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OPM.gov / Policy / Assessment & Selection / Structured Interviews
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Structured Interviews

A structured interview is an assessment method designed to measure job-related competencies of candidates by systematically inquiring about their behavior in past experiences and/or their proposed behavior in hypothetical situations.

Generally speaking, structured interviews ensure candidates have equal opportunities to provide information and are assessed accurately and consistently.

Structured interviews are popular because they are more personal than other assessment methods. Other benefits of structured interviews are:

  • They can evaluate competencies that are difficult to measure using other assessment methods (e.g., Interpersonal Skills)
  • All candidates are asked the same predetermined questions in the same order
  • All responses are evaluated using the same rating scale and standards for acceptable answers

For information about how to develop and conduct a structured interview, please view the Structured Interview Guide.

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