INTERVIEW TIPS AND TABOOS WHY INTERVIEW They seem

INTERVIEW TIPS AND TABOOS

WHY INTERVIEW ? They seem perfectly cut out for the job. But are candidates who look so good on paper really the right ones? In reading a resume, always keep in mind that the piece of paper in front of you cannot possibly completely describe the applicant it represents. The resume is just a one-dimensional sketch of a multi-dimensioned individual.

PREPARE TO INTERVIEW • Be aware what knowledge, skills, behavior and physical attributes are necessary for successful job performance • Carefully review the application • Plan the interview; draft and sequence questions • Try to arrange for a private office if possible • Have a copy of the Position Description, salary chart, benefits information and any other pertinent information handy

CANDIDATE TRAITS • ABLE TO DO THE JOB • WILLING TO DO THE JOB • MANAGEABLE ONCE ON THE JOB

CHEC KLIST Write specif a scorecar d wit ic ski h l needs ls the. positi on Havin g all th qualif icatio e needed ns or befor ganiz ehand ed every w i l l help k one in eep volved proce ss on the s in the ame p age

REVIEW THE RESUME You don’t have much experience, but I’m impressed by how you’ve blown it out of proportion.

THE JOB APPLICATION • Question application / resume’ content • Look for employment gaps • Verify and seek clarification • Look for quality of experience over quantity

SECRET OF INTERVIEWING (Use the 80/20 rule of listening) TALK LISTEN TALK SUCCESS FAILURE

Effective Listening Skills § Paraphrase/restate/summarize § Reflect § Non-verbal communication § Silence

ALLOW THE PERSON TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEMSELVES I y’am what I y’am USE SILENCE

INTERVIEW PROCESS • Preface the interview with small talk; be warm, friendly, relaxed; put applicant at ease. • Wait for applicant to answer the questions; use silence effectively. • Refrain from explaining what • Begin the interview with you are looking for or easily answered questions commenting on applicant’s with factual answers. • Use open-ended questions • Control the interview; don’t and a variety of let the applicant ramble. techniques to elicit • Give applicant opportunity information. to ask questions about job • Listen; use 80/20 rule. and benefits.

JOB RELATED - OBJECTIVE All questions and comments need to be job related and objective. Be especially careful during the “small talk” time before and after the actual formal interview. Sometimes questions come up that should be avoided.

BASIC TYPES OF QUESTIONS DIRECTIVE DO YOU? YES. NON-DIRECTIVE WHY? Well, let’s see. . . It all started when I was born. My father took one look and moved to Mexico

USE W QUESTIONS n WHAT skills were needed? n WHEN did you do this kind of work? < WHERE was this applicable? WHO was responsible? WHY did you make that decision? < HOW did you solve that problem? < <

QUESTIONING ALTERNATIVES § § Closed-ended questions - yes-no Open-ended questions - require explanation Past-Performance - describe past incidents Negative Balance - look for weakness § § § § Negative Confirmation - is weakness pervasive Mirror Statement - paraphrase ; then silence Loaded Question - assess decision-making Half-Right Reflexive - Expose yes-men Leading Question - Verify & expand information Hamburger-Helper - Elicit more detail; use silence Question Layering - Use all styles; W questions; verify

1 in 4 Job Seekers Blames Bias There a lot of reasons people get turned down for jobs. Rejected candidates often believe illegal bias is one of them. 27% surveyed claim they’ve been discriminated against when seeking a job or promotion. 42% of African-Americans say they’ve experienced bias due to race 15% of people over 45 claim they’ve experienced age bias (so did 13% of those under 25, who aren’t protected by law), 10% of women say they’ve run into gender discrimination. With the perception of discrimination so high, hiring managers must be aware of how to make fair decisions and conduct interviews properly. Avoiding comments and questions related to protected classes and keeping proper applicant and interview records can help prove hiring decisions were based on legitimate criteria.

1. How old are you? LEGAL OR ILLEGAL ? 2. This job requires that you work extra hours. Do you have children with whom this would cause a problem? 3. If hired, can you provide proof that you are 18 years of age? 4. What country are you from? 5. What denomination are you affiliated with? 6. Are you married? 7. Are you handicapped? 8. Are you capable of performing these assignments in a safe manner? 9. What languages do you speak? 10. Have you ever been arrested?

DON’T ASK !!! NATIONAL ORIGIN - ancestry, lineage, birthplace, next of kin, parent’s citizenship, native language RELIGION/POLITICS - political or religious beliefs or affiliation; religious holiday observances; references from religious leader RACE - physical features: complexion, hair, eyes, etc. SEX - name change; preferred form of address; spouse; number, names, ages of children; marital status AGE - how old applicant is DISABILITY - anything except ability to do actual job after an offer is made MILITARY HISTORY - branch of service, type of discharge (unless VEOA, VRA or vet preference) ARREST/CONVICTION - arrests: anything not job-related

MAY ASK !!! (if the job requires) NATIONAL ORIGIN - U. S. citizenship; languages required RELIGION/POLITICS - willing to work Saturday / Sunday SEX - work elsewhere under another name? ; have relatives working for the government? can travel or work overtime? AGE - if at least 18 years old; or 16 w/ a high school diploma DISABILITY - ability to perform tasks essential to job only ask AFTER an OFFER is made MILITARY - if has experience in Armed Forces ask for DD-214 if VEOA, VRA or claiming veteran preference ARRESTS/CONVICTIONS - about convictions, especially if job requires handling money or drugs ; about driving record if job requires operating government vehicles

IMPROPER INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS 1. Are you related to the Smith’s that live in Possum Holler? 2. Are you still married to Julie or did the divorce go through? 3. Will your social life interfere with going to evening board meetings? 4. How old are your kids? Will you have enough time to get the kids off to school so you make it to work on time? 5. What church do you attend; do you go every Sunday? 6. What kind of car do you drive? Does it run well enough to get to work on time? 7. What do you think of the outcome of the election? 8. How about bringing a sample of pie or cake to your second interview?

