7 Interviewing Candidates

Human Resource
Management

4-

Gary Dessler

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7-1

WHERE WE ARE NOW…

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–2

INTRODUCTION
• The main topics in this chapter include types of
interviews, things that undermine interviewing’s
usefulness, and designing and conducting effective
selection interviews. If the interview is only one of
several selection tools, why devote a whole chapter to
this one tool? One answer is that interviews are the
most widely used selection procedure.
• It would be highly unusual for you not to interview
someone before hiring that person. Most interviewers
have little or no formal interview training, though they
are confident [erroneously] that they can identify the best
candidates regardless of the interview structure
employed.

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–3

LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. List the main types of selection interviews.
2. List and explain main errors that can undermine an
interview’s usefulness.
3. Define a structured situational interview.
4. Explain and illustrate each guideline for being a more
effective interviewer.
5. Give several examples of situational questions,
behavioral questions, and background questions that
provide structure.
6. List the steps in a streamlined interview process.
7. List guidelines for interviewees.

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–4

 Basic Types of Interviews

Selection Interview

Types of
Appraisal Interview
Interviews

Exit Interview

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Three ways based on which to classify
Selection Interviews

Selection Interview
Characteristics

Interview Interview Interview

structure content administration

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Selection Interview Formats -
Structure
Interview Structure
Formats

Unstructured Structured
(nondirective) (directive)
interview interview

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• In unstructured (or nondirective) interviews, the manager
follows no set format. A few questions might be
specified in advance. Many selection interviews fall in
this category.

• In structured (or directive) interviews, the employer lists

job-oriented questions ahead of time, and possible
predetermined answers for appropriateness and
scoring.

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Officer Programs Applicant Interview Form

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How to Avoid Discrimination in Interviews?

Use objective/job-related questions

Avoiding
Discrimination Standardize interview administration
in Interviews

Use multiple interviewers

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 Interview Content
What Types of Questions?

Types of Questions Asked

Situational Behavioral Job-related Stress

interview interview interview interview

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Ways To Administer the Interview

Unstructured
sequential interview

Structured Panel
sequential interview interview

Ways in
Which
Mass
Interview Can Phone
interview be Conducted interviews

Computerized Video/Web-assisted
interviews interviews

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Three Ways to Make the Interview Useful

Structure the interview to

increase its validity

Making the Carefully choose what sorts of

Interview Useful traits are to be assessed

Beware of committing
interviewing errors

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• The interview holds an iconic place in the hiring process:
If done poorly, it’s generally not too useful. If done
properly, then the interview can be a much better
predictor of performance than previously thought and
is comparable with many other selection techniques.

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–14

What Can Undermine An Interview’s Usefulness?
ERRORS

Group Work

Nonverbal behavior
First impressions (snap
and impression
judgments)
management

Interviewer’s Factors Affecting

Applicant’s personal
misunderstanding An Interview’s characteristics
of the job Usefulness

Candidate-order Interviewer’s
(contrast) error and inadvertent(unintende
pressure to hire d behavior) behavior

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How to Design and Conduct
An Effective Interview
• The Structured Situational Interview
• In creating structured situational interviews, people familiar with the
job develop questions based on the job’s actual duties. They then
reach consensus on what are and are not acceptable answers.
 Use either situational questions or behavioral questions that
yield high criteria-related validities.
Step 1: Analyze the job.
Step 2: Rate the job’s main duties.
Step 3: Create interview questions.
Step 4: Create benchmark answers.
Step 5: Appoint the interview panel and conduct
interviews.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–16
How to Conduct a More Effective Interview

Being Systematic and Effective

1 Know the job.

2 Structure the interview.
3 Get organized.
4 Establish rapport.
5 Ask questions.
6 Take brief, unobtrusive notes.
7 Close the interview.
8 Review the interview.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–17
Creating Effective Interview Structures
• Base questions on actual job duties.
• Use job knowledge, situational or behavioral
questions, and objective criteria to evaluate
interviewee’s responses.
• Use the same questions with all candidates.
• Use descriptive rating scales (excellent, fair,
poor) to rate answers.
• Use a standardized interview form.

