The following is a list of common interviewing errors that can breach the validity and reliability of the interview:

Poor Planning – This often results in unstructured interviews, with minimal information to accurately compare candidates. The more unstructured the interview is, the less valid and reliable it is.

Snap Judgment – First impressions are key, but should not be used to judge an applicant. Often at times interviewers will make a “snap judgment” within minutes of meeting the applicant or even when they review their test scores or resume.

Negative Emphasis – Interviewers are most likely to remember and be influenced by the unfavourable aspects of the interview, and opinions can be more easily changed from positive to negative.

Halo Effect – This is when a positive first impression of an applicant causes the interviewer to view them with a positive bias, which distorts their ability to accurately rate the candidate. For example if the candidate has a nice smile or firm handshake they may be viewed in a positive light before the interview even starts.

Poor Knowledge of the Job – If the interviewer is not familiar with what the job entitles they will not know what type of person that would be best suited for the position. As a result, they will most likely inaccurately choose a candidate based off a stereotype of what they believe is a good employee.

To see the other common interviewing errors and the rest of our series on conducting an interview check out our blog.

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