Through the Looking Glass: Employment Interviews from the Lens of Job Candidates

Abstract

Job interviews are of crucial importance to the job search process. As a result, recent years have witnessed a considerable amount of research on job interviews from the perspective of candidates. While this research has provided valuable insight into candidate reactions, it has yet to have a strong impact on the actual behaviors of job candidates and organizations. Thus the goal of the current chapter is to bridge the gap between empirical knowledge and applied practice in job interviews. To accomplish this objective we first present a framework for understanding the interview process that is grounded in theoretical and empirical research. The focus of this framework is whether candidate characteristics (e.g., gender, age), behaviors (e.g., impression management, communication style), and reactions (e.g., anxiety, justice) have an effect on important interview-related outcomes, such as interview performance. This is followed by a comprehensive discussion of research relevant to each section of the framework, including impression management, the first handshake, interview anxiety, and other predictors of interview success. Implications for research and practice are discussed and a checklist for practice is provided. We conclude by highlighting how properly conducted interviews can simultaneously serve the best interest of both job applicants and organizations.