Interviewing skills

SELECTION SKILLS

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hrcommunity

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES


Create an understanding of Selection tools
and techniques and their appropriateness



Understand competency based selection



Learn interviewing skills

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Understand the need for psychometric testing

LEARNING GRID
Unconscious
competence
IV

Conscious competence

Practice

Unlearning/Review

Unconscious
Incompetence
I

III
Learning/Training

Awareness

Conscious
incompetence
II


RECRUITMENT & SELECTION
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Manpower Planning
Setting Specs
Advertising/Consultant/Online/Referral
Shortlisting CV’s
Calling candidates
Group Process/Psychometric Testing
Interviews
Offer letter
Joining
Induction
Training
Grooming for productivity


COMMON ERRORS IN RECRUITING
Right person

Wrong Person

A

Selected

Not selected

B


Selection Techniques
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Interviews
Tests - General Ability,special aptitudes
Simulation exercise
Work Sample Tests
Personality questionnaires
Interest questionnaires
Bio Data
Reference Checks
Group Discussions
Handwriting Analysis etc.
Case discussions
Presentations
On - field accompaniment
In tray exercises
Assessment Centres (combination of above items)

Perfect Prediction - Validity
0.7

Assessment Centers (development)

0.6

Work sample Tests

Ability Tests

Assessment Centers (selection)

0.5

Personality Tests

0.4
0.3
0.2

Structured Interviews
Typical Interviews
References

0.1

Astrology/Graphology

0

Chance

Smith, Gregg & Andrews - 1987

RANKING OF SELECTION METHODOLOGIES

1

Patterns of past behaviour

2

TESTS - reported present behaviour

3

Interviews - with many ‘How would you
behave in the future’ questions

WHY DIFFERENT SELECTION TOOLS ?


Any one tool cannot get all the data



Need a set of different tools, which
involve testing different faculties and
behavior of candidates

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Each tool is effective for for a specific
set of relevant attributes

Critical Attribute
Physical attribute :

e.g. 6 feet tall

Attainment :

e.g. B.Tech

Competency/Talent/Traits :
e.g. Achievement Orientation
Intuition
Charisma

Competency
Any quality or characteristic of
a person, which underpins
recurring successful
performance


Skills, Knowledge & Talent

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Skills :

• The How - to’s of the role
• Capabilities that can be transferred from one person to
another

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Knowledge
• ‘What you are aware of ‘
• Factual ( things you know) Can & should be taught
• Experiential (understandings you have picked up along
the way). Less Tangible and therefor much harder to
teach

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Talent
• Recurring patterns of thought feeling behavior,that carve
individual minds
• If someone does not have the talent as part of his filter , then
very difficult for others to inject it.

The three levels of competencies are

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DISTINGUISHING

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THRESHOLD

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FUNCTIONAL


A CHECK LIST FOR BEHAVIOURAL
INDICATORS
Each indicator should:
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Describe directly observable behavior, or
other specific evidence of an individual’s
competency
Describe just one piece of behavior of
evidence
Not to be duplicated under two or more
competencies
Include a verb phrase i.e. describe action

THE COMPETENCY
PLANNING & ORGANISING
Definition : Level 1 - Junior Manager
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Manages own time and personal
activities
Breaks complex activities into
manageable tasks
Identifies possible obstacles to planned
achievements

THE COMPETENCY
Definition : Level 2 - Middle Manager


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Produces contingency plans for possible
future occurrences
Estimates in advance the resources and time
scales needed to meet objectives
Co-ordinates team activities to make the best
use of individual skills and specializations

THE COMPETENCY
Definition : Level 3 - Senior Manager


Identifies longer term operational
implications of business plans

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Effectively plans utilization of all
resources

THE 12 MOST COMMON COMPETENCIES
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Communication
Achievement orientation
Customer Focus
Team work
Leadership
Planning and organising
Commercial awareness
Flexibility
Developing others
Problem solving
Analytical thinking
Building relationships

Source: Competency based Recruitment & Selection by Robert Wood and
Tim Payne

Competencies & Trainability
SKILLS
TRAITS
MOTIVES
VALUES
COGNITIVE
CAPBILITIES

Less Conscious
Less Trainable

More conscious
KNOWLEDGE

E.g.: Has contacts
E.g.: Results orientation,planning abilities

More trainable

Critical Attributes for Sales Managers
( Example)
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Interpersonal Skills
Influencing Skills
Results orientation
Customer Concern
Technical expertise
Providing direction
Analytical Thinking

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Conceptual thinking
Information seeking
Staff development
Team building
Planning
Decision Making


Interview

Entrevoir ( French)
to have a glimpse of


WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW?

