Selection III: Interviewing

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Chapter Learning Outcomes

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
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Chapter Learning Outcomes (continued)

Understand the elements of employment interview structuring
Be aware of different structured interviewing techniques and their relative advantages and disadvantages Appreciate the legal and predictive advantages of structured employment interviewing methods

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Chapter Learning Outcomes (continued)

Begin developing competence in the design of effective interview questions and scoring guides
Know about innovations and future directions in interview research and practice Appreciate the role of employment interviews in the changing organizational environment

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Purposes and Uses of the Interview

Interviews: used at the beginning or end of the selection process Used to explore and expand information from the resume/application form Employs standard questions during the interview process Panel interviews include the HR professional Used to sell the job to the applicant

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Purposes and Uses of the Interview (continued)

Best suited to the assessment of noncognitive attributes Provides the applicant a chance to ask questions about the job and organization Provides an opportunity to see if there is a suitable fit Used in the termination of employees Used to determine who is best qualified

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The Cost of Interviewing

Time preparing for the interview (Supervisor/Managers) Actual interviewing time Time spent by clerical staff on interviewrelated tasks

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The Cost of Interviewing (continued)

Use of office space and equipment Time spent developing interview questions and scoring guides Travel time

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Typical Screening Interview

Screening interviews: preliminary interviews designed to fill gaps left on the candidates application form or resume; sometimes serving recruitment as well as selection functions

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Screening Interview Format

Follow a set of pre-planned questions during the interview Review the applicants file before the interview Begin with some opening remarks by recruiter to put the applicant at ease

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Screening Interview Format (continued)

Design questions to focus on applicants previous work experience, educational background Closing: gives applicant an opportunity to ask questions about the job and the organization
Recruiter discusses timeframe of when they are getting back to applicant

Review the applicant with a rating form

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.3

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 interviewers cues suggest the interview is going

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.3 (continued)

Provide positive information about oneself when answering questions Answer questions quickly and intelligently Demonstrate interest in the position and organization

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.3 (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

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Speed Interviewing

Speed interviewing: typically consists of a series of short (5-15 minute) consecutive interviews
Used by recruiters who need to fill several positions quickly and cost effective Ascertains a candidates fit with position requirements

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A Model of Information Processing/Decision Making

Prior Information and Interviewer and Candidate Expectations Knowledge Structures The Social Interaction of Interviewer and Candidate

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A Model of Information Processing/Decision Making (continued)

Interviewer and Candidate Information Processing and Assessments Interviewer and Applicant Decisions The Context of the Interview

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Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interview: 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)

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.4

Commonly Used Interview Questions

1. Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want to leave your current job? 2. What do you consider to be your strengths? What are your weaknesses? 3. What were your strongest/weakest subjects at school? What did you learn in school that you could use in this job?

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.4 (continued)

4. How would other people (or someone who knows you or worked with you) describe you as an individual? 5. What is your greatest accomplishment (or most meaningful work experience)? 6. What were the most enjoyable aspects of your last job? What were the least enjoyable aspects?

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Recruitment and Selection Today 9.4 (continued)

7. Why do you want this job? What are you looking for from this job (or from us)? 8. Why should we hire you? What can you do for us? 9. What are your long-range plans or goals? 10. Tell me about yourself.

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Structured Interview

Structured interview: consists of a standardized set of job-relevant questions; a scoring guide is used
Remains popular with employers

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Structured Employment Interviews

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

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Structured Employment Interviews (continued)

Interview questions focus on behaviours or work samples rather than opinions or selfevaluations Interviewer access to ancillary information 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

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Structured Employment Interviews (continued)

Rating scales are anchored with behavioural examples to illustrate scale points Total interview score is obtained by summing across scores for each of the questions Detailed notes are taken during the interview

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Recruitment and Selection Notebook 9.3

The Structured Interviewing Process

Preparing for the interview:
1.Determine the amount of time available and how many questions you can ask without rushing 2.Make a standardized list of interview questions to ask all applicants in the same order 3.Develop a scoring guide with benchmark or sample answers 4.Use a space where you can have privacy, freedom from distractions, and quiet

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Recruitment and Selection Notebook 9.3 (continued)

4. Schedule the interviews with sufficient time for a brief break between interviews and to allow for some interviews to run a little over 5. Arrange to hold all calls and prevent interruptions during the interview

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Recruitment and Selection Notebook 9.3 (continued)

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

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Recruitment and Selection Notebook 9.3 (continued)

Closing the interview:
1. Tell the candidate when and how he should expect to hear from you 2. Tell the candidate if you will be contacting references or conducting a second interview 3. Thank the applicant for coming 4. Review your notes and make your ratings 5. Make sure you inform all candidates of your decision when you have made it

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Class Activity
1.

Have you experienced structured and/or unstructured interviews? How did you feel about the process?

2.

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Panel and Serial Interviews

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

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Situational Interview

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

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Scoring Guide

Scoring guide: a behavioural rating scale consisting of sample answers to each question that is used by the interviewer to evaluate and score the applicants answers

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Behaviour Description Interview

Behaviour description interview: a structured interview in which the applicant is asked to describe what he did in given situation in the past
Probes: follow-up questions or prompts used by the interviewer to guide the applicants descriptions of situations to provide scorable elaboration of answers

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Other Approaches to Interviewing

Long-distance Interviews Puzzle Interviews Multi-mini Interviews

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Summary

Employment interviews are the most popular selection procedure Use behavioural interviews
Ask interviewing questions that tie directly to the job

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Discussion Questions
1.

What factors affect employment interview decisions? What are the different errors or biases that commonly occur as part of a traditional employment interview?

2.

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Discussion Questions (continued)

3.

Why is a scoring guide crucial to the success of a structured interview? Why do many employers resist using structured interviews? How would you encourage more employers to use structured interview techniques?

4.

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