2013 casbo annual conference & school business expo basics for effective interviewing april 3-6,...

2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO

Basics for Effective Interviewing

APRIL 3-6, 2013, LONG BEACH, CA

These materials have been prepared by the CASBO ________ Professional Council (or CASBO Associate Member). They have not been reviewed by State CASBO for approval, so therefore are not an official statement of CASBO.


BASICS FOR EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING

Eliana CejaCODESP Selection Analyst


• Federal and State Law• Education Code• Job Analysis and the Selection Plan• Develop Interview Content• Administer the Interview• Interview Dos and Don’ts• Summary

Overview


• In a 1997 survey, 99% of Fortune 100 companies said they used interviews to select employees.

• Interviews are the most widely accepted selection tool.

• Levels of interview structure vary, and so does the interview’s ability to predict top performers.

• How can you maximize your ability to predict the best applicants using the interview process?

Current Interview Practices


The Structured Interview ProcessA Top

Performer is Hired!!

Administer the Interview

Plan Format and Logistics

Develop Questions and Rating Scales

Determine Competencies to Address

Job Analysis / Job Review


• The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) asserts that interview content and scoring criteria be job-related and based upon data from a job analysis.

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) stipulates that only essential KSAPs established through job analysis can be included in the selection plan and assessed.

Legal Requirements


• The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) say that test content and scoring criteria must be job-related and based upon data from a job analysis

• Employment decisions include hiring, promotion, referral, disciplinary action, terminations, licensing and certification

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) stipulates that only essential KSAPs established through job analysis can be included in the selection plan and assessed

Legal Requirements


Ed. Code 45273Examinations shall be administered

objectively, and shall consist of test parts that relate to job performance.

A "structured objective examination" means, for this purpose, an examination for which the examiner exercises no discretion in the selection of the questions or in the evaluation of the answers.


• Process of determining what is necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position

• Includes identifying position’s essential• Tasks• Knowledge• Skills• Abilities• Personal Characteristics• Competencies

Job Analysis


• For each Knowledge, Skill, Ability, Personal Characteristic or Competency, determine which measurement tool to use (e.g., interview, multiple choice test, or work sample / performance exam) and its relative weight

• Interpersonal skills and oral communication are best assessed in an interview as compared to other selection tools

Develop a Selection Plan


• Most common and best-accepted employment test in use

• Assess some KSAPs better than MC test items do (“soft” skills; complex behaviors and cognitive skills) for more complete selection plan

Why Interview?


• Where does the interview fit into the selection process (weight and role)?

• Define job content areas• Develop questions for each content area.• Develop benchmark answers and rating scale• Recruit competent raters and train them

Planning Considerations


The interview should not be weighted too heavily when:• Position requires limited oral communication

skills– Raters may be influenced by other factors, such as a

candidate’s lack of fluency

• Qualified raters are not available• The size of the group is too large

– Leave the interview for the last test hurdle

Interview Weight in Selection Plan


• Evaluate applicant characteristics (KSAPs) and competencies

• Verify qualifications• Obtain missing information• Communicate job and employment

information to applicant• Answer applicant questions

Purposes of the Interview


• Research shows that people make initial decisions about a person in less than 30 seconds, and then spend the rest of the interview validating that decision.

What We’re Up Against

Good News-- We can structure the interview

to combat this tendency.


• Reliability refers to how consistently a test measures a characteristic

• Validity refers to how accurate the conclusions made from the interview scores are

• Must have both reliability and validity to best predict the top applicants for the job

Reliability & Validity


• Panel versus Single Rater– Some benefits of a panel interview are

multiple perspectives and less bias.– The drawback of a panel is the difficulty

finding qualified raters.– In single rater formats, applicants are less

intimidated.

Interview Format


• Applicants are assessed–under the same conditions–with the same instructions–using the same job-related questions,

asked in the same order–using the same job-related, scoring

system.

Structured Interview Format


DEVELOPING THE QUESTIONS


• Content areas are determined based on job analysis, job description, and selection plan - pick no more than 6 or 7 to assess

• Include context in which the job is performed (example: answering questions of parents visiting the principal's office).

