Interviewer Biases

It is important for interviewers to understand and avoid biases that can affect the outcome of the interview. The following are some examples of interviewer bias:

Stereotyping

Forming generalized opinions about how people of a given sex, religion, or race appear, think, act, feel, or respond.

Inconsistency in questioning

Asking different questions of applicants.

First impression error

Interviewer makes snap judgments and lets his/her first impression (positive or negative) cloud the entire interview.

Negative emphasis

Rejecting an applicants on the basis of a small amount of negative information.

Halo/horn effect

The interviewer allows one strong point that he/she values highly to overshadow all other information.

Cultural noise

The failure to recognize responses of an applicant that are socially acceptable rather than factual.

Nonverbal bias

Undue emphasis is placed on nonverbal clues that are unrelated to job performance.

Contrast effect

Strong applicants interviewed after weak ones may appear more qualified than they actually are because of the contrast.

Similar-to-me error

Picking applicants based on personal characteristics that they share with the interviewer rather than job-related criteria.