1. Hiring for the Best: The Value of a Well-Conducted Interview Glenda Owen, PHR 1

2. Why is Interviewing so Crucial?Answer: Both the organization and the candidate have a lot to lose if an interview leads to an improper match. 2 3. The Cost Salary and Training CostSpent on Unsuccessful Separation Employee. Cost+ (1/3 ofCost of Recruiting New Hires annual+salary of employee)Costs of Training andInefficiency of New Employee 3 4. Worker and Workplace Author, Leigh Branham, The Seven Hidden Reasons Employees Leave 3. The job or workplace was not as expected. 4. Mismatch between job and person. 5. Too little coaching and feedback given. 6. Too few growth and advancement opportunities. 7. Feeling devalued and unrecognized. 8. Stress from overwork and work-life balance. 9. Loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders. After the fact evidence of anunsuccessful hire 4 5. How & Why Interviews Go Wrong Interviews that are not based on a proper job analysis wont elicit meaningful information. Subjection to personal bias and other sources of error. Some candidates are very practiced at interviewing. Interview questions may reveal too much about the job. Interview questions may be too closed-ended. Poor listening skills. 5 6. The RIGHT people are your greatest asset!6 7. A Great Hire? Performs effectively. Stays beyond the average employee tenure. Demonstrates a commitment to your organization and its mission. Accepts, supports, and contributes to your business culture.Put it simply, a great hire meets ALL of your needs and expectations.7 8. Make Better Interviews Make them structured. Eliminates haphazard interviewing. Standardization allows you to compare apples to apples. Decreases legal liability Aids in documentation Provides equal treatment to all candidates Make them competency based. Make them behaviorally focused. 8 9. Steps to the Process Know what you want. Best hiring practice youll ever need! What 10qualities you want the top 10% to possess? Design for consistency. Design your interviewing process. It is a criticalstep that often interviewers have no or littletraining in doing. 9 10. Employment Interviews Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) and Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures (1987) consider employment interviews to be a selection device just as a written test is a selection device.Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) should be covered in the structured interview questions. The interview should have a direct link to the critical and necessary-at-entry KSAs required in the job. This establishes content validity.10 11. The Job Description Start with an accurate and up-to-date job description. Need help in writing? http://online.onetcenter.org/ Determine essential functions necessary inperforming the position. Establish the qualifications and experiencenecessary for entry-level employee to performthe job. Define the reporting structure and hours. 11 12. Candidate Profile Use a formal, up-to-date job description. Ask supervisors, peers, and subordinates for input for characteristics of an ideal candidate. Customers and vendors Assess organizational culture. Feel of the organization? Resemble extendedfamily, watch out for each other? Structuredand controlled environmentdo things by thebook? Results focused or process driven?12 13. Job Analysis Can be done by having job profiled through profiling software such as WorkKeys or JobFit Can involve meeting with subject matter experts (incumbent workers) share critical incidents theyve witnessed that showed necessary knowledge, skill or ability that an incumbent needs for the job. Using standardized data collection http://www.onetcenter.org/questionnaires.html Download in English & Spanish Can be customized for your use. Your incumbent workers supply data for the collection. Provided by U.S. Department of Labor (public domain) 13 14. The Worker Is there an expectation that the worker is a self- starter? Does the individual require a lot of guidance and attention? Does organization make continual, rapid changes and pride itself on flexibility? Does the individual work best in calm and stable surroundings? Is this a competitive environment with an expectation of do whatever it takes? Does the individual have a young family and desires a work-life balance?14 15. Candidate Profile: Capability Capability Technical Knowledge & Skills Needed Factors to Consider: Skills proficiency & level of experience Relevancy of knowledge & subject matterexpertise Education, training, & certification Demonstrated ability to learn, adapt & grow. Communication & Organizational SkillsBread-n-butter of hiring15 16. Candidate Profile: Commitment Commitment Personal Attitude & Motivation NeededFactors and Attributes for success include such as: Initiative and self-motivation Cooperation and teamwork Results orientation and focus Strong work ethicRequires little direction 16 17. Candidate Profile: Chemistry Chemistry Key Values & Work Style NeededThey must also have the chemistry that ensures a good fit with the organizationthe way you manage and do business.Collaborative; team player17 18. Organizational Culture Leadership Style? Formal, informal, top down approach, etc. Behavioral Style? Collaborative, competitive, non-confrontational Operating Priorities? Rules/policies, goals/achievements, loyalty,trust, innovation/creativity, communication, etc. Success Criteria? High quality, profit, efficiency, customersatisfaction, employee satisfaction, etc. 18 19. The Interview Itself Which type of interview will you use to select the right candidate? One-on-one Panel Observational SituationalOne size doesnt fit all! 19 20. Prepare for the Interview Determine the order in which questions will be asked. Review candidate applications and resumes. Prepare the interview room. Schedule adequate time without interruptionsand private setting. Encourage relaxed and open conversation bysitting next to or facing the candidatewithouta desk or table in between you.20 21. Conducting the Interview Set the Stage Ensure that the candidate is expected andgiven a warm welcomemaking them feelimportant and comfortable. Maintain eye contact and give the candidateyour total attention. Inform the candidate that notes will be takenduring the interview. Reduce the persons stress so they will openup and give you reliable information. Be sure and let candidate know he/she willhave an opportunity to ask question near theclose of the session. 