A selection procedure designed to predict
future job performance on the basis of
applicants oral responses to oral enquiries

OBJECTIVES OF SELECTION IN INTERVIEW
1

Selecting people for jobs by:

 Informing applicants about the job



2

Gaining unbiased factual information against the
criteria
Influencing suitable candidates to accept

Demonstrating that the company
operates a fair and equitable selection
procedure (Public Relations)

Goodwill Bank


Need a process that will enhance
company stature
– Fair
– Friendly
– Rigorous
– Respect for individual - Time bound

How will a candidate not selected speak of
your organisation?

SELECTION INTERVIEW - EFFECTIVENESS
Bottom line Test - Answering Three key
questions
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Can he do the job

(Competence)

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Will he do the job

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Will he fit in ( Team / Organisation)? ( Match)

( Motivation)

SELECTION INTERVIEW

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IF EFFECTIVE
Saves Time
Better job/person
matching
Satisfied
interviewers/Interviewees
Good image / PR
Tightening of recruitment
process

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IF INEFFECTIVE
May end up recruiting
unfit candidates

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Missing suitable
candidates

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Demotivating suitable
candidates from
joining


UNDERSTANDING YOUR APPLICANTS
According to research, students have listed the
following Organisational characteristics as important
to them:
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Type of work you would do
Type of people you would like to work with
Training & development opportunities
Chances of promotion
Salary
Job security
Working condition
Reputation/image of the organisation
Geographical location
Hours expected at work
Benefits ( Company car, Pension , Loans etc.)

INTERVIEW PROCESS - REQUIREMENTS
Venue
INTERVIEW
PROCESS

CANDIDATE

INTERVIEWER

Expects
•Professionalism
•Realistic picture of job &
company/organisation
•Input on where he
stands (process, time
scale etc.)
•Minimal Wait
•Objectivity

Needs:
• Purpose of I/V
• Agreed Criteria
• Application form
•Time to prepare and judge job
and company knowledge
•Skills to obtain & evaluate
information and make effective
judgements
• Relaxed and open minded
• Right attitude


List the things you would like to
have seen when you last went for
an interview.
What did you expect from the
company ?


SETTING THE ENVIRONMENT
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No disturbance
No phone Calls
Seating - Neutral ( Perhaps an L shape )
No distraction in the vicinity
No ‘Power Statements’
Having water available on the table ( for
candidate )
Have stationary ready ( for candidate )

Remember
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Note taking - minimal , with permission

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Stress Interviews - Try to avoid

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Politeness - specially to ‘bad’

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Airtime - 80 - 20

INTERVIEW STRUCTURE
1
2

Opening, rapport building
Current & previous roles

3

Aspirations & awareness

4

Education & upbringing

5

Circumstances & interests

6

Closing , wrap up

Interview - An Information Sorting
Model
Opening & Rapport Building

CA 1

Current & Previous Roles

CA2

Aspirations & Awareness

Information
Sorting

Education & Upbringing

Circumstances & Interest

CA3
CA4
CA5

Closing/Wrap up

Assessment

OPENING, RAPPORT BUILDING
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Appropriate recognition

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Relaxed Approach

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Introduce yourself

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Share

- Interview purpose
» Recruitment process
» Job Role ( briefly)
» Interview structure & Time

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Check Understanding

Things to look out for in a CV
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Organisation of events - Priority accordance

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Clarity of depiction and succinctness

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Unexplained breaks in Service and Education

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Extent of customisation to the job applied

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Quality of the CV: mode , spelling errors,
verbosity

QUESTIONING SKILLS


TYPE OF QUESTIONS
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Factual recall
Comparison
Opinion
Case Problems
Hypothetical
Rhetorical
Leading
Pumping

PAST BEHAVIOUR is the
single best predictor of
future behaviour


Structure of Questions
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Open ended Questions

How - What - When - Where - Who - Why

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Close ended Questions

Do you - Did you - Can you - Will you - Could you Would you - Should you
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Prompting/ encouraging expressions

Tell me…, Describe …
For example?, For instance?, In what sense?
How come?, In simpler terms...

