Showing papers on "Interview published in 2007"

Research Synthesis: The Practice of Cognitive Interviewing

Abstract: Cognitive interviewing has emerged as one of the more prominent methods for identifying and correcting problems with survey questions. We define cognitive interviewing as the administration of draft survey questions while collecting additional verbal information about the survey responses, which is used to evaluate the quality of the response or to help determine whether the question is generating the information that its author intends. But beyond this general categorization, cognitive interviewing potentially includes a variety of activities that may be based on different assumptions about the type of data that are being collected and the role of the interviewer in that process. This synthesis reviews the range of current cognitive interviewing practices, focusing on three considerations: (1) what are the dominant paradigms of cognitive interviewing-what is produced under each, and what are their apparent advantages; (2) what key decisions about cognitive interview study design need to be made once the general approach is selected (e.g., who should be interviewed, how many interviews should be conducted, and how should probes be selected), and what bases exist for making these decisions; and (3) how cognitive interviewing data should be evaluated, and what standards of evidence exist for making questionnaire design decisions based on study findings. In considering these issues, we highlight where standards for best practices are not clearly defined, and suggest broad areas worthy of additional methodological research.

New Challenges for Telephone Survey Research in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract: Telephone surveys are critical for examining cross-sectional characteristics of population subgroups, tracking trends in prevalence of conditions and risk behaviors over time, identifying risk factors associated with multiple health conditions, and assessing the effects of interventions. Technology has aided telephone research through advances such as computer-assisted telephone interviewing. However, technology such as answering machines and caller ID has contributed to declines in response rates and has increased costs of conducting telephone surveys. The exponential increase in cell phone utilization presents a challenge to the tradition of random digit dial (RDD) surveys of households. Because telephone surveys are used by other industries such as marketing and public opinion polling, the marketplace may help drive innovation and adaptation. Cell phones have made telephone communication an even greater part of the everyday culture and could make potential telephone survey respondents even more accessible to public health researchers.

Capturing Science Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs: The Development of the Teacher Beliefs Interview

Abstract: For the last five years we have used a semi-structu red interview, which we refer to as the Teacher Beliefs Interview, to explore the beliefs o f beginning secondary science teachers who were involved in different induction programs. Our initial questions focused on teacher epistemologies and probed the beliefs of be ginning and experienced teachers, while our process of interviewing utilized methods common in qualitative research. In reviewing and refining our interview process, we de veloped maps that allowed us to describe and define various beliefs held by pre-ser vice, beginning/induction, and experienced science teachers. Our current Teacher B eliefs Interview is based upon the analysis of semi-structured interviews with over 10 0 pre-service, induction, and inservice science teachers. Ultimately, these maps ha ve allowed us to track the development of science teachers, while providing fe edback regarding the effectiveness of our pre-service and induction programs.

Measuring faking in the employment interview: development and validation of an interview faking behavior scale.

Abstract: An Interview Faking Behavior (IFB) scale is developed and validated in 6 studies (N = 1,346). In Study 1, a taxonomy of faking behavior is delineated. The factor structure of a measure is evaluated and refined (Studies 2 and 3). The convergent and discriminant validity of the measure is examined (Study 4). The IFB scale consists of 4 factors (Slight Image Creation, Extensive Image Creation, Image Protection, and Ingratiation) and 11 subfactors (Embellishing, Tailoring, Fit Enhancing, Constructing, Inventing, Borrowing, Masking, Distancing, Omitting, Conforming, and Interviewer Enhancing). A study of actual interviews shows that scores on the IFB scale are related to getting a 2nd interview or a job offer (Study 5). In Study 6, an experiment is conducted to test the usefulness of the new measure for studying methods of reducing faking using structured interviews. It is found that past behavior questions are more resistant to faking than situational questions, and follow-up questioning increases faking. Finally, over 90% of undergraduate job candidates fake during employment interviews; however, fewer candidates engage in faking that is semantically closer to lying, ranging from 28% to 75%.

