17. Functional forms of competence: Interviewing

Abstract

Employment interviews are ubiquitous in the workplace, providing a necessary step in the hiring process and influencing organizational composition and applicant employment. Research pertaining to professional interviewing is frequently conducted outside of the communication discipline, yet the nature of the interview interaction is highly communicative. The purpose of this chapter is to develop a solid foundation for understanding communication in employment interviews by utilizing the concept of communication competence as a theoretical basis. Specifically, we address aspects of communication effectiveness and appropriateness in employment interviews, including how they vary according to the degree of their standardization. For instance, both parties (interviewer and interviewee) have the goal of reducing uncertainty, although the nature of those goals differ (e.g., organizational perspectives regarding potential interviewee performance verses interviewee perceptions of job fit and the likelihood of being offered the job). Directions for future research are presented, including a pressing need for research examining how the two parties adjust communication during the interaction based on perceptions of the other's communication behaviors.

The Impact of Daily Emotional Labor on Health and Well-Being

“…As Bhave and Glomb (2016) note, jobs where emotional labor is “consistent with key social and/or personal identity characteristics” are more satisfying and beneficial for employees (p. 734). However, hiring processes can make discerning employee alignment difficult as both employers and employees work to present a positive image during the interview(s) (Huffcutt et al, 2015). It is interesting that this study found no relationship between employee perceptions that work required emotional expressions and perceptions of daily emotional labor, yet surface acting emotional labor reported by employees contributed to lower perceived physical and psychological health and burnout.…”