Biased cross-cultural interviews can lead to candidates being turned down for jobs which their qualifications and experience would enable them to do well. Consider, for instance, the case of Ibrahim, a 27-year-old Egyptian engineer who is interviewed in the same week by two manufacturing companies in Toronto.

The interviewer in the first company notes Ibrahim’s strong production experience but suspects that a degree from an Egyptian university is worth less than a Canadian degree. He also notes Ibrahim’s foreign accent and unassertive manner and feels that the Egyptian might not get on with other members of the production department. At the end of the interview Ibrahim is turned down for the job.

The interviewer in the second company notes Ibrahim’s qualifications but spends most of the time discussing Ibrahim’s current projects. He is impressed by Ibrahim’s positive attitude and thinks he could make a valuable contribution to the company’s core competencies. At the end of the interview he offers Ibrahim the job.

Three years later Ibrahim is appointed to a senior management post in the production department.