Chapter 7

Final Topic 1
Interviewing Candidates
Syllabus as per course outline
1. Types of interviews
2. Avoiding interview errors
3. Steps in interview
4. Training and developing employees
5. Types of training
6. Other methods
7. simulations
 Unstructured –
Administration:
non directive
Structure
Structure - 1.Panel
Directive 2.Phone
Situational 3.Video/web
Selection
Types of Interview

Interview 4.Computerized
Behavior 5.Mass
Appraisal
Content
Interview 6.Structured
Job related
Exit Interview Administration sequential
stress 7.Unstructured
sequential
unstructured (or nondirective) interview: An unstructured
conversational-style interview in which the interviewer
pursues points of interest as they come up in response to
questions.
structured (or directive) interview :An interview following a
set sequence of questions. the employer lists questions
ahead of time, and may even weight possible alternative
answers
situational interview A series of job-related questions that focus on how the
candidate would behave in a given situation. In a situational interview, you
ask the candidate what his or her behavior would be in a given situation. For
example, ask a supervisory candidate how he or she would act in response to
a subordinate coming to work late 3 days in a row.

behavioral interview A series of job-related questions that focus on

how the candidate reacted to actual situations in the past.
job-related interview A series of job-related questions that focus
on relevant past job-related behaviors
stress interview An interview in which the applicant is made uncomfortable
by a series of often rude questions. This technique helps identify
hypersensitive applicants and those with low or high stress tolerance.
Situational Questions
1.Suppose a more experienced coworker was not following standard work procedures and claimed
the new procedure was better. Would you use the new procedure?
2.Suppose you were giving a sales presentation and a difficult technical question arose that you
could not answer. What would you do?

Past Behavior Questions

• Based on your past work experience, what is the most significant action you have ever taken to
help out a coworker?
• Can you provide an example of a specific instance where you developed a sales presentation
that was highly effective?

Job Knowledge Questions

• What steps would you follow to conduct a brainstorming session with a group of
employees on safety?
• What factors should you consider when developing a television advertising campaign?
Background Questions
• What work experiences, training, or other qualifications do you have for working in a teamwork
environment?
• What experience have you had with direct point-of-purchase sales?
Administration part of the Interview
Panel interview: An interview in which a group of interviewers
questions the applicant.
Mass interview: A panel interviews several candidates
simultaneously.
Phone interviews Employers also conduct interviews via phone. Somewhat
counterintuitively, these can actually be more useful than face-to-face
interviews for judging one’s conscientiousness, intelligence, and
interpersonal skills.
Computer Based Job interviews: A computerized selection interview is one in which a job
candidate’s oral and/or keyed replies are obtained in response to computerized oral,
visual, or written questions and/or situations.
Administration part of the Interview
unstructured sequential interview: An interview in which each
interviewer forms an independent opinion after asking different
questions. each interviewer generally just asks questions as they
come to mind.

structured sequential interview: An interview in which the

applicant is interviewed sequentially by several persons; each rates
the applicant on a standard form. each interviewer rates the
candidates on a standard evaluation form, using standardized
questions
Interview’s Usefulness: Interviews hold an ironic place in the hiring process.
Interview is generally a good predictor of performance and is comparable
with many other selection techniques. Three important things in mind—
First, structure the interview. Structured interviews (particularly structured interviews
using situational questions) are more valid than unstructured interviews for predicting job
performance. They are more valid partly because they are more reliable— use structured
interviews, know what to ask, and avoid the common interviewing errors.

Second, interviews are better at revealing some things than others, so know what to
focus on. In one study, interviewers were able to size up the interviewee’s extroversion
and agreeableness. What they could not assess accurately were the traits that often
matter most on jobs—like conscientiousness and emotional stability.

Third, whether the interview is in person or online, effective employment interviewers

understand and avoid the following common interview errors.
 common interview errors.
Error number 1 ( First impression/ Snap Judgments) One researcher estimates that in
85% of the cases, interviewers had made up their minds before the interview even began,
based on first impressions the interviewers gleaned from candidates’ applications and
personal appearance
• First impressions are especially damaging when the prior information about the
candidate is negative.
• interviewers are more influenced by unfavorable than favorable information about the
candidate. Second, their impressions are much more likely to change from favorable to
unfavorable than from unfavorable to favorable

Second, Not Clarifying What the Job Requires -More job knowledge translated into better
interviews. The interviewers with more job information generally all agreed among
themselves about each candidate’s potential; those without it did not. The latter also
didn’t discriminate as well among applicants—they tended to give them all high ratings.
common interview errors.
Error no 3: candidate-order (or contrast) error An error of judgment on the part of the
interviewer due to interviewing one or more very good or very bad candidates just before
the interview in question.
Error no 4: Non- verbal behavior and impression judgement: Nonverbal behaviors are
probably so important because interviewers infer your personality from the way you act in
the interview
Error no 5: Effect of Personal Characteristics: Attractiveness, Gender, Race:
Error no 6: Diversity Counts: Applicant Disability and the Employment Interview
Researchers surveyed 40 disabled people from various occupations. The disabled people
felt that interviewers tend to avoid directly addressing the disability, and therefore make
their decisions without all the facts.60 What the disabled people prefer is a
Error no 7: Interviewer Behavior Finally, the interviewer’s behavior affects interviewee
performance and rating.
Summary of errors
In summary, interviewing errors to avoid include:
●● First impressions (snap judgments)
●● Not clarifying what the job involves and requires
●● Candidate-order error and pressure to hire
●● Nonverbal behavior and impression management
●● The effects of interviewees’ personal characteristics
●● The interviewer’s inadvertent behaviors
How to design conduct effective interview
Designing a Structured Situational Interview, The procedure is as follows.

step 1. Analyze the job. Write a job description with a list of job duties; required knowledge, skills, and
abilities; and other worker qualifications.

step 2. Rate the job’s main duties. Rate each job duty,

step 3. Create interview questions. Create situational, behavioral, and job knowledge interview questions
for each of the job duties, with more questions for the important duties.

step 4. Create benchmark answers. Next, for each question, develop ideal (benchmark) answers for good (a
5 rating), marginal (a 3 rating),

step 5. Appoint the interview panel and conduct interviews. Employers generally conduct structured
situational interviews using a panel, rather than one-on-one
developing and extending the job offer.
After choosing which candidate to hire, the employer turns to developing and extending
the job offer. Things to keep in mind here include understanding the difference between a
job offer letter and a contract. A job offer letter lists the offer’s basic information,
including details on salary and pay, benefits information, paid leave information, and
terms of employment. There should be a strong statement specifying that the
employment relationship is “at will.” In contrast to a letter of offer, it is not unusual for an
employment contract to have a duration (such as 3 years