Cues to Deception and Ability to Detect Lies as a Function of Police Interview Styles

Abstract: In Experiment 1, we examined whether three interview styles used by the police, accusatory, information-gathering and behaviour analysis, reveal verbal cues to deceit, measured with the Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA) and Reality Monitoring (RM) methods. A total of 120 mock suspects told the truth or lied about a staged event and were interviewed by a police officer employing one of these three interview styles. The results showed that accusatory interviews, which typically result in suspects making short denials, contained the fewest verbal cues to deceit. Moreover, RM distinguished between truth tellers and liars better than CBCA. Finally, manual RM coding resulted in more verbal cues to deception than automatic coding of the RM criteria utilising the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software programme. In Experiment 2, we examined the effects of the three police interview styles on the ability to detect deception. Sixty-eight police officers watched some of the videotaped interviews of Experiment 1 and made veracity and confidence judgements. Accuracy scores did not differ between the three interview styles; however, watching accusatory interviews resulted in more false accusations (accusing truth tellers of lying) than watching information-gathering interviews. Furthermore, only in accusatory interviews, judgements of mendacity were associated with higher confidence. We discuss the possible danger of conducting accusatory interviews.

Open-ended interviews, power, and emotional labor

Abstract: This article investigates the power dynamics of the interview process and the connected emotional labor, drawing on examples from a recent study on workplace grievances in which most data collection was through open-ended interviews. By exploring the shifts of power and the emotional labor demands in the qualitative, open-ended interview, this article emphasizes that power shifts and emotions within the interview are, themselves, important data. A greater awareness of shifts in interviewer and interviewee power and emotional labor in the interview context helps the researcher better understand the nuances of the data, provides the researcher with more information about the interviewee and the research topic, and facilitates greater insights into the interview process, the participants, and the nature of the topics discussed.

Automated system and method for managing a process for the shopping and selection of human entities

Abstract: This invention is a system and method for automatically managing a multi-step process in which human providers are selected for some purpose. Typical applications include the selection process associated with employment and dating services. The invention is directed to linking and coordinating the various steps of the selection process through automated sequencing, coordinating, tracking and status reporting processes. The interviewee answers questions that are printed, displayed, or spoken by an automated mechanism or questions are printed or displayed for use by a tester or interviewer. Answers can be written, spoken, or entered directly into a system by the interviewee. The invention provides a system and method for automatically scoring and ranking human providers with respect to selection criteria, making use of expert system concepts. Human shoppers are matched up and the usefulness of each match is scored on the basis of stated selection criteria of each human shopper.

Guide to questioning children during the free‐narrative phase of an investigative interview

Abstract: The inability of professionals to maintain the use of open-ended questions in the free-narrative phase of investigative interviews with children has been a major problem around the globe. The current paper addresses this concern by describing the key principles underlying the elicitation of free-narrative accounts and practical suggestions for formulating questions. The paper focuses on interviewing children in the early- and middle-childhood years and commences with a definition of the term “free-narrative account” and a description of how such accounts typically develop in children. A description is then provided of the four key characteristics of a good question in the free-narrative interview phase. These include (a) simple language, (b) absence of specific details or coercive techniques, (c) flexibility on the part of the interviewee to choose what details will be reported, and (d) encouragement of an elaborate response. Finally, the process of eliciting a narrative account is briefly described, including examples of questions that adhere to the four characteristics listed above.

Interview Strategies for Assessing Self-Authorship: Constructing Conversations to Assess Meaning Making

Abstract: This article presents two interview strategies used to assess college students' developmental growth toward self-authorship. We illustrate that self-authorship is a foundation for achieving many college learning outcomes and argue that designing practice to promote self-authorship requires understanding how to assess it. We offer a brief overview of the concept of self-authorship, explore the basic tenets of assessing self-authorship, and describe in detail two self-authorship interview strategies. The conversational nature of the interviews creates a learning partnership between interviewer and interviewee that serves the dual role of assessment and developmental intervention. Challenges and benefits of using these interview strategies to assess and promote self-authorship will help readers judge their utility in future research and practice.

Social spaces, casual interactions, meaningful exchanges: 'information ground' characteristics based on the college student experience

Abstract: Introduction. In the late 1990s Fisher (writing as Pettigrew) proposed 'information grounds' to describe social settings in which people share everyday information while attending to a focal activity. Method. This study was conducted at a major research university, home to 45,000 students. Data were collected by seventy-two Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students as part of an information behaviour class. Trained in interviewing techniques, each MLIS student interviewed ten students in public places, including the campus and the university commercial district. The survey, comprising twenty-seven primarily open-ended questions, was conducted from October 14-21, 2004. Data were collected from 729 college students and entered, along with extensive field notes, into an in-house Web form. Analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were supplemented by mini-reports prepared by the student researchers along with full-team debriefings. Results. Using a people, place and information-related trichotomy, characteristics are discussed in terms of how they can be manipulated to optimize information flow in social settings. Conclusions. By understanding better the characteristics of 'information grounds' and the interactions among these characteristics, we may be able to develop social spaces in support of information flow and human interaction. Our college student and other studies suggest that 'information grounds' play an intrinsic role in facilitating communication among people and that by building an in-depth 'information grounds' typology, beginning with basic categorical characteristics, we may develop new methods for facilitating information exchange.

