Skills of Interviewing

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HRM

Domain

Key skill & activity for managers & HRM

Interpersonal communication

Cognition/information processing

Perception (selective)

Problem-analysis & decision-making(managerial behaviour)

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HRM

Interview Experience

What is the best & worst experience that you have had As an interviewer

As an interviewee

What made these experiences – best/worst?

What would have prevented & improved the worst experience?

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HRM

The interview

More than just a conversation

"…. A specialist form of two-way communication conducted for a task-related purpose." (Whetton 1995)

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HRM

Expectations and propositions

Information generated via the interview process provides data for decision-making

Training enhances performance – both as an interviewer and interviewee

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HRM

Types of interview

Research/information gathering

Selection

Counselling/support

Appraisal

Development

Complaint/grievance

Disciplinary

Exit

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HRM

Common approaches

Unstructured

Stress (validity?)

Semi-structured

Structured

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HRM

Issues

Your role as a decision-maker/actor

Interview purposes & objectives

Structure and content

Environment (physical and psychological)

The interviewer – NPower, NAch, NRelate

Data collection and processing strategies

The communication exchange (interviewer-interviewee) – explicit, implicit, verbal and non-verbal

Organisational policy and expectations

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HRM

The Selection Interview

Preparation and organisation

The interview process

Interviewing skills

Discrimination between candidates

Finalising the decision & "contract"

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HRM

Preparation Products

Job descriptions & authorisation

Job criteria - competencies

Personnel specification (profile/model of ideal candidate)

Essentials - desirables - disqualifiers

Applicant information from various data sources

Selector preparation and appreciation of role demands, choices, constraints, ambiguities, priorities, overloads,

pressures/conflicts, organisational change

the social milieu - rules and tensions

Selector egoism, the political process of “justifying” the selection.

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HRM

The Psychometric-Objective Model

Assumptions

Eternal optimism

Smooth programmed administration

Measured, controlled, predictable, systematic search often using psychometric techniques

Match evidence of qualities to job

Compare with social process approach

Interplay between selection events

Social and ritual aspects. Audition. Power vetting

Candidate & selector feelings/responses

Intra organisational negotiation & adjustment

Candidate - given fair opportunity or “club” scrutiny

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HRM

Interview Strategies

• Frank and friendly vs. Interrogation & stress

• Simulate stress. Put on the spot? Validity? Spurious appeal?

• Strengths and weaknesses of

• individual interview

• sequential interviews

• panel interviews

• Biographical journey

• Critical events and experiences - what, why, how, options, plans, outcomes?

• Problem-solving - “imaging yourself as ...what would you do if...?

• GASP

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HRM

The GASP Interview

Greeting

Acquiring Information

Supplying Information

Parting

Interviewer Preparation

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HRM

Genuine positive regard – Move towards

Calm, neutral, no interruptions, safe.

Maintain rapport

seating voice, eye contact, warmth and body posture.....NVC

Preparation & “contract of interest & expectation”

Smooth gear change

GASP – Greeting & rapport

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HRM

Listen more - talk less.

Objectivity, bias, stereotyping & premature judgement

Not adversarial. Halo, horns and doppleganger

Taking notes

Question carefully (preparation) well-structured, open-ended questions probe and link direct, leading, trick and taboo questions

Emphasise biography/experience, explanation/analysis

Mental agility and hypothetical questions

Interview flow with control: - agenda, space, time

Summarise periodically and conclude

GASP - Acquiring Information

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HRM

Asking questions

Open-ended, well-sequenced, well-structured

Tell me about …..Six honest serving men

Closed (pros & cons?)

Probe, link and follow-up (control)

Leading (candidate adaptation)

Intrusive

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HRM

Recent & significant jobs/projects contributions, events/phases, initiatives, products, achievements,

decisions. Strengths and gaps

Competencies from REAL experience knowledge/understanding, analytical skill, written/numeric,

specialist & technical. attitudes & values, drives & motivation

Interpersonal relations – visualise with others

Education, training, learning & development

Personal & domestic topics - relevance/irrelevant

Applicant’s questions about the organisation and the job - current & prospective terms of employment

GASP - Journey

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HRM

cutting it short (horns/halo, premature judgement)

equal opportunity to all candidates

intimation of acceptance (verbal + non-verbal)

Potential for misunderstanding. No promises.

Communicating a decision hints to attractive candidates (in a competitive situation)

intra-organisational bargaining

the decision in writing

subject to references

Career advice to rejected candidates? Culture?

