I make sure that everything else on my calendar is clear and that I don't have anything distracting me so that I can focus on my interviews. I like having the set questions along with an interview team.
Alex,
You wer very thorough in your response. Thank you. It sounds like you do a great job of preparing for the interview. You alluded to the job description but that really needs to be the centerpiece of the whole process. Designing a job description which clearly lays out the responsibilities and the qualifications for the position will then drive the interview process, in particular the questions which are asked of the applicant. I like the fact that you create a list of questions, which I then assume will be asked of each applicant. This provides you with a easy way to compare your candidates. Not only is your preparation spot on but it also sounds like your execution of the interview is as well. You are wise to consider the cultural fit of the applicant into your environment as well as their experience which prepares them to take on a particular position. It sounds to me like you have interviewed well in the past and built a process which works very well for you.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Once I have screened a job applicant to the point of setting up an interview I find that it is very important to be clear about what needs to happen in the interview. I take time to closely read through the applicant's resume. I make a list of questions and discussion points that will open an avenue that will help me get to know the applicant better. The questions wll relate to education, qualification and experience in the field. The questions will build from information that is on the resume and also build on the requirements of the position. I also make a list of the responsiblities of the position with the intention of discussing them in the interview and getting responses from the applicant on those points. I make a list of some key points of how things work at our company and what the culture is like with the intention of getting responses from the applicant on these points.
By the time an interview has been scheduled I have already discussed the applicant with other managers in the company and often get some good points to bring up in the interview.
My point of view about the interview is not that it is a magnifying glass that I apply to the applicant but more so that it is an alive interaction where I get to experience some of the applicants cognitive skills, relational abilites, input and insights and personal dynamics.
My intention is to create the kind of atmosphere where this kind of interaction can occur. This will ultimately give me the best sense of whether the applicant will be able to fill the position and also whether he or she will be able to do well within our company environment.
In addition to some of the points listed above I would recommend that an interviewer find a way to turn the interview into a real life interaction, even some nuts-and-bolts dicsussion, that would evoke some of the applicants creative energies.
Earl,
This is the perfect way to avoid close ended questions. Any time that you ask a candidate to share how they would or have handled a particular situation, you will get a sense of how that candidate functions. I really like your classroom observation technique. Now you can get a feel for what they value in an education setting and you might be able to listen for a passion in their voice.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Rey,
You did very well in your response. The only item that I would add is to design a job description which clearly and thoroughly describes the position, identifies in detail the responsibilities, and states the specific qualifications. Then, as you create your interview questions, you can refer to the job description as a resource.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
By Earl Conner
Our school requires specific work experience in the field of our profession, so the interview asks various scenarios and how would the candidate respond to students with those scenarios. We also have a second interview that is hands on to determine the skill the candidate has acquired through their work experience. Lastly we ask the candidate to observe a class room that is in process, and ask what they observed.
I always make sure that I knows what skills and qualifications needed for the position. I also make sure that I review the resume of the person that I will be interviewing. I also take time to review the persons application forms if possible I do this and look fore something that we can talk about to relax the applicant for the interview. It is also critical that I have alloted enough time to conduct the interview and that I conduct the interview in a room where we will not be diturbed. If I have many applicants for the position I have a set of questions. I make sure that i have a pen and pad if need be.
It is critical that the interviewer is organized pleasant and is prepared with questions to assess the applicant. He also has to make sure that he represents the company well. All in all the interviewer should be knowlegable, prepared, a professional and pleasant. He or she should build a positive relationship with the applicant . This would make the applicant at ease and make it easy for the interviewer to know more about the applicant, it would also make the applicant excited to join the organization, and because of that positive interview experience, impressed to speak about the company he is applying to.
Sean,
That involvement from other departments helps a new employee gain support early on in the tenure because other departments were involved in the process. I really like your idea of identifying positive and negative attributes in order to craft your questions. Those interactions once again build support and relationships. This level of involvement from other departments requires that you create a well designed job description so there are no misunderstandings what the position entails and what the position qualifications are. These minimizes differences of opinion regarding candidates.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
When hiring for a current position I like to get input from the managers of other departments that we interact with. I ask them about positive attributes previous employees have brought to the position, as well as negative. I use this information to form my standardized questions to interview candidates.
I also have the same managers interview candidates on their 2nd or 3rd interviews. Afterwards, we meet at the "round table" to choose the best candidate for the position.
David,
Why have you chosen to use the structured interview process? As others have said on their posts, there are many types of interviews that have varying levels of effectiveness. One that some use effectively is the group interview. I, too, use a structured process but I am curious if your reasoning for doing so is similar to mine.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I use a structured interview process, but I do ask some question based on the answers that I receive.
