Initial Evaluations in the Interview: Relationships with Subsequent Interviewer Evaluations and Employment Offers

Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 95, No. 6, pp. 1163-1172, 2010

Mays Business School Research Paper No. 2012-10

11 Pages Posted: 25 Jan 2012

See all articles by Murray Barrick

Murray Barrick

Texas A&M University - Department of Management

Brian W. Swider

Texas A&M University - Department of Management

Greg L. Stewart

University of Iowa

Date Written: August 16, 2010

Abstract

The authors of this study examine how evaluations made during an early stage of the structured interview (rapport building) influence end of interview scores, subsequent follow-up employment interviews, and actual internship job offers. Candidates making better initial impressions received more internship offers (r .22) and higher interviewer ratings (r .42). As predicted, initial evaluations of candidate competence extend beyond liking and similarity to influence subsequent interview outcomes from the same interviewer (11R2 .05), from a separate interviewer (11R2 .05), and from another interviewer who skipped rapport building (11R2 .05). In contrast, assessments of candidate liking and similarity were not significantly related to other judgments when ratings were provided by different interviewers. The findings of this study thus indicate that initial impressions of candidates influence employment outcomes, and that they may be based on useful judgments of candidate competence that occur in the opening minutes of the structured interview.

Keywords: employment interview, self-presentation tactics, impression management, rapport building, first impression

Suggested Citation

Barrick, Murray and Swider, Brian W. and Stewart, Greg L., Initial Evaluations in the Interview: Relationships with Subsequent Interviewer Evaluations and Employment Offers (August 16, 2010). Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 95, No. 6, pp. 1163-1172, 2010, Mays Business School Research Paper No. 2012-10, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1991946

Murray Barrick (Contact Author)

Texas A&M University - Department of Management ( email )

430 Wehner
College Station, TX 77843-4218
United States

Brian W. Swider

Texas A&M University - Department of Management ( email )

430 Wehner
College Station, TX 77843-4218
United States

Greg L. Stewart

University of Iowa ( email )

341 Schaeffer Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242-1097
United States

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