MHR 6451
Unit I Article Critique
Human Resource Management Methods
MHR 6451
The article written by Oliphant, G. C., Hansen, K., & Oliphant, B. J. (2008) titled a
review of a telephone-administered behavior-based interview technique addresses the benefits of
using a structured interview during the hiring process. Throughout the article the authors
examine the traditional hiring process of interviewing potential employees. They review
academic research that challenges the validity of the process and compare it to the methods that
organization have used in their hiring processes for years. The main points discussed in this
article are why interviews are used, structured vs. unstructured inter views and the evaluation of
behavior based interviews.
The first point the authors discuss is why practitioners continue to use interviews during
the hiring process despite the research that shows low productive validity (Oliphant, Hansen, &
Oliphant, 2008). The authors give four primary reasons for the continued use of the interview
process, the first reason is that by conducting interviews they are indirectly adding value to the
selection process by enhancing recruitment, public relations and gaining feedback from the
interviewee (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). The second reason discussed is the belief by
management that conducting a face to face interview they will gain better insight into the
interpersonal skills of the interviewee allowing them to a better judgment (Oliphant, Hansen, &
Oliphant, 2008). The third reason discussed for the continued use of an interview process is that
it has always been done that way. Whether it is due to company policy, habits of management,
ease or a feeling of power members of management keep the traditional hiring processes in their
, organizations (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). The fourth reason the authors
discuss, “the employment interview may be a valid predictor of performance that academic
researchers have failed to replicate. Recent studies of employment interviews have concluded
that structured interviews offer greater predictive validity” (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant,
2008). Despite academic research challenging the validity of conducting interviews, many
organizations find that conducting interviews is a valuable part of their hiring process and can be
very effective when properly structured.
The second and third points the authors discuss is the difference between structured and
non-structured interviews during the hiring process and the use of behavior-based interviews.
The point that the authors are driving home is that although there is little academic research and
evidence that supports employers conducting unstructured interviews during the hiring process,
there is growing research that supports the use of a structured interview process as a method of
selecting qualified candidates. Though there may be many ways to conduct a structured
interview, the method that seems to be gaining the most traction according to Oliphant, Hansen,
& Oliphant (2008), is the behavior-based interview process. This process consists of a series of
open ended questions related to past behaviors that are relevant to the job. The answers to these
questions are then scored and based on the candidate’s responses and are designed to identify
whether or not they display the desired behavior required to perform the job (Oliphant, Hansen,
& Oliphant, 2008). The authors discuss their observations of a four step study used to determine
the validity of behavior-based interviews. These steps consisted of a focus group of executives
and top performers uses to determine what behaviors are needed to perform the specific job.
Once the behaviors were determined they pulled a group of sales people to include top
performers as well as those performing average and below average to participate in the interview
process (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). This group was askes a series of questions
through a phone interview that were then recorded and sent off to analysts for evaluation. The
Unit I Article Critique
Human Resource Management Methods
MHR 6451
The article written by Oliphant, G. C., Hansen, K., & Oliphant, B. J. (2008) titled a
review of a telephone-administered behavior-based interview technique addresses the benefits of
using a structured interview during the hiring process. Throughout the article the authors
examine the traditional hiring process of interviewing potential employees. They review
academic research that challenges the validity of the process and compare it to the methods that
organization have used in their hiring processes for years. The main points discussed in this
article are why interviews are used, structured vs. unstructured inter views and the evaluation of
behavior based interviews.
The first point the authors discuss is why practitioners continue to use interviews during
the hiring process despite the research that shows low productive validity (Oliphant, Hansen, &
Oliphant, 2008). The authors give four primary reasons for the continued use of the interview
process, the first reason is that by conducting interviews they are indirectly adding value to the
selection process by enhancing recruitment, public relations and gaining feedback from the
interviewee (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). The second reason discussed is the belief by
management that conducting a face to face interview they will gain better insight into the
interpersonal skills of the interviewee allowing them to a better judgment (Oliphant, Hansen, &
Oliphant, 2008). The third reason discussed for the continued use of an interview process is that
it has always been done that way. Whether it is due to company policy, habits of management,
ease or a feeling of power members of management keep the traditional hiring processes in their
, organizations (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). The fourth reason the authors
discuss, “the employment interview may be a valid predictor of performance that academic
researchers have failed to replicate. Recent studies of employment interviews have concluded
that structured interviews offer greater predictive validity” (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant,
2008). Despite academic research challenging the validity of conducting interviews, many
organizations find that conducting interviews is a valuable part of their hiring process and can be
very effective when properly structured.
The second and third points the authors discuss is the difference between structured and
non-structured interviews during the hiring process and the use of behavior-based interviews.
The point that the authors are driving home is that although there is little academic research and
evidence that supports employers conducting unstructured interviews during the hiring process,
there is growing research that supports the use of a structured interview process as a method of
selecting qualified candidates. Though there may be many ways to conduct a structured
interview, the method that seems to be gaining the most traction according to Oliphant, Hansen,
& Oliphant (2008), is the behavior-based interview process. This process consists of a series of
open ended questions related to past behaviors that are relevant to the job. The answers to these
questions are then scored and based on the candidate’s responses and are designed to identify
whether or not they display the desired behavior required to perform the job (Oliphant, Hansen,
& Oliphant, 2008). The authors discuss their observations of a four step study used to determine
the validity of behavior-based interviews. These steps consisted of a focus group of executives
and top performers uses to determine what behaviors are needed to perform the specific job.
Once the behaviors were determined they pulled a group of sales people to include top
performers as well as those performing average and below average to participate in the interview
process (Oliphant, Hansen, & Oliphant, 2008). This group was askes a series of questions
through a phone interview that were then recorded and sent off to analysts for evaluation. The