Questioning Pattern
Broad Open ended
Probe

Narrow

Close
Summarise

Characteristics of Good Questions

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Purposeful
Relevant
Clear & concise
Limited to one idea
Neutral in tone & substance


The quality & value of
answer depends on
the quality of the
question

QUESTIONS COVERAGE
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WHAT Q’s - Elicit information about knowledge,
facts/data, opinions

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WHY Q’s - Analytical skills , reasoning, logic etc.
motivations( what else…How else…, Where else….)

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HOW Q’s - Knowledge of functional skills,
process/steps ( also analytical skills)

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HOW MUCH/HOW WELL Q’s - validating
achievements

THE INTERVIEW FUNNEL
START WITH AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION
LISTEN
NARROW DOWN TO SPECIFIC AREA

LISTEN
HOW DID THE PERSON GO ABOUT IT
LISTEN
FIND OUT MOTIVATIONS

LISTEN
ACHIEVEMENTS

LISTEN
SUMMARISE
AND SEEK
AGREEMENT
START WITH NEW AREA

INTERVIEW STRUCTURE
1. Opening

-

2. Current & Previous
roles
3. Aspiration /
Awareness
4. Education &
Upbringing
5. Circumstances &
Interest
6. Closing

What, why, How well

Trends, people are not
static

What, why, how realistic
What, why, how well
What, why, how well
implication
-

Causes – relate past to
present

Description
Motivation
Achievement

THE PANEL INTERVIEW
SOME GUIDELINES

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Agree roles & structures

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Stick to roles

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Do not interrupt

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Do not help the candidate

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Select lead interviewer

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The others listen,take notes ( factual) , ask questions
around other key areas and observe non verbal
behavior

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Follow up at end of a section

Questioning Technique
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Situation

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Task

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Achievement

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Review

Telephonic Interviews
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You cannot see the candidate , so you have to trust only two
senses - hearing & intuition
Do not short circuit the interview. The process should be the
same as a face-to-face interview
Follow the interview structure
Use the funnel - what, why, how,how well
Use many encouraging , prompting expressions ,like …
•
•
•
•
•
•

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Yes
Tell me more
Describe
I see
For example?
In what sense?

Keep sentences & discussions short
Summarise each section

INTERVIEW TIPS
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Interviewers need to be provided with job description
& specification of the requirements of the position to
minimize the influence of stereotypes

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Interview questions need to be job related

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Avoid making quick decisions about an applicant

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Avoid giving too much weight to a few characteristics

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Try to put the applicant at ease during the interview

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Communicate clearly with the applicant

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Maintain consistency in the questions asked

Management Interviewing
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Less emphasis on background : more on role and
work

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Ask about aspirations before role

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Easy for candidate to obscure track record through
jargon and generalities

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A ‘look good, talk good’ candidate may land up
interviewing the interviewer - superficial interview

may take place
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Hence be specific - focus on Critical attributes

Focus on Roles
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Job titles can be misleading

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Main areas of job . Principal tasks that you do
personally? Why’? How do you divide your time?

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Performance criteria,targets,priorities,performance
ratings,informal reviews

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Focus on relationships - up, down , or with
colleagues

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Time perspective

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Breadth of perception of job relative to entire
organisation

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Perceived freedom to act

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Ability to influence the organisation

Management skills
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How results are achieved and how the candidate
handles the process of management

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Setting objectives for self and team

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Decision making style - alone or team

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Resolving conflicts - how and when

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Handling customers - relationship based and task
based

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Resolving issues between internal demands and
customer expectations

Management focus
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Motivational style - sort of environment in
team. Leading team front or back

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Grooming others - spending time for
developing people

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Investing in self - learning & growing

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Monitoring work of self and team

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Handling communication & consultation

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Influencing others through meetings and
presentations

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
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Unstructured Interview

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Situational Interview

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Behaviour Description interview