Interviewing people with aphasia: Insights into method adjustments from a pilot study

Abstract: Background: An increasing number of researchers are using qualitative methods to study the impact of aphasia. However, there is a paucity of published research outlining if and how qualitative interview methods are altered with participants with aphasia, and how potential modifications impact on the rigour of such research. Aims: In a qualitative, pilot study we investigated (1) What services do males in Victoria with mild chronic aphasia perceive could be provided by the Australian Aphasia Association? (2) How is qualitative in‐depth interviewing method altered to accommodate the communicative difficulties experienced by people with aphasia? This paper reports on the second aim. Methods and Procedures: A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted. Purposeful sampling was used to obtain four participants with mild chronic aphasia across the variables of geographical location and employment status at time of stroke. An interview guide was devised and refined with a fifth pilot participant. Interview...

The Interview: From Formal to Postmodern

Abstract: * 1. Interviewing in Perspective The Interview Society The History of Interviewing* 2. Structured Interviewing* 3. Group Interviewing* 4. Unstructured Interviewing* 5. Types of Unstructured Interviewing Oral History Creative Interviewing Postmodern Interviewing Grounded Theory and the Interview Gender and Interviewing* 6. Framing and Interpreting Interviews Framing Interviews Interpreting Interviews* 7. Ethical Considerations* 8. New Trends in Interviewing The Interview as a Negotiated Accomplishment Empathetic Interviewing The Problematics of New Approaches* 9. Future Directions Formal Interviews Group Interviews Unstructured Interviews Electronic Interviewing* 10. Conclusion

A Practical Guide to the E-Mail Interview

Abstract: The e-mail interview is a novel technique that has a number of advantages over traditional interviewing, but there are also some disadvantages. In this methodological article, the authors review the issues surrounding the use of the e-mail interview, providing a concrete example of its use, that of interviewing people with alopecia areata regarding psychological issues associated with the disorder. The authors show in the article that the e-mail interview is an effective interview technique but that users must take account of a number of sensitive issues, and there are a number of serious disadvantages that limit its use to specific areas. The e-mail interview cannot be used simply as a cheap alternative to face-to-face interviews in all circumstances.

Could Interviews Be Epistemic?: An Alternative to Qualitative Opinion Polling

Abstract: The author explores using qualitative research interviews to gain knowledge rather than mere opinions about a given topic. Current interviews typically aim to probe the respondents' experiences and...

Discerning quality: using the multiple mini‐interview in student selection for the Australian National University Medical School

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To describe the development and pilot testing of a set of admissions instruments based on the McMaster University multiple mini-interview (MMI) and designed to assess desirable, non-cognitive characteristics in order to inform final decisions on candidate selection for entry to medical school. METHODS Community and faculty consultation on desirable, non-cognitive characteristics of medical students informed the development of a 10-station interview. Two stations occurred as part of a group problem-based learning scenario and 8 occurred as individual observations. All interviewers were trained. Interviews were offered to 115 candidates on an academic merit list. Interview performance was used to exclude candidates considered unsuitable, but not to re-order the academic merit list. Admissions decisions were examined in terms of individual interview station performance. RESULTS This method proved to be an efficient process by which to interview candidates and to determine suitability. Retained and rejected candidates had significantly different total scores and mean scores for each station. Ten independent observations contributed to each decision, without significant interviewer or logistic burden. Candidates reported high levels of satisfaction with the interview process. CONCLUSIONS Admissions interviews can be streamlined and efficient, yet remain informative. A longitudinal study is in progress to evaluate the value of the admissions processes in predicting successful graduation to medical practice.

Family interviews as a method for family research.