PROPER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why are you interested in this position? 2. Explain your understanding of conservation districts and the roles they play in soil and water conservation. 3. What education and work experience have you had with land surveys. 4. Describe any experience you’ve had with accounting. 5. Have you had any jobs where you had to deal with upset or angry customers? How did you handle this situation? 6. Give an examples of how you decide to prioritize work tasks. 7. What is your ideal job? 8. How geographically mobile are you?

PROPER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS • Why – Did you select the school you did? – Take the courses you have taken? – Did you choose this career? • What is your future? • Why should we hire you? • Do you have any questions for us?

FAIR OR UNFAIR Candidates have a right for personal information to be kept private. Information about a disability is personal information You can ask about how an employee’s disability will change how he/she does the main tasks in the job. Your can ask an employee with a disability how to keep the workplace safe for everyone.

TESTING ACTUAL SKILLS If the job requires specific skills, you may ask a candidate to demonstrate Typing Problem solving Stenography

EXPLAIN JOB & BENEFITS “We not only have a great retirement plan, but you age more quickly here as well” Questions from interviewees cover a lot of topics, including the job, the company as a whole and the boss.

Be Ready for Applicant Questions about the Position What are the most important skills needed ? What is the promotion potential ? What things about this job did previous employees dislike ? How is performance be measured? What criteria are important ? What happens when an employee fails to meet expectations ?

Be Ready for Applicant Questions about the Organization Explain the organizational structure? Who reports to whom? What are the organization’s three most important goals? What initiatives does the organization have planned? Describe the management style — what kind of person fits here? How accessible are top executives to someone in this position? What’s the company’s policy on attending seminars/ events? Are there any paid training opportunities?

REJECTION Rejection should be handled properly, in writing Rejecting a candidate in person or by phone you run the risk of getting yourself into a situation you can’t get out of without an attorney.

KEEP IT SHORT and SIMPLE It’s best to keep rejection letters short and sweet. “After carefully reviewing all resumes and applications, we interviewed a small number of applicants. Based on background, qualifications, skills and experience, we have selected the candidate that we feel will best fit the position. ” “I wanted to let you know that we have filled the ____ position with another candidate. We enjoyed meeting you and are sorry we won’t be working together at this time. We were fortunte to have had so many fine candidates to choose from; but it sure makes it difficult to narrow it down to just one. We hope you’ll consider applying for future openings that you might be interested in. Good luck to you with your search. Thanks again. ”

FEEDBACK ? ? ? What are the benefits of giving feedback to unsuccessful job seekers? Not much. Liability - the candidate might try to claim the real reason was race, gender, age, etc. Don’t discuss anything vague like ‘cultural fit. ’ Some candidates ask for your reasons just so they can try to convince you’re wrong. You might want to help someone’s job search by giving constructive criticism if…. . You can be specific in your assessment: “You don’t have enough experience in [blank]. ” The best response is to thank them for their interest and tell them that they have an interesting (or diverse or impressive) background but another candidate who was a better fit, more suitable, or better qualified) was selected.

CASE A 61 -year-old man applied for a supervisory position. He met the minimum requirements, so he was called in for an interview. The interviewers didn’t think he was a good fit for the company’s management team. He had lengthy technical experience, but had spent very little time supervising. He spoke negatively about people he’d worked with and “came on a bit strong” when answering questions about how he’d handle certain management scenarios. He didn’t get the job. He sued, claiming he was rejected because of his age. The applicant alleged that one of the interviewers asked him “out of the blue” how old he was and how long he planned on working before retirement. (The interviewer denied asking those questions. ) According to the applicant, the reasons the company gave for not hiring him were just a cover for age bias.

Who won the case? It was questionable whether the age-related questions were even asked (the interviewer denied doing so). Even if they were, it didn’t necessarily mean the decision was biased. The employer articulated several reasons why the applicant wasn’t hired: (1) his lack of supervisory experience, and (2) his behavior during the interview. Evidence included e-mails sent between the decision makers discussing those problems. The court to ruled that age bias wasn’t a factor and threw the case out.

Interviewer’s questions still dangerous Does this mean hiring managers are free to ask candidates questions about age, race, sex, disabilities and other protected categories? NO ! Absolutely NOT ! stray remarks by interviewers can be dangerous. Although the employer won: (1) If not for alleged aged-based questions, the employer wouldn’t have been dragged into court in the first place. (2) Simply going to court is costly and time-consuming (3) Other employers haven’t been as fortunate. The decision demonstrates that keeping clear documentation indicating a hiring decision was based on job-related criteria can keep employers out of trouble even when a candidate interprets an interviewer’s comments as biased.

If you HIRE HARD You can MANAGE EASY