Comparative Analysis: Structured and Unstructured Interviews in HRM

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of structured and unstructured employment interviews, contrasting their reliability and validity in the employee selection process. It examines the advantages and disadvantages of both interview types, highlighting the effectiveness of structured interviews in ensuring a legally defensible and accurate hiring process. The report further discusses the predictive validity of structured interview data and its importance in assessing employee performance within a changing business environment. Ultimately, the study underscores the significance of structured interviews in making informed hiring decisions and improving overall organizational effectiveness. Desklib provides access to this and many other solved assignments.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management
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Executive Summary
The report has helped in analysis of the differences between the structured and unstructured
kinds of interview. The advantages and disadvantages of the structured and unstructured kind
of interview is analyzed which has helped in understanding the issues which can be faced by
the interviewer and interviewee in the entire process. Furthermore, this has been seen that the
structured interview process of selection candidates is more effective than the other interview
process as the questions which are being asked in the interview panel are already been set and
they are pre-determined. The structured interview helps the candidates in understanding and
gaining knowledge on the various kinds of job description and data which are relevant and
this I not irrelevant in comparison to the unstructured interview process.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Types of Interviews....................................................................................................................4
Discussion on Structured Employment Interviews................................................................5
Discussion on Unstructured Employment Interviews............................................................5
Contrasting Between Structured and Unstructured Interviews..................................................6
Advantages and Disadvantages of Structured Interview...........................................................7
Advantages.............................................................................................................................7
Disadvantages........................................................................................................................7
Advantages and Disadvantages of Unstructured Interview.......................................................8
Advantages.............................................................................................................................8
Disadvantages........................................................................................................................8
Validity and Reliability of Structured Data in terms of Predictive Validity..............................9
Importance of the Structured Interview on Performance of Employees in Changing Business
Environment.............................................................................................................................10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
The report helps in analysis of the structured and unstructured kind of employment
interviews in terms of the comparison between the structured and unstructured kinds of
interviews in terms of reliability and validity. Furthermore, the different kinds of advantages
and disadvantages of both kinds of interviews on the process of selection has to be analysed
in an effective manner.
The proper analysis of the reliability and validity of the structured interviews has to be
done in terms of predictive validity. The critical discussion on the different major concerns
associated with predictability and reliability of the performance of the employees in current
changing environment.
Furthermore, the main aim and purpose of the report is to identify the importance of
the structure interviews in analysing the performance of the employees in the organization
while interview and this will become effective while maintaining the process to be more
effective.
Types of Interviews
There are different kinds of interviews which are different from one another in terms
of the reliability and validity and this helps in the analysis of the different kinds of
approaches effectively. The structured kinds of interview in the organization helps in
managing the different kinds of performance of employees in such a manner in which this has
been seen that the employees are more comfortable with the structured interview in which
this has been seen that the interviewee manages the different kinds of activities in an effective
manner in an efficient manner. The discussion of the same is given as follows:
 Structured Interviews Unstructured Interviews

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Discussion on Structured Employment Interviews
Alonso, Moscoso and Salgado (2017) has commented that the structured interviews
help and uses the preset kinds of questions which are being asked to the different candidates.
The structured interview and selection is rational in that which uses the scientific approach
and this contains accuracy in the different steps which are being followed. According to
Armstrong and Taylor (2014), this has been seen that structured approach to the selection of
the employees in the organization helps and emphasizes the different needs which helps in
using the different techniques such as the job descriptions and briefs which will help in
understanding the different requirements which are essential in nature to be adopted while
interviewing the candidates effectively.
Furthermore, Gall, Gall and Borg (2014) has hypothesized that the quantitative
approach of the structured interviews aims at measuring the different facts, knowledge,
behavior and attitudes of the different candidates. Furthermore, the main purpose of the
quantitative approach helps in finding accurate kind of information without much influences
from the researcher. There is strict control over the interview process as there is no such
flexibility in the process. Field (2017) has opined that the research in the structured interview
is descriptive in nature and the type of questions in the respective interview is close ended in
nature and the factors which are being evaluated in the interview is explicit in nature.
Discussion on Unstructured Employment Interviews
 On the other hand, this has been seen that the unstructured kinds of interviews
refer to the interview in which the different questions are asked to the respondents and
these are not set before hand as well. Edwards, Sieminski and Zeldin (2014) has
commented that there is repeated kind of face to face encounters between the
researcher and informants which is directed towards the entire understanding
informants effectively. Furthermore, Elnaga and Imran (2013) has opined that the

