias, and confirmation bias. Structured interviews use uniform questions and clear assessment rubrics as well as interviewer training to avoid subjective bias. In addition, the use of blinded interviewers and multiple mini-interview (MMI) formats has been shown to increase the fairness and diversity of selected candidates.

The process of preparing an effective Structured Interview

Steps in preparing a structured interview include:

• Determine the main values and characteristics sought by prospective employees
• Make questions that measure these characteristics
• Build an assessment rubric to assess the quality of answers
• Provide training to interviewers in consistent interviewing and appraisal techniques
• Test and revise questions through interview simulation. 

Conclusion

A good job interview structure consists of clear steps, standardized questions with Assessment Standards, and adequate training for the interviewer. This method increases trust, validity, and diversity in the hiring process while supporting diversity and success in employee selection. To maximize the selection results, this interview method is recommended to be widely used in various organizational contexts.

Scientific References

Roulin, N., Bourdage, J. S., & Wingate, T. G. (2019). Who Is Conducting “Better” Employment Interviews? Antecedents of Structured Interview Components Use. Personnel Assessment and Decisions, 5(1), 37-48.

Bergelson, I., Tracy, C., & Takacs, E. (2022). Best Practices for Reducing Bias in the Interview Process. Curr Urol Rep, 23(11), 319-325.

Levashina, J., Hartwell, C. J., Morgeson, F. P., & Campion, M. A. (2014). The structured employment interview: Narrative and quantitative review of the research literature. Personnel Psychology, 67(1), 241-293.