A structured interview is used in most cases; an interviewer is provided with a prepared list of all the questions for candidates. The topics asked are usually straightforward and unambiguous, requiring relatively short answers. For instance, HR might ask about the first job after graduation. A structured interview ensures that the candidate is inquired about all the critical questions related to job responsibilities. Using this type of conversation makes it easier to compare applicants with each other. Research data indicates a high level of validity and reliability in many forms of structured interviews. On the other hand, experts often recognize that the lack of flexibility in the aforementioned type of interview can lead to the loss of important information.
An unstructured interview provides HR with the amplest opportunities to ask the candidate about everything that seems necessary, choosing a topic that will interest the employer. The main advantage of a non-structural interview is its flexibility, which enables HR to adapt the entire procedure to a particular individual situation and obtain more profound and complete information. On the other hand, experts express doubts about this type of interview’s predictive capabilities due to the data’s lack of reliability. The interviewer may ask questions that were not originally planned and are prompted by any comments from the candidate.
There are multiple reasons for the unreliability of the unstructured form of conversation. Interviewers have their stereotypes about a good employee and how he or she should appear. These biases are modified and do not have specific correlations with the actual state of affairs. HRs often tend to make quick decisions about the acceptability or inadmissibility of a candidate and, over time, look for information to support their initial impression. Simultaneously, the candidate’s negative information has a much more significant impact on the questioner than positive. Many interviewers gravitate towards a freer dialogue and believe that the structured format is too restrictive for its participants.