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Initial evaluations in the interview: relationships with subsequent interviewer evaluations and employment offers
Murray R Barrick1, Brian W Swider, Greg L Stewart
1Department of Management, Mays Business School, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. mbarrick@mays.tamu.edu
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|August 20, 2010
Summary
Initial impressions in structured interviews significantly impact internship offers and interviewer ratings. Competence judgments made early in the interview predict later outcomes, even with different interviewers.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
- Human Resources
Background:
- The initial phase of structured interviews, known as rapport building, is crucial for candidate assessment.
- Understanding how early evaluations influence subsequent hiring decisions is vital for effective recruitment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of early interview evaluations on final interview scores, follow-up interviews, and internship offers.
- To determine if initial judgments of competence, liking, and similarity predict employment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- The study analyzed data from structured interviews, focusing on evaluations made during the rapport-building phase.
- Statistical analyses, including correlation and regression, were used to assess the influence of initial impressions.
Main Results:
- Candidates with better initial impressions received more internship offers (r = .22) and higher interviewer ratings (r = .42).
- Early evaluations of candidate competence significantly predicted outcomes from the same and separate interviewers (ΔR² = .05).
- Assessments of liking and similarity did not significantly predict outcomes when rated by different interviewers.
Conclusions:
- Initial impressions formed during the rapport-building stage of structured interviews are strong predictors of employment outcomes.
- These early impressions appear to be based on valid judgments of candidate competence.
- Recruiters should recognize the significant impact of early interactions in structured interviews.
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