Factors leading to interview question decisions: Introducing the Model of Interviewer Question Preferences

Abstract

AbstractThis study expands upon interview research by developing a tentative model to explain interview question preferences. The Model of Interviewer Question Preferences highlights interviewer factors that occur along two paths: job relevance factors that lead to the identification of questions that accurately differentiate applicants in terms of hireability, and social and past experience factors affecting interview preferences more broadly. We tested this tentative model using a prolific sample of 186 respondents who had prior experience conducting interviews. When combining both the job relevance path and social exposure path, nearly 48% of the variance in preference for interview questions was explained. Factors such as question job relevance and question exposure were highly related to question preference. Most generally, results suggest that people prefer to ask questions they are familiar with and think are job relevant.