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 Examples of Questions That Provide Structure

Situational Questions
1. Suppose a more experienced coworker was not following standard work procedures and
claimed the new procedure was better. Would you use the new procedure?
2. Suppose you were giving a sales presentation and a difficult technical question arose that
you could not answer. What would you do?

Past Behavior Questions

3. Based on your past work experience, what is the most significant action you have ever taken
to help out a coworker?
4. Can you provide an example of a specific instance where you developed a sales
presentation that was highly effective?

Background Questions
5. What work experiences, training, or other qualifications do you have for working in a
teamwork environment?
6. What experience have you had with direct point-of-purchase sales?

Job Knowledge Questions

7. What steps would you follow to conduct a brainstorming session with a group of employees
on safety?
8. What factors should you consider when developing a television advertising campaign?

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd. 7–19

Behavioral Interviewing Technique

THE PAST IS THE BEST PREDICTOR OF THE FUTURE

Therefore Questions Have to be based on

The Candidate’s Actual Experience

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

STARs

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

STARs
• S/T
 Situation/Task
•A
 Action (What the person did or said)
•R
 Result (what was the effect of the action)

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

 THE STAR TECHNIQUE

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education 7–23

False Stars - Indicators
Consider these examples:

 I always make time for customers and I’ve made many of them
happy, they usually ask to speak with me

 We worked together as a team and did the job.

• Vague Statements

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

False Stars - Indicators
Consider these examples:

 I believe strongly in good people management

 I think that staff should be happy in order to be productive

• Opinions

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

False Stars - Indicators
Consider these examples:

 I plan to take a degree next year

 I would take all the staff for lunch to cheer them up

• Theoretical – future oriented

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

On the Washing Rope!!

• Always • I believe
• Usually • I think
• Many
• We
• I plan
• I intend

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

Types of Questions
• Theoretical

 They ask for theories, opinions or generic actions.

 Examples:
 How do you typically plan your day?
 How would you handle a conflict with a team member?

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

Types of questions
Leading

 They hint at a correct answer and encourage the candidate to

give you what they believe you want to hear, not necessarily
what they think.

 Example:
 So, it sounds like you closed the deal?

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

How do you formulate a Good Question?

I have six honest serving men, they taught me all I

knew. Their names are What and How and
When, and Where, and Why and Who
(Kipling)

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
Attention to Detail
Competency Definition: It is about being thorough and
complete in performing all aspects of the job. Staying
focused on the details of the job, no matter how small.
Checking and monitors work to ensure accuracy

Behavioral Questions:

• Give me an example of a project you were working on and

explain what did you do in order to ensure that no details
were missed

• Tell me about an experience where you discovered a quality

problem with a report or a service provided. Describe what
you did to fix the problem and highlight any processes or
procedures you developed to prevent a reoccurrence.

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

Initiative
Competency Definition: It is about taking action, proactively doing things and
not simply thinking about future actions. People with this competency are
action-oriented – they act in the present to create value in the future. It is
about being proactive – having a bias for action.

Questions:

• Tell me about a project/suggestion that you initiated. Explain how you

communicated the project/suggestion.

• What have you done in your present/previous job that went beyond what
was required? Give me an actual example.

• Tell me about a project you initiated. What did you do? Why? What was the
outcome? Were you happy with the result?

Behavioral Interviewing - Raghda Fawzy

PRACTICING QUESTIONS
Question Behavioural Theoretical Leading

1. You say you like working with others. Does

that mean you like working in a team?

2. How did that work out?

3. So, did that help the group leader reach a
decision?
4. You say their processes are inefficient. How
would you change them?
5. How do you usually handle angry customers?

