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ADVANCED INTERVIEWING SKILLS

OBJECTIVES

• Determine key selection criteria

• Gather behavioural evidence

• Rate candidates accurately andconsistently

• Select candidates

• Develop your skills further

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HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE INTERVIEW ASA SELECTION METHOD?

1.00 Perfect prediction of job success0.65 Assessment centres0.56 Structured interviews0.45 Ability tests/job samples0.40 Group exercises/personality questionnaires0.35 In-tray exercises0.30 Biodata0.15 Typical selection interviews0.10 Graphology/astrology0.00 Random prediction

SOURCES OF BIAS ANDERROR IN THE INTERVIEW

1 Interviewers make up their minds tooearly

2 Interviewers make “sweepingjudgements” about candidates

3 Subjective feelings about candidatessway interviewers’ judgements

4 Interviewers do not make the best useof information available

5 Interviewers are inconsistent

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IMPROVING THE INTERVIEW- A BETTER PREDICTOR

1 Based on researched, job-relevant criteria

2 Interviewers are trained

3 The interview is an information-gatheringprocess

4 Objective and consistent methods are applied

COMPETENCY - BASEDINTERVIEWING

• Detailed replies about actual behaviour(STAR)

• Difficult to give a rehearsed response

• Clear definition of the competencies

• Link to role requirements specified

• Can use BARS

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THE INTERVIEW- KEY SKILLS

1 Preparing2 Managing time and structure3 Creating and maintaining rapport4 Questioning around success criteria5 Active listening - observe6 Taking notes - record7 Making decisions - classify and evaluate

KEY SKILL 1PREPARING

1 Prepare your interview plan2 Design the questions3 Identify job-specific positive and

negative behaviours4 Familiarise yourself with candidate’s

details5 Prepare the interview room

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KEY SKILL 2MANAGING TIME AND STRUCTURE

Introductions and selling process5 minutes

Present job5 minutes

Competency 110 minutes

Competency 210 minutes

Competency 310 minutes

Competency 410 minutes

Candidate’s questions and close5 minutes

55 minutes in total

KEY SKILL 3 - CREATING ANDMAINTAINING RAPPORT

Why?

1 A relaxed candidate says more

2 Interview stress does not predict job stress

3 Leaving a favourable impression

4 Well-treated candidate says “yes”

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KEY SKILL 4QUESTIONING

Points to remember• what did the candidate do?• give the candidate time• look for patterns• examples from outside work• reflect• gather contrary evidence• balance and integrate information

THE FUNNEL TECHNIQUE

Ask a broad, open question

Probe

Narrow

Confirm

summarise or testunderstanding

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USING THE FUNNEL TECHNIQUE

QUESTIONING STYLES TO AVOID

• Closed• Leading• Double-headed• Multiple choice• Hypothetical• Sidetracking• Personally intrusive• Amateur psychologist

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KEY SKILL 5ACTIVE LISTENINGRequires …• concentration and awareness• keeping an open mind

Listen out for …• unusual or repeated words, phrases• patterns of emphasis• what is not being said• impression management

• the foundation of your assessment• goes against everyday practice

Aim to observe…• as accurately as possible• as objectively as possible• as much as possible

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

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KEY SKILL 6TAKING NOTES

• Note down as much as possible• Record behaviour, not opinions or

interpretations

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

Good example...(sits back and folds arms) “In essence, the project was

delayed as a result of poor communication from ourinternal sponsor”Reasonable example…

Essence - project delayed - poor communicationPoor example…Candidate became defensive and made excuses for the

project being so late

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

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KEY SKILL 7CLASSIFYING THE EVIDENCE

Allocating information to a competency/successcriteria…

• almost done for you• some cross-competency information• one and only one competency

Allocating positive or contra indicators...• Use the job-specific versions• “+” or “-” by relevant information

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

KEY SKILL 7EVALUATING THE EVIDENCE

Number Quality Description1 Poor Does not meet the competence description in

almost all areas/limited evidence onwhich to judge , likely to be in the bottom 10%of performers

2 Marginal Displays some skills in the competency areasbut there are large inconsistencies

3 Acceptable Meets the core priority skills areas in thecompetency, some weaknesses displayedacceptable in a candidate at this level,indicating on-the-job development needed asone would expect for this target group.

4 Good Meets most of the skill areas in the competencyindicating strengths above the expectedaverage level, weaknesses displayed arerelatively minor

5 Excellent Meets almost all the skill areas in thecompetency with virtually no weaknessesdisplayed. Well above the expected standardfor the target group, likely to be in the top 10%of performers

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

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EVALUATING THE EVIDENCE

• Bring the evidence together on the interviewsummary form

• Allocate a rating, competency by competency• Look at each competency independently• Balance the positive and negative evidence

Record Classify EvaluateObserve

WHAT CAN GO WRONG

• Central tendency• Leniency• Harshness

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KEY SKILL 7MAKING DECISIONS

Effective decision-making processes…• as few people as possible• enough time for each candidate• candidates discussed one at a time• there is a “chair” and a note-taker• ratings are justified in terms of the

competencies/success criteria• sources of information are integrated

CHOOSING CANDIDATES

• Progressing candidates to the next selectionstage– use scores as an indication– not an exact science

• Feeding the interview information into theassessment centre

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THANK YOU!

• ANY QUESTIONS?