Interviewing Job Applicants Supervisor Briefing Reed Business Information

Interviewing Job Applicants Supervisor Briefing © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Question What’s the best way to interview a job applicant? a. Have an off-the-cuff conversation. b. Focus only on a person’s job history and nothing else. c. Develop and use a standard set of questions based on knowledge, skills and abilities. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Answer c. The best way to interview job applicants is to be prepared—and part of that preparation is developing and asking questions that probe into the applicant’s knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) and competencies—not just job history. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Objectives of This Briefing This Supervisor Briefing examines how to conduct an effective, lawful job interview that screens out unqualified applicants and identifies those who are good fit to the organization. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Objectives of This Briefing (con’t. ) The topics covered in this briefing include: 1. Why a Supervisor Needs to Know How to Conduct an Effective, Legal Interview 2. What is an Effective Interview © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Objectives of This Briefing (con’t. ) 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What is a Legal Interview How to Prepare for an Interview Questions to Avoid How to Structure a Job Interview How to Make a Hiring Decision © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Why a Supervisor Needs to Know How to Conduct an Effective, Legal Interview The key to hiring top-notch employees is identifying them through the employment interview, which must be done in a lawful manner to avoid allegations of discrimination. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Why a Supervisor Needs to Know How to Conduct an Effective, Legal Interview (con’t. ) Poor interviewing: • Results in turnover; • Adversely affects quality and productivity; • Increases operating costs. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Why a Supervisor Needs to Know How to Conduct an Effective, Legal Interview (con’t. ) An interview using illegal questions can put the employer at risk of being sued for discrimination. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Why a Supervisor Needs to Know How to Conduct an Effective, Legal Interview (con’t. ) Effective, legal interviewing lets the interviewer find employees who are committed and engaged and will contribute to the company’s success. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is an Effective Interview? An effective job interview is one in which the supervisor gathers sufficient information to find out if a candidate has what is needed for a good “fit” into the organization, including: • Knowledge; • Skills; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is an Effective Interview? (con’t. ) • Abilities; • Characteristics; and • Competencies. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is an Effective Interview? (con’t. ) An effective job interviewer not only finds out if a candidate is qualified and a good fit for the job and organization but does so within the parameters of the law. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is a Legal Interview? A number of federal, state, and local laws protect against employment discrimination. The supervisor needs to know who is protected by these laws and how to respect these laws during an employment interview. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is a Legal Interview? (con’t. ) Federal laws include: • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: No discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, and sex. (Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees. ) © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is a Legal Interview? (con’t. ) • The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Protects people age 40 and older from discrimination because of age. The law covers employers with 20 or more employees. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is a Legal Interview? (con’t. ) • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Protects qualified individuals with a disability. It covers employers with 15 or more employees; and © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

