The Structure of Interviews - Essay Example

The Structure of Interviews Introduction The human resources specialists, the manager, or the supervisor makes critical decisions in the process of hiring employees. An influential and widely used tools in the hiring process is the interview. A stable organization relies heavily on interviews in identifying the best candidates. Accordingly, interviews provide an excellent tool in the selection process. The process has to be right for it to be successful (Edenborough, 2005). Of the variables that contribute to the effectiveness of an interview, the structure stands out as the most critical one. In the prediction of job’s performance, a structured interview is preferred over unstructured one. Moreover, a structured interview bases the information derived from the interviews on merit. Therefore, a structured interview is less subject to bias, legally defensible, more reliable, and more accurate (Nickas & Bovier, 2008). The realization of the potential of the structured interview requires an attention of the stages during the interview process. The steps cover its development, then implementation and finally, evaluation. A Structured Interview A structured form of the interview always involves planning. The process involves questions that are organized, thorough in the analysis of the key requirements and a given merit criteria that is expected to job performance. The same type of questions applies to all candidates, and their responses standardized using a predetermined scheme of rating. Such measures help to give a clear link between the performance of the job and the performance during the interview process. It therefore, minimizes the personal bias during the process (Farago, 2010). Merits of Structured Interview As the questions link to the job competencies, the candidate is more likely to bring out their performance on-the-job. Therefore, the process predicts accurately on the performance of the candidate. Moreover, using structured means gives the interview process a legal defensibility. For example, the courts often scrutinize on the consistency, job relatedness and the objectivity of the interview process. Therefore, its procedural rigor makes it a more formal process (Nickas & Bovier, 2008). A structured interview enhances an equal opportunity and objectivity of work. The candidates respond to the same type of questions, giving a fair assessment. Assessing the candidate’s responses to the relevant criteria gives each candidate an opportunity to show their qualifications. In harmony, by interviewing the candidates by an interview board ensures objectivity as it reaches a consensus on candidate’s evaluation (Nickas & Bovier, 2008). The Limitations of Unstructured Interview Most people don’t know their biases and how such end up influencing their decisions. Attributes like physical attractiveness or individual values and believe may end up influencing the decisions of the interviewers. Bias and inequality may contribute to the same answer interpreted differently, or to a higher level, the same question asked separately; by the interviewer (Farago, 2010). In most occasions, as the assessment criteria tend to be unclear, the interview board members inadvertently or inaccurately, may judge the candidate on irrelevant factors. In addition, such interviews may make the candidate to give answers that they believe that is the right answer. It is different from the real answer on how the candidate would perform if given the opportunity at work (Salmons, 2015). Finally, such interviews may end up a challenge in the courts. Such interviews are liable to discriminations in most occasions. Therefore, their use is limited to certain circumstances. The Process of Interview Process The interview process covers the tasks that take place before and during the interview. Discussions on each task are as follows: Before the onset of an interview, it is necessary for the function of the board and the purpose or scope of the interview to be determined. The interview board comprises of more than one individual. An interview conducted by a board of interviewers is more effective than that conducted only by one interviewer (Kambereli & Dimitriadis, 2013). The hiring manager has a role of choosing the members of the board and ensures that the board members are conversant with the merit criteria with the position’s nature. The manager should also ensure that members of the board qualify for the job. The board members need to be conversant with the required language to assess fairly and to communicate effectively. It is the significance for the board to be aware of the technique to limit chances of bias, or make them free from apparent or real conflicts. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the manager to select a well-trained team of interviewers (Oklahoma, 2001). The board can limit the impacts such as personal biases and misunderstanding of the applicant. Therefore, a board ensures a more complete and balanced assessment of the candidate. The board should make an effort to reflect the different backgrounds of the candidate’s pool. The diversity helps to put the candidates at ease and enables the outcome to be more acceptable to the applicants. Therefore, a board interview allows standardization and consistency of the assessment process. Issues to do with the position that need hiring, the number of applicants expected and the venue of the interview, at the initial stage, need keen decisions. (Oklahoma, 2001). The objective and the scope of the interview need to be clear. A clear purpose and objective of the interview makes it efficient for the interviewers to examine the type of the relevant information to collect. Moreover, it will assist the board in the process of obtaining the relevant information. The process is significance by an assessment of the qualifications that can best check on the qualities of the candidates (Kambereli & Dimitriadis, 2013). Having a booklet for assessing the candidates and for note taking is essential for the process. The booklet should have the descriptions of the assessed qualifications with their related questions. The booklet has an introductory greeting and a reserved room taking notes by the interviewers. The assessment booklet has to rate the applicants against the job descriptions. The rating criteria and the questions have to be the same for all the candidates. It aims to ensure comparability of results and information, together with maintaining consistency across the candidates (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). The interview day begins by the arrival of candidates. The board has to meet at least fifteen minutes before the arrival of the first applicant. The meeting covers the interview format and ensures the availability of the necessary materials. Each of the interviewers need a copy of the note-taking booklet. Before the interview, the board arranges pens or pencils, water and paper for the applicants. If the structure of the interview gives the candidates some time to prepare before the interview, it is important to allocate a private room for them (Oklahoma, 2001). During the interview, the interview board begins by making a general introduction to the candidates. It is significant to begin the interview in a friendly