The Structured Interview Advantage

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"We prefer conversational interviews. They feel more authentic."

I hear this from hiring managers weekly. And I understand the appeal—unstructured interviews feel natural, relationship-building, human.

But here's what the research shows:

→ Structured interviews: .58 predictive validity

→ Unstructured interviews: .31 predictive validity

That's an 87% improvement in prediction accuracy. Translation: You're nearly twice as likely to hire the right person with structure.

The issue isn't authenticity. It's consistency. When every candidate gets different questions, you're comparing apples to asteroids.

Structure doesn't mean robotic. It means intentional, equitable, and effective.

For HR leaders: Your hiring managers need training, not just interview guides. The resistance to structure is cultural, not logical.

How do you balance structure with authenticity in your interview process?

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