While interviews remain a critical component of the hiring process, combining them with assessment data allows for a more comprehensive view of a participant. The primary goal of integrating these tools is to improve the experience for both the interviewer and the interviewee by facilitating more relevant, targeted questions. When using assessments, there will be instances when interview impressions differ from assessment scores. That is to be expected, as interviews and assessments often are designed to evaluate different aspects of applicants’ competencies.
Understanding the “Strong Interview, Weak Score” Scenario
In this scenario, a participant appears extremely polished and confident, yet their assessment results are weak.
- Why it happens: These individuals are often highly experienced in interviewing and highly effective at presenting themselves in a favorable light.
- The Risk: A polished participant can easily claim to possess specific traits, such as being highly organized, by providing quick, practiced examples, such as using a calendar. However, the assessment may reveal underlying traits that more accurately depict their natural tendencies and contradict their performance, such as disorganization or a dislike of collaborative work.
- The Reality: While they are confident and may appear to be a strong fit, they may lack the necessary personality traits or skills required for the day-to-day demands of the position.
Understanding the “Weak Interview, Strong Score” Scenario
Conversely, you may encounter a nervous participant who performs poorly in an interview but achieves a strong assessment score.
- Why it happens: Some highly capable individuals struggle with storytelling or lack confidence during the formal interview process.
- The Opportunity: The assessment highlights their core traits and confirms they possess the necessary skills to do the job effectively, despite their nerves.
- The Reality: This is often the most valuable aspect of using assessments, as it helps hiring managers identify talented people who might have been overlooked in a traditional interview-only process.
Recommended Actions for Hiring Managers
When you encounter these discrepancies, use the following strategies to make a more informed hiring decision:
- Go a Layer Deeper: Use the assessment insights to ask more probing interview questions to reconcile the differences between their scores and their interview responses. Participants are motivated to make themselves seem like a great fit for the job. For instance, most participants will craft answers to expected interview topics, so when you feel like you’re getting a pre-packaged answer, consider asking a similar follow-up question to see if the participant is drawing from actual experiences or simply providing a carefully crafted response.
- Re-evaluate Weighting: Be careful about giving interview performance too much weight in roles where interpersonal skills are not job-critical. For roles that rely on task execution, follow-through, and technical skills, interviews will be imperfect indicators of job alignment.
- Provide Second Consideration: Give these participants a second look to ensure you are not being misled by a polished exterior or a temporary case of nerves.
Key Takeaway
A strong interview does not always guarantee a good fit, and a weak interview does not necessarily mean a lack of ability. Assessment data provides the necessary additional context to ensure you are hiring the best person for the role.