INT ER VIEWI NG FOR

SE LE CTI ON

V1.0/01 Jan 22
 You c an’ t bu ild a g re at
com pan y w itho ut great p eopl e

There is only one

problem, how do we know
great people when we
see them.
Hav e you ev er found your self
in one of the fol lowi ng
situati ons
✔ Enjoying the interview but realising
that you know very little about the
candidate’s real ability to do the
job
✔ Making assumptions about the
person and their abilities without
being able to justify
✔ Not having enough questions to ask
Obj ec ti ves
✔ To understand interviewing as a
selection tool
✔ To have a step by step guide to
plan, prepare and conduct goal-
directed interviews
✔ To develop and practise the skills
required for effective interviewing
The cos ts of g ett ing i t wrong
✔ Sourcing and selection,
relocation
✔ Salaries - candidate’s ,
manager’s
✔ Education and Training
✔ Management overheads
✔ Decreased productivity
✔ Decreased morale
✔ Mediocrity begets mediocrity
Tabl e of Po pu lari ty
Typical
Application References Interviews

Personality
Ability Tests
Questionnaires
Tabl e of Predi cti ve Ac curac y

Structured
Interviews
Ability tests
Work Samples

Resume Personality
Typical
Questionnaires
Interviews

References
Wh y i nterv iewi ng is an
un rel iabl e too l
✔ Most interviewers are untrained.
✔ Interviewing not seen as a basic
skill
✔ Interviewers decide to accept or
reject a candidate far too early in
the interview
✔ Most importantly most interviews
are unplanned. Most interviewers
are not ready for prime time
candidates
Impl ica ti ons
✔ Treat candidates no less than
customers
✔ Respond with speed. Expect
candidates to be in the job market
for a day or less
✔ Good candidates need to be
“Wooed” by the selection process.
The hiring process should be a
matter of selling as much as
assessment
Pl ann ing an i nter view
Pl ann ing an i nterv iew c onte xt
✔ Room booked
✔ Seating
✔ Lighting
✔ Refreshments
✔ Papers, pencils, White Board,
Markers
✔ Reception informed, panelists
informed
Pos sibl e seating
ar ran gements
You can’ t fi nd w hat yo u ar e not
looki ng for
 Pl an ni ng th e i nte rv iew
conten t
✔ Job description
✔ Essential and desirable skill sets
✔ Questions / methods to assess
the candidate on the skill sets
that are essential
✔ Resume review
✔ Questions to understand the
facts in the resume better
Kn owing the obj ecti ve of the
interv iew
✔ Can the person do the job?
✔ Will the person do the job?
✔ Is the person the right fit for
the organisation?
PER FORM ANCE FAC TORS
✔ The intellectual factor
– Can the person do the job?
✔ The motivational factor
– Will the person do the job?
✔ The interpersonal factor
– Is the person the right fit for
the team/organisation?
THE INT ELLECT UAL F ACT OR
✔ Knowledge
– Ability to memorise, repeat
and recall information
✔ Application of that knowledge
– Creative, Imaginative,
problem solving, analytical
THE MOT IVAT IONAL F ACT OR
✔ Personal and Professional
goals
✔ Interests
✔ Personal Drive
✔ Eagerness to learn
THE INT ERPER SONA L F ACT OR
✔ The people behind the resume.
✔ Personal traits that affect
performance
The Inte r view Stru ctur e
The WASP s tr uc ture for the
interv iew
» Greet Candidate
Welcome Put the candidate at » Introduce yourself
ease » Chat

» Ask questions
Collect information » Probe
Ask » Observe

» Answer questions
Supply Give Information about company,
culture etc

» Decide further
Part Close the interview course of action
» Commit on a date
We lcom e
✔ Go out to greet the person
✔ Make small talk
✔ Treat the person like a guest in
your home
✔ Block ALL interruptions
As k
✔ The information collecting
phase of the interview
✔ Start with open ended
questions and graduate to
more closed ended questions
 Types of ques ti ons

