The result is that the quality of the data gathered is not consistent from one interview to the next. Interviewers often spend more time talking than listening. Many interviewers are tempted to spend as much time talking about themselves or selling the organization as they spend finding out about whether the candidate has the required capabilities. Impressions formed early in the interview guide the final decision. In one study of interviewing and decision making, it was found that on the average, interviewers made up their minds about whether or not to select a job candidate in the first five minutes, and then spent the rest of the interview asking questions to get support for the original conclusion.
Interviewers are more interested in looking smart than getting good data.
Strong impressions about candidates in one or two areas influence how candidates are rated in unrelated areas. Typically, campus recruiters asked questions about previous jobs or activities, future goals, grades, classes, etc. None of this is irrelevant, it is just not the most efficient, focused or objective way to obtain detailed experiences that demonstrate what a person can do on the job. One element of CBI is to ask questions that do not imply a desired response. For example, instead of asking about leadership, ask for an example of an experience when a recruit worked with a group.