the art of strategic interviewing

© 2014 CareerBuilder© 2014 CareerBuilder

Presented by:

Keith Hadley, Practice Leader, Employment Branding, CareerBuilder

Jennifer Way, President, Way Solutions

THE ART OF STRATEGIC INTERVIEWING

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OUR SPEAKERS

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Keith HadleyPractice Leader, Employment BrandingCareerBuilder@keithhadley

Jennifer WayPresidentWay Solutions@waysolutions

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INTERVIEW EFFECTIVENESS

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What makes one interview more effective than another?

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JOB SEEKERS SAY

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Source: CareerBuilder 2013 Candidate Behavior Study

of candidates agree that their experience during the hiring process impacts their offer decision.

70%

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COMPETITION FOR TALENT

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40%of employers say they have difficulty retaining critical-skill employees

70%of Americans are not engaged at the workplace

59%of hiring managers are concerned about the growing skills gap.

5 in 10H.R. managers say they have open positions for which they cannot find qualified candidates.

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SUPPLY AND DEMAND MATTERS

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Source: CareerBuilder Supply & Demand Portal

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Prepare to Leverage

Interview Time

Design an Experience that Drives Results

Design High-Value

Pre-Screens

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QUALITY OF INTERVIEWS

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Strategic Tactical

Efficient use of time Lack focus; may take longer

3 interviews / 2 visits max Many interviews / many visits

Assigned interviewer roles Unprepared interviewers

Invest time in the interview plan Prep consists of resume review

Defined question/answer expectations Ill defined questions/answers

Leverage prescreen Remedial prescreen

Value HR Support Over/under dependent on HR support

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3 KEY ADVANTAGES

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Strong Pre-

Screens

Assigned Interview

Roles

Quality Questions & Answers

Relevant Information Improves Selection.

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USE METRICS

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Where does the greatest number of candidates come

from? (QUANTITY)

What source provides the

greatest number of hires?

(QUALITY)

Ensure a diverse candidate slate.

What is the average number of

interviews to offer?

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LOOK AT TALENT DIFFERENTLY

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Don’t ignore the long-term unemployed

Don’t look for past job titles

only on resumes

Resume

John Smith

Job TitleLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tellus eros, euismod quis.

Special SkillsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tellus eros, euismod quis.

Set realistic expectations on job descriptions

Help Wanted

Data Corp.

Job DescriptionLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tellus eros, euismod quis.

SkillsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque tellus eros, euismod quis.

Hire for potential –

and train them

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KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS

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Source: EMSI

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SKILLS – KNOWLEDGE & ABILITY

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Source: EMSI

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STRONG PRESCREENS

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Invest Time with

Hirable Candidat

es

Consistent Questions

Identify Top Talent

Reduce Candidate

Pool Fatigue

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PRESCREENING CALL CONTENT

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• Opportunity to engage candidate interest

• Ask key differentiator questions

• Set process expectations

• Gather salary information

• Briefly explain role

• Gather competitive intelligence

• Determine interest in moving forward

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CHANGE PRESCREEN QUESTIONS

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Tactical Pre-Screen

• “Tell me about your sales experience.”

• “Do you have Microsoft Office experience?”

• “Tell me about a time when you handled a frustrated customer.”

Strategic Pre-Screen

• “What percentage of sales was new business?”

• “How did you use Excel in your last position?”

• “Tell me about your best/worst customer experience.”

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REINFORCE CANDIDATE DECISIONS

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“Would you be interested in moving

forward?”

“We’ll call you if we’re interested.”

“This may or may not be the right role for you.”

“Here is the next step…”

“Would you be interested in having a conversation with

our hiring manager?”

“Follow our process.”

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Design an Experience that Drives Results

Prepare to Leverage Interview

Time

Design High-Value Pre-Screens

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PREPARE CANDIDATES TO PERFORM

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Provide Directions and

Dress Code

Declare Experience of

Interest

Avoid Revealing

Areas to be Screened

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PREPARE THE HIRING MANAGER

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Reinforce Manager Values.

Interview Plan

Prioritize Interview

Questions

Assign Roles to the Team

Provide a Consistent

Story

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ASSIGN INTERVIEW ROLES

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Assess Cultural Fit Assess Technical Skills

Sell Value PropositionReduce Redundancy and Increase Breadth of Information.

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DESIGN STRONG QUESTIONS

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Questions

• Avoid direct or leading questions

• Elicit revealing answers• Focus on the “how” –

Beyond the tasks

Answers

• Anticipate possible answers• Rate range of answers –

Excellent, good, neutral, poor• Note answers that are an

immediate flag

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ADDRESSING CULTURAL FIT

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Vs.

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Age

Race

Religion

Family Status

Residence

Disability

Citizenship or Nationality

Arrest or Conviction

APPROPRIATE VS. INAPPROPRIATE

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Avoid Protected Classes.

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Contrast Effect • A strong candidate appears more

qualified when interviewed after a weak candidate

Halo/Horn Effect• One element overshadows all

others

o Halo Effect: A candidate’s benefit

o Horn Effect: A candidate’s detriment

INTERVIEW BIASES

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MORE CANDIDATES?

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Reasoning Reality Impact on Candidates

Someone better might come along

More candidates won’t change market conditions

Longer process = increased drop off

Looking for an “A” player Is a solid player good enough?

Interviewing more people fosters candidate desire to continue interviewing

Lack enough info to make decision

Reevaluate the priorities of the role

Wasted time with ineffective interviews

Fewer interviews means a “lack of thoroughness”

Fear making wrong decision Damages limited candidate pool over time

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Design High-Value Pre-Screens

Design anExperience that Drives

ResultsPrepare to Leverage

Interview Time

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CRAFT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

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Every interaction affects future performance.

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CANDIDATE PERCEPTIONS

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Source: CareerBuilder 2013 Candidate Behavior Study

Perceptions When Working with the Hiring Manager/Recruiter During the Hiring Process

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IMPACT OF POOR CANDIDATE CARE

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Source: CareerBuilder 2013 Candidate Behavior Study

Action Taken After Having a Bad Experience with a Company During the Application

Process

Number of People Told About the Bad Experience

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WHAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY?

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of candidates feel companies have been responsive during the job search process.

candidates say they would accept less than their minimum salary requirement from an organization that provided a good impression during the hiring process.

Source: CareerBuilder 2013 Candidate Behavior Study

15%

68%

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OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD A GOOD HIRING PROCESS EXPERIENCE…

would tell others to apply.

would be more likely to purchase products or services.

would seek employment with the company again.

37%

Source: CareerBuilder 2012 Applicant Experience Study

23%

56%

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

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Conduct quality prescreens:

Use questions that differentiate fit and use them consistently.

Leverage interview time:

Define key questions and rank potential answers. Assess technical skills, cultural fit, and sell the value proposition.

Positive candidate experience:

Build an experience to attract high quality talent and create strategic advantage.

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© 2014 CareerBuilder© 2014 CareerBuilder34 |

Keith HadleyPractice Leader, Employment BrandingCareerBuilder@keithhadley

Jennifer WayPresidentWay Solutions@waysolutions

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