© 2013 by Nelson Education1 Selection III: Interviewing

© 2013 by Nelson Education 2  After reading this chapter you should:  Understand the purposes and uses of employment interviews  Know the multiple phases of the employment interview and the factors affecting employment interview decisions  Appreciate the selection errors associated with traditional approaches to employment interviewing  Begin developing competence in the design of effective interview questions and scoring guides Chapter Learning Outcomes

© 2013 by Nelson Education 3  Interviews: used at the beginning or end of the selection process  Used to explore, confirm, and expand information from the resume/application form  Employs standard questions  Panel interviews include the HR professional  Used to sell the job to the applicant  Best suited to the assessment of non-cognitive attributes  Provides an opportunity to see if there is a suitable fit Purposes and Uses of the Interview

© 2013 by Nelson Education 4  Time preparing for the interview (Supervisor/Managers/HR)  Actual interviewing time  Time spent by clerical staff on interview-related tasks  Use of office space and equipment  Travel time  Time debriefing after the interview (Supervisor/Managers/HR) The Cost of Interviewing

5  Initial information about the applicant before the interview contributes to the interviewer’s initial impressions of the application  these impressions can impact the interviewer’s conduct in the interview - e.g. more attentive, supportive, can influence the body language of the interviewer  how the interviewer behaves can affect the applicant’s performance in the interview  the interviewer’s processing of information is influenced by all of these things - initial impressions, knowledge structures, etc  same goes for the post-interview evaluation Interviewing: Impression Formation

© 2013 by Nelson Education 6  Interviewee Behaviours That Influence Positive Interviewer Impressions  Be on time for the interview  Be prepared for the interview by having done homework on the company  Make direct eye contact with the interviewer  Remain confident and determined throughout the interview, regardless of how the interviewer’s cues suggest the interview is going  Provide positive information about oneself when answering questions  Answer questions quickly and intelligently  Demonstrate interest in the position and organization Impression Formation (continued)

 Interviewee Behaviours That Influence Negative Interviewer Impressions  Present a poor personal appearance or grooming  Display an overly aggressive, know-it-all attitude  Fail to communicate clearly  Lack career goals or career planning  Overemphasize monetary issues  Be evasive  Show a lack of maturity, tact, and courtesy © 2013 by Nelson Education 7 Impression Formation (continued)

© 2013 by Nelson Education8  A traditional method of interviewing that involves no constraints on the questions asked  No requirements for standardization  A subjective assessment of the candidate (feeling or hunch about the candidate) Unstructured Interviews

© 2013 by Nelson Education 9  Consists of a standardized set of job-relevant questions  Interview questions are derived from a job analysis  Interview questions are standardized (all applicants are asked the same questions)  Prompting, follow-up questioning, probing and/or elaboration on questions are limited  Interview questions focus on behaviours or work samples  Questions from the candidate are not allowed until after the interview  Each answer is rated during the interview using a rating scale tailored to the question  Rating scales are “anchored” with behavioural examples to illustrate scale points  Detailed notes are taken during the interview Structured Interview

The Structured Interviewing Process  Conducting the interview: 1. Spend a few minutes at the beginning of the interview putting the applicant at ease 2. Ask each question in turn without omitting or skipping any 3. Take detailed notes, focusing on recording what the applicant says 4. Allow the applicant to ask questions at the end of the interview and answer them to the best of your ability 5. Follow the same procedures for each applicant and retain interview documentation for future reference © 2013 by Nelson Education 10

 Closing the interview: 1. Ask the candidate if they have any questions 2. Tell the candidate when and how he should expect to hear from you 3. Tell the candidate if you will be contacting references or conducting a second interview 4. Thank the applicant for coming 5. Review your notes and make your ratings 6. Make sure you inform all candidates of your decision when you have made it © 2013 by Nelson Education 11 The Structured Interviewing Process (continued)

© 2013 by Nelson Education 12  Panel interview: an interview conducted by two or more interviewers together at one time  Serial interviews: a series of interviews where the applicant is interviewed separately by each of two or more interviewers  Situational interview: a highly structured interview in which important or decisive situations employees are likely to encounter on the job are described  Applicants are asked what they would do in these situations  Behaviour description interview: a structured interview in which the applicant is asked to describe what he did in given situation in the past Types of Interviews

 Most reliable  Past behaviours usually predict future behaviours  Not easy to fake or make up examples – on the spot  It assesses performance and the range of experience – other interviews concentrate on identifying whether or not you have the proper skills or knowledge 13 Behavioural Descriptive Interview

14  Designing interview questions using critical incidents  those typical behaviours that determine the success or failure of an employee in a particular job-related situation  Create answers by asking yourself “What would you do?”  In your answers, demonstrate effective, typical and ineffective behaviours and rate - e.g. poor (1), average (3), good (5) Behavioural Descriptive Interview (continued)

 Sample questions: Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate or upset customer. Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with your boss. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision. Give an example of a time in which you had to be creative. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a co-worker. Describe a situation in which you had to meet a tight deadline. 15 Behavioural Descriptive Interview (continued)