Determine Content Areas


• Open ended questions allow for information-rich answers, which help improve rating accuracy

• Closed ended (Yes-No) questions allow raters to verify or clarify data

• Preplanned follow-up questions (probes) can be used to extract more specific information

Tips for Question Development


• Job Knowledge • Background (overall / general

experience)• Situational (hypothetical)• Behavioral (specific experience)

Question Formats


JOB CLASS: Accounting

CONTENT AREA: Budget Preparation

“Suppose you were asked to prepare a budget for the

upcoming year, given xyz information. How would you

approach this task?” “Describe the steps involved in preparing a budget.” “Tell us about a time where you had to prepare a

budget.” “Describe your training and experience in preparing a

budget.”

Format Examples


• Each organization needs to choose what fits their unique needs

• Most important: chosen format must be APPLIED CONSISTENTLY FOR ALL APPLICANTS (reliability and validity)

Best Format?


A recent Cornell study stated that people who lack skills consistently rate themselves “above average”

Experienced candidates are often more modest about their skills, while students and beginners often have the tendency to overrate themselves

Combat this by asking applicants to justify or back up their comments with factual details

Overcoming Applicant Self-Inflation


• INITIAL QUESTION ASKED:

“It’s often necessary to work together in a group to accomplish a task. Please describe your most recent experience working as part of a group or team.”

Example from Gatewood and Field (2001),

Human Resource Selection, page 545

Sample Question


• What was the task? • How many people were in the group? • What difficulties arose as a result of working as

a group? • What role did you play in resolving these

difficulties? • How successful was the group in completing its

task?• How often do you work as part of a group?

Sample Probes


• Base questions on job analysis / job description• Be clear and concise• Set difficulty level appropriate to job• Establish benchmark answers and rating scales

with SMEs

Developing the Interview Questions


• Communication Skills• Interpersonal Skills• Problem Solving• Conflict Resolution• Dependability• Conscientiousness• Stability• Perseverance

• Energy• Initiative• Motivation• Adaptability• Technical Skills /

Potential• Team Player or

Leadership Behaviors

KSAs and Competencies Appropriate for Interview


• Use job analysis or review and job description to select the KSAPs to assess (examples: budget preparation; teamwork ability)

• Choose multiple questions to assess each KSAP or competency

• Keep in mind the time allotted for each interview• Determine probes• Determine sequence of questions

Select Questions


• Pre-developed scales and benchmarks give raters detailed means of rating applicant responses to make objective ratings

• Create behaviorally descriptive answers and incorporate them into the rating scale

Developing Answers


• Odd-numbered scale (3, 5, or 7 points) is recommended

• The rating scale should be tied to the behavioral descriptions of answers

• Rate each content area, not each question• Establish job-related pass points (behavioral

rating scale and benchmark answers should help)

Rating Scales & Pass Points


ADMINISTERING THE INTERVIEW


• Composition of the interview panel • Scheduling for raters and candidates• Interview environment for the candidates• Optionally, provide candidates with

information pertinent to the interview

Logistics


• An oral exam panel should include at least two (2) members. – If the position being filled requires technical knowledge and

skills, at least two (2) members of the panel shall be technically qualified to evaluate each candidate’s technical expertise.

• A district employee may serve on the oral exam panel if he or she is not at the first or second level of supervision over a vacant position in the class for which the examination is held.

Interview Panel Participants


Why?◦ They can make or break your structured interview

process!◦ Even experienced interviewers may have never been

trained on effective interviewingTheir role, the interview process, what content

areas are being assessed, the questions, answers, rating scales, and pass point

Potential biases and/or errors

Training Raters


• Halo Effect • Similar to Me• Central Tendency, Leniency or Strictness• Rater Prejudice

Rater Biases and Errors


• Raters have already been trained – very rare• Raters will not make errors• Raters will be familiar with your process• Giving raters careful instructions

regarding the process and ratings will improve the consistency and conclusions of the structured interview

Don’t Assume That:


INTERVIEWING DOs and DON’Ts


Ask a single question and its follow-up questions at one time

Maintain the same question order for all applicants

When clarifying, restate the question word for word

Make engaging but neutral nonverbal cues: eye contact, nodding, neutral facial expressions

Actively listen: summarize, repeat and rephrase

Record answers exactly as they are stated

In the Interview, DO:


• Note WHAT was said, not HOW it was said

• Collect as much info as possible before drawing conclusions or making a rating

• Allow the applicant time to provide other relevant information regarding qualifications

