TASK 2:
ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: IELTS I-Ready, 7/12/2025
Marked by: Ex-BC Examiner
(IELTS Academic – 5/12/2025)
Question: Interviews form the basic selecting criteria for most large companies. However, some people think that the interview is not a reliable method of choosing whom to employ and that there are other better methods. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
ANSWER:
While job interviews have long been regarded as the default approach to employee selection, some argue that this method is unreliable and alternative assessment strategies should be adopted. I partly agree with this view because interviews do offer valuable information about candidates, yet they should be complemented with other procedures to ensure a more objective recruitment process.
On the one hand, interviews are an essential component of modern recruitment owing to their ability to assess interpersonal qualities that cannot be captured in written documents. For most positions, especially those involving teamwork, negotiation or customer service, employers need to evaluate candidates’ communication skills, confidence and emotional intelligence. These characteristics can only be observed through direct interaction rather than resumes or academic transcripts. Moreover, interviews allow companies to verify applicants’ claims by asking follow-up questions and presenting hypothetical situations, which helps to filter out individuals who may appear competent on paper but lack the necessary soft skills.
On the other hand, interviews alone are often insufficient and potentially unreliable, leading to biased or inaccurate decisions. One major issue is that interview performance may reflect a person’s charisma rather than their actual aptitude for the job, meaning introverted but highly capable candidates can be unfairly rejected. In addition, interviews are prone to subjective judgement, as employers may unconsciously favour candidates who share similar backgrounds, values or personalities. For this reason, many organisations have adopted practical tests, group exercises or work trials that measure candidates’ real abilities. For example, a coding assessment can reveal a programmer’s proficiency far more accurately than their performance during a brief conversation.
In conclusion, although I admit that interviews remain a valuable tool in the recruitment process, I mostly believe that they are not always a fully reliable measure of a candidate’s suitability. Therefore, they should be used in conjunction with other assessment methods to form a more comprehensive and fair evaluation. (313 words)