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Comprehensive structured interview

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Structured behavioural interview

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Oral Interview boards

INTERVIEWING FOR TALENT


TALENT
What is Talent?
A recurring pattern of
thought, feeling or behavior
that can be productively
applied

TALENT
According to Gallup there are 3 kinds of talent:

1. Striving : Why of the person
2. Thinking: How of the person

3. Relating : Who of the person

Talent ( some examples)
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Striving
• Achiever ( A drive that is internal, constant &
self imposed )
• Mission ( a drive to put your beliefs into actions)

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Thinking
• Responsibility (A need to assume personal
accountability for your work )
• Numerical ( An affinity for numbers )

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Relating
• Relator ( a need to build bonds that last )
• Command ( an ability to take charge )

Talent Interview
(Points to remember)


This should stand alone

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It should be more structured , more
focussed, less banter , more questions

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Ask him about choices he makes

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Let him reveal himself to you


Talent Interview
(Listen for specifics)
1. Always listen for a specific example
2. Give credit only to the person’s top of the mind
response
3. Do not probe too much to get response
Clues for talent:
Rapid learning ability
Source of satisfaction
After they have been hired , check back to see if the
people who subsequently performed well answered
your question in a consistent way.This will take time
and focus , but are essential to the art of interviewing
for talent.

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING
Psychological tests have been devised and are used
primarily for the determination and analysis of
individual differences in general intelligence,specific
aptitudes , educational achievement , vocational
fitness,and non intellectual personality traits.
These tests have been used for a variety of
psychological , educational cultural , sociological and
employment studies of groups and for individuals


TEST - VARIATIONS
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Achievement / Attainment
Aptitude
Personality
Interest
Attitude
IQ ( Intelligence quotient)


APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOMETRIC
TESTING
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Placement
Personnel selection
Training & development
Career & Succession Planning
Diagnosis & recommendation of
Performance problems
Vocational education and career
counseling

WHY TESTS
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To reduce errors

• Standardized set of questions
• Objective evaluation

SELECTING TESTS
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SOURCES

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METRICS

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INTERPRETATION


ONLINE TESTING
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Standardization
Easy to administer across locations
Quick
Automatic Reports
Does not need interpretation expertise
Still requires to be anchored by qualified
persons

REFERENCE CHECKS
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Verify claims made by the candidate
Confirm selectors perceptions, sensing and
inferences
Clarify doubts that may have arisen during
the selection process
Add to understanding through input from
referee or any specific area of concern
Hear first hand from referee or anything
significant about the candidate ( positive or
dysfunctional)

Effective Reference Checks - the Steps


Ensure that the candidate gives references that know him well

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Be clear on what you wish to ask the referee

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Let the referee know
– That his/her input is important
– that you care about the candidates career choice / direction
– the context of the job that the candidate has applied for

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Confirm referee’s extent of familiarity with the candidate

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Ask open ended questions to start with

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Follow through with pointed questions in your areas of concern

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THANK THE REFEREE for the time invested

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Do a 360 degree reference check

ASSESSMENT


Behavior Assessment Process
Evaluate
Rate data & behavior
to agreed standard
Classify
Categorize behavior and other
data into critical attributes

Store
Accurately store in memory what happened

Observe
Carefully watch and listen to what has happened

ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES


People tend to behave in a consistent way

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Understand the context of people’s behavior

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Relate information from one source to another


RATINGS


Excellent - 4
Tremendous amount of data across all
sections supporting the indicators. Goes
beyond the indicators. A big strength
area. This is where the candidate
operates from,as a psychological
platform ( will be an adjective for him )

RATINGS


V Good - 3
A lot of data from at least two three
sections, or overwhelmingly in at least
one section supporting the indicators.
This is the way the indicators are
defined. Supports with examples


RATINGS


Acceptable - 2
Evidence from at least one section of
the interview. Supports at least 2/3 of
the indicators. Will do. Exhibits data with
some examples


RATINGS


Not acceptable - 1
Shows definite evidence of lack of the
indicators. Falls short


COMMON FAILINGS IN ASSESSMENT


Leniency

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The Halo effect

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Mirror image

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Contrast

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Projection

Happy Interviewing


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