Hiring the Best Ch 5

Interviewing Techniques

• Two problematic interview positions: Interviewee (wondering what questions will be asked) and interviewer (wondering what to ask). This is normal, especially for new or experienced interviewers aware of the outcome's importance.

• Skill development stages: Interviewers often start as "unconscious incompetents" (don't know they don't know), then progress to "conscious incompetents" (aware of needing improvement), competence (knowing what to do), and finally unconscious competence ("practical wisdom" – knowing instinctively).

• Interviewing Goal: Insight into candidates is key to employee selection. This requires understanding the "what", "why", and "how" of interviewer actions and goals.

Interview Structure

• Objective criteria: Evaluations must be based on consistent standards and the same questions for all candidates to avoid bias and discrimination issues.

• Interview steps (graphic): Setting the tone, interview outline, work history, and deliverables/transferable skills/values, and setting the tone again (if needed).

• Setting the Tone (crucial):

• Candidate comfort = more information.

• Relaxed candidates are more likely to share details.

• Avoid selling the company too early; this is time consuming and may attract unqualified candidates.

• The interview itself is stressful for the candidate; create a relaxed atmosphere to encourage candor.

• First impressions matter; a positive experience from the front desk to the meeting room positively influences candidate perception of the company.

• Demonstrate welcoming behaviors from all staff members, starting from the receptionist. Personal touches like a cappuccino can be very helpful.

• Meet job candidates in the lobby yourself, if possible; welcoming demeanor is key.

• Interview Outline:

• Small talk (brief) to relax the candidate.

• Non-specific outline/benefit statement for the candidates to build a connection with the position. This makes them feel like a partnership is being built.

• Explicitly state your intention to take notes or explain how you will process the notes immediately after the interview (no distraction for the candidate). Inform the candidate of the next steps of the hiring process so that trust is built and there is no confusion later.

• For a single interview, address the reference/salary history check-up process.

• Candidate Participation (80/20 rule): Candidates should speak more. Interviewers should ask questions to gather information (20%) and listen (80%). Start with non-threatening questions about work history to put the candidate at ease.

• Work history process: Candidates should walk through their resume and discuss relevant experiences. Questions should be open-ended. Collect information about tasks, projects, likes/dislikes about certain jobs/managers and reasons for leaving previous positions.

• Candidate Assessment: Evaluate transferable skills and values; determine if the candidate is suitable (based on the established "must-haves" from the job description). Use follow-up questioning to get a clear understanding if they are a good fit for the company culture and the specific position or