Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior - Soltanieh ...

48 CYNTHIA KAY STEVENS
exposure to warm, personable interviewers improves their intentions to pursue or accept
job offers (see Chapman et al., 2005 ). Interviewers who are high in extraversion and
agreeableness are likely to be more successful in establishing rapport than are introverts
or those low in agreeableness. If it is not possible to select interviewers who are naturally
skilled at putting others at ease, interviewers can also be trained to improve their rapport ­
building behavior. For example, open non - verbal behavior (e.g. eye contact, smiling, and
open body posture), welcoming statements, and a willingness to fully answer questions can
improve applicants ’ perceptions of interviewers ’ personableness.
Subprinciple 7: If interviews receive preinterview information
about applicants, make sure that it is valid
Research shows that, when interviewers have access to preliminary information about
applicants (e.g. from r é sum é s or test scores), it may prompt them to form impressions
about applicant suitability which then affects how they conduct the interview (Dougherty
et al., 1994 ). This problem has led some experts to recommend that all preinterview
information be withheld from interviewers (e.g. Dipboye, 1989 ). Although this recommendation
may ensure that interviews are not biased, it may not always be practical. For
example, this procedure would not enable interviewers to clarify incomplete or ambiguous
r é sum é or application information, and it may make it more difficult for interviewers to
understand fully the context for applicants ’ answers.
Thus, it is important to be aware of the problems associated with preinterview information
and to take steps to ensure that it is accurate, valid, and used appropriately. For
example, if interviews will be used for screening purposes, ensure that any preinterview
information is valid – that is, it has a reliable, statistical relationship with job performance.
It is also valuable to independently verify basic information from the r é sum é , such
as degrees earned, prior employers and dates of employment, as a single phone call can
quickly eliminate unscrupulous applicants. If interviews are being used to recruit applicants,
access to preinterview information may help determine how best to describe the job
and organization. If interviewers ’ preinterview expectations are based on valid, accurate
information, behavioral confirmation tendencies during the interview should pose less of
a problem and may enable interviewers to shift their emphasis to recruiting promising
applicants (Posthuma et al., 2002 ).
Subprinciple 8: Ask applicants about their decision process
and criteria, and share realistic information
tailored to those processes and criteria
Just as managers are interested in applicants who fit with their organizations, applicants
typically seek organizations that provide a good fit with their interests and needs (Rynes,
Bretz, and Gerhart, 1991 ). Most applicants share similar concerns such as job type,
location, pay level, and training opportunities. However, the specific type of information
they want and how it will affect their decision process can vary across applicants as well
as within applicants over time. Thus, interviewers can structure interviews to help applicants
make good decisions by asking about the criteria that will be important in their
decisions and the context in which their decisions will be made.