This document provides guidance on conducting effective employment interviews. It outlines steps to prepare for interviews such as arranging an appropriate space and developing job-related questions. During the interview, the recommended steps are to introduce the candidate, obtain relevant information, discuss the position, respond to questions, and conclude by expressing appreciation and informing the candidate about next steps. The document advises asking questions related to qualifications and avoiding illegal inquiries. It also warns against common pitfalls like being unprepared or making biased decisions. The goal is to consistently evaluate candidates and select the best person for the role.

1. INTERVIEW GUIDE

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Preparing for Interviews
 Recommended Steps
 Interviews Do’s and Don’ts
 Interview Pitfalls
 Interview Questions
 Selecting interview Questions

3. INTRODUCTION
 The Employment Interview is an exchange of information between
the candidate and the selecting official to sell each others opportunity
for the position and the organization.
 The importance of selecting the “BEST” for a position cannot be over
emphasized, and multiple factors have to be evaluated for qualified
candidates.
 Consideration should be given to work experience, education and
training, performance appraisal, and awards.

4. PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW
It is important for a good interviewer to be prepared:
 Arrange for an appropriate interview site, which is comfortable, well
lit, and private.
 Select/develop interview questions that are related to the position
and “job related” factors.
 Allocate sufficient time for each interview.

5. RECOMMENDED STEPS
In conducting your interviews, it is recommended that you follow
these five sequential steps:
 Introduction and Welcome
 Obtain Relevant Information
 Discuss the Position
 Respond to the Applicant’s Questions
 End the Interview – Express appreciation to the applicant for his/her
time, and inform the applicant of:
 When the selection will be made; and
 How the applicant will be notified of the decision.

6. INTERVIEW DO’S
Do !! Ask questions relating to applicants based on,
 Qualification, Experience, Education, Job-related
activities, Career goals and objectives.
 Plans for further self-development, Availability for
Travel, Overtime, specific work schedules.

7. INTERVIEW DON’TS
DON’T!!! Ask illegal questions relating to applicants based on,
 Age
 Race
 Religion
 Political Affiliation
 Marital Status
 Childrens

8. INTERVIEW PITFALLS
 The interview can be a helpful tool in the selection process, its
limitations should be recognized. In the “artificial” interview setting, it
is difficult to discern such important performance traits as reliability,
problem solving capability, learning potential, work performance
aptitude, work habits, judgment, and motivation.
 The interview can serve to clarify and elicit further job-related
information, it should be used as only one part of a comprehensive
evaluation process.
 An interview can inadvertently be the source of numerous illegal
violations.

9. INTERVIEW PITFALLS CONT’
 A casual, unplanned, unsystematic interview can
lead to common interviewing errors,
 Failure to establish rapport with the candidate.
 Failure to have a strategy.
 Briefness of interview.
 Overemphasis on initial impression.
 Unconscious biases of preferences.
 Excessive talking, Reliance on intuition.

10. ASK QUESTION FOR BETTER INTERVIEW
The Questions must be based on,
 All-Purpose interview questions.
 Interview questions for supervisory positions
 Interview questions for technical positions
 Interview questions for clerical, secretarial, and assistant position.

11. SELECTING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
 Not all questions will be applicable to every situation.
 Choose questions that fit the position.
 When interviewing multiple candidates for a position, it is important to
use the same criteria for evaluating each candidate so as to avoid
legal problems (The key is to be consistent and fair).
 After you have selected the questions that are appropriate to use,
give some thought to the answers that make sense given your
organization, culture and the priorities of the position.
 The applicant’s reasoning abilities and the thought process that leads
to the answer may be as important as the answer itself.

12. HOW TO HIRE THE BEST CANDIDATE
 After interviews are completed, interviewers
together select the best candidate. Consider a
consistent method to select the best candidate from
among the interviewers.
 Plan the employee recruiting strategy before recruiting.
 Mention the name of a candidate, and allow 15 minutes total for
all interviewers to share their impressions of that candidate.

13. CONT.
 Share results of any comments from references and/or
background checks.
 Review Credentials and Applications Carefully.
 Repeat the process for each candidate.
 After all candidates have been discussed, this time having
interviewers vote for the best candidate from the list.
 If there does not seem to be suitable candidate,
then
 Reconfigure the job so that the nature of the required skills and
training are somewhat similar and so that the overall nature of
the job becomes more common.
 Hire the candidate who most closely matched the requirements
of the job and then plan for dedicated training to bring that
person’s skills up to needed levels.

14. CONT.
 Re-advertise the position.
 Get advice from a human resources professional.
 Hire a consultant for the position on a short-term basis, but only
as a last resort as this may be quite expensive.

15. HOW TO HIRE THE NEW EMPLOYEE
 Provide a written job offer to the most qualified candidate.
 If everyone declines the job offer, then consider,
 Ask the best candidates why they declined the offer.
 Reconvene the interviewers and consider what you heard from
the candidates. Recognize what went wrong and correct the
problem.
 Re-advertise the position.
 Start a personnel file for the new employee, the personnel file which
contain all of the job-related information and material.
 Do not forget to send letters to the candidates who did not get the
job.