Interviewing and selection

Interviews can be a very useful part of the selection process and when used in conjunction with other selection methods such as assessments, psychometric testing and reference checking, the reliability of the selection may be greatly increased.

To be fair and reliable interviews should be:

• seen in the context of the whole selection process
• carefully prepared for
• structured
• conducted by more than one person, with gender balance where possible
• conducted by staff who have been trained in interviewing skills and equality legislation
• scored and documented.

Where selections are made on the basis of interviews with applicants, it is important to ensure that these are not conducted so as to favour a particular sex or persons with a particular characteristic. The law provides that recruitment to employment should be free from discrimination and this applies at interview stage as well as at all other component stages of the recruitment process.

All interviews should be structured, systematic and conducted in a fair and consistent manner, subject to the duty to make reasonable accommodation for disabled applicants.