November 7th 2010

The Structured Interview

The structured interview: a more reliable and efficient way to get the perfect P/E fit!

Organizations are searching more and more for the perfect candidate that best reflects the position they are looking to hire for. The most frequently used method is the interview. Although the interview can be conducted in a structured and unstructured fashion, HR experts have determined that the structured interview is a more reliable and efficient way to get the perfect P/E fit. Find out the benefits of using the structured interview as well as tools developed and services offered by EPSI to make this process quick and easy for any organization.

Comparison of the structured and the unstructured interview

More than ever, organizations are looking for the right fit for the job. A number of assessment methods are suggested for this, the most widely used of which is the interview. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of organizations use this assessment means for determining the ideal individual for the position to be filled. An interview can take various forms but more particularly, can be conducted using a structured or unstructured approach. The unstructured method consists of asking various questions in no specific order in addition to changing the type of questions at the interviewer’s discretion. This type of interview does not necessarily take an employment setting into consideration and the questions can vary depending on the nature of the discussion. Selection can therefore be biased by a number of assessment errors. As a firm specializing in assessment and selection, we suggest that organizations adopt a more effective and reliable method – the structured interview. This approach will enable organizations to better predict how candidates will do in the job and achieve greater validity. It is important to standardize the procedures for this type of exercise by inserting guidelines for the assessment. By determining how questions will be asked as well as establishing strict quantitative assessment procedures for a set of defined criteria, organizations will obtain an effective and reliable evaluation tool.  Another component that must be taken into account is compliance with the laws and policies to prevent complications and disputes. The structured interview complies better with laws and policies than the unstructured interview because it limits assessment errors that are caused by a lack of standardization. So, a structured selection interview enables organizations to limit assessment errors and to better protect itself before the courts. By the same token, a structured interview process creates a level playing field among the candidates. From the interviewer’s perspective, processing the information is easier and allows the selection committee to make a better decision. Standardizing the process also enables the selection committee to compare the candidates on the same basis. Thus, it is easier to determine which candidates are potentially better suited for the job to be filled. Finally, the candidates have the same opportunities to make an impression during the assessment. However, we suggest steering the interview questions toward the actual situation of the position to be filled in order to better predict each applicant’s performance.

The structured interview has been proven in recent years, but it requires preparation and certain knowledge in order to successfully carry out the assessment process. Developing the interview questions and assessment criteria is a great deal of work and requires expertise on the part of the designers. EPSI’s experts have therefore created a tool to enable organizations to quickly design an interview guide on the basis of the criteria established during analysis of the positions (http://www.compmetrica.com/Interview/BuilderOverview.aspx). In less than 10 minutes, organizations can create a complete structured interview including behavioural and/or situational questions, designed by professionals and meeting the organization’s needs. However, in order to use this assessment tool effectively, it is important that the users understand how it functions and the procedure to be used.

EPSI has developed a training workshop that is offered to clients so that they may strengthen their interview processes. The training provides information in regard to the use of the structured interview at the various stages of the assessment process, as well as information pertaining to its features.  With this training HR advisors and managers can acquire important knowledge about a very effective and useful selection tool.

By Mathieu Durivage