Assessment of applicant work values through interviews: The impact of focus and functional relevance

Using a sample of graduate management students interviewed by corporate recruiters, this study examined how the assessment of applicant work values during employment interviews is affected by the focus of the interview and the functional relevance of the work value to the recruiter's organization. Hypotheses are derived from recent person perception research, information processing research and goal-setting research. Results suggest that interview focus and functional relevance affect work value assessment accuracy.