It’s best to go into the hiring process with a well-formed plan of action, and a structured job interview can be a key part of that plan. What are the benefits of a structured interview? Which specific questions work best? Here are the highlights of this method of interviewing and why you should consider it […] It’s best to go into the hiring process with a well-formed plan of action, and a structured job interview can be a key part of that
plan. What are the benefits of a structured interview? Which specific questions work best? Here are the highlights of this method of interviewing and why you should consider it for your next hire’s interview process. Unlike unstructured interviews, where the hiring manager can make up questions on the fly using a more
conversational feel, structured interviews require more planning. These specific questions are determined in advance. While they may be changed slightly between departments or roles, they are used in every interview to create consistency across the hiring process and to evaluate job performance on an even playing field. Of the benefits of structured interviews, the most striking may be that it creates less stress
on the interviewer. Hiring managers have enough to consider and plan for, and having a predetermined set of open-ended questions can take some of the unnecessary prep work out of the already-busy manager’s day. The information gained from this type of interview is very quantitative, so it’s easier to make a hiring decision based on facts, experience, or skills as opposed to a general “feeling” or the personality of the candidate. When working with several or even dozens of candidates, this offers consistent data results that can be easily scored or compared. One other notable perk is that structured interviews present the same interview experience for everyone. It doesn’t rely on the personal preferences of the interviewer, and it reduces the chance that the candidate will perceive bias. It’s more likely to follow equal opportunity hiring practices and discourage discrimination. For those who want the least legal complications, the advantages of structured interviews are hard to ignore. What is the Difference Between A Structured and An Unstructured Interview?While both can be used in a variety of situations, the main difference between an unstructured interview and structured interview is that the structured interview questions are written out ahead of time and asked of all candidates. Unstructured, on the other hand, asks different questions of different candidates and lets the conversation prompt what’s asked. You can read more on what an unstructured interview is here. While conducting a structured interview is like any other interview, in theory, the planning is much more detailed. Your process may look something like this:
Sample structured interview questionsYour questions should provide a good balance between several desirable characteristics. Sample questions that indicate suitability in each area include the following. Attention to detail
Behavioral traits
Coachability
Critical thinking
Integrity
How to Score Structured InterviewsCreating a scoring system takes much of the interpretative work out of the hiring process. Base your scorecard on a rating scale, such as 1-10. You will also want to create a key so that everyone doing the interviews will know what makes a response a 2 versus a 6. An example of a question regarding organization may look like this:
If you have many applicants answering the same questions, you may find it easier to rate them all at one time, question by question, comparing notes of each to determine your results. Do not leave any scoring unfinished, even if you think a candidate may not be doing well against the others. The final number of the score is important. Limitations of Structured InterviewsWhile this method works very well, it’s not perfect. Some of the disadvantages of structured interviews include:
Structured interviews are the norm for professional human resource teams who value data. Remember that the candidate is human, and use a warm tone and active listening in combination with these standardized questions. This way, you can create a welcoming experience for every candidate, even if it’s the hundredth time you’ve asked the questions. Want to learn even more about how to make your interviews better? Check out how interviewing with Comeet’s ATS can improve your hiring process from start to finish. Was this article helpful?YesNoWhat is structured interview explain?A structured interview is a data collection method that relies on asking questions in a set order to collect data on a topic. They are often quantitative in nature. Structured interviews are best used when: You already have a very clear understanding of your topic.
What are the three components of structured interviewing?There are three main types of structured interviews that you should employ to determine the best candidate for the job. These interviews are the telephone interview, the experience interview and the behavioral interview.
What are typical examples of structured interviews?What are some examples of structured interview questions?. Example: Have you ever managed a distributed team?. Example: Tell me about a time when you helped one of your direct reports grow professionally.. Example: Tell me how you would handle [specific job challenge].. |