Interviewing Applicants Slide 12
Learning Objective 4: Explain several different interview formats and what interviewers
need to know to conduct effective interviews.
Interviews involve a face-to-face meeting with the candidate to probe areas not addressed by
the application form or tests. They are a universal selection tool.
Comprehensive interviews may involve several interviewers on different levels of the
organization. Communication skills, motivation, attitude and cultural fit may be assessed.
Interview Formats Slide 13
One-on-One
A Manager or HR professional conducts interview with one candidate.
Most common type of interview by far.
Panel Interviews
Several interviewers or a panel conduct interview with one candidate.
More reliable evaluation of candidate if interviewers compare observations and
impressions.
May be used to involve the work unit if organization is team-oriented.
Interviewers should be trained to prevent accidentally asking discriminatory
questions.
Class Activity: Real HR Encounters – Involving Employees in the Selection
Process page 153.
An experienced manager provides advantages and disadvantages of employee
involvement in the process. Ask students individually or in groups to add to each list.
Online Interviews
Increasing in popularity
Web-based platforms commercially available allow real-time or on-demand
interviews.
Structured Interviews/Directive Interviews Slide 14
Follow specific format with specific questions.
Good for determining qualifications in specific areas.
Obtain consistent information when used for several candidates or by different
interviewers.
Unstructured Interviews/Non Directive Interviews
Open ended questions allow applicant more freedom of expression.
Good for assessing personality and soft skills like communication style.
Difficult to compare applicants because information obtained can vary.
Behavioral Interviews
Questions ask applicant to explain how situations should be handled or were handled
in past experience.
Allow insight into problem solving and communication skills.
Candidates are observed not only for what they say, but how they behave in
comparison to the competencies identified for the position.
Past performance in similar environments and situations is a better indicator of
success than any other factor.
Stress Interviews
Designed to create a stressful situation, making the candidate uncomfortable.
Determine how candidate behaves under pressure.
What Interviewers Need to Know Slide 15
Inexperienced interviewers need training in order to make a good impression and
avoid making mistakes. Once they have been trained in the process and relevant laws,
interviewers should prepare for the interview by:
Review job description and job specifications before the interview.
Prepare a list of questions.
Review the candidate’s application and resume.
Open the interview by putting candidate at ease and explain the interview format.
Ask questions and listen.
Take notes.
Close the interview by explaining what to expect next.
Write evaluation of applicant while the interview is still fresh in your memory.
Class Activity: Tips for Success – Preparing Interview Questions page 154
After reading this feature that suggests interview questions designed to assess a
variety of topics, ask them to answer the question: Would this list give you an
adequate impression of the candidate? What other traits are important to know?
Preventing Perceptual Errors Slide 16
Learning Objective 5: Discuss the perceptual errors common in the interview process and
ways to prevent them.
Interviewers are easily distracted by first impressions of the candidate’s appearance or
demeanor. These things influence the perception of more relevant factors, leading to poor
hiring decisions.
Impression Management Slide 17
The applicant’s desire to project the “right” image may skew the interview results.
Interviewers have short and inaccurate memories: note-taking and videotaping may help.
Interviews are best for determining organizational fit, motivation and interpersonal skills.
They are especially useful for high-turnover jobs and less routine ones, such as
managerial positions.
Interviewer Bias
Interviewers create a positive or negative impression of the candidate based on factors
learned outside the interview.
Research has demonstrated many possible biases with decisions based on interviews,
such as those caused by seeing the candidate’s résumé, application form, test scores, gaps
in employment, social media profiles or appraisals from other interviewers.
Class Activity: Both cases for this chapter, have questions that involve interviewer bias
and impression management that presents problems. If the cases are not assigned, or even
if they are, those questions provide a comprehension check at this point of class
discussion.
Realistic Job Previews Slide 18
Sometimes a recruiter or an advertisement may present a job favorably, but the job does
not live up to expectations. This increases replacement costs due to large turnover when
disillusioned employees quit after training.
A realistic job preview (RJP) presents unfavorable as well as favorable information about
the job to applicants.
May include brochures, films, tours, work sampling, or verbal statements that realistically
portray the job.
Research supports the theory that RJPs reduce turnover without lowering acceptance
rates.
Class Activity: Many organizations provide online videos with realistic job
previews(RJP). Common ones include law enforcement, positions involving helping
people with disabilities or jobs that involve working outside in the elements. Some
organizations that have RJP videos online include Target, Comcast, Bon-Ton (Case 7-B)
and Southwest Airlines. If the technology is available, show a couple of those videos and
survey students as to whether their opinion of the job or employer has changed.
Background Investigations Slide 19
Learning Objective 6: Explain the purpose and legal issues involved in conducting
background investigations.
Conditional Job Offers Slide 20
Tentative job offer made if candidate interviews successfully.
A background investigation is performed to verify that information on the application
form is correct and accurate
If background investigations turn up problems, the conditional job offer can be
withdrawn.
Typical information verified includes:
references
former employers
educational accomplishments
legal status to work in the United States
credit references
criminal records
background checks
online searches such as specialized background check websites, Google and social
media.
Medical/Physical Examination Slide 21
Should be used only to determine if the individual can comply with the essential
functions of the job.
