Structured Interview
Quick definition
A structured interview is a hiring interview where every candidate answers the same predefined questions and is scored against the same rubric. Each question is rated independently before an overall recommendation is formed.
How it works
There are three components: a question set, a rubric, and interviewer training. The question set covers role-specific competencies and is asked in the same order for every candidate. The rubric is typically a 1–5 scale, with concrete behavioral expectations (BARS) per level per question. The interviewer scores each answer independently of the others and of overall impression — which reduces halo effect. The overall recommendation is derived by formula from the per-question scores, not by a single intuitive yes/no.
Why it matters
Schmidt and Hunter's classic meta-analysis (1998) found that structured interviews predict job performance at validity .51, versus only .38 for unstructured interviews — roughly twice as predictive.[1] McDaniel et al.'s earlier 1994 meta-analysis pointed in the same direction. Structure reduces judgment bias, lifts inter-rater reliability, and leaves a defensible record against adverse-impact challenges.
Related terms
- Agentic Interview — a conversational, AI-conducted form of structured interview.
- Behavioral Rating Scales (BARS) — the most common rubric format on the scoring side of a structured interview.
- Voice AI Interviewer
- How AI interviews work
- EU AI Act compliance
Frequently asked
- [1] Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262–274.