How do job applicants’ perceptions of the interview process shape subsequent organizational performance, and under what conditions do these effects intensify or diminish? Drawing on signaling theory and strategic human capital perspectives, this study proposes that an organization’s interview satisfaction—defined as the ratio of applicants reporting a favorable interview experience to those indicating a less favorable one—plays a crucial role in enhancing firm performance. Using data from a large online community (i.e., Glassdoor), we show that organizational interview satisfaction significantly predicts improvements in both return on assets (ROA) and return on sales (ROS). Moreover, these positive effects are strengthened when a larger proportion of strategically important applicants (high-value, high-uniqueness positions) are hired, but attenuated when the firm enjoys a strong reputation—suggesting that preexisting favorable perceptions reduce the incremental benefit of positive interview experiences. Our findings advance research on the interview process by demonstrating how applicants’ collective perceptions can influence firm-level outcomes.
