Past research on variables affecting hiring decisions has emphasized the role of applicant and interviewer demographics. However, recent studies have questioned the generalizability of findings from laboratory interviews to real interviews. In this article, a model of demographics and interviewing decisions is proposed and tested with actual employment interviews. Industrial interviewers (N
= 8) provided demographic data concerning themselves and applicants (N
= 171), rated applicants on widely studied attributes, and made two hiring decisions. The data support the model that interview outcomes are directly dependent on the more logically relevant variables, such as skill. Furthermore, the influence of demographics is modest and less important than other variables.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.