{"id":58,"date":"2014-08-18T16:06:34","date_gmt":"2014-08-18T16:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/hrmanagement1xmaster\/?post_type=chapter&p=58"},"modified":"2014-10-05T03:24:24","modified_gmt":"2014-10-05T03:24:24","slug":"5-3-interviewing","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/hrmanagement\/chapter\/5-3-interviewing\/","title":{"raw":"5.3 Interviewing","rendered":"5.3 Interviewing"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
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5.3<\/span> Interviewing<\/h2>\r\n
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
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  1. Explain the various types of interviews and interview questions.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Discuss interview methods and potential mistakes in interviewing candidates.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Explain the interview process.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nInterviewing people costs money. As a result, after candidates are selected, good use of time is critical to making sure the interview process allows for selection of the right candidate. In an unstructured interview<\/span>A type of interview in which questions are changed to match the specific applicant.<\/span><\/span>, questions are changed to match the specific applicant; for example, questions about the candidate\u2019s background in relation to their r\u00e9sum\u00e9 might be used. In a structured interview<\/span>A type of interview with a set of standardized questions based on the job analysis, not on the individual candidate\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/span><\/span>, there is a set of standardized questions based on the job analysis, not on individual candidates\u2019 r\u00e9sum\u00e9s. While a structured interview might seem the best option to find out about a particular candidate, the bigger concern is that the interview revolves around the specific job for which the candidate is interviewing. In a structured interview, the expected or desired answers are determined ahead of time, which allows the interviewer to rate responses as the candidate provides answers. This allows for a fair interview process, according to the US Office of Personnel Management.\u201cStructured Interviews: A Practical Guide,\u201d US Office of Personnel Management, September 2008, accessed January 25, 2011, https:\/\/apps.opm.gov\/ADT\/ContentFiles\/SIGuide09.08.08.pdf<\/a>.<\/span> For purposes of this section, we will assume that all interviews you perform will be structured, unless otherwise noted.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Types of Interviews<\/h2>\r\nInterview processes can be time-consuming, so it makes sense to choose the right type of interview(s) for the individual job. Some jobs, for example, may necessitate only one interview, while another may necessitate a telephone interview and at least one or two traditional interviews. Keep in mind, though, that there will likely be other methods with which to evaluate a candidate\u2019s potential, such as testing. Testing is discussed in Section 5.4.1 \"Testing\". Here are different types of interviews:\r\n
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    1. Traditional interview.<\/strong> This type of interview normally takes place in the office. It consists of the interviewer and the candidate, and a series of questions are asked and answered.<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Telephone interview.<\/strong> A telephone interview is often used to narrow the list of people receiving a traditional interview. It can be used to determine salary requirements or other data that might automatically rule out giving someone a traditional interview. For example, if you receive two hundred r\u00e9sum\u00e9s and narrow these down to twenty-five, it is still unrealistic to interview twenty-five people in person. At this point, you may decide to conduct phone interviews of those twenty-five, which could narrow the in-person interviews to a more manageable ten or so people.<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Panel interview.<\/strong> A panel interview occurs when several people are interviewing one candidate at the same time. While this type of interview can be nerve racking for the candidate, it can also be a more effective use of time. Consider some companies who require three to four people to interview candidates for a job. It would be unrealistic to ask the candidate to come in for three or four interviews, so it makes sense for them to be interviewed by everyone at once.<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Information interview.<\/strong> Informational interviews are usually used when there is no specific job opening, but the candidate is exploring possibilities in a given career field. The advantage to conducting these types of interviews is the ability to find great people ahead of a job opening.<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. Meal interviews.<\/strong> Many organizations offer to take the candidate to lunch or dinner for the interview. This can allow for a more casual meeting where, as the interviewer, you might be able to gather more information about the person, such as their manners and treatment of waitstaff. This type of interview might be considered an unstructured interview, since it would tend to be more of a conversation as opposed to a session consisting of specific questions and answers.<\/li>\r\n\t
    6. Group interview.<\/strong> In a group interview, two or more candidates interview at the same time. This type of interview can be an excellent source of information if you need to know how they may relate to other people in their job.<\/li>\r\n\t
    7. Video interviews.<\/strong> Video interviews are the same as traditional interviews, except that video technology is used. This can be cost saving if one or more of your candidates are from out of town. Skype, for example, allows free video calls. An interview may not feel the same as a traditional interview, but the same information can be gathered about the candidate.<\/li>\r\n\t
    8. Nondirective interview (sometimes called an unstructured interview).<\/strong> In a nondirective interview, the candidate essentially leads the discussion. Some very general questions that are planned ahead of time may be asked, but the candidate spends more time talking than the interviewer. The questions may be more open ended; for example, instead of asking, \u201cDo you like working with customers?\u201d you may ask, \u201cWhat did you like best about your last job?\u201d The advantage of this type of interview is that it can give candidates a good chance to show their abilities; however, the downside is that it may be hard to compare potential candidates, since questions are not set in advance. It relies on more of a \u201cgut feeling\u201d approach.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nIt is likely you may use one or more of these types of interviews. For example, you may conduct phone interviews, then do a meal interview, and follow up with a traditional interview, depending on the type of job.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Interview Questions<\/h2>\r\nMost interviews consist of many types of questions, but they usually lean toward situational interviews or behavior description interviews. A situational interview<\/span>An interview style in which the candidate is given a sample situation and asked how he or she might deal with the situation.<\/span><\/span> is one in which the candidate is given a sample situation and is asked how he or she might deal with the situation. In a behavior description interview<\/span>A type of interview in which the candidate is asked questions about what he or she actually did in a variety of given situations.<\/span><\/span>, the candidate is asked questions about what he or she actually did in a variety of given situations. The assumption in this type of interview is that someone\u2019s past experience or actions are an indicator of future behavior. These types of questions, as opposed to the old \u201ctell me about yourself\u201d questions, tend to assist the interviewer in knowing how a person would handle or has handled situations. These interview styles also use a structured method and provide a better basis for decision making. Examples of situational interview questions might include the following:\r\n
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      1. If you saw someone stealing from the company, what would you do?<\/li>\r\n\t
      2. One of your employees is performing poorly, but you know he has some personal home issues he is dealing with. How would you handle complaints from his colleagues about lack of performance?<\/li>\r\n\t
      3. A coworker has told you she called in sick three days last week because she actually decided to take a vacation. What would you do?<\/li>\r\n\t
      4. You are rolling out a new sales plan on Tuesday, which is really important to ensure success in your organization. When you present it, the team is lukewarm on the plan. What would you do?<\/li>\r\n\t
      5. You disagree with your supervisor on her handling of a situation. What would you do?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nExamples of behavior description interview questions might include the following:\r\n
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        1. Tell me about a time you had to make a hard decision. How did you handle this process?<\/li>\r\n\t
        2. Give an example of how you handled an angry customer.<\/li>\r\n\t
        3. Do you show leadership in your current or past job? What would be an example of a situation in which you did this?<\/li>\r\n\t
        4. What accomplishments have given you the most pride and why?<\/li>\r\n\t
        5. What plans have you made to achieve your career goals?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
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          Top 36 Interview Questions and Answers<\/h3>\r\n