Gale,
Great response, Gale. It shows that you have done this before and have established a process that works for you. To be as prepared as you indicate makes a statement in and of itself to the candidate that this is a quality place to work. Taking notes as the candidate responds to your questions is another part of the process as well. If you are interviewing multiple candidates, it becomes difficult to remember the details of each interview. Notes which have been taken during the interview helps to jog the memory a little bit. Well done!
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I always start my preparation for interviewing a candidate by reviewing the job description which enables me to begin the process of identifying kep questions that should be asked of all candidates. I like a structured interview which is particularly helpful when I'm interviewing at the end of the day when I'm more tired and perhaps a bit less focused on the task. This approach ensures that I cover all necessary topics and that I collect the same information on all candidates so I can more easily compare and contrast candidates.
The next step is to reread the candidate's resume and cover letter. I actually use a highligher pen to make is easy to pick out items I want to ask the candidate--I also jot down specific questions regarding the need for further clarification of info on the resume. I find out how recently the candidate has applied for the job or if the resume has been in our files previously--this may impact how interested the candidate is in our position and may be a signal that I will have to spend more time in the interview selling the job to the candidate.
I usually make sure that I have a reference sheet on our employee benefits and other reasons why our work environment is a good one in which to work. Talented candidates have choices in terms of jobs and I want this candidate to value the job opportunity presented to him/her.
Bernice,
You are right on target with your response. I like the fact that you are using a set of questions which would then be used for all candidates. This allows you to compare candidates. Furthermore, it is important to have a job description which clearly specifies the job requirements and qualifications. Questions should be designed with the JD in mind. Lastly, those questions should be open ended so you are able to probe and really get to know the candidate anhisher ability to to the job. Past performance is a good indicator of future performance.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I like looking over the resume and make notes to myself to ask some probing questions. We would choose a set of questions from Lominger for the position. This will ensure that the same questions are being used for each candidate applying for the position. We also choose an Ice breaker question to help start off the interview. We go over the interview process with the candidate before starting with the questions. One of the things I like most about this process is that the responses we look for are based on past experiences (this is mentioned in the beginning) which helps the candidate be at ease.
Holli,
A structured interview process is much better should you ever be questioned on the candidate who was selected. When you talk about the 3 people doing the interview, I assume it was done as a group interview, which can be a good process. Another way is to have the candidate interview with multiple people separately and compare notes (de-brief) afterwards. I always prepare questions in advance which I ask of each and every candidate so that I can make a comparison. My questions are based on the job description. It is also important to prepare questions which are open-ended or which cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no."
In addition to the actual interview,it is important to make the candidate comfortable in the interview setting. That might mean making comments regarding the weather, did they have difficulty finding the campus, etc. If the office setting allows you to get out from behind a desk, it is good to do since that also lends itself to making the candidate feel comfortable.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Currently our process is unformatted. I really believe there should be more to our interview process. At my previous employer we used the Lominger and we had 3 peope do the interview all taing turns asking questions adn then we would all discuss the candidate afterwards. I loved it and felt as a team we made really good hiring decisions.
Jessica,
Good answer, Jessica. I like that approach because the structure across interviews with all candidates allows for a basis of comparison. The more you are able to get them to reveal about themselves during the interview, the better your final decision will be. Structuring the interview around the job description gives further support to that final selection.
Your background is really ideal for guiding the students as they prepare for the job search process.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
In my current job as a Career Services Director I teach students how to interview and prepare for potential questions that could be asked. However - prior to that I was a Human Resources Director. I would usually conduct a mix of structured with unstructured processes in the interview. Structured because there are certain skills and strengths that I need to make sure the candidate possesses. Unstructured because I want to see their personality, how much they reveal about themselves, and further evaluate their fit with the company.
Hi Josefina,
Welcome to the class.
Good response to the question. I am gong to back up a little bit, though, to the job description. Before you can have an effective interview, it is important to have a well written job description which reflects the actual responsibilities of the job. Once you have that, it is easier to review the applications to make certain the candidates meet your qualifications. I like the fact that you have multiple people conduct interviews because it allows you all to compare your assessment of the candidate's appropriateness for the position and fit for the organization. I also like the fact that you give your interviewers a set of questions with the opportunity to add their own. This again allows the interviewers an opportunity to compare responses based on the same questions. A couple of keys to conducting a great interview are: (1) Having a job description which actually reflects the responsibilities of the job (2) Asking open ended questions and (3) Interviewer must listen more than talk.
Pat
