Interviewee and interviewer ratings of job interview anxiety: an investigation of the discrepancy using the Brunswik Lens Model

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Feiler, Amanda Rose
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University of Guelph
Abstract

The present study sought to confirm past research suggesting that there is a weak correlation between interviewer- and interviewee-rated interview anxiety as well as to ascertain the behaviours interviewers are detecting that lead them to infer that a particular candidate is anxious. A coding tool was developed to assess anxious behaviours of undergraduate students' (27 males, 57 females) videotaped mock job interviews. The results indicated (contrary to past research evidence) that interviewers are able to detect interview anxiety with reasonable accuracy. Specifically, interviewer-rated overall anxiety correlated with interviewee-rated communication, social, and performance anxiety. Consistent with prediction, interview anxiety (as rated by both the interviewer and the interviewee) was negatively related to interview performance. Overall, the behavioural cues exhibited little agreement between the interviewer and interviewee, but suggested that the absence of warmth and enthusiasm are indicative of anxiety. Several exploratory analyses were conducted. The implications of this research are discussed.

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interviewer, interviewee, job interview, interview anxiety, behaviours, candidate, anxious, anxious behaviours
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