Dos Continued


• Ask questions that lead the applicant’s response

• Ask inconsistent questions

• Argue with the applicant

• Indicate agreement or non-agreement

• Talk excessively• Ask illegal questions

In the Interview, DON’T:


• Federal & state legislation and court decisions have designated certain topic areas as discriminatory and inappropriate for questioning

• There are different questions you can ask to obtain critical, job-related information

Illegal Questions


• Age (40 and over)• Ancestry• Color• Creed• Denial of Family and Medical

Care Leave• Marital Status• National Origin

• Medical Conditions (Cancer, Genetic Characteristics)

• Mental & Physical Disability (HIV, AIDS)

• Race• Religion• Sex• Sexual Orientation

CA Dept. of Fair Employment and Housing

The law provides protection from harassment or discrimination in employment because of:


• Do NOT ask: number / age of children, child care arrangements, plans for pregnancy, or religious days observed

• Instead you may ask:Do you have responsibilities or commitments that will prevent you from meeting specified work schedules?Do you anticipate any absences from work on a regular basis? If so, please explain the circumstances.

Avoid Questions on Family and Religion


• Do NOT ask: applicant’s age, year of birth, or year graduated from high school

• Instead, you may ask: Do you meet the minimum age

requirement set by law for this position? If hired, can you produce proof of your age?

If you are a minor, can you provide proof of age in the form of a work permit or certificate of age?

Avoid Asking Direct Questions About Age


• Do NOT ask about mental or physical disabilities, nature and severity of disabilities (regardless of obviousness) or whether applicant has received workers’ comp

• Instead, you may ask: Will you be able to carry out all job assignments

necessary for this position in a safe manner ?

Avoid Asking About Disabilities and Health Conditions


• Do NOT ask: place of birth, ancestry, native language, spouse or parents’ birthplaces or residence, race or color, whether applicant is a US citizen or has naturalization papers, for relatives’ contact info, or require photos before hiring decisions.

Avoid Asking About Citizenship, National Origin, Ethnicity, Race


Instead, you may ask:

• Can you, after employment, provide verification of your legal right to work in the United States?

• Do you have language abilities other than English that may be useful in performing this job successfully?

Ethnicity, Citizenship, etc.


• Do NOT ask questions about:– Arrest records (may only consider

convictions if job related; typically on application)

– Type or condition of military discharge– Home, car, or furniture ownership or debts– Sexual orientation

Other Questions to Avoid


• If you think a question may potentially discriminate against applicants based on the previously mentioned areas, do NOT ask it!

• Always bring questioning back to what is job related and necessary at the time of hire

Legal vs. Illegal - Take Home Points


• Have raters take careful notes • Provide raters with a rating sheet with space

for documenting job-related reasons for scores • Make ratings AFTER the applicant leaves the

room and raters have had a chance to review their notes

• Identical ratings from each interviewer are not required, but all ratings must be justified with explanatory comments

• Weight interview areas appropriately

Rating The Applicant


• Remind the raters that the following are confidential:– Interview Questions– Answers– Rating Scales– Applicant Names and Background– Rater Discussions and Comments

• Have the raters sign confidentiality forms

Confidentiality


– Final interview by the hiring manager should focus on “job fit”

– In single rater formats, applicants are less intimidated• They may provide information that is not

welcome due to its personal nature

– If the manager has not previously been trained in interviewing, provide a list of questions and topics to avoid

Final Interview Format


SUMMARY


Interviewing is a process - planning, development, administration

Use the interview to assess relevant job-related KSAPs needed at time of hire

Structure interviews with planned questions and follow-up questions for each KSAP

Develop formal scoring system with space for comments

Train raters

Some Key Points


• We have discussed the best practices for the interviewing process.

• But selection does not happen in a vacuum, sometimes a little validity is compromised for greater usability.

• The challenge for you is to assess what is feasible in your organization and make improvements accordingly.

Practicality


The more structured and carefully planned your interview process is, the better chance you will select the right person for the job – so set yourself up for success!

The Bottom Line


Questions?

www.codesp.com

[email protected]

714-374-8644

2013 casbo annual conference & school business expo basics for effective interviewing april 3-6,...

Documents

state casbo

employee selection procedures

casbo associate member

official statement of

accepted selection tool

interviews ability

levels of interview

uniform guidelines