SELECTION INTERVIEW

Agenda

Introduction

Types of interviews

Three steps in successful interviewing

The interview schedule

The interview guide

Conducting the interview

Types of Interview

Interview review

The interviewee

Interviewer errors

Definitions
INTERVIEWING:
Interviews are in essence guided
dialogues to gain information,
made effective by using a well
prepared interview guide

A Definition Of An Interview
An interview
is a presentation of self for the
interviewer, the interviewee, and the
organization.

A Four Point Process

1.

Gather

2.

Analyze

3.

Decide

4.

Act

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview

Opening
the Interview
5%

Gathering
Information
80%

Giving
Information
10%

Closing
the Interview
5%

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview
Opening
the
Interview
5%

Making small
talk

Making the
candidate
comfortable

Introducing
yourself

Structuring the
interview

Gathering
Information
80%

Giving
Information
10%

Closing
the
Interview
5%

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview
Opening
the
Interview
5%

Gathering
Information
80%

Using openended
behavior
questions

Probing

Evaluating

Giving
Information
10%

Closing
the
Interview
5%

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview
Opening
the
Interview
5%

Gathering
Information
80%

Giving
Information
10%

Telling
about the
job

Selling the
opportunit
y

Closing
the
Interview
5%

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview

Opening
the
Interview
5%

Gathering
Informatio
n
80%

Giving
Informatio
n
10%

Closing
the
Interview
5%
Describin
g next
steps and
timing

Thanking
the
candidate

The Basics of Interviewing

Structure of the Interview

Opening
the
Interview
5%
Making small
talk
Making the
candidate
comfortable
Introducing
yourself
Structuring
the interview

Gathering
Informatio
n
80%
Using openended
behavior
questions

Probing

Evaluating

Giving
Informatio
n
10%
Telling
about the
job

Selling
the
opportuni
ty

Closing
the
Interview
5%
Describin
g next
steps and
timing

Thanking
the
candidate

Structuring An Interview

Beginning
Welcome

the candidate

Panel Introductions

Advise candidate of
interview structure

Initial note-taking

Middle
Competency based
questioning

Note-taking

End
Invitation to candidate to ask
questions

Tell them of decision making

process

Check contact details are

correct

Thank the candidate for

coming

Post Interview

After the candidate has left the room each panel member and the Chair comes to their
initial individual assessment of the candidate against each of the Core Competences. This
should be done without discussion, so there is no undue influence on any individuals
assessment. Panel members may, however, wish to refer to each others notes of the
interview.

The rating scale for recruitment for most posts in the MOJ that are underpinned by
competences is:

0 No Evidence

1 Some Evidence

2 Demonstrated

3 A Strength

Panel members will then total up these ratings to arrive at their initial overall mark.

The Chair will then ask the panel members to disclose their marks, then disclose his/her own.

The panel should then discuss their ratings and attempt to agree a mark for each Core
Competence.

This is not essential but any major discrepancies should be resolved. An overall mark is then
agreed and the rating form completed .

Recording Evidence

Candidates have legal right to see their interview notes - they

can be used as evidence in discrimination claims.

AVOID:
Making general classificatory statements such as he was
insensitive to others or she showed poor leadership
Interpreting actions sounds like she left her previous job
because she couldnt cope
Imparting feelings to the actions such as he was disappointed
about his performance
Describing underlying personality characteristics such as she
was conscientious and disciplined

Making The Decision

Interview performance of all candidates should be discussed and scores

awarded to each candidate

Any candidate who has not sufficiently demonstrated any essential

interview criteria should not be appointed

Identify the candidate who has best demonstrated the desirable criteria
(a candidate who has partially met the criteria may still be considered)

Should two candidates score equally, then identify which candidate

scored higher against the most important criteria

If none of the candidates sufficiently meets your criteria, do not feel

you have to appoint but consider the implications on your service or
department if you do

Relationship Between Interviewer &

Interviewee

What happens between the interviewee and interviewer

tends to have a greater influence on the outcomes of the
interview than do the actual job requirements.

Pre Interview Objectives

Job Descriptions

Design job descriptions that identify the qualifications

a person needs to do a particular job.

Utilize the job description as a basis for a structured

interview guide.

Use pre interview planning formats on which to do

your recruitment homework.

Interview Objectives
Interview Format, Screening & Listening.

Screen candidates through effective evaluation of their

resumes or job applications.

