Qualitative approaches to research offer many advantages. Internal thoughts, emotions, and prior behaviors are not observable (Patton, 2002). However, an interview is a great instrument for gaining an understanding of a “social actor’s experience and perspective” (Lindlof & Taylor, 2002, p. 173) and “the meaning they make of that experience” (Seidman, 1991, p. 3). As Lindlof and Taylor (2002) explained, “the qualitative interview is an event in which one person [the interviewer] encourages others to freely articulate their interests and experiences” (p. 170).
Moreover, Spitzberg and Cupach (1984) advised that how competent one is can be
assessed by either interactant (in this case, the recruiting interviewer or the applicant).
Although communication competence can be assessed by the interviewer(s), the
interviewee(s), and the observer(s), the interviewer or interviewee should be the one
who rates competence instead of third-party observers (researchers). Spitzberg and
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Cupach argued that the “interactant is the only person who knows whether his or her
conversational objectives were achieved, and the conversational partner is in the best
position to know whether such goals were obtained via appropriate interaction”
(p. 94). Thus, in order to be able to answer my research questions, I chose to use the
interview method to uncover the concept and dimensions of communication
competence from the perspective of employment interviewers.
Participant Recruitment