Structured Interview

Using the same set of questions helps in collecting information from every interviewee that can be compared with the other candidates’ responses. This helps in maintaining consistency in assessing the candidates.

Here is what you need to know about structured interviews.

What is a Structured Interview? 

An interview where a set of questions are asked in a standardized order is known as a structured interview. Asking the same questions helps in collecting similar types of answers in a uniform context for the interviewer to review. The responses are then graded against a scoring system. 

A structured interview is usually used in statistical investigations and follows a planned sequence. 

Types of Structured Interviews

Some of the common types of structured interviews are one-on-one interviews, telephone interviews, and survey interviews. 

One-one-one structured interview

Here the interviewer and interviewee exchange data physically. It helps in observing body language and facial expressions. It can, though, be time-consuming and biased. 

Telephonic structured interview

A telephonic structured interview is conducted through a video or audio call. It can be difficult to build a connection and the body language can’t be read. 

Surveys

Here a set of standard questions are asked to collect bulk data to be analyzed. It is used usually in describing the character of a large set of data. 

How is it different from other interviews? 

Unlike an unstructured interview and a semi-structured interview, the questions and their order are both planned in a structured interview.

With every candidate answering the same set of questions, it becomes easier to compare and hire the right candidate for the job. Using a structured interview, you can evaluate candidates objectively and fairly.  

It may seem a bit cold, which can make it harder to get to know the candidate. A structured interview can also be harder and more complicated to develop.

How does Structured Interview help in hiring? 

In an unstructured interview, the questions are based on the spontaneous choice of the interviewer, which can lead to biases. According to statistics, only 13% of structured interviews are found discriminatory. 

The uneven set of questions that do not have any consistencies can lead to randomness in the selection of candidates.

It also takes down the burden off the interviewers to come up with good questions on the spot. Hence the interviewer can be focused on making note of the candidate’s answer and other details. 

With the same set of questions, the evaluation becomes easier, which in addition improves the likelihood of finding a candidate who’s a great fit for the role. 

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