Identify the tools that are useful in conducting an

interview effectively.

Interview effectively by listening more and talking less,

and by asking the right, legal questions.

Post Interview Objectives

Final Decisions
Make sound hiring decisions based on
specific job criteria

Three steps in successful interviewing

Preparation: produce an interview

schedule and interview guides.
Execution: conduct the interviews
Review: write up the interview notes

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Steps in the interview process

Preparation

Execution

Interview
schedule

Interview
guides

Who you are

going to
interview, why,
when and where?

What questions
are you going to
ask?

Interview

Structure
Rapport
Listen
Probe
Clarify

Review

Interview
notes format

What results were

obtained?
Information
found
Decisions
Actions

An interview guide should be created prior to all interviews to

ensure the interviews are focused and efficient and enable
comparison and summarisation.
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The interview schedule

Name

Position

Rationale

Date

John Smith

R&D Manager

To understand R&D strategy 25/4

and get future R&D
expenditures

Roy Wilkinson

Head of metalurgical
research

To get facts on competitor

Xs latest development.
In particular:
Potential customers
Our position

Bob Johnson

Lab assistant

27/4

An interview schedule is helpful, to track who is going to be

interviewed, when and why.

Preparing the interview guide

Determine the objectives of the interview.

Plan the structure of the interview.

Prepare interview questions.

Prepare additional notes if they assist. For example having an

organisation chart helps in clarifying roles and responsibilities.

The interview guide enables standardisation of interviews for

effective comparison and summarisation

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Guidelines for structuring an interview

Focused
Many interviewees tend to go off on tangents during
interviews. Your interview guide should clearly state the
boundaries for your interview. These should be stated generally
at the beginning with more specific instructions to refocus
when appropriate.
Quantifiable
Open questions tend to produce long answers that are difficult
to quantify and compare. If you need measured responses ask
the interviewee to assign a value to their answer so direct
comparisons to be made. For example How reliable is the
current system, what score would you give it out of ten?
Complete
Check that the guide addresses all the objectives of the
24
interview and have a colleague review it.

Interview execution
Interviews are exceptionally rich sources of information. However, no
two interviewees are alike: some tend to ramble, others are suspicious
and curt, some will need only the slightest encouragement to speak
their minds, while others will have to be guided along.
The interviewers job is to conduct the interview to gather the
information required, which takes skill, practice and structure.
Once you have concluded your interviews, they must be summarised
to yield the big picture.
Your questions should therefore allow for valid comparison and
summarisation of your interviewees viewpoints.

25

How to conduct the interview

Introduction

Conduct at their place of work where possible

Always state the reason for the interview and how it will be conducted

Put the interviewee at ease

Ask the interviewee if they agree to you taking notes

Body

Listen to the answers and request clarification if necessary

Avoid making criticisms or taking sides
control of the interview: refocus the interviewee if they are rambling or
Keep
clarify if they misunderstood the question
Stay focused and follow your interview guide
Allow the interviewee to ask questions

Wrapup

Thank the interviewee

Advise them what the next steps are and the timeframe

Build rapport
Your interview needs to balance the building of rapport and collecting of
required information.
Introduction
Gain rapport first. Explain the context, set the tone, and make the
interviewee feel at ease. The introduction serves to:

Introduce yourself

Gauge the interviewees style, expectations and concerns

Confirm the timeframe

Sequence the interview items

Items should be ordered by importance and sensitivity. A nonthreatening format for interviews involves the careful arrangement of
interview topics:

General before specific

Historic before current

Listen and question

Listen
To reassure the interviewee you are listening and to gain information:

use non-verbal cues such as head nods to show you are listening.

wait until the current question is answered before preparing the next one

listen for emotions and attitudes as well as facts

interrupt only if you sense avoidance of answering the question or if the

interviewee has drifted too far from the topic

request clarification and ask follow on questions

Ask open questions

To initiate discussion on a broad subject and to encourage a comprehensive
explanation:

use clear, direct phrasing that asks a single question

ask how, what or when but avoid the intimidating why question

Ask closed questions

To elicit a specific reply:

use this type of question sparingly to avoid appearing as an

interrogator

ask in order to understand rather than impress

be concise

Open questioning
Examples:
So what do you enjoy about the role?
Are there any other issues I should be aware of?

