The goals of a job interview are to predict the candidate who will be most successful in the role and encourage the ideal candidate to accept the job offer. Unfortunately, most interviews accomplish neither. Extensive research shows that the typical job interview is a poor predictor of success, making the selection process risky for hiring managers, particularly at the interview stage.

Due to a series of cognitive errors, faulty opinions, and unexamined biases, common interview practices can fail to attract a top candidate and accurately predict success on the job. This guide provides the rationale for a competency-based or skills-first approach to interviewing, which eliminates the tendency to value opinion over evidence and intuition over data. Evaluating competencies in interviewing is a more consistent and effective approach that leads to better hiring results.