TY - JOUR

T1 - Why do Situational Interviews Predict Job Performance? The Role of Interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria

AU - Ingold, Pia V.

AU - Kleinmann, Martin

AU - König, Cornelius J.

AU - Melchers, Klaus G.

AU - Van Iddekinge, Chad H.

N1 - Funding Information: The study reported in this paper was supported by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant 100014-124449). We thank Anne Jansen for her advice on the data collection. Publisher Copyright: © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

PY - 2015/6/1

Y1 - 2015/6/1

N2 - Purpose: This study aimed at shedding light on why situational interviews (SIs) predict job performance. We examined an explanation based upon the importance of interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria (ATIC, i.e., to read the targeted interview dimensions) for SI performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data were obtained from 97 interviewees who participated in a mock interview to train for future applications. This approach enabled us to conduct the SIs under standardized conditions, to assess interviewees’ ATIC, and at the same time, to collect job performance data from interviewee’s current supervisors. Findings: We found that interviewees’ ATIC scores were not only positively related to their interview performance, but also predicted job performance as rated by their supervisors. Furthermore, controlling for interviewees’ ATIC significantly lowered the relationship between performance in the SI and job performance. Implications: Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the criterion-related validity of SIs is crucial for theoretical progress and improving personnel selection procedures. This study highlights the relevance of interviewees’ ATIC for predicting job performance. It also underscores the importance of constructing interviews to enable candidates to show their criterion-relevant abilities. Originality/Value: This study shows that interviewees’ ATIC contributes to a better understanding of why the SI predicts job performance.

AB - Purpose: This study aimed at shedding light on why situational interviews (SIs) predict job performance. We examined an explanation based upon the importance of interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria (ATIC, i.e., to read the targeted interview dimensions) for SI performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data were obtained from 97 interviewees who participated in a mock interview to train for future applications. This approach enabled us to conduct the SIs under standardized conditions, to assess interviewees’ ATIC, and at the same time, to collect job performance data from interviewee’s current supervisors. Findings: We found that interviewees’ ATIC scores were not only positively related to their interview performance, but also predicted job performance as rated by their supervisors. Furthermore, controlling for interviewees’ ATIC significantly lowered the relationship between performance in the SI and job performance. Implications: Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the criterion-related validity of SIs is crucial for theoretical progress and improving personnel selection procedures. This study highlights the relevance of interviewees’ ATIC for predicting job performance. It also underscores the importance of constructing interviews to enable candidates to show their criterion-relevant abilities. Originality/Value: This study shows that interviewees’ ATIC contributes to a better understanding of why the SI predicts job performance.

KW - Ability to identify criteria

KW - Criterion-related validity

KW - Job performance

KW - Situational interviews

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84939874584&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10869-014-9368-3

DO - 10.1007/s10869-014-9368-3

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84939874584

VL - 30

SP - 387

EP - 398

JO - Journal of Business and Psychology

JF - Journal of Business and Psychology

SN - 0889-3268

IS - 2

ER -