HR411: Exam Ciara Deeny 20168596
Section 1
2. Technology and Hiring Process
A. Provide an answer to the question posed by this consultant, taking into account research
evidence from the course. (25%)
Word Count: 330
(a) It is arguable to state that businesses have previously not been receptive to telephone and
video interviews, prior to COVID-19. From an applicant perspective, these mediums have
several disadvantages. Telephone and video interviews are likely to introduce a poor
candidate experience, wherein candidates perceive they are immediately disadvantaged
through the notion that the lack of visual cues may lead to data loss or information distortion
(Novick, 2007). Whilst this has been argued as fostering a negative candidate experience, it
also blurs the distinguishable findings derived from common face-to-face interviews, relative
to the employer. This distortion may occur concurrent of the limited time allocation provided
for telephone interviews (Engel & Robbins, 2009), alongside perceived difficulties in
establishing rapport (Ward, Gott & Hoare, 2015).
Employers must determine the suitability of interview methods against overall objectives
(Sturges & Hanrahan, 2004). Irvine, Drew and Sainsbury (2012) evidence a decrease in
employer acknowledgement tokens during telephone interviews, possibly caused by a lack of
attentiveness to the interviewee. Involved parties are likely to lose the rapport building
aspects of the interview process. This may result in harsher ratings of candidates (Silvester et
al., 2000), as well as the employer being more likely to abruptly ‘pause’ the interview to deal
with interruptions (Blackman, 2002). An employer’s ability to gage a candidate’s work-
related personality traits are partially diminished through this medium (Blackman, 2002). For
example, personality traits, which can be recognised during face-to-face interviews.
Societal perspectives iterate the process as a controlling mechanism, rather than neutral,
meritocratic processes, in which multiple stakeholders and power dynamics are recognised
(Scholarios, 2019). Society depicts person-job fit as not being a ‘clean’ measurement of an
individual’s compatibility with a job role. Embedded in this perspective is abilities to
construct an image they assume employers desire. This relates to power within the interview
process, as a disciplinary mechanism. During the telephone or video interview, both parties
may struggle to exert power subsequent of a lack of evident social cues and body language.
,
, References
Blackman, M.C. (2002). The Employment Interview via the Telephone: Are We Sacrificing Accurate
Personality Judgments for Cost Efficiency? Journal of Research in Personality, 36(3),
pp.208–223.
Engel, D. and Robbins, S. (2009). Telephone Interviewing Practices within Academic Libraries. The
Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35(2), pp.143–151.
Irvine, A., Drew, P. and Sainsbury, R. (2012). ‘Am I not answering your questions properly?’
Clarification, adequacy and responsiveness in semi-structured telephone and face-to-face
interviews. Qualitative Research, 13(1), pp.87–106.
Novick, G. (2007). Is there a bias against telephone interviews in qualitative research? Research in
Nursing & Health, [online] 31(4), pp.391–398. Available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/nur.20259.
Scholarios, D. (2019). Week 3: Recruitment and Selection – Employers Perspectives, lecture notes,
Advanced Organisational Behaviour, HR411. University of Strathclyde. Delivered 6 October
2019.
Silvester, J., Anderson, N., Haddleton, E., Cunningham-Snell, N. and Gibb, A. (2000). A Cross-
Modal Comparison of Telephone and Face-to-Face Selection Interviews in Graduate
Recruitment. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 8(1), pp.16–21.
Sturges, J.E. and Hanrahan, K.J. (2004). Comparing Telephone and Face-to-Face Qualitative
Interviewing: a Research Note. Qualitative Research, 4(1), pp.107–118.
Section 1
2. Technology and Hiring Process
A. Provide an answer to the question posed by this consultant, taking into account research
evidence from the course. (25%)
Word Count: 330
(a) It is arguable to state that businesses have previously not been receptive to telephone and
video interviews, prior to COVID-19. From an applicant perspective, these mediums have
several disadvantages. Telephone and video interviews are likely to introduce a poor
candidate experience, wherein candidates perceive they are immediately disadvantaged
through the notion that the lack of visual cues may lead to data loss or information distortion
(Novick, 2007). Whilst this has been argued as fostering a negative candidate experience, it
also blurs the distinguishable findings derived from common face-to-face interviews, relative
to the employer. This distortion may occur concurrent of the limited time allocation provided
for telephone interviews (Engel & Robbins, 2009), alongside perceived difficulties in
establishing rapport (Ward, Gott & Hoare, 2015).
Employers must determine the suitability of interview methods against overall objectives
(Sturges & Hanrahan, 2004). Irvine, Drew and Sainsbury (2012) evidence a decrease in
employer acknowledgement tokens during telephone interviews, possibly caused by a lack of
attentiveness to the interviewee. Involved parties are likely to lose the rapport building
aspects of the interview process. This may result in harsher ratings of candidates (Silvester et
al., 2000), as well as the employer being more likely to abruptly ‘pause’ the interview to deal
with interruptions (Blackman, 2002). An employer’s ability to gage a candidate’s work-
related personality traits are partially diminished through this medium (Blackman, 2002). For
example, personality traits, which can be recognised during face-to-face interviews.
Societal perspectives iterate the process as a controlling mechanism, rather than neutral,
meritocratic processes, in which multiple stakeholders and power dynamics are recognised
(Scholarios, 2019). Society depicts person-job fit as not being a ‘clean’ measurement of an
individual’s compatibility with a job role. Embedded in this perspective is abilities to
construct an image they assume employers desire. This relates to power within the interview
process, as a disciplinary mechanism. During the telephone or video interview, both parties
may struggle to exert power subsequent of a lack of evident social cues and body language.
,
, References
Blackman, M.C. (2002). The Employment Interview via the Telephone: Are We Sacrificing Accurate
Personality Judgments for Cost Efficiency? Journal of Research in Personality, 36(3),
pp.208–223.
Engel, D. and Robbins, S. (2009). Telephone Interviewing Practices within Academic Libraries. The
Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35(2), pp.143–151.
Irvine, A., Drew, P. and Sainsbury, R. (2012). ‘Am I not answering your questions properly?’
Clarification, adequacy and responsiveness in semi-structured telephone and face-to-face
interviews. Qualitative Research, 13(1), pp.87–106.
Novick, G. (2007). Is there a bias against telephone interviews in qualitative research? Research in
Nursing & Health, [online] 31(4), pp.391–398. Available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/nur.20259.
Scholarios, D. (2019). Week 3: Recruitment and Selection – Employers Perspectives, lecture notes,
Advanced Organisational Behaviour, HR411. University of Strathclyde. Delivered 6 October
2019.
Silvester, J., Anderson, N., Haddleton, E., Cunningham-Snell, N. and Gibb, A. (2000). A Cross-
Modal Comparison of Telephone and Face-to-Face Selection Interviews in Graduate
Recruitment. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 8(1), pp.16–21.
Sturges, J.E. and Hanrahan, K.J. (2004). Comparing Telephone and Face-to-Face Qualitative
Interviewing: a Research Note. Qualitative Research, 4(1), pp.107–118.
