Recruiting new employees can be a long and painful process. Some employers conduct interviews to select new workers. I disagree with the given statement, which says that interviews are not a reliable method, and other methods are better. I believe that interviewing is a reliable method, but there are many other methods which are equally good, and the choice is on the recruiters as to which method they find suitable for their needs.
There are many reasons why interviews are preferred by some employers for hiring new employees. Firstly, by the interview, the recruiters can get an idea about the personality and social skills of the potential employees. In interviews, there is face-to-face interaction and the candidates have to answer impromptu questions, from which personality traits can be judged. Also, by asking some case study type questions, employees can judge traits like ability to handle pressure, confidence and ability to think outside the box.
However, there are many other selection methods with varied advantages. One of other common methods is written test. This method is preferred when the focus is on judging the theoretical knowledge of the person. Another conventional selection basis is group discussion. This method is good where a major job requirement of the company is conversational skills, for instance, sales jobs. Group discussion can determine the convincing power of an individual. Last but not least, there can be a combination of all the three methods, like written tests, followed by group discussion and finally interviews. This method is the most thorough of all the methods, checking everything from personality traits to knowledge and communication ability.
It is evident that different methods have different advantages and the best method cannot be singled out. It depends upon the situation. For example, interviews assess a person’s individual traits better, whereas written tests are more about knowledge and expertise in an area. There are shortcomings in every method too. For example, there is a chance of personal bias in interviews. The combination of methods can take too long to select a candidate and may be too expensive to conduct for small companies.
To conclude, hiring method depends upon the job and company’s needs. In some situations, conducting interviews is more apt, whereas in some situations the other methods may be more advantageous