Abstract: Title. Family interviews as a method for family research Aim. This paper is a description of the experience of conducting family interviews in a study to come to understand from families their experience of the hospitalization of a critically ill family member. Background. Traditional family research has been done quantitatively, with a focus on the needs of individual family members rather than the family as a whole. The limited amount of qualitative family research has been done primarily by interviewing individual family members rather than the family as a group. Method. The original study was conducted within a framework of phenomenology and 11 families, for a total of 41 individuals, were interviewed about their experiences. Family groups from two to seven members, some including adolescents and young adults, participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings. Findings revealed that gathering families together, even early in the critical illness experience, is not only feasible but beneficial for them and opens the door to dialogues that have a therapeutic effect on the family and help them manage the critical illness experience. Although daunting and challenging, family interviews are feasible and provide rich family-level data that contribute knowledge to family science and family caring. Strategies for family recruitment, conduct of family interviews and family-level data analysis are presented. Conclusion. Families want to tell their stories and clearly have a need for nurses to develop relationships with them while caring for their ill loved ones. Family interviews both affirm the family and give nurses greater understanding of family issues, concerns and meanings.

Effect of Interviewer Experience on Interview Pace and Interviewer Attitudes

Abstract: Traditional statistical analyses of interviewer effects on survey data do not examine whether these effects change over a field period. However, the nature of the survey interview is dynamic. Interviewers' behaviors and perceptions may evolve as they gain experience, thus potentially affecting data quality. This paper looks at how interview length and interviewer evaluations of respondents change over interviewers' workloads. Multilevel models with random interviewer effects are used to account for the clustering of cases within interviewers and individual interviewer characteristics in the 1984, 1988, and 2000 National Election Studies. The 1984 and 1988 NES released sample in four replicates, minimizing the confound between order in an interviewers' workload and sample composition. We find that over the course of the studies, both measures change significantly. Interviewer prior survey experience also was significantly negatively related to the length of the interview. These findings have implications for interviewer training prior to and during studies, as well as suggesting future research to reveal why these behaviors and perceptions change.

Developmental differences in the effects of repeated interviews and interviewer bias on young children's event memory and false reports

Abstract: The present study investigated developmental differences in the effects of repeated interviews and interviewer bias on children’s memory and suggestibility. Three- and 5-year-olds were singly or repeatedly interviewed about a play event by a highly biased or control interviewer. Children interviewed once by the biased interviewer after a long delay made the most errors. Children interviewed repeatedly, regardless of interviewer bias, were more accurate and less likely to falsely claim that they played with a man. In free recall, among children questioned once after a long delay by the biased interviewer, 5-year-olds were more likely than were 3-year-olds to claim falsely that they played with a man. However, in response to direct questions, 3-year-olds were more easily manipulated into implying that they played with him. Findings suggest that interviewer bias is particularly problematic when children’s memory has weakened. In contrast, repeated interviews that occur a short time after a to-be-remembered event do not necessarily increase children’s errors, even when interviews include misleading questions and interviewer bias. Implications for developmental differences in memory and suggestibility are discussed.

Interviewing Children about Sexual Abuse: Controversies and Best Practice

Abstract: 1. Forensic and Clinical Interviewer Roles in Child Sexual Abuse 2. Children's Memory and Suggestibility 3. Models for Assessing Child Sexual Abuse 4. Interviewer Objectivity and Allegations of Sexual Abuse 5. Number of Child Interviews 6. Documentation of the Interview 7. Interview Structure, Protocol, or Guidelines 8. Questioning Techniques 9. Media for Interviewing Children 10. Special Considerations for Cases Involving Young Children 11. Interviewing Children with Special Needs 12. Conducting Culturally Competent Sexual Abuse Interviews with Children from Diverse Racial, Cultural, and Socioeconomic Backgrounds 13. Children Who Do Not Want to Disclose 14. False Allegations of Sexual Abuse 15. Standardized Tests and Measures 16. Criteria for Deciding about the Likelihood of Sexual Abuse 17. Formulating Conclusions about Sexual Abuse

Semi-structured interviews in bioethics research

Abstract: In this chapter, we present semi-structured interviewing as an adaptable method useful in bioethics research to gather data for issues of concern to researchers in the field. We discuss the theory and practice behind developing the interview guide, the logistics of managing a semi-structured interview-based research project, developing and applying a codebook, and data analysis. Throughout the chapter we use examples from empirical bioethics literature.

Telephone and web: mixed-mode challenge.