Americans with Disabilities Act requires that exams be given only after conditional job
offer is made.
Qualified Privilege Slide 22
Employers may discuss employees with prospective employers without fear of reprisal as
long as the discussion is about job-related documented facts.
Class Activity: Real HR Encounters – Checking References page 158.
How is reference checking similar to playing poker? This experienced manager explains
how to tell when an applicant or reference is bluffing. What if a former employer is
stingy in providing any information? Read about the “tells” that allow you to learn
something from employers who hold their cards close. Students may have something to
add.
Reliability and Validity in Testing Slide 24
Learning Objective 7: List three types of validity and explain why they are important.
Reliability, validity, and cut scores can all help predict which applicants will be successful on
the job. Consistency in evaluating applicants is essential to finding the best employees and
preventing discrimination or claims of discrimination.
Reliability Slide 25
Reliability is the ability of a selection tool to measure an attribute consistently.
If an organization uses tests to provide input into the selection process, then these tests
must give consistent results.
Validity Slide 26
The relationship between scores on a selection tool and a relevant criterion, such as job
performance. Validity indicates how well a selection tool predicts job performance.
There are three specific types of validity: content, construct, and criterion-related.
Content validity Slide 27
Content validity is the degree to which the content of the test, as a sample, represents
situations on the job.
All applicants for a job receive the same test or questions so they can be properly
compared.
Construct validity
Construct validity is the degree to which a particular trait is related to successful
performance on the job.
Construct validity is the most difficulty type of validity to prove because you are
dealing with abstract measures, such as, intelligence.
Criterion-related validity
Criterion-related validity is the degree to which a particular selection device
accurately predicts the important elements of work behavior.
There are two ways to establish criterion-related validity: predictive validity or
concurrent validity (Exhibit 7-2).
Predictive validity which uses selection test scores of applicants to compare with
their future job performance.
If an organization found statistically that employees who scored below a
predetermined score – cut score – were unsuccessful performers, then
management could appropriately state that any future applicants scoring below the
cut score would be ineligible for employment.
Concurrent validity validates tests using current employees as subjects. If a
relationship appears between test scores and performance, a valid test is found.
Validity Analysis
Correlation coefficients (validity coefficients) ranging from +1 to –1 summarize the
statistical relationship between an individual’s test score and his/her job performance.
The closer to an extreme 1, the more accurate the test, and therefore, the test is a good
predictor of job performance.
Cut Scores and Their Impact on Hiring Slide 28
Cut scores on a selection device can be determined by validity studies.
Applicants scoring below the cut score are predicted to be unsuccessful on the job and are
rejected.
Exhibits 7-4 and 7-5 show the impact on hiring when cut scores are raised or lowered.
Class Activity: Students may have examples of bad assessments or tests they have taken.
Allow a few to explain their experience and have them which type of validity is missing.
The Employment Offer Slide 30
Learning Objective 8: Explain factors relevant to employment offers and global selection.
The Offer
At the end of the process, candidates who have successfully completed all steps receive
an employment offer.
Hiring decision is usually made by a manager.
Offer is usually extended to the employee by HR.
Will the Candidate Accept? Slide 31
Candidates with a positive perception of the employer that is reinforced throughout the
process are more likely to accept offers.
Employment brand must be reinforced throughout the process.
Unsuccessful candidates should be notified quickly and respectfully.
Selection from a Global Perspective Slide 33
Selection criteria for international assignments includes such factors as interest in
working overseas, ability to relate to different cultures and environments, and
supportiveness of the candidate’s family (“family situation factor”).
Women executives have done well abroad in Asia and Latin America, despite past
reluctance to assign them to these countries.
Class Activity: Contemporary Connection – What Were They Thinking?
After reading the list of mistakes job seekers commonly make, ask students to add to the
list. If you’re in need of a bit of humor, CareerBuilder has these actual situations on their
website, www.careerbuilder.com:
Applicant warned the interviewer that she “took too much valium” and didn’t
think her interview was indicative of her personality.
Applicant acted out a Star Trek role.
Applicant asked for a hug.
The candidate tried to Google the answer to a question.
Applicant attempted to secretly record the interview.
Applicant brought personal photo albums.
Applicant called himself his own personal hero.
Applicant checked Facebook during the interview.
Applicant crashed her car into the building.
Applicant popped out his teeth when discussing dental benefits.
Applicant kept her iPod headphones on during the interview.
Applicant set fire to the interviewer’s newspaper while reading it when the
interviewer said “Impress me”.
Final Thoughts: Excelling at the Interview Slide 35
Learning Objective 9: Outline how to personally excel in the interview process.
Interviews play a critical role in the hiring process.
Suggestions for making your interviews as an applicant successful are:
Do some homework on the company.
Get a good night’s rest the night before.
Dress appropriately.
Arrive for the interview a few minutes early.
Use a firm handshake.
Maintain good eye contact.
Take the opportunity to have practice interviews.
Thank the interviewer at the end of the interview and follow up with a thank you
note.
Class Activity: Call in the Career Center
Ask your college Career Center to join your class to share their services and advice.
Class Activity: Fill-in-the-blanks Slide 36
HRM Workshop
The HRM Workshop includes several different types of activities requiring students to apply
chapter concepts aligned with the learning objectives. Suggested answers are provided.