What Is a Legal Interview? (con’t. ) • The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): Prohibits employers from using an applicant’s or employee’s genetic information to discriminate against them in any aspect. GINA covers employers with 15 or more employees. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Warning! • Failure to abide by these employment laws can put the employer at risk of a lawsuit and/or fines. If discrimination is found, the employer may suffer both compensatory and punitive damages up to $50, 000 for small employers or up to $300, 000 for large employers. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Warning! (con’t. ) • Most states and many municipalities have enacted laws similar to the federal statutes. All interviews must be conducted within the parameters of all laws. The interviewer must not ask questions or screen out candidates on the basis of characteristics protected by the law. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview To conduct an effective, legal job interview, the supervisor must be thoroughly prepared. Preparation includes: • Reviewing and updating the job description; • Developing a set of standard questions for the job. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) To review and update the job description the supervisor should: • Collaborate with HR and job incumbent(s); • Make sure the job description accurately reflects current and anticipated job duties, knowledge/skills/abilities (KSAs), and competencies; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) • Make sure the job description identifies the essential job functions—those tasks or responsibilities that are critical to the job (necessary to comply with the ADA). © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Tip When updating the job description, make it “real. ” Go to the incumbent, watch the job being performed, and ask the incumbent to document what he or she really does. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) A job interviewer can become biased by: • A halo effect (bias influenced by first impressions, often attractiveness, appearance, or education); • Stereotyping; or • Acquaintanceship. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) To take as much subjectivity (bias) out of the interview as possible, a best practice is to develop a list of standard interview questions designed to assess KSAs as well as competencies required for the job. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) Standard questions, along with the use of a rating form, can help assure that all candidates will be assessed objectively. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) The supervisor should phrase questions so that candidates will talk about their actual (not hypothetical) experiences. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview (con’t. ) Suggested Interview Questions Question KSA and competencies Tell me about yourself. Communication skills, business knowledge, job knowledge In five minutes, walk me through your work history. Communication skills, job knowledge Why was your last job important to the company? Job knowledge, business knowledge Tell me about a problem you solved in your last job. Problem solving and communication skills © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Question KSAs and Competencies Describe to me a time when you had to deal with an angry customer. Customer relations, problem solving and communication skills. What were your department’s goals? How did they relate to the company’s goals? Business knowledge. Tell me about a time when you Conflict resolution, problem had a conflict with a co-worker or solving and communication skills. a supervisor and how you dealt with it. Tell me how you set up xxx machine. Job knowledge. What was the most satisfying part of your last job? Why? Job knowledge, motivation Are you more detail-oriented or “big-picture” oriented? Give me an example to illustrate. Detail orientation. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Question KSAs and Competencies Describe examples of projects you initiated on your own. Initiative What kinds of things at work get you really excited about your job? Initiative, communication skills, job knowledge Describe a team experience you found rewarding. Why? Teamwork and communication skills What kinds of questions do you have about our company and the job? Detail orientation, job knowledge, business knowledge, planning skills Tell me why we should hire you. Persuasion and communication skills, job knowledge, business knowledge © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Tip Rating the KSAs and competencies of each candidate helps to make the hiring decision objective. Create a rating sheet that lists each question with the KSAs and competencies it focuses on identifying. Rate each answer and each KSA and competency, using a scale of 1 -5. Compile ratings from everyone involved in the interview process to build consensus. Save a master copy of the rating sheet for the next time the same job opens up. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Questions to Avoid All questions asked in the interview must be job-related—not personal. The supervisor must avoid all questions that could be construed as discriminatory. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Questions to Avoid (con’t. ) The supervisor should never ask questions about: • Marital status; • Child care arrangements; • Age; • Religious affiliation and beliefs; • Disabilities; • Arrests. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Questions to Avoid (con’t. ) Question to Avoid Alternative Question Do you have child care arranged? Are you able to meet the attendance requirements for this job? Do you have a disability or medical condition that would prohibit you from doing this job? Can you perform the job as described with or without a reasonable accommodation? When did you graduate? Are you a high school (or college) graduate? What is your religion? Are you available to work weekends? Do you have a green card (work Visa)? Will you be able to verify your eligibility to work in this country? © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Question to Avoid Alternative Question You have an interesting accent. What nationality are you? (Don’t comment on speech patterns or ask about ethnicity or country of origin. ) How old are you? Are you over age 18? What kind of work does your spouse do? (Do not ask about marital status in any way. ) How old are your children? Are you able to meet the attendance requirements of this job? © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Structure a Job Interview A job interview is more than a casual conversation. Before the applicant arrives, the supervisor should review: • The job description and interview questions; • All ads for the job (in print and online); • The applicant’s resume and application. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Structure a Job Interview (con’t. ) When the applicant arrives, the supervisor should: • Make an introduction, including his or her role in the hiring process as well as at work; • Outline the parameters of the interview, including time allocation; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Structure a Job Interview (con’t. ) • Describe the job and its qualifications; • Ask if the applicant has any questions prior to the beginning of the interview; • Begin the interview, using the list of prepared questions; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Structure a Job Interview (con’t. ) • Take notes and rate each question during the interview; • End the interview with an explanation of the next steps the applicant can expect. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Structure a Job Interview (con’t. ) Keep the interview conservational rather than confrontational. Remember: • The aim of the interview is to gather information that will allow an objective assessment of the applicant’s fit into the organization and the job; • Do not interrogate. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Did You Know? It pays to employ engaged employees. A 2008 Towers Perrin Global Workplace Study found that businesses having a highly engaged workforce outperformed their peers by as much as 28 percent. Companies without an engaged workforce had a decline in operating income of more than 32 percent. The survey suggests it pays to find the right employees. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

How to Make a Hiring Decision To make a hiring decision: • Each interviewer should complete a ratings sheet on each applicant. • All ratings should be compiled and compared. • The candidate with the highest rating should be considered for hire, if background checks and references are OK. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 1 A obviously pregnant woman applies for a job. You are looking for a longterm employee. Can you refuse to hire her because she is pregnant? a. Yes b. No © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 1: Answer A obviously pregnant woman applies for a job. You are looking for a longterm employee. Can you refuse to hire her because she is pregnant? a. Yes b. No © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 1: Rationale b. Refusing to hire a pregnant woman is a form of sex discrimination, if she is able to perform the essential functions of the job. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 2 An applicant comes into a job interview wearing a gay-rights pin. You know some of your employees have strong feelings about homosexuality. You can refuse to hire him because of his sexual orientation and keep harmony in your team. a. True b. False © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 2: Answer An applicant comes into a job interview wearing a gay-rights pin. You know some of your employees have strong feelings about homosexuality. You can refuse to hire him because of his sexual orientation and keep harmony in your team. a. True b. False © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Test Yourself Question 2: Rationale b. False. Sexual orientation and sexual identity are not protected under federal law. However, many states and local communities have laws barring discrimination on sexual orientation and identity. It should be noted that wearing a gay-rights pin does not mean that the individual is gay, nor is sexual orientation a job-related factor. A hiring decision should be made on the KSAs of the applicant, not on the bias on the supervisor or the workforce. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.