Advantages

Disadvantages

Puts interviewee at ease

You may lose control

Interesting for interviewee

May use up too much time

Provides depth of detail

Interviewer may appear unprepared

Harder to analyse later

Lower reliability of data

Reveals other areas of

enquiry

29

Closed questioning
Examples:
Is the new form better or worse than the old form?
Is it Mary or Jane who enter the application details?
Do you stamp the form before or after the details are
recorded?

Advantages

Efficient use of time

Easy to compare interviews

Higher reliability of data

Less interviewing skill needed

Focuses interviewee

Disadvantages

Can be boring for

interviewees

Doesnt provide the

opportunity to qualify
answers

You may miss other areas

30

Probe questioning
Probe questioning is honing in on a particular area of interest and
drilling down to obtain more detail. It includes asking for more
information to clarify a vague phrase or statement made by the
interviewee such as quite high or often late. Probe questioning
needs to be balanced with open and closed questioning to avoid
the interview seeming like an interrogation.
Examples:
How does that happen?
How did that change impact your department?
What specifically do they do as a result of that?
Advantages

Provides data on new aspects

Supplies detail in context

Shows interest in
conversation

Disadvantages

Can appear threatening

31

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is a technique used to confirm or clarify

something the interviewee has said or implied. There are
three levels of paraphrasing:

The first level confirms or clarifies expressed thoughts

and feelings, for example: so there are three factors
that determine the present situation

The second confirms implied thoughts or feelings, for

example: so you would really like to change this
situation

The third surfaces core thoughts or feelings, for

example: you are afraid that it might make things
worse for you or so you think the strategy is wrong
(Note that with paraphrasing of feelings you can
trigger a strong emotional response particularly with

Interview review
A standard interview note format is useful in orienting interviews to results:
Key Steps

Write
Writeinterview
interviewnotes
notes
as
assoon
soonas
aspossible
possibleafter
afterthe
the
interview
interview

Outline
Outlinekey
keyfindings,
findings,
note
noteemerging
emerginghypotheses
hypotheses

Consider
Considerhow
howfindings
findingsfitfit
with
withearlier
earlierevidence
evidence

Identify
Identifygaps
gapstotobe
be
filled
in
subsequent
filled in subsequent
interviews
interviews

Format

Interview
InterviewNotes
Notes
Interviewees:
Interviewees:
Interviewers:
Interviewers:
Location:
Location:
Date:
Date:
KEY
KEYFINDINGS
FINDINGS

BACKGROUND
BACKGROUNDAND
AND
SITUATION
SITUATION

DISCUSSION
DISCUSSIONNOTES
NOTES

NEXT
NEXTSTEPS
STEPS

Interview notes are valuable when sharing

Adjust your style to suit the interviewee

The nervous interviewee
Be very explicit in setting the scene, tell why you are there and what they can
expect. Establish rapport and make sure you are relaxed and confident
The non-talker
Make a special effort to build rapport and find common language and
experiences. Avoid closed questions, use open questions to draw them out
The angry/hostile interviewee
Do not tolerate threatening behaviour.
If anger is directed at you:

admit your mistake if you are wrong

stay calm, avoid getting angry in return

If anger is directed at others:

do not get involved and do not taking sides

correct misinformation tactfully

ie do not challenge honestly held opinions
34

Poor interviewing behaviour

Examples:

Did not make an appointment

Arrived late
Was rude
Exhibited one upmanship
Did not explain the purpose of the
interview
Did not explain the scope of interview
Used jargon
Became confrontational
Was inconsiderate
Talked down to the interviewee
Abruptly ended the interview
Did not explain what happens next

Do not

Arrive without warning

Fail to thank the interviewee for their time

Forget interviewees name or role

Show of
Criticise
Interrupt
Be impatient
Use coarse language
Fidget, lounge or appear bored
Go over time without agreement from
interviewee

Types of Interview

The
The
The
The
The

Screening Interview
Selection Interview
Group Interview
Panel Interview
Stress Interview

Screening Interview
Your first Interview with a particular employer will often be the
screening Interview.
This is usually an Interview with someone in human resources;
it may take place in
person or on the telephone. He or she will have a copy of your
resume in hand and
will try to verify the information on it. The human resources
representative will want
to find out if you meet the minimum qualifications for the job
and, if you do, you will
be passed on to the next step.

