Through the Looking Glass: Employment Interviews from the Lens of Job Candidates

Abstract

and KeywordsJob interviews are of crucial importance to the job search process. As a result, recent years have witnessed a considerable amount of research on job interviews from the perspective of candidates. While this research has provided valuable insight into candidate reactions, it has yet to have a strong impact on the actual behaviors of job candidates and organizations. Thus the goal of the current chapter is to bridge the gap between empirical knowledge and applied practice in job interviews. To accomplish this objective we first present a framework for understanding the interview process that is grounded in theoretical and empirical research. The focus of this framework is whether candidate characteristics (e.g., gender, age), behaviors (e.g., impression management, communication style), and reactions (e.g., anxiety, justice) have an effect on important interview-related outcomes, such as interview performance. This is followed by a comprehensive discussion of research relevant to each section of the framework, including impression management, the first handshake, interview anxiety, and other predictors of interview success. Implications for research and practice are discussed and a checklist for practice is provided. We conclude by highlighting how properly conducted interviews can simultaneously serve the best interest of both job applicants and organizations.

Expanding conceptual understanding of interview anxiety and performance: Integrating cognitive, behavioral, and physiological features

“…Characteristics of the interviewee that may affect an interviewer's rating of their performance, such as race, gender, age, and cultural background, have been described in detail in the existing literature (see Feiler & Powell, 2013;Huffcutt et al, 2011;McCarthy & Cheng, 2014). These characteristics are deemed relevant based on theories (e.g., relational demography theory, similarity attraction paradigm; Byrne, 1971;Tsui et al, 1992) that posit individuals use visible cues to determine the extent to which others are similar and that there exists a natural tendency to view individuals similar to oneself favorably.…”

Does interview anxiety predict job performance and does it influence the predictive validity of interviews?

“…Appearance anxiety centers on physical appearance (e.g., concerns about body image, or dress style). Appearance anxiety may be particularly relevant in face‐to‐face interviews, and characteristics such as physical attractiveness, weight, and dress style can influence interviewer ratings (see McCarthy & Cheng, , for a review). Social anxiety focuses on being able to effectively use appropriate social behaviors (e.g., using a correct handshake, being able to build rapport).…”

“…The employment interview is one of the most commonly used employee selection methods (McCarthy & Cheng, 2014;Pulakos, 2005).…”

“…The employment interview is one of the most commonly used employee selection methods (McCarthy & Cheng, ; Pulakos, ). Although job applicants tend to prefer interviews to other selection methods (Anderson, Salgado, & Hülsheger, ; Hausknecht, Day, & Thomas, ), many applicants also report high levels of interview anxiety (McCarthy & Goffin, ).…”

Shake and Fake: the Role of Interview Anxiety in Deceptive Impression Management

“…Employment interviews are among the most popular selection tools used in organizations (McCarthy & Cheng, 2014;Pulakos, 2005). Because the interview plays such an important role in securing employment, interviewees strive to make a positive impression in front of the interviewer.…”