Structured interviews averaged .42 validity in the 2022 Sackett et al. re-analysis, the highest of any selection method studied. Unstructured interviews averaged .19, roughly the same as a general conscientiousness measure.
- Structured interviews averaged .42 validity in the 2022 Sackett et al. re-analysis, the highest of any selection method studied.
- Unstructured interviews averaged .19, roughly the same as a general conscientiousness measure.
- Validity varies widely with design: structured interviews range roughly from .18 to .66, so how the interview is built matters as much as whether it is structured.
Interviews are the most widely used hiring method in the world, and among the most misunderstood. The question is not whether to interview. It is how. On this point, the research is unusually clear.
What question does this brief answer?
Interviews are the most common hiring method in the world. Does the way an interview is run change how well it predicts performance?
What makes an interview structured?
A structured interview has three features: every candidate gets the same job-related questions, every answer is rated against a predefined scale, and ratings are recorded before candidates are discussed. An unstructured interview is a free-flowing conversation where questions and judgments vary by interviewer.
What does the evidence show?
In Sackett et al.'s 2022 revised estimates, structured interviews had a mean operational validity of .42 and unstructured interviews .19. Structured interviews also ranked above cognitive ability tests (.31), reversing the long-held view that cognitive ability is the single best predictor.
Same time cost, same candidate, more than twice the predictive value.
Why is there so much variation?
The .42 is an average. Its 80% credibility interval runs from about .18 to .66. Interviews at the top of that range are built from a careful analysis of the job, use questions about past behavior, and train interviewers to rate consistently. Interviews at the bottom are structured in form only.
How does this connect to behavioral hiring?
Behavioral hiring uses the structured interview as its verification step. Questions come from the role's behavioral profile, and where a candidate's assessment differs from that profile, interviewers probe the difference directly. In the GoodJob process, interviewers rank each answer to surface both gaps and natural talents. See our guide to writing behavioral interview questions.
Practical implications
- Write questions from a defined role profile, not from interviewer preference.
- Ask about past behavior, not hypotheticals.
- Agree on rating anchors before the first interview.
- Record individual ratings before the debrief.
Sources
- Sackett, P. R., Zhang, C., Berry, C. M., & Lievens, F. (2022). Revisiting meta-analytic estimates of validity in personnel selection: Addressing systematic overcorrection for restriction of range. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(11), 2040–2068. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000994
- McDaniel, M. A., Whetzel, D. L., Schmidt, F. L., & Maurer, S. D. (1994). The validity of employment interviews: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4), 599–616. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.79.4.599
How to cite this page
Behavior Hiring. (2026). Structured vs. unstructured interviews: what the meta-analytic evidence shows. https://behaviorhiring.com/research/structured-vs-unstructured-interviews/