21 22. Characteristics of Questions Realistic To the point, brief and unambiguous Complex enough to allow adequate demonstration of the ability being rated. Formulated at the language level of the candidate, not laced with jargon. Tried out on job incumbents to check for clarity, precision of wording and appropriateness. Not dependent upon skills or policy that will be learned on the job. 22 23. Types of Interview QuestionsBehavioral Knowledge Hypothetical Closed-ended23 24. Interview Questions Job Knowledge Demonstrate specific job knowledge ordocumentation of job knowledge. Past Behavior Describe activity of past jobs that relates to thejob. Background Focus on work experience, education and otherqualifications of the candidates. Situational Hypothetical situations that may occur on thejob and how candidates respond to situation. 24 25. Interview Questions How many will you need? Rule of thumb: 15-20 per one-hour interview. One wayconstruct simple table identifying factors to be evaluated. Add questions for each topic area. Develop rating scale and benchmarks for each question. Can be simple as acceptable unacceptable 3, 4, or 5-level point-based scale. 25 26. Asking Questions Seek complete answers. A complete answer provides the following information: Background What Occurred Circumstances, situation, task, problem, challenge, obstacle or issue dealt with Action What I Did The specific performance or steps taken by the candidate Outcome What Resulted The impact, consequences, or results of the candidates actions 26 27. Situational Question Suppose you were going to miss an important business meeting due to unforeseen circumstances (illness or family emergency). What would you do?I would contact the person in charge of the meeting to forewarn of my absence, and I would arrange for a responsible person to attend in my place. (Superior5 points)I would send someone in my place. (Satisfactory3 points)Afterwards, I would try to find out what went on in themeeting. (Unsatisfactory1 point) 27 28. Interview Question WorksheetEssential Functions Function #1:_________________________ Question 1: _________________________ Potential Follow-up Question:_________Function #2:________________________ Question 1: ________________________ Potential Follow-up Question:________28 29. Controlling the Interview Accomplished in three ways: 2. Ask follow-up questions to gain more informationor clarify a response. 3. Interrupt a candidate who has gotten off trackand bring him back to relevant topics. 4. Interrupt candidates who have trouble getting toa point and help them come to a conclusion. 29 30. Documenting the Interview Process Retain questions, scores & notes taken during the interview. Recommended to record and retain: Date/time/place/length of the interview. Credentials and experience qualifies eachpanel member to serve on interview panel. Distribution of interview scores amongcandidates. Training provided to interviewers as well astheir background in personnel selectionprocess. 30 31. Never ignore a gut feeling, but also never believe that its enough. Robert Heller (adaptation)31 32. Evaluating the Candidate The candidates match with the capability, commitment and chemistry needed to succeed. Use same criteria for all. Alignment of the job with the candidates expressed career path and goals. Major concerns or red flags that came up in the interview and how they may impact ranking/recommendations. This is important in making final hiring decisions! On-boarding considerations: necessary training or other supplemental steps needed to assimilate the candidate to the job and/or organization. 32 33. Rating Scale The most critical element of the rating scale is not how many levels it has, but rather how those levels are defined.Use a rating scale anchored to benchmarks (example answers, descriptions, or definitions of answers). Use Subject Matter Experts to develop the scale and benchmarks.33 34. Five-level Rating ScaleWhat would one expect or want an outstandingcandidate to give as the best possible answer? (5 point) What is an acceptable answer that one wouldexpect a qualified candidate to give? (3 point) What would one expect as a poor answer from acandidate who has little or no knowledge or skillon this job requirement? (1 point) 34 35. Example of Rating Scale: Executive Director Question:Describe some projects or developments that you have been largely responsible for initiating and/or completing in your previous work experiences?Superior Responsible for initiating AND completing several major projects or developments. Candidate describes how projects were accomplished and the results.Satisfactory Responsible for initiating or completing several major projects ordevelopments.Unsatisfactory Worked on projects, but had no part in their initiation or responsibility for their completion.35 36. Assessing Organizational Fit Assess a candidates organizational fit before making an offer, preferable in a manner that will not influence the interviewers ratings of the structured interview questions.This may be a second interview to assess organizational fit hiring interview. 36 37. Im continually amazed at the number of business people I meet who complain about spending so much time selecting a new employee, yet are often willing to spend twice that time researching a new copy machine. Barbara BJ Gallagher 37 38. Train Interviewers Average length of training programs for interviewers is 1-2 days. At minimum, it should be 2-3 hours of training. Principles Commonly Taught: Background and purpose of the interview. How to write interview questions & usequestions already written. Job requirements and how questions arerelated to the job. Rapport-building techniques How to ask questions and how to probe38 39. Problematic Questions First rule in Interviewing:Innocent questions can lead to trouble. 39 40. 9 Legal Landmines for Interviewers (Untrained or Maybe Even Trained) Problematic interview questions tend to fall into nine categories: Marital Status Family Obligations National Origin or race Age Religion Disability Arrest or convictions Financial Condition Off-duty Activities 40 41. Training Prevents Legal Problems Steps to Take: 2. Educate all interviewers. 3. Dont get too conversational. 4. Check applicable state laws.1. You know the federal laws but some states prohibit employment decisions based on arrest or conviction records or on applicants off-duty activities. Know what the states laws are governing these issues. HR Daily Advisor Newsletter October 200841 42. Training How to evaluate answers and use rating scales. How to avoid rating errors. The importance of note taking for rating and documentation. EEO and ADA laws and requirements. How to weight questions and use rating or cut-off scores. Adapted from Campion, Palmer & Campion 42 43. Effective Training Provide extensive training for interviewersEffective training for panel members will increase the validity and reliability of the interview.Following specific procedures taught in training will allow the interviewers to evaluate candidates from a common reference point.43 44. Questions? Glenda Owen Chief, Workforce Services Oklahoma Employment Security Commission PO Box 52003 Oklahoma City, OK 73152-2003 Telephone: (405) 962-4603 Cellular:(405) 203-2727 E-mail: glenda.owen@oesc.state.ok.us 44