Abstract: The challenges of conducting telephone-based survey research have increased substantially over the last decade. The emergence and popularity of caller id, call blocking, answering machines, and cellular phones have contributed to falling survey response rates and higher administration costs (Link and Oldendic 1999; Steeh et al. 2001; Tourangeau 2004). The reduction in response rate to the CDC's telephone-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is illustrative of this trend. Between 1996 and 2001 the BRFSS experienced a 12 percentage point drop in response rate, from 63 to 51 percent (Link and Mokdad 2005b). Over the same time period, the web has become a viable option for conducting surveys. The promises and challenges of web survey research have been well documented (Taylor 2000; Couper 2000; Fricker and Schonlau 2002; Fricker et al. 2005). Web surveys are generally less expensive, faster to administer, and can display more complex visual information than other survey modes. But the challenges are also notable. Over a quarter of adults in the United States still do not have access to the Internet, and those without access are disproportionately poor and have low levels of educational achievement (Madden 2006). There is also no e-mail address analog to the national telephone sampling frame and some have documented low response rates to web surveys (Fricker and Schonlau 2002). Finally, people may respond differently to questions when they are posed on the web versus over the telephone. This last issue—potential differences in responses to questions posed in web and telephone surveys—is the focus of this study. Understanding the extent to which survey mode may influence responses is important, particularly given the emergence of research that mixes telephone and web data collections (Olmstead, White, and Sindelar 2004; Satia, Galanko, and Rimer 2005; Greene et al. 2006). Researchers employ mixed mode surveys to boost response rates and reduce survey costs. Typically, researchers begin with one mode, usually the less expensive, and follow-up with nonresponders using a more costly mode (de Leeuw 2005). Some offer two modes concurrently or, in longitudinal studies, switch modes from one wave of data collection to another (Dillman and Christian 2005). The response rate and cost benefits of telephone/web-mixed mode surveys should be considered in light of differences in response patterns that are caused by survey mode. To date, however, these differences are not well understood. There is a body of literature on differences in responses to mail and telephone surveys (Dillman et al. 1996; Dillman 2000; Tourangeau 2004). Dillman et al. (1996) outline three main differences between these two modes. The first involves the presence or absence of an interviewer. Over the telephone, the interviewer creates a social interaction that often results in respondents casting themselves in a more favorable light, particularly for questions on sensitive topics (Dillman et al. 1996). The impact of the interviewer has been confirmed in studies that find that telephone respondents give more socially desirable responses to an interviewer than to a computer (Turner et al. 1998, 2005). The presence of an interviewer is also hypothesized to result in respondents more frequently agreeing to the premise of a question or acquiescing due to socialization toward being agreeable or deference to the interviewer. Empirical evidence, however, is mixed over whether or not there are modal differences in acquiescing (Bowling 2005). Second, Dillman et al. highlight the difference between the visual presentation of survey questions in mail surveys and the aural communication required in telephone surveys. Mail respondents are able to review questions and the corresponding response categories, while telephone respondents typically hear the information read to them once. The cognitive burden required to process the survey question, formulate an answer, and identify the most appropriate answer category is substantially greater for telephone respondents. One manifestation of this difference is that telephone respondents more often choose the last of several options offered, compared with mail respondents, who are more likely to select the first option listed (Dillman et al. 1995). Dillman et al. detail a third key difference between mail and telephone surveys: who controls the pace and order of the interview. Dillman et al. (1996) hypothesize that mail respondents ability to pace themselves, examine the full survey, and change prior answers would result in their providing more consistent and even-handed answers than telephone respondents, but the empirical evidence remains inconclusive. In these respects, web surveys are quite similar to mail surveys: neither require an interviewer; both rely upon visual communication; and respondents are able to pace themselves. Web surveys also differ from mail surveys in some important ways. Web surveys can use skip patterns, offer tailored graphic displays, restrict answers to questions, and control what prior answers can be reviewed and changed. Given the similarities between the two survey modes, however, it is likely many of the differences observed between mail and telephone surveys exist between web and telephone surveys. To date, only a small body of published research has compared modal differences in survey responses between the telephone and the web. Fricker et al. (2005) published the most rigorous comparison study to date, in which respondents with web access were randomized to either the web or the telephone for a science-related survey. They found no difference between web and telephone responses to attitude questions that were not sensitive, nor did they find modal differences in acquiescence. Web respondents were, however, more likely to perform better on science knowledge questions. The authors suggest this may be due to web respondents' ability to reread questions and answer at their own pace. The survey had different missing data protocols for web and telephone respondents that influenced missing data provision. Web respondents who left a question blank were prompted to enter a response, which resulted in less missing data than for telephone respondents, who were not prompted. Another experimental study, which is unpublished, also confirms the lack of modal difference in responding to nonsensitive attitudinal questions (Speizer et al. 2005). Other studies have examined differences in web and telephone survey responses, but have been limited by large sociodemographic differences between the web and telephone samples. As a result, disaggregating the influence of selection versus mode has been a key limitation. For instance, respondents to the web-based BRFSS were substantially more likely to report binge drinking than were telephone respondents, but they were also much younger and more educated than telephone respondents (Link and Mokdad 2005a, b). Some studies have used the statistical techniques of propensity score matching or weighting to equate the web and telephone samples on observed characteristics (Taylor 2000; Chang and Krosnick 2003; Schonlau et al. 2004). These studies have found strong evidence of social desirability bias among telephone responses for sensitive questions. Yet, the observed differences may be caused by uncontrolled for sociodemographic differences between the two groups, rather than modal differences. In sum, the influence of the web versus telephone on survey data is still unclear, and it has not been explored in depth for health-related questions. In this study, we seek to examine the benefits and challenges of conducting a mixed web and telephone survey on health issues. We conducted an experiment randomizing white collar employees from one large employer, all of whom had previously completed a web survey, to complete a survey either by web (with telephone backup for nonrespondents) or by telephone (with web backup for nonrespondents). Using this experimental design, we examined two key research questions: (1) What is the benefit of offering two sequential modes rather than a single mode survey to response rates and the representativeness of the sample? (2) To what degree does survey mode influence responses to health-related behavior, attitude, and knowledge questions? To address the second question we test the degree to which we observe modal differences in social desirability, missing data, acquiescence, and question nondifferentiation.

