Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional Practice Exam

Which interview type is most prone to evaluation biases due to personal perceptions?

1. Structured interviews

2. Unstructured interviews

3. Panel interviews

4. Behavioral interviews

The correct answer is: Unstructured interviews

Unstructured interviews are particularly vulnerable to evaluation biases because they lack a standardized format and predetermined questions. This informality allows interviewers to rely heavily on their subjective impressions and personal perceptions of the candidates. As a result, these biases can manifest in various ways, such as favoring candidates who share similar backgrounds or interests, or being influenced by first impressions rather than the candidates' qualifications. In contrast, structured interviews use a consistent set of questions and criteria, which helps mitigate personal biases. Panel interviews involve multiple interviewers, providing a broader perspective and reducing the likelihood that one person’s biases would dominate the evaluation. Behavioral interviews focus on past experiences and specific competencies, making them more objective by tying responses to observable behaviors rather than personal perceptions. Thus, unstructured interviews stand out as the type most susceptible to evaluation biases due to their inherent lack of structure and reliance on the interviewer's individual viewpoint.