Interview  |
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Preparation:
- Review the application form
- Review the SELECT test results
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STEP 1: Open the InterviewHello, my name is ____________ and I’m
the _____________ (your position). We’re glad that you are interested in
this position. The purpose of this interview is to learn more about you
and your work experiences. I will be asking you some questions about your
previous experience, how you approach certain things, etc. You will
probably see me jotting down some notes -- that's to help me remember
better what you said after the interview is over. There are no correct or
incorrect answers, what we want is to learn more about you. At the end,
I’ll leave some time to answer any questions you might have. If you are
ready, we can begin. |
STEP 2: Review the Application and Investigate Potential Problem
Areas
| ___All blanks completed? |
|
___Employment gaps? |
| ___Application signed? |
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___Extremely high or low earnings? |
| ___Several jobs in the last 2 years? |
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___Earnings show progress? |
| ___Vague reasons for leaving job(s)? |
|
___Can complete all essential
functions?
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Example Questions:I see that you were unemployed from
_____to _____. Please tell me about this period of unemployment.
I
see that you left your previous employer for personal reasons. Would you
explain further?
I noticed that you have changed jobs frequently
in the recent past. Why?
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STEP 3: Review SELECT Flags and Begin In-depth QuestionsWhile
asking the following interview questions, be sure to listen and probe in
the following areas highlighted by SELECT:
- Low Energy Level
- Low Interpersonal Insight
- Low Attention to Detail
- Low Self Control
- Low Social Comfort
1.
Tell me about your responsibilities in your previous (or current) job.
Which did you like most and why? Also, which did you like the least and
why? (Listen for relevant work experience, likes and dislikes that may
or may not fit this job.) |
2. How
would you describe yourself as an employee? What are your strengths?
Weaknesses? (Listen for strong interpersonal skills, work ethic and a
willingness to build customer relationships.) |
3. What
type of people do you like best? And least? Why? (Listen for openness
and a lack of prejudice.) |
4. What
type of supervisor do you like best? Why? (Listen for a willingness to
be supervised.) |
5. Tell
me about a time when you were asked to do a task you knew nothing about or
a time when you had to solve an extremely difficult problem. (Listen
for self-reliance and personal responsibility for achieving results.)
|
6. In
terms of administrative skills, what are your strengths? In what areas do
you think you might need to improve? How would you go about improving in
these areas? (Listen for job fit and a willingness to learn.)
|
7. In
your current (or most recent) job, tell me how you manage your time? Give
me an example of when your schedule was interrupted suddenly. What did you
do? How did you see that everything was still accomplished? (Listen for
flexibility and multi-tasking.) |
8. Tell
me about a time when you found it difficult to get along with someone with
whom you worked. What led up to the problem? What happened? (Listen for
an ability to work within a team and maintain positive work
relationships.) |
9. How
do you think your current or former employer would rate you with regard to
being at work on time?(Listen for work ethic and reliability.)
|
10.
Have you ever worked or volunteered in a position where your primary
responsibility was to assist or serve people? How did you like it? How
successful were you? (Probe for willingness to serve the needs of
others.) |
11.
Think of a company that you feel provides good customer service. What is
it about this company that makes you think of them? (Listen for service
knowledge, values.) |
12.
Tell me about a time when someone failed to provide good service to you.
Give me examples of what the person did poorly. How could he/she have
improved? (Listen for service knowledge, values.) |
13.
Sooner or later, we all have to work with a customer who is unreasonable.
What types of behavior would you find most frustrating? How would you
respond under such a circumstance? (Listen for openness, tact and
ability to handle difficult people.)
|
If you are still concerned about the Performance Flag areas, here
are some additional questions to ask:Low Energy
Level: Describe your preferred work pace. In what types of work
situations would you like to be more energetic? (Listen for answers that
suggest that the candidate can't handle the pace of the job, or can't
self-start to get the job
done.)
Low Interpersonal
Insight: Describe a recent disagreement or a difference of opinion
you have had with a co-worker. What was their perspective? What was yours?
What were the underlying issues? (Listen for an ability and willingness to
understand and anticipate another person's
perspective.)
Low Attention to
Detail: What sorts of administrative tasks do you enjoy? What
types do you dislike? On what types of tasks do you tend to procrastinate?
Why? (Listen for a concern or a lack of concern for accuracy and
detail.)
Low Self
Control: Tell me how you usually make decisions about things.
Please give me several examples. Why did you make the decision you did?
(Listen for self-discipline. Does he/she think through the consequences
first, or does he/she do the first thing that comes to mind, and regret
the consequences later?)
Low
Social Comfort: In your previous jobs, were you required to work
with the general public? Have you had any other experience in being social
with strangers or casual acquaintances? What do you like and dislike about
these situations? (Listen for an interest in and an ability to interact
with people in casual
encounters.)
|
STEP 4: Conclude the InterviewThose are all the questions that I
have for you. I appreciate the time that you have given to me. Is there
anything that you would like to ask me?
|
STEP 5: Make the Hiring Decision
- Resist the temptation to hire someone just because you need to fill
the job. You are likely to pay for a hiring mistake both in money and
time.
- Focus on how well the candidate fits the demands of the job, not how
much you like the candidate’s personality or how much you have in common
with the candidate.
- The selection process is designed as an aid to the well-reasoned
judgment of a hiring manager, not a replacement for this judgment. In
the end, every hiring decision is a judgment call. Use the tools
provided in this process to inform your decision, not make it for you.
|
Use the following checklist to guide your decision. Please
indicate your recommendation and write your comments in the
appropriate Recommendation box. In addition, write your initials in
the Initials column. |
Actions |
Recommendation |
Initials |
|
Review Application |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Consider Further
|
|
|
Prescreen (Optional) |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Consider Further
|
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Test Candidate & Review the SELECT
Report |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Consider Further
|
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Behavioral Interview |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Acceptable
|
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Reference Checks (Optional) |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Acceptable
|
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Background Check (Optional) |
Not Acceptable
|
Some Reservations
|
Acceptable
|
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Decide |
Do Not Make Offer
|
Eligible At Later Date
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Make Offer
|
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Drug/Medical Screen (Optional) |
Fail
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Pass
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Copyright © 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, Bigby, Havis
& Associates, Inc. All rights
reserved. |