Selection Interview
The selection Interview is the step in the process that makes people
the most anxious. The
employer knows you are qualified to do the job, while you may have
the skills to perform the
tasks that are required by the job in question; the employer needs
to know if you have the
personality necessary to "fit in." However, more than one person
being Interview ed for a
single opening may appear to fit in. So job candidates are often
invited back for
several Interviews with diferent people before a final decision is
made.

The Group Interview

In a group Interview, several job candidates are Interview ed
at once. In any group,
there is a natural process that takes place where the group
stratifies into leaders and
followers. The Interviewer may also be trying to find out if
you are a "team player."
The type of personality the employer is looking for
determines the outcome of this
Interview. There is nothing more to do than act naturally.
Acting like a leader if you
are not one may put you into a job for which you are not
appropriate.

Stress Interview
Stress Interview is a technique sometimes used
to weed out candidates who cannot handle
adversity. The Interviewer may try to artificially
introduce stress into the Interview by asking
questions so quickly that the candidate doesn't
have time to answer each one. Another Interviewer
trying to introduce stress may respond to
candidates answers with silence. The Interviewer
may also ask weird questions, not to determine
what
the candidate answers, but how he or she answers.

Behavior-Based Interviewing

WHAT is it ?

Basing interview questions and

candidate assessment on job
relevant past behavior

Behavior-Based Interviewing

WHY use it ?

Make better hiring

decisions . . . past behavior,
particularly if its recent,
relevant and sustained, is the
best predictor of future
behavior

Minimize legal exposure . . . its

the most objective way to
assess a candidates
qualifications

Behavior-Based Interviewing

Open-ended behavior questions

General
Experiences

Specific Experiences

Probes

Clarify

Get more information

Look for contrary

evidence / confirmation

Situation

Action

Result

The Basics of Interviewing

Tips
Tips
Maintenance

Maintain accepting and friendly

facial expressions

Note Taking

Take extensive notes without

writing whole sentences

Use a broad vocal range

Use candidates name from

time to time

Develop a system that works

for you

Capture content and context

Talk 10%, listen 90%

Maintain eye contact

Dont write negatives as soon

as candidate states them

Show approval and

enthusiasm

Keep your notes away from

candidates direct vision

Soften negative responses

Encourage candidate with

Types of Questions

Open vs. Closed

Closed questions can be

answered yes or no . . .
have their purpose but
should be limited

Self-Evaluation / Opinion

What is the best

way to close a sale?

- Did, Do, Are, Will, Would,

Should

No real evidence about what

the candidate actually does or
how they will behave in the
future

A skilled interviewee will tell

you what you want to hear

Open-ended questions
require explanation . . .
candidate must organize
thoughts
- Describe, How, Explain,
Tell me, What

Examples: What are your

strengths?

Types of Questions

Hypotheticals

Examples: How would you

handle a sales associate who
refuses to complete required
paperwork but is delivering
good results?
Hypos help you
understand a candidates
thought process and ability
to think on his/her feet
Dont use hypos to predict
future behavior . . . its easy
to talk a good game

Open-Ended
Behavior Questions

Example: Tell me about a

particularly challenging
negotiation with a customer.
How did you prepare?
What was the outcome?

These questions allow for a

more objective assessment of
the candidates qualifications

Use whenever possible

Legal Guidelines: Interviewing

The interview should only gather information which is job related.

Topics to avoid include:

Age
Race
Sex
Marital Status
National origin/ancestry

Religious denomination
Disability
Stand on civil rights
Arrest record

Pregnancy or family planning

Child care arrangements
Credit rating
How long plan to work

If it is not job-related or when in doubt, dont ask it!

Dont give the wrong reason for rejection.
Make no representation about employment duration.

Only ask questions that allow you to assess whether or not

a candidate is qualified to perform the job.

Consult with your HR or Legal Staff.

Structured/Competency Based Interviews

Panel should agree on what competency based questions

will be asked in advance

Questions must relate to advertised selection criteria

Same questions asked of every candidate in the interests of

fairness

Use of scoring / rating system (i.e. 0-4)

Gathering of evidence: taking notes

Question Types: Open

These invite more than a one-word answer. They usually start with:

What? eg What else were you aware of?

How eg How did you tackle that?

Why eg Why did you do that?

The same effect can be achieved by phrases used as questions,

such as:

Id like you to tell me about a time when

I wonder if you can think of an example of

or by direct requests like:

Would you enlarge on that a little for me please?

