Critical Skills: Interviewing

Interviewing is the process of meeting with someone you do or do not yet know to answer specific questions and communicate information. Interviews can be structured or unstructured and formal or informal. Interviews may be with one person, or with a group of people. While the interview remains one of the most popular forms of communication with which to screen job applicants, it can be used for other reasons, such as selecting from graduate school candidates, assisting with a health diagnosis, preparing content for publication, or simply understanding a person's needs.

Interviews may feel similar to regular conversation, but they are ultimately a very different type of communication. During many interviews, two people sit together and one leads the conversation by asking questions. Such questions usually reflect an organized communication that has been planned to achieve a specific purpose. In a job interview, for example, the interviewee shares information that will shape how and what the interviewer feels about the interviewee's qualifications. Unlike other communications, interviews cannot be done independently; they require interaction with another involved participant.

Interviewing as a skill becomes critical at many points in life. Though interviews require two competent communicators to be successful, as the one being interviewed, learning about the interview process and types of interviews that exist helps to influence the outcome of the interaction.

Core Skills & Competencies

The core skills and competencies to be discussed in this section include researching in preparation for the interview, being culturally aware, practicing for the interview, managing nonverbal communication before and during the interview, and finally, postinterview interactions.

The first preparation necessary for almost any interview is research. This stage will vary depending on the interview goal and the relationships and relative power structures involved. Some typical examples of research in preparation for a job interview could include learning about the nature and history of the organization that is seeking to fill a position. What is the nature of the position itself? What is typical of that position's responsibilities? What qualifications will the role demand? Research will help the interviewee to give informed answers and demonstrate a sincere interest in the outcome of the interview.

Another relevant skill is cultural competence. Job seekers should consider both the broad culture within which they are operating, and the more specific culture of the target organization. Culture includes all of the norms, values, and beliefs of a group. Interviewees should be sensitive to values that a culture may hold, such as timeliness or formal greetings, and make adjustments to demonstrate respect for those cultural norms. This awareness will reflect skill in communicating with others in a way that navigates social norms, reflects social awareness, and builds relationships.

When preparing for a scheduled interview, both interviewer and interviewee benefit by practicing potential interview questions and answer. Such practice can help an interviewer judge the timeliness and value of planned questions, while helping the interviewee prepare answers to challenging questions and reduce potential stress.

Managing nonverbal communication begins with selecting appropriate dress, but it also includes being prompt and prepared. Both interviewer and interviewee can benefit from reading the nonverbal cues of their counterparts in the process to elicit the most valuable and effective outcome.

Finally, as the interview ends, both parties should pay attention to determine the next steps for communication. If any additional information has been solicited, the details of such should be reiterated and clarified. Further steps expected by either party should be clearly articulated and agreed upon by both parties.

Research & Theory

Research has shown that communication skills play a critical part in the interview process. Verbal elements such as tone, rate of speech, and word choice also impact whether the interview is perceived as successful. When interviewing, most people will present their best "face," a concept explored in many academic disciplines, such as communication and psychology. During all kinds of interviews, people choose what information to disclose and seek to manage others' impressions of them. This impression management is a conscious process, involving choices about attire, timeliness, friendliness, and agreeability. Job interviewers are constantly evaluating candidates, and impression management is a central concept during this interaction.

Much of the research on interviewing points to the critical role played by self-efficacy. This term is part of a larger theory known as social cognitive theory, and it references the way people feel about their own ability. People with high self-efficacy believe they are very capable of achieving success with a specific task. Persons with high self-efficacy with regard to interviewing for a job expect to be successful in the interaction and that their success will lead to a job offer. They will evaluate successful job offers as coming because of what they did, rather than because of any external factor, such as lack of competition. It is worth noting that social cognitive theory research supports the need to prepare for interviews as a method for boosting self-efficacy and expectations for the resulting outcomes.

Research on how interviewers evaluate those they are questioning shows that race and gender have small effects on interview outcomes, and that judgments about age are much more likely to impact the successful evaluation of a candidate by an interviewer. Because the interview is a relatively short interaction between two or more people who may be just meeting, the interviewee must be highly aware of the interviewers' verbal or nonverbal signals about preconceived notions.

Most job interviews are structured interviews, which offer a reliable instrument for employers and helps to keep interviewer bias out of the interview by asking each candidate for the position the same questions. This type of interview gives every candidate the best opportunity for success. Research has shown that weight, disability, and pregnancy can also influence an interviewer's evaluation. While these traits may influence the interview, often unfairly, other evidence does show that simply being consistent in self-presentation will significantly improve raters' evaluations.

Overall, the interview remains the primary form of job applicant screening, and a communication that most people must be prepared for at some point in their lives.

Bibliography

Cuddy, A. J., et al. "Preparatory Power Posing Affects Nonverbal Presence and Job Interview Performance." Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 100, no. 4, 2015, pp. 1286–95.

Dipboye, R. L., et al. "The Selection Interview from the Interviewer and Applicant Perspectives: Can't Have One Without the Other." The Oxford Handbook of Personnel Assessment and Selection, edited by N. Schmidt, Oxford UP, 2012, pp. 323–52.

Millar, R., and M. Gallagher. "The Selection Interview." The Handbook of Communication Skills, edited by O. Hargie, Routledge, 1997, pp. 385–408.

Raccanello, D. "Students' Expectations about Interviewees' and Interviewers' Achievement Emotions in Job Selection Interviews." Journal of Employment Counseling, vol. 52, no. 2, 2015, pp. 50–64.

Stewart, C., and W. Cash. Interviewing Principles and Practices. McGraw-Hill, 2014.