Why employers should stop interviewing job seekers

The satirist Stephen Colbert, in a hilarious roast of then-President George W. Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner, famously said that the reason he so loved Bush was that he had the same opinions on Monday and Wednesday even if the facts changed on Tuesday.

Colbert’s joke could be applied to almost anyone as, to one degree or another, we all value consistency. We don’t want to be seen as flip-flopping from one opinion to another, but what many forget is that changing our opinions as we’re presented with new facts is not something to resist. Instead, we should embrace those changes as they reflect that we’re learning and, therefore, getting better.

The world in which we live changes constantly. It consistently challenges us to reassess, reinvent, and reimagine processes in every sphere, including talent acquisition. One area ripe for such reconsideration is the traditional job interview. This long-standing component of the hiring process has been a steadfast fixture of recruitment strategies worldwide, but is it as effective as we believe it to be? In an age where diversity, inclusivity, and productivity are key determinants of a successful business, is it not time to question whether we are doing justice to these principles in our hiring process?

Job Interviews: Are they truly effective?

Job interviews are seen by most recruiters and hiring managers as the cornerstone of the hiring process. Interviews are intended to evaluate the candidate’s skills, gauge their fit within the company culture, and assess their potential contributions to the organization. However, several studies have illuminated flaws in this method that can lead to biased outcomes and missed opportunities.

A study from Yale University demonstrated how interviewers often overestimate their ability to evaluate candidates objectively. This overconfidence results in implicit biases seeping into decision-making processes, skewing the results and potentially preventing the best candidate from being selected.

Interviews can be influenced more by a candidate’s charisma, attractiveness, or even shared interests with the interviewer, rather than job-relevant competencies. This means the traditional job interview may not be the best predictor of future job performance. In essence, interviews can sometimes become a ‘likeability’ contest rather than an objective assessment of competency.

New Avenues in Recruitment

As employers, it’s time to consider alternatives that foster a more unbiased and competency-based hiring process. There are many alternatives that could better reflect a candidate’s ability to perform in a role, including:

Skills Assessment Tests: Rather than relying on interviews, companies can administer skill assessment tests relevant to the job role. Such evaluations allow employers to objectively measure a candidate’s ability to perform key tasks and can be tailored to suit a variety of roles.

Job Auditions: Similar to an ‘on-the-job’ trial, job auditions allow candidates to work on short-term projects that mimic actual tasks they would undertake if hired. This method not only provides insights into a candidate’s skills but also their work ethic, ability to collaborate, and fit within the existing team.

AI-Driven Hiring: Artificial intelligence can be used to screen resumes and assess skills more objectively. Advanced algorithms can filter candidates based on predefined criteria, reducing bias and increasing the likelihood of finding the best match for the role.

Referral Programs: Employees often know the kind of individuals who would thrive in their workplace. Implementing robust referral programs can attract talent that is more likely to align with company culture and job requirements.

The Way Forward

According to Albert Einstein, “The world that we have made as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far creates problems that we cannot solve at the same level as the level we created them at.” In other words, we cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that we used to create them. We need to think better to overcome the problems that we have.

While completely eliminating interviews may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, it is clear that we should reevaluate the weight we place on them in the hiring process. A more holistic, competency-based approach can potentially help companies avoid the pitfalls of bias, select the most qualified candidates, and foster a more diverse and inclusive work environment.

The future of hiring practices will undoubtedly be defined by innovation and adaptability. As employers, it’s our responsibility to stay ahead of the curve, questioning, innovating, and making necessary adjustments to keep our hiring practices effective, fair, and forward-thinking.