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unstructured interviews are the qualitative interviewing process and non-directive
interviewing process.
Garavan et al. (2016) has hypothesised that the data collected in the unstructured
interviews is exploratory in nature and the type of questions which are being asked to the
respondents are open ended in nature. The factors which are being evaluated in the respective
interview is implicit in nature and this kind of interview is essential in nature for probing the
different personal kinds of details of the candidates and judge whether the candidate is right
for the respective kind of situation effectively as well.
Contrasting Between Structured and Unstructured Interviews
Particulars Structured Interviews Unstructured Interviews
Data Collection Quantitative in nature Qualitative in nature
Factors Evaluated Explicit in nature Implicit in nature
Application In order to properly and
accurately validate the
different results which have
been generated and this
process is followed when the
number of candidates is
quite large in nature
To probe the personal details
of the candidates and this
helps in judging whether the
candidate is suitable for the
position or not
Type of Questions Close Ended Questions Open-Ended Questions
From the above table of differences between the structured and unstructured kinds of
interviews, this can be analysed that the reliability of the structure interviews is effective in

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nature in comparison to the unstructured interviews. Garavan et al. (2016) has opined that the
structured interviews process is essential as this helps in drastically improving the chance of
making right hire for the company effectively. Furthermore, the structured interviews help in
focusing on planning for the future and this helps in providing legal defensible approach to
hiring of the candidates as well.
However, on the other hand, Garavan et al. (2016) has commented that the
unstructured kind of interview is time consuming and there is very little factual kind of
information provided to the candidates which is not at all effective in nature. There is
biasness in the attitude of the different researchers and there is little control on the different
information which is being provided to the respondents in an effective manner.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Structured Interview
There are different kinds of advantages and disadvantages of the structured kind of
interview in which this has been seen that:
Advantages
 It helps in reaching large sample
 A proper and accurate representative sample s possible in nature and the results is
used to make different statements (Gilmore 2013)
 This can help in conducting face to face interviews wherein the electronic recording is
not available
 It can help in ensuring that the questions are being fully understood by the informants
and respondents
Disadvantages
There are different kinds of disadvantages of the structured interviews which are as
follows:

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 The different interviewers can potentially affect the answers through using the tone of
voice a body language
 The respondents are being forced to choose between the different alternatives answers
which is given by the interviewer to the respondents (Dhar 2015)
 This is time consuming in nature in terms of the collection of the data and interviewer
is required to be stick to the particular set of questions and there are times when this
can be seen that the reliable data is not easily obtainable in nature (Elnaga and Imran
2013)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Unstructured Interview
On the other hand, there are different advantages and disadvantages of the
unstructured interviews which are explained as follows:
Advantages
 The informality helps the interviewer in gaining rapport and open up with the
candidates and this is kind of informal interview
 There can be proper understanding between the interviewer and interviewee and there
can be checking of the different meanings which are unsure in nature and this helps in
understanding of the different meanings in an easy manner (McIntosh and Morse
2015)
 There is huge flexibility in the questions and answer session as this has been seen and
analysed that there are no such questions which are fixed and there are open ended
questions which can help in managing the different kinds of questions while interview
time

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Disadvantages
 There is lack of reliability of the data in the unstructured kind of interview in which
this has been seen that it is not being standardized and this is impossible to replicate
 There are ethical issues in the unstructured kind of data in which this has been seen
that there is lack of confidentiality in the data and the structure of the interview and
this can be ineffective form (Levashina et al. 2014)
 There are different kinds of practical problems in unstructured kind of interviews
wherein this has been seen that these interviews take long time to conduct and this is
ineffective in nature.
From the above advantages and disadvantages of both structured and unstructured
data, this can be analysed and identified that there are different kinds of advantages of the
structured interviews which can be conducted in order to make the system more effective in
nature and this will help the organization in selecting the right candidates effectively as well.
However, on the other hand, the unstructured data is not effective as there is less reliability of
the data and this can affect the overall process of interview in a negative manner.
Validity and Reliability of Structured Data in terms of Predictive Validity
Deal and Kennedy (2008) has commented that the structured interview is reliable in
nature in comparison to the unstructured interview as there are different kinds of
effectiveness in the structured data of interview which is lacking in the unstructured interview
data. Carberry, (2012) has commented that structured kind of interview helps in providing
same amount of the appropriate information as four unstructured kind of interviews. This
helps in making the process more effective and appropriate in nature.
Furthermore, Carberry, (2012) has opined that the structured kind of interview helps
and assist in providing the accurate kind of data in comparison to the unstructured kind of

