SMR Forum: Hotel Room Interviewing - Anxiety and Suspicion

Interviews for prospective sales representatives are frequently held in hotel rooms because of such advantages as: 1. sales managers' total concentration on personnel selection, 2. the convenient, accessible location of most hotels, and 3. allowing numerous candidates to interview during designated times. In contrast to these advantages, many prospective salespersons, particularly women, will not attend an interview held in a hotel room. Questionnaires were completed by 4 groups of college students who read an advertisement for a typical sales position. Interviews in 3 of the 4 questionnaires were to be held in hotel rooms; 1 was to be held in an office building. Survey results indicate that 30% more women will apply if interviews are held in office buildings rather than hotels. Men and women both were concerned for their safety and reported increased anxiety associated with hotel room interviews. Companies should consider alternate interview sites.