6. Why did you decide to do that?

7. You say you didn’t like your job at ABC.
What would your ideal job be?
8. How would you work with someone who
performed below standards?
9. When you have conflicting priorities, how do
you handle them?
10. What was your role in planning the project?

11. So, did you stand up to him or just back off?

12. Walk me through the steps you took to learn

that system?
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Question Behavioural Theoretical Leading

1. You say you like working with others. Does X

that mean you like working in a team?

2. How did that work out? X

3. So, did that help the group leader reach a X
decision?
4. You say their processes are inefficient. How X
would you change them?
5. How do you usually handle angry customers? X

6. Why did you decide to do that? X

7. You say you didn’t like your job at ABC. X
What would your ideal job be?
8. How would you work with someone who X
performed below standards?
9. When you have conflicting priorities, how do X
you handle them?
10. What was your role in planning the project? X

11. So, did you stand up to him or just back off? X

12. Walk me through the steps you took to learn X

that system?
7–36
Theoretical/Leading Question Behavioural Question
1. What makes you think you are good at problem solving? Tell me about a tough problem you
were able to solve? How did you
solve it?
2. I guess you found being a team leader to be very
fulfilling?

3. How do you typically plan your day?

4. How would you handle a conflict with a team member?

5. Would you say that your decisions to take a pay cut to

keep from relocating was the toughest decision you had to
make?

6. So, it sounds like you closed the sale?

7. How do you usually find new prospects?

8. So, when you caught this person breaking the rules, did
you just drop it, or did you report it to your manager?

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 Suggested Supplementary Questions for Interviewing Applicants

1. How did you choose this line of work?

2. What did you enjoy most about your last job?
3. What did you like least about your last job?
4. What has been your greatest frustration or disappointment on your present job? Why?
5. What are some of the pluses and minuses of your last job?
6. What were the circumstances surrounding your leaving your last job?
7. Did you give notice?
8. Why should we be hiring you?
9. What do you expect from this employer?
10. What are three things you will not do in your next job?
11. What would your last supervisor say your three weaknesses are?
12. What are your major strengths?
13. How can your supervisor best help you obtain your goals?
14. How did your supervisor rate your job performance?
15. In what ways would you change your last supervisor?
16. What are your career goals during the next 1–3 years? 5–10 years?
17. How will working for this company help you reach those goals?
18. What did you do the last time you received instructions with which you disagreed?
19. What are some things about which you and your supervisor disagreed? What did you do?
20. Which do you prefer, working alone or working with groups?
21. What motivated you to do better at your last job?
22. Do you consider your progress in that job representative of your ability? Why?
23. Do you have any questions about the duties of the job for which you have applied?
24. Can you perform the essential functions of the job for which you have applied?
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FIGURE 7–4
Interview Evaluation
Form

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 Interview Questions to Ask

1. What is the first problem that needs the attention of the person you hire?
2. What other problems need attention now?
3. What has been done about any of these to date?
4. How has this job been performed in the past?
5. Why is it now vacant?
6. Do you have a written job description for this position?
7. What are its major responsibilities?
8. What authority would I have? How would you define its scope?
9. What are the company’s five-year sales and profit projections?
10. What needs to be done to reach these projections?
11. What are the company’s major strengths and weaknesses?
12. What are its strengths and weaknesses in production?
13. What are its strengths and weaknesses in its products or its competitive position?
14. Whom do you identify as your major competitors?
15. What are their strengths and weaknesses?
16. How do you view the future for your industry?
17. Do you have any plans for new products or acquisitions?
18. Might this company be sold or acquired?
19. What is the company’s current financial strength?
20. What can you tell me about the individual to whom I would report?
21. What can you tell me about other persons in key positions?
22. What can you tell me about the subordinates I would have?
23. How would you define your management philosophy?
24. Are employees afforded an opportunity for continuing education?
25. What are you looking for in the person who will fill this job?

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Structured Interview
Guide

7–41
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Structured Interview
Guide

7–42
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