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interview. Additionally, Banfield, Kay and Royles (2018) has hypothesised that the structured
kind of interview will help in increasing the overall consistency as all the employees are
treated in a same manner and this makes the decisions for hiring more fast and accurate in
nature as well. The confidence is higher in nature in comparison to the different unstructured
kind of data.
Armstrong and Taylor (2014) has commented that the structured interview helps in
receiving and gaining the accurate data which is lacking in unstructured interview. The
effectiveness is less in nature in comparison to the different structured interview and thus this
reduces the consistency in the data of the unstructured data wherein there are different kinds
of open ended questions prepared for the candidates and which are not so effective in nature.
Similarly, Alonso, Moscoso and Salgado (2017) has commented that the fairness is
important and effective in nature as this helps in treating the different candidates in an
objective and equal manner as the different questions are based on the specific job
requirements and this helps in improving the experience of the candidates as well. The author
has commented and hypothesised that the structured kinds of interviews helps in predicting
performance better than the unstructured in nature. Armstrong and Taylor (2014)has opined
that the job-related documentation in the structured interviews is detailed in nature and this
helps in satisfying the different requirements and queries of the candidates as well in the
organization.
Alonso, Moscoso and Salgado (2017) has commented that in descriptive research, the
structured kind of interview is utilized in order to collect the information because this is
relatively economical in nature and the inferences can be drawn in an easy manner.
Furthermore, in the structured kind of interview, the characteristics which are being evaluated

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are explicit in nature and this helps and assist in collecting the data in a quantitative manner
as well.
Importance of the Structured Interview on Performance of Employees in Changing
Business Environment
According to Armstrong and Taylor (2014), this has been analysed that the interview
questions are being constructed in such a manner which is based entirely on knowledge, skills
and abilities which are being found through the entire formal job analyses and these are the
different kinds of requirements in the job as well. It has been seen that the business
environment is changing in the present scenario and this is affecting the entire perception of
the employees regarding the questions which are being asked in the interview panel as well.
On the other hand, Brewster, Chung and Sparrow (2016) has commented that there
are variety of the questions in the structured kind of interview which are being permitted and
these are the questions which is regarding and relating to the job knowledge and the job
which is required to be performed by the employees in the organization. Additionally,
Bryman, (2017) has opined that there are different variations in the structured interviews
which makes it difficult for pinpointing the exact kind of source of higher validities and
reliabilities. Nevertheless, there are three different types of categories of features which helps
in serving as possible kind of explanations.
Brewster, Chung and Sparrow (2016) has hypothesised that the structured interviews
data is the actual manner in which these formats help in dealing with ancillary data which
includes test scores, biographical data, reference checks and this helps in incorporating
different kinds of procedures in the judgment phase which helps in enhancing the overall
reliability of the judgment in an effective manner. Bryman, (2017) has opined that structured
interviews help the interviewer to understand the questions which is required to be asked to

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the candidates as this helps the candidates to be confident regarding the questions which will
be asked to them regarding their job domain.
Brewster, Chung and Sparrow (2016) has commented and analysed that the structured
kind of interviews are being used by the positivists and this helps in validating the different
kinds of results in an effective manner when the candidates are large in number and these
assists in managing the questions and answer session in an effective manner as well. This has
been analysed that the selection techniques in the structured interview in creating procedural
techniques which are making it easier in nature to gain more competitive advantage in
comparison to the other unstructured interviews.
In the present scenario, this has been analysed and identified that there are different
changes in the business environment, this is essential in nature to identify the different kinds
of performance of the employees can be determined with the structured interviews. Bryman,
(2017) has opined that the performance of the employees during the interview process help in
gaining the knowledge relating to the data which is related to the job and this will be essential
in nature in managing the performances effectively as well.
Conclusion
Therefore, this can be concluded that when the interview is structured in nature same
kind of questions are being put forward to the different candidates which are related to the
job. However, on the contrary, this has been seen and analysed that when the interview is
unstructured in nature and the questions differ from the interviewee to the interviewer for the
same kind of job and this may or may not be related to the job as well.
Furthermore, this has been seen and analysed that in the structured kind of interview,
there is a proper and accurate kind of pre-developed system which helps in checking the
results. It has been seen that the structured kind of interview is more effective in