Structured Interviews Tips and Techniques for Enhancing Interview

Structured Interviews Tips and Techniques for Enhancing Interview Techniques Mr. Scott C Bible, SHRM-SCP Department of Management

Selection is… • • Decision making Risk Prediction Match-making

Interviews are… • • • The most common selection method Linked to Job Analysis Precursors for performance management Behavioral Rated Structured

Structured Interview Toolkit • Process • SHRM Tools • Virtual (Dr. Erin Makarius)

Virtual Interviews Tips and Techniques for Enhancing Virtual Selection Practices Dr. Erin Makarius, SHRM-SCP Department of Management

Virtual Selection Experience • What are your experiences in virtual selection? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in the selection practice? • How do you think virtual interviews differ from face-to-face interviews?

Background of Virtual Interactions • Social Presence • Media Richness (or lack thereof) • Difficulties in working virtually Ø Trust Development Ø Social Interactions Ø Technological Barriers

Employer Perspective • Impact on Bottom Line: Ø Reduces time to fill Ø Improves quality of hire Ø Provides digital records Ø Cost-Effective • Greater Standardization: Ø Compare Candidates Ø Multiple Raters • Yet, Recruiters found… Ø Virtual interviews more challenging to assess candidates Ø Experience/skills in FTF interviews did not translate as much as expected

Applicant Perspective � Videoconference ◦ ◦ interviews: Less fair Less positive interview outcomes Lower intentions to accept jobs Less opportunity to demonstrate qualifications � Compared to face-to-face: ◦ Applicants had greater difficulty regulating and understanding conversation ◦ Applicants less comfortable ◦ Greater interview anxiety impacts interview performance ◦ Applicants consider firms less attractive

Real-Life: Virtual Interviews � You’re Calling from where? ◦ HR Director, Rochester NY � Screen Sharing ◦ Technical Manager, Hawaii � Technical Glitches ◦ Developer, Los Angeles �A Little Too Comfortable ◦ Marketing Consultant, New York City

Communication Disrupted Ø Technical Issues q Over 1/3 of virtual interviews experienced technical difficulties q 16% difficulty in establishing connection q 13% audio disruptions q 20% video disruptions Ø Ø q 60% had inappropriate lighting q 40% had inappropriate settings q 10% had distracting background noises q 86% had poor camera angles Ø Non-Verbals q 80% lacked effective eye contact q 40% had excessive hand gestures q 5% had unusual body movements Technical Integrity q Interview success depends on technology candidate is using q Bandwidth, computer type, software updates, & security Setting/Environment Issues Ø Individual Differences q Age q Personality *Source: Mc. Coll, R. & Michelotti, M. (2019). Sorry, could you repeat the question? Exploring video recruitment practices in HRM. Human Resource Management Journal, 29, 637 -656.

Akron Experiment �Research Method: ◦ Procedure: Experimental Design examining F 2 F compared to virtual interviews ◦ Participants: �Interviewers: 48 graduating seniors in Selection & Staffing course �Applicants: 65 students in a Human Resource Management Course �Observers: 18 Local HR and Business Professionals (Thanks Akron SHRM!)

Applicant Feedback �Difficulty: ◦ “I think the virtual is a little bit more intimidating, so the interviewer needs to be even more warm and friendly to make you feel comfortable. ” ◦ “I learned that it is a lot easier to communicate your answers in face-to-face interview compared to virtual interviews. ” ◦ “Virtual is definitely harder, there's a disconnect on a personal level; it was difficult to gauge her personality, how she was reacting to my answers, or just what kind of vibe she was giving me. ” ◦ “Face-to-Face is more interactive than the virtual interviews. You have to exaggerate yourself during the virtual interview in order to give a great impression. ” ◦ “I felt a bit more relaxed during the virtual interview purely based on the fact that I was physically alone and the interview was conducted over via camera. ” ◦ “There was a different tone and feel for each interview the energy was different”

Applicant Feedback � Non-Verbals ◦ “It was hard to set the tone without being able to shake the interviewer’s hand. ” ◦ It was hard to assess environment or read body language for virtual interview. Get distracted easily. � Eye Contact ◦ “It was much harder during the virtual to have eye contact. I eventually just went to looking at the screen when she was talking and to make sure to look at the camera when I spoke. ” ◦ “Virtual interviews place more importance on eye contact. ”

Interviewer Feedback � Technical Difficulties ◦ “I worry more about virtual interviews than F 2 F. Will the system work, will we be able to see and hear the candidate, will we be able to fix problems quickly and how do we fairly assess a candidate whose performance is affected by technical problems? ” � Differences in Assessment ◦ “I really liked the candidate in our FTF meeting. He was confident and showed leadership skills. But in the video interview, he came across as a bit unstable. I was really surprised!” ◦ “[Virtual interviews] are great but I would not completely rely on it… all those interruptions really frustrate me and you can only ask a few questions. In our FTF interviews we sometimes mix in role plays and simulations. I really feel limited by this form of interview. ” � Overall Perceptions ◦ “Virtual interviews can be more challenging because you have to worry about things more than a face-to-face interview. You have to make sure the background is acceptable and you have to know where to look at in order to maintain eye contact during a virtual interview. You also have to make sure you aren't making too much movement such as talking with your hands. ” ◦ “I thought I knew what I was doing, but I got a reality check when conducting the virtual interview, and learned a lot in the process”.

Virtual Interview Checklist BEFORE THE INTERVIEW: q Survey your Surroundings Ø Practice seeing what the applicant will see Ø Remove distractions q Test your Technology q Adjust your Audio Ø Review Background Noises Ø Sound can be amplified q Check your Camera Ø Angle and Eye contact q q Leverage your Lighting DURING THE INTERVIEW: q Contact with the Camera q Minimize Movement q Project your Personality Ø Vibrant Vocals q Nix the Negative Expressions q Lean In q Transmission Timing Determine your Dress Ø Watch what you wear on screen (and off) q Prepare Paperwork q Practice!

Takeaways �Be aware of assumptions about digital natives �Training �Virtual can be beneficial for virtual interviews should be one part of your selection toolkit

Comments? Questions? Feedback? Contact Us: Scott Bible: scb 3@uakron. edu Erin Makarius: makarius@uakron. edu THANK YOU!