GASP: Supplying Information

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HRM

Signal closure - NVC plus

maintain concentration

clarify future steps - the selection schedule

verify dates - holidays and availabilities

phone, post

stand up, move, parting courtesies

GASP: Parting

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HRM

The Good Interviewer?

At times • well-prepared• sharp & in focus, specific & rational• at times intuitive as well as systematically analytical & evaluating

• picking up nuances and rationalisations• stepping back to see the whole interaction, fitting things together

and noting the time left and areas to cover....• Interviewer calmness helps the candidate to relax• clear perception

• Positive regard for the other• Aware of self and biases• Use productive silences & seamless asking of questions. • Counteracts habituated boredom in interviews

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HRM

Yourself as an interviewer?

Good Points?

Weaknesses?

Interview exercise and analysis.

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HRM

Premature decision Tentative, pre-determined views seldom altered at interview

accept/reject within 3-4 min. Gather evidence to confirm first impression

Weak candidates make average candidates look good

Unstructured interviews

Propositions interview practice alone does not improve performance, training does

Dramatic performance may not reflect job. Interviewees as actors.

Panels - defer to influential. Poor correlation when choice is confidential

Psychometric tests - weak evidence but belief/practice strong.

Validity of the psychometric-objective model?

GASP Interview Issues

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HRM

The Potential for Distortion

Stereotyping Halo, horns, doppleganger effects

function & dysfunction

Physical environment

Psychological state

Poor listening (active vs. passive listening)

Lack of interviewer competence

Defensive uniformities

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HRM

Stereotyping

What is it? What form does it take?

How does it occur?

Common stereotypes

Is there positive and negative value?

Problems of signs, signifiers, interpretation.

Body language

Presentation of self - Front - stage and audience

What dangers for fairness and equity?

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HRM

Types of interviews – APPRAISAL

One member of staff (usually a manager) appraises aspects of the performance of another member of staff (usually a subordinate)

Mediation and intervention mechanisms?

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HRM

Types of Appraisal Interview

Tell and listen

Tell and sell

Joint problem-solving

Mixed model interview

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HRM

The appraisal process

Establishing the agenda

The Interview

Action planning

Pre-interview form filling

Handling disagreements e.g. grand parenting

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HRM

Types of interviews – COUNSELLING - 1

The manager as counsellor – equipped for the role?

Operational vs. personal counselling

Directive Non-directive

Dependency, confusion & responsibility

Trust and genuine positive regard

GASP: Mixed model with substantial unstructured component

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HRM

Types of interviews – COUNSELLING - 2

Opening up & expressing concerns (interviewee)

Defining "the problems" – how the interviewee sees and defines the problem

Testing reality

Mirroring assumptions

Courses of action

Closure and follow-up

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HRM

Types of Interviews – COMPLAINT/GRIEVANCE - 1

Moan, gripe, complaint

Grievance - a formal complaint made by an employee against a colleague or the organisation

Problems of "policy and procedure"

Problem perception, information and power/status

I'm OK, You're not OK. "Now I've got you, you SOS"

Neutral processing

Rescue the managers and establish KARMA

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HRM

Types of Interviews – COMPLAINT/GRIEVANCE - 2

Verifying the claim rights

Importance of shared, agreed information

Safeguards in procedure

Formality of the interviews

Recognising "the person" - perception of self and acting on the problem

Equity – the complainant and the "complained about" – the discrimination issue

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HRM

Types of interview – DISCIPLINE - 1

Rights not to be unfairly dismissed

Natural justice & reasonableness in procedure

Disciplinary action Formally sanctioned, organisational action in which an

individual is informed that their work-related behaviour is not acceptable.

Reasons & "fair" dismissal"Conduct, capability, redundancy, statutory rule, some other big reason

Automatically unfair.

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HRM

Types of interview – DISCIPLINE - 2

Informal, prior supervisory communication & guidance

Minor conduct which runs counter to express & implied contractual obligations

From irritation to substantial, non-fulfilment of obligations

Gross misconduct (severed roots)

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HRM

Types of interview – DISCIPLINE - 3

Importance of evidence

Defendant's rights – law & natural justice

Equitable procedures

Very formal, systematic interviews

Representation

Corrective versus punitive action

Interview tension and reaction – the "afront"

Recording and communication

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HRM

Types of interview – DISCIPLINE - 4

Stress, bullying and constructive dismissal

Appeals

Intra-organisational bargaining & authorisation

Managerial powerlessness

Consistency of supervision and communication

The trust/separation puzzle