✔ Topic Openers
✔ Probing
✔ Reflective
✔ Self Appraisal
✔ Hypothetical/Situational
✔ Leading
✔ Multiple
✔ Silence
Topi c Openers
Examples When to ask

Tell us about the last When starting an

project that you worked interview.
on
Gives you plenty of
What would you say has information on which
been your most you can base your
successful project? follow-up questions

(Often contain the words Gets the candidate to

who, what, where, start talking freely
when, why and how)
Probi ng
Examples When to ask

How have you arrived When you want to ask

at the following for more detail
solution?
When you want to
What subjects did you test the depth of the
have in the 6th sem? candidate's knowlgege

What are the When the interview is

languages you have taking or rambling too
worked on? much.
Refl ecti ve
Examples When to ask

In other words… When you wish to

Are you saying… clarify or understand
Do you mean…
As I understand… When you want to tell
the interviewee that
you have understood

When you don't wish

to influence the
interviewee with your
ideas or opinions

When the interview is

incoherent
Sel f App rai sal
Examples When to ask

Why do you think you When you wish to

were selected as the know if the candidate
leader? is aware of his/her
own
What qualities do you strengths/weaknesses
have that should
make us hire you?
Hypoth et ical /Si tuati ona l
Examples When to ask

What would you do These would give

if… valuable insights into
What would have the candidates
happenned if… behaviour on the job.
Can we role play this?
I'll be the client and To test specific skills
you sell this to me
To test creativity /
logical thinking
Hypoth et ical / Si tuati onal
questi ons
✔ Problem situations
– Have you ever had a problem where
you had to handle an angry customer?
What happened?
– What if you were given a job to do for
which you had no skills?
✔ Continuum
– Where would you place yourself on a
continuum from conceptual thinker to
pragmatic executor?
 Hypoth eti cal / Si tuati onal
questi ons
✔ Comparison
– Given a choice between working for a
boss who is strong technically &
another who is more imaginative &
delegates easily, who would you like to
work for?
– Compare your current job with the
ones we are considering you for, in
terms of challenge, satisfaction and
opportunity for success?
 Hypoth et ical / Si tuati onal
questi ons
✔ Future Assessment
– Where do you see yourself 5 years
from today?
– How would your present employer
respond when he/she realises that you
are looking for a change?
Leadi ng Ques ti ons
Examples When to ask

We maintain the Never

highest standards of
integrity. What are They tell the
your views on candidate what you
integrity? want to hear.

Don't you think 3 They tell you little

years is too long a about the candidate
wait to be promoted?

I suppose in your job,

you have to be very
organised.
Mu lti pl e Ques ti ons
Examples When to ask

So music is you Never

hobby? What kind of
mucic do you like? Do Because the candidate
you sing? Western or will answer only the
Classical? Which was last question or the
the last concert we easiest one!
went to?
Si lenc e
Examples When to ask

To allow the
interviewee to collect
his thoughts

To encourage the
interviewee to share
information that he
probably wants to
keep to himself
Manag ing the i nter view
Ma nag ing a n i nte rvi ew
✔ Smile, lean forward, look interested
✔ Listen actively
✔ Use prompters, maintain eye
contact
✔ Give non judgemental responses
✔ Be encouraging
✔ Avoid getting into debates with the
candidate
Keep the mood relaxed and
conversational
The rol e of intui ti on
✔ Intuition is defined as the direct
knowing/learning of something
without conscious use of reasoning
✔ The weight of intuition in a decision
is dependent on your belief in it
✔ Verify your intuition:
– Never ask leading questions
– Ask questions that would verify
or refute your decision
The deci sion maki ng pr oces s
✔ Candidate job profile
✔ Your notes
✔ Balance Sheet
Di ffi cu lt I nterv iewing
situati ons
✔ Reticent
✔ Loquacious
✔ Hostile
✔ Other challenging situations
– When you have to cut the interview
short
– Interviewing out of your field
– The courtesy interview
– Interviewing over your head
You are n ow ready to condu ct
ef fecti ve i nterv iews