Interviews vs Assessments: The Data Every HR Should Know

Job interviews have existed for over 100 years. And throughout that time, we’ve assumed they’re the best way to evaluate candidates.

But what does the data say?

Spoiler: Not what you expected.

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The Meta-Analysis Nobody Wants to Hear

In 1998, Schmidt & Hunter published one of the most important studies in the history of organizational psychology. They analyzed 85 years of research and compared the predictive validity of different selection methods.

Predictive Validity by Method

Method	Correlation with Performance
Unstructured interview	0.14
Years of experience	0.18
Structured interview	0.26
Assessment centers	0.37
Cognitive ability tests	0.51
Personality tests (OCEAN)	0.31
Optimal combination	0.65

Translation: A traditional (unstructured) interview is barely better than flipping a coin.

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Why Interviews Fail

1. Inevitable Cognitive Biases

Affinity Bias: We prefer candidates similar to us

Halo Effect: One positive quality overshadows weaknesses

Confirmation Bias: We seek to confirm first impression

Recency Bias: We remember better what we heard last

These biases operate unconsciously. Even trained interviewers have them.

2. The Candidate is “Acting”

78% of candidates admit to “exaggerating” in interviews. 33% admit to lying directly about achievements.

An interview measures how well someone interviews, not how well they work.

3. Inconsistency Between Interviewers

The same candidate can receive a “Strong Hire” from one interviewer and a “No Hire” from another. Inter-interviewer variance is extremely high.

4. Limited Information

In 45 minutes of interview, you barely scratch the surface. Well-designed assessments capture behavior patterns that only emerge with time and controlled context.

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Why Assessments Work Better

1. Objectivity

Assessments measure the same thing for all candidates, in the same way, without variation.

2. Behavior vs Self-Presentation

Instead of asking “Are you organized?”, we measure response patterns that reveal organization.

3. Scientific Validation

Good assessments (like those based on OCEAN extended to 6 dimensions) have decades of research backing them.

4. Comparable Data

You can compare candidates objectively against benchmarks and ideal profiles.

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The Optimal Combination

It’s not about eliminating interviews. It’s about strategically combining methods.

The Recommended Funnel

1. Application Review (basic filter)

↓

2. Psychometric Assessment ← OBJECTIVE DATA

↓

3. Structured Interview ← VALIDATION

↓

4. Technical Interview (if applicable)

↓

5. Final Interview / Offer

Why This Order

Assessment BEFORE interview:

• Reduce unnecessary interviews (time savings)
• Eliminate “first impression” biases
• Have data to ask smarter questions
• Low-fit candidates don’t reach interviews

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How to Structure Post-Assessment Interviews

Use Assessment Results

If the candidate has low Conscientiousness:

“Tell me about a project where you had multiple competing deadlines. How did you prioritize?”

If they have very high Openness:

“How do you handle situations where you have to follow established processes you can’t change?”

Consistent Structure

Same questions for all candidates for the same role. Use scorecards with defined criteria.

Diverse Panel

Multiple interviewers reduce individual bias. Different perspectives capture more dimensions.

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Conclusion

Interviews aren’t going to disappear—nor should they. But using them as the only selection criterion is like diagnosing diseases with questions alone, without blood tests.

The science is clear: Assessment + Structured Interview = Better Prediction.

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Implement Assessments in Your Process

Try Talen.to Free — 35-minute assessment based on OCEAN (6 dimensions) + Organizational values with proven predictive validity.