Tell Me More! Examining the Benefits of Adding Structured Probing in Asynchronous Video Interviews

The personnel selection field has observed the rising use of asynchronous video interviews (AVI). The current study investigates whether follow-up questions (probes) can optimize the applicant experience in AVIs. Across two experimental studies with participants recruited from Prolific, we investigated whether AVIs with probing promote applicant reactions (e.g., the opportunity to perform perceptions) toward the AVI and how probing influences interview behaviors, applicant perceptions, and interview performance ratings. In Study 1, 404 participants were randomly assigned to either an AVI with probing or an AVI without probing. Results indicated that probing directly improved the opportunity to perform perceptions and interview performance ratings. In addition, probing positively impacted honest impression management and motivation to perform indirectly through participants' perceived opportunity to perform. However, mediation analyses suggested that the effect of probing on interview performance ratings was driven by response length. In Study 2 (n = 271), we teased apart the effects of the inherently added response time that probing affords applicants with an additional condition that matched the response time of probes. Relative to Study 1, probing only slightly improved the opportunity to perform perceptions, but the effect of probing on the opportunity to perform perceptions was greater when compared to an AVI with an equivalent response time. In addition, probing positively impacted interview performance ratings, above and beyond their increased response time. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.