If used as a follow-up to another question in this way, these questions are

sometimes described as probing.

There may be times when you need to control the flow of information a little
while you monitor its relevance.

Question Types: Closed

These invite only a one-word or very brief answer. They often start with:

Where? eg Where were you based?

When? eg When was that?

Who? eg Who else was involved?

How? eg How many times did that happen?

The replies are likely to be explicit and factual a date, a place, a name, a number.

Equally, succinct responses will be elicited by direct Yes/No questions.

These may start:

Did you ?
Have you ?
Could you ?
Will you .?

The replies should tell you whether the candidate did or didnt or has or hasnt.
Judicious use of closed questions helps to clarify or confirm factual data. It also speeds up the pace of a
slow-moving interview. They are therefore rather more useful than they might appear at first . Where they can be
counterproductive is where the candidate is already inclined to staccato replies. Then you really will have to
provide every encouragement for him or her to open up.

Question Types: Leading

Variants of the closed question, leading questions are to be avoided at

all costs.
You may think you know what you want the candidate to say.

Constructing your questions in a way that makes this a foregone

conclusion adds nothing to the assessment.

Questions which state or imply You do, dont you? demand the
answer Yes.

Those that are phrased You dont, do you? demand a No.

Avoid them unless you really do just want to see whether the
candidate will contradict you.

Question Types: Multiple

In trying to make your questions clear and easy to understand

you may find yourself amplifying what started off as a simply
worded question. When this happens you will probably end up
with a multiple question. For instance:
Id like you to give me an example of something you found
particularly hard to master I mean something you tried to learn
that you found difficult to understand, or perhaps something that
you feel you learned in theory but then found hard to apply.

The candidate is faced with a choice of questions and you may

find it hard to interpret the reply.

Try to avoid such confusion. Ask one question at a time

Question Types: Probing

Whatever type of question you have asked, never be frightened to seek a
more detailed understanding. Dont feel inhibited from asking:

What else?

What then?

What do you put that down to?

What influenced you?

or any other question that gets you closer to the situations described by the
candidate. If a very positive picture is being painted, probe to see if there
is another side to the story. If the picture that is emerging appears
negative, be equally rigorous in probing for examples or information which
may counterbalance this.
Probing questions are the best method of gathering evidence competence,
on the basis that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.
See overleaf for some examples of competency-based probing questions.

Types of Interview Bias

Bias in interviews takes many forms. The old school tie, the
shared hobby, social class, age, physical appearance, can
all affect your judgment and predispose you in favour of a
particular candidate who may or may not have the
attributes you seekcommon forms of interview bias are

Stereotyping

Snap Judgments

Negative Information

Horns/Halo Effect

Prejudice

Types of Interview Bias..

Stereotyping:People whose eyes are close together are dishonest,

never trust a man in a bow tie. Generalizing about people on the basis of
what they look like or one aspect of their behavior is potentially dangerous.

Whether the stereotype is physical (People with red hair have quick
tempers), racial (Indians always work really hard), or social (Hes one
of the lads; it would be good to have him on board) avoid them at all
costs

Snap Judgments: First impressions do count, but they are often wrong.
Resist the temptation to put too much weight on the first few minutes of
the interview unless you really need someone who makes an instant
impact. Examine the evidence against all the relevant criteria, not just the
physical appearance or interpersonal skills you register as the candidate
walks in.

Types of Interview Bias..

Negative Information: One poor piece of evidence can easily

outweigh three good pieces. For a balanced view, you must
prevent this. If there appear to be some negatives, dont
write the candidate off or shy away from fear of mutual
embarrassment. Probe fully to make sure you dont jump to
conclusions based on half the facts. If you investigate
further you may find the candidate emerging in a much
more positive light.

Prejudice: The same factors which can bias you in favour of

one candidate can prejudice you against another. The most
insidious forms of prejudice are those based on race and sex
which are also illegal. You may well miss out on some of
the best candidates.

Types of Interview Bias..

Horns and Halo Effect:

HALO : The candidates who scores highly against one or two of

your criteria is not necessarily perfect. Beware of assuming that
the snappy dresser is intelligent or that the articulate speaker has
good interpersonal skills. Examine each of your criteria separately.

HORNS: The opposite is also true. Just because a candidate can

produce no evidence to meet a particular criterion, dont assume
its a lost cause. It may be that there are compensating strengths
in other areas.