and a relatively informal manner to keep the applicants at ease. Maintaining and establishing a rapport with the applicants help in the interview process through a reduction of anxiety. It enables the candidate to feel comfortable and in the process, give candid and honest responses (Oklahoma, 2001). The lead team begins by welcoming the candidates, thanking the applicants attendance and after that, introducing another board member. The lead interviewer provides a welcoming remark, for example, by explaining the aims of the interview, the role of the board and the language of the interview process. At this point, it is important to describe the means by which the discussion is likely to unfold and show the time duration of the interview. Therefore, introduction covers; a brief statement of the company, the format of the interview, expected questions, and how the responses made (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). At the heart of the interview, the board members have to focus on directing the interview questions. They have to listen to the responses from the applicants, also, seeking follow-up questions if necessary and taking notes. An assessment of the responses of the applicants’ views follows immediately after the interview (Edenborough, 2005). The board members have a critical task at controlling the interview process. The interviewers set time limits in the process. Such control is essential as it gives every applicant enough amount of time in answering each question. Managing applicant’s reactions is also important in the interview process (Oklahoma, 2001). After a one on one interview with the applicant, the board may have to probe a candidate’s answer for a further detail or seek for a follow-up questions. With this, the board will have an opportunity to elicit enough information in assessing and understanding the qualifications of the candidate. The interview concludes by the Board thanking the candidate and outlining the following processes. At this stage, a candidate gets an opportunity to ask any question. That signifies an end of the interview process (Kambereli & Dimitriadis, 2013). Therefore, the board members assess the performance of each candidate against the required qualifications, after the interview. The assessment is done through a careful evaluation to determine accurately the required skill and helps in minimizes personal biases. Such evaluation combines sequences of major steps starting with candidate’s assessment. They then review the responses and after that, reach a consensus on a particular evaluation for an accessed qualification. The interview results then pass integration against those of the other assessment tools or techniques. For instance, the reference checks or the tests analyze the applicants. It now remains the task of the hiring manager in picking the ‘right fit’ for the position at hand (Kambereli & Dimitriadis, 2013). The Practical component of Interview Process Competency-based questions target specific behaviors. The interview covers different levels of qualifications, from training, education, and work experience, specific job specifications like skills, knowledge, personal attributes, and abilities. The behavioral indicators allow an objective and accurate assessment of the candidate (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). With an accountancy vacant position, behavioral specifications test the applicants on their previous life or work events relevant to the area. The specification seeks to demonstrate an accountancy qualification relevant to the job. The questions are relevant where the applicant has relevant work experience. It is more relevant to know the applicants’ behavior rather than their intentions. The behavioral questions are easy to apply and are more straightforward. Such questions are highly valid in the prediction of accountancy job performance (Edenborough, 2005). Interview questionnaire 1. Tell us something about you that is not in your Curriculum Vitae? 2. At your previous employment, where did you help in reducing costs? 3. Give an account of when you faced a problem or stress at work that required your coping skills? 4. Elaborate on the time that you made a quick decision. Was it successful? 5. Illustrate of a time that you could not finish a task or could not participate in a discussion due to lack of enough weight. How did you solve it? 6. Give a point when you used your spoken communication skills to get a point across that meant so much to you. How did you end up making your point? What skill or technique worked for you? 7. Can you describe an experience where you had to speak up and inform people of what you felt or thought? What was the repercussion of your actions? 8. Give an example when you motivated your subordinates or co-workers. What was the point of your motivation? 9. Can you tell a point you had to conform to a situation even though you did not like it? 10. Describe on the worst co-worker or customer that you ever had in your experience and how did you dealt with him or her? 11. Give an example of an essential goal you set and how do you plan to reach that goal? 12. Provide an example when you had to go against or beyond a call of duty to ensure that the job done to your expectation? What caused the situation to reach this effort? 13. What did you do at your previous job to be useful in your planning and your organization? How did you handle competing priorities? 14. As an accountant, where will you be in the next five years? 15. What is the source of your motivation? 16. Do you have any question for us? Conclusion Most organizations use a structured form of an interview in hiring their employees. A structured interview is important as it is efficient, gives less room to bias, and after that, gives high chances of hiring the most competent employee. In most organizations, the human resource department mandates the process. Therefore, a structured interview is more reliable. References Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Edenborough, R. (2005). Assessment methods in recruitment, selection, and performance: A managers guide to psychometric testing, interviews, and assessment centres. London: Kogan Page. Kamberelis, G., & Dimitriadis, G. (2013). Focus groups: From structured interviews to collective conversations. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Harrell, M. C., Bradley, M., Rand Corporation., & National Defense Research Institute (U.S.). (2009). Data collection methods: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Oklahoma. (2001). Developing and administering structured interviews. Oklahoma City, Okla: State of Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management. Nickas, R., & Bovier, L. (2008). Theft is vision: Collected writings and interviews. Zurich: JRP/Ringier. Farago, B. (2010). Applicant reactions to structured and unstructured recruitment interviews. Salmons, J. (2015). Qualitative online interviews: Strategies, design, and skills. He, H. (2012). Coding interviews: Questions, analysis & solutions. New York: Apress. Waldman, A. (2001). Vow to poetry: Essays, interviews & manifestos. Minneapolis: Coffee House Press. United States. (2008). Structured interviews: A practical guide. Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Read More