Anxiety patterns in employment interviews

Abstract

Research in public speaking arousal patterns can be used as a framework for understanding the anxiety produced in an employment interview setting. Because heightened levels of anxiety are linked to negative behavioral outcomes, identifying specific anxiety producing milestones in the interviewing process is important for successful therapeutic and pedagogical interventions.

By adapting methods used to measure anxiety in public speaking, this study identifies patterns of anxiety produced in employment interviewing settings. Results indicated that unlike public speaking where anxiety is highest immediately before speaking, anxiety in an employment‐interviewing context remains stable until the interview is over, when anxiety levels drop. Interestingly, anxiety levels returned to the initial level at the evaluation milestone. The interpersonal nature of interviewing as well as other contextual differences are discussed to explain anxiety pattern differences between public speaking and employment interviewing.