Which statement about interviews is most accurate?

• A. Interviews should be unstandardized to capture diverse responses.
• B. Interviews should be standardized to provide equal opportunities.
• C. Interviews are not used in hiring decisions.
• D. Interviews should be conducted only by external consultants.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that standardizing the interview process promotes equal opportunities and fair, reliable evaluation of candidates. When interviews use a structured format—with the same job-relevant questions for everyone, clearly defined scoring criteria, and trained interviewers—the evaluation becomes more consistent. This reduces the influence of individual interviewer styles, biases, or momentary impressions, making it easier to compare candidates on the same criteria and to defend decisions if questioned. A structured approach also tends to better predict job performance because the questions are aligned with the key responsibilities and competencies of the role.

Why this is the best fit: it supports fairness and legal defensibility while improving the quality of hiring decisions through reliability and validity. In contrast, unstandardized interviews can yield diverse responses but at the cost of inconsistent data, potentially biased outcomes, and less defensible choices. Saying interviews aren’t used in hiring decisions is inaccurate because interviews are a common and central tool in selection. The idea that only external consultants should conduct interviews isn’t necessary—the important point is how the interview is conducted, not who does it.