Why is a structured interview generally preferred over an unstructured interview?

Why is a structured interview generally preferred over an unstructured interview?

• A. It is faster and cheaper.
• B. It allows interviewers to explore topics freely.
• C. It reduces reliability and validity.
• D. It increases reliability and validity by using standardized questions and scoring criteria.

Answer: (D)

Reliability and validity in interviewing are enhanced when the process is structured. A structured interview uses predetermined, job-related questions asked in the same order to every candidate, with responses scored according to a standardized rubric. This consistency across interviewers and applicants reduces subjective variation, making the ratings more reliable. It also ensures that every candidate is evaluated on the same criteria, which strengthens the validity by better predicting job performance. In contrast, unstructured interviews rely more on the interviewer’s impressions and can vary widely in questions and scoring, leading to lower reliability and validity and making it harder to compare candidates fairly.

Reliability and validity in interviewing are enhanced when the process is structured. A structured interview uses predetermined, job-related questions asked in the same order to every candidate, with responses scored according to a standardized rubric. This consistency across interviewers and applicants reduces subjective variation, making the ratings more reliable. It also ensures that every candidate is evaluated on the same criteria, which strengthens the validity by better predicting job performance. In contrast, unstructured interviews rely more on the interviewer’s impressions and can vary widely in questions and scoring, leading to lower reliability and validity and making it harder to compare candidates fairly.