Job Interviews Are Worthless Predictors Of Job Success – According To Google

By Peter Roberts

Google ran a big data analysis on thousands of job interviews and their findings were very interesting.

Laszlo Bock, the head of Human Resources at Google told the New York Times…

“We looked at tens of thousands of interviews, everyone who had done the interviews, what they scored the candidate and how that person ultimately performed in their job. We found zero relationship. It’s a complete random mess…”

Bock found interviews are worthless as predictors of job success!

The hiring process hasn’t changed much over the decades. A job is posted, an applicant shows interest, interviews are conducted and an offer is made (or not).

This doesn’t take into account the time involved on both sides either.

Employers need to sift through tens, maybe hundreds of resumes. Job seekers spend a substantial amount of time preparing their resume for the best chance at being granted an interview.

Then the interview process usually involves 2 or 3 meetings.

So what is the cost of the lost time if, as Google has found, interviews have zero relationship to the effectiveness of the new employee on the job?

Is a second or third interview really necessary?

Interviews are still the preferred next step after receiving someone’s resume for most employers, however maybe it’s time to place less emphasis on the interview and more on the candidate’s experience and skills.

A Possible Solution

What if the candidate was given the opportunity to show their skills on the job as part of the hiring process? What if they could show the employer they know how to perform on the job?

As an employer, how can the candidate show you their ability to perform the tasks required for the role?

As a candidate, what can you do to show the employer you can perform in the role?

Evidence is what the employer is after. Evidence that the candidate-

  • Can perform in the role
  • Will fit in with their colleagues and become a valued part of the team

So maybe we need to start thinking outside the norm and look at the hiring process in a different way.

When you’re job hunting use Connectzapp to have employers seek you out. By the time they contact you they’ve viewed your profile and know you’re qualified for the job.

It’s the easiest way to find a new role without all the usual legwork.

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