Everyone, at one point or another, has the uncomfortable experience of answering the question, “What are some of your weaknesses?” to a complete stranger in order to get a job. Job interviews are limited to first impressions and your answers to seemingly outdated questions. In addition to successfully landing an interview after submitting a resume, a hopeful job seeker is at the mercy of the employer’s gut feeling about them and their responses to interview questions. Not only is this process difficult for job seekers but it is also tedious for employers as well. It can be tough judging how well someone will perform in an open position just by spending only ten minutes with an individual. Not to mention there are often people who lie in interviews. It is can be hard for employers to differentiate between those who are telling the truth during the interview and those who are exaggerating or stretching the truth about their work experience.

When it comes down to it, employers make decisions based off their gut. Many employers who know and realize the affects of the job filling process are starting to believe that job interviews are a waste of time. Should job interviews be removed from the hiring process to make room for bigger and better methods such as artificial intelligence and hybrid cloud computing? Or are they really essential in the hiring process? Here are a few things to consider when debating about the best hiring methods.

Research

Recent studies are beginning to show results that demonstrate that traditional job interview methods are becoming outdated and an inefficient use of time. An assistant professor of management and marketing at Yale School of Management developed a study simulating the efficiency of judgements based on interviews. Students were instructed to predict the grade point average of other students based on interviews with them, the students’ past performances, and their class schedules. The professor discovered that his students were more accurate in predicting the GPA for those students whom they did not interview. This study demonstrated that the interview process was actually counterproductive to the goals of predicting an individual’s capacity for future requirements and responsibilities.

In this same study, half of the students being interviewed were instructed to be entirely honest. The other half were told to answer the questions randomly based upon an algorithm that the students holding the interviewing were unaware existed. As the interviews were held, the students conducting the interviewing were unaware that some were being honest while others were told what to say. Interestingly enough, the students who used the algorithm to answer interview questions received higher scores than those who were told to answer honestly.

In the traditional job hiring process, many situations go like this; a job seeker has a great resume with great experience and wonderful references, but when they come in for an interview, the interviewer is left unimpressed and decides the person is not worth putting through the rest of the hiring process. However, basing this decision on first impressions is unreasonable. When a coach from Georgia is recruiting high school football players, he doesn’t go to one practice and judge the player, ignoring his athletic record. They go to a game where the player is actually playing and see for themselves how good a player they are. If possible, employers should find a way to imitate this recruiting process.

Trial Period

There are several things that can go wrong in an interview. Many people just don’t interview well due to anxiety, stumbling on their words or not seeming as professional due to nerves, even though these challenges don’t occur while on the job. When under pressure, people tend to forget answers and feel as if they are making a fool of themself. These type of interviews can prevent them from getting hired. Instead of sitting across from the individual and asking them question after question, businesses and companies should consider using a trial period. In a trial period, it gives the potential employee a chance to show their employers that they are able to handle themselves in the job. This gives them the opportunity to prove themselves in the actual work environment and around other workers instead of in a conference room doing a one-on-one interview.

Conclusion

Truth is, few people do well in interviews and few interviewers can find the best candidate through interviews. Yet, the interview method is still a common practice of the hiring process. But, what if these nerve-wracking interviews didn’t accurately determine whether a person was right for the job or not? As times are changing and businesses are adapting, the interview process may become obsolete.