'It's important for organizations to know what they want, and also balance this different approach across different contexts,' says academic offering insights into hiring process
For many job hopefuls, interviews are high-stress scenarios that test not only their qualifications but also their ability to think and perform on their feet.
However, research suggests that job interviews serve more than just one purpose; a recent study from Canadian researchers examines employer expectations around interviews, and how practices such as giving early access to interview questions can improve hiring fairness and effectiveness, while also addressing the needs of diverse candidates.
“Interviews are highly modular, such that they can be designed differently to achieve different goals,” states the study.
“As such, a key challenge for interviewers may be deciding what they want to accomplish with their interviews, and how to design their interviews to accomplish these goals.”
Job interview design: more than assessment
The study “What are interviews for? A qualitative study of employment interview goals and design,” outlines three primary goals of job interviews:
- Assessment: Evaluating candidates’ skills, personality, and fit.
- Recruitment: Leaving a positive impression to attract talent.
- Informing: Helping candidates understand the role and organization.
And thoughtful interviewing practices can enhance both the candidate and employer experience while addressing reputational risks for organizations, say the researchers; as stated by one participant in the study: “Reputation is a big part of who we are as an employer. And so I would want every prospective employee to have a positive interaction with us as part of the recruitment process.”
Traditionally, interviews have been used to assess applicant qualifications and fit with the company, but Wei Wang, assistant professor of human resources and ethics at the University of Manitoba, says that getting job interview design right is crucial, as negative experiences can lead to reputational damage.
“If the employers are excited and happy with the process, but … the interview process is really weird or stressful for the candidates, it is a big threat to the reputation of the organization,” he says.
Advance interview questions promote fairness, inclusivity
One of the most compelling arguments for providing interview questions in advance is that it levels the playing field for diverse candidates, particularly for those who might struggle with the pressure of the situation, says Wang.
“They may not perform that well during the spontaneous interview based on spontaneous interactions,” he says. “But it doesn’t mean they don’t have deep thoughts about the core issues their recruiters care about.”
If you send questions in advance, people will be less anxious, and know what to expect, says Wang. “And I think it really creates some opportunities for people who have, for example, ADHD, people who are nervous about interviews, or people who are just more introverted.”
However, the approach must be carefully implemented to avoid creating inequities, especially for candidates with caregiving responsibilities or other time constraints. For this reason, ample time should be given to all respondents to create a level playing field.
“They may not perform that well during the spontaneous interview … but it doesn’t mean they don’t have deep thoughts about the core issues their recruiters care about.”
– Wei Wang, assistant professor of human resources, University of Manitoba
“As long as you give sufficient time and they can offer the answers before their deadline, then they should be evaluated equally, rather than based on how fast they provide answers,” he says.
“If you send a list of questions in advance, this may create some different expectations, that you may expect them to spend quite a bit of time … I think it’s important for organizations to know what they want, and also balance this different approach across different contexts.”
Balancing flexibility and structure with job interview design
As the study points out, structured interviews with standardized questions show significantly higher effectiveness (42%) for predicting job performance compared to unstructured interviews (19%), and pre-sent questions enhance this structure, especially for assessing technical capabilities: “For technical roles, pre-sending questions allows candidates to demonstrate their expertise in a structured and focused way, ensuring alignment with job requirements,” says the study.
While pre-sent questions can improve fairness and efficiency, they are not necessarily suitable for every role, says Wang. For positions that rely heavily on interpersonal skills or spontaneous problem-solving, such as sales or client-facing roles, spontaneous interactions remain critical.
The study found that some interviewers use hybrid approaches, combining structured interviews and pre-sent questions with unstructured conversations or role-plays; sometimes these strategies are implemented on-the-fly. “A common example is when interviewers perceive applicants to be too nervous to express themselves clearly,” the study says.
Rethinking candidate-employer relationships
The study also emphasizes that interviews give candidates opportunities to assess their fit with an organization; as one study participant put it: “It’s important that [candidates] are judging us for fit as well. Because if they take the job, and they find out that this was completely not the right fit for them, well, we both failed.”
Providing interview questions in advance also works to build relationships between candidates and employers and allows organizations to demonstrate respect for candidates’ time and efforts while fostering transparency.
As Wang points out, in the age of social media and employee reviews of employers, failing to do so could have negative consequences.
“It’s a small world,” he says. “Organizations should treat all their potential candidates like potential employees in the future.”