Liberating voices through narrative methods: the case for an interpretive research approach

Abstract: This article argues the case for employing narrative methods when undertaking research with people with profound learning difficulties and people who lack verbal articulacy. It considers the foundations of life history research and the transformative position of the researcher since the 1930s. The article then examines the requisite skills for eliciting life stories and interviewing, followed by the form of the interview. It questions the logic in rigidly following qualitative interviewing as the main tool for eliciting information. The author argues that the skills and experiences of the researcher become important during challenging interview situations and that moving away from traditional qualitative interviewing means attempting to include people with profound learning difficulties in the process of researching their lives and experiences.

The quality of qualitative data: Issues to consider when interviewing participants who have difficulties providing detailed accounts of their experiences

Abstract: This article discusses threats and challenges that may arise when conducting qualitative interviews with persons with language handicap or frail elderly who have difficulties providing detailed accounts of their experiences The literature on qualitative research seems to assume that qualitative interviews of good quality consist of long, uninterrupted narratives This ideal encompasses particular requirements to study participants Qualitative studies including frail elderly or people with communicative handicaps may be harmed by biased samples or thin descriptions Strategies to maximize the quality of interview data, such as larger and more varied samples, investing sufficient time to establish rapport in the interview situation, repeated interviews, specific interview techniques, and combining interviewing and participant observations are suggested Key words: Qualitative methods, qualitative interview, interviewing, stroke survivors, frail elderly

Introduction of the multiple mini interview into the admissions process at the University of Calgary: acceptability and feasibility.

Abstract: The MMI was introduced into the medical admissions process at the University of Calgary (UofC) in 2006. This report outlines the steps which were involved in its development and our evaluation of the process. The MMI allowed us to interview applicants in one weekend, with fewer interviewers and less time required per interviewer compared to our previous interview process. Most importantly, more than 90% of both the applicants and interviewers found the process to be very acceptable. This process allowed us to ensure that the interview process focused on the non-cognitive traits we are looking for in the students we admit to the UofC.

The Influence of Perceived Interviewer and Job and Organizational Characteristics on Applicant Attraction and Job Choice Intentions: The role of applicant anxiety

Abstract: This study examined whether interviewer characteristics have (a) a direct influence on applicant attraction and job choice intentions, (b) an indirect influence via job and organizational characteristics, and (c) direct influence on applicant anxiety. A sample of graduate applicants (N=450) was surveyed before a selection interview (Time 1) and after the employment interview (Time 2). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypothesized model. The results showed that interviewer characteristics (warmth, unfriendliness, job knowledge, general competence and humor) had both a direct and indirect effect on applicant attraction and job choice intentions. In addition, interviewer characteristics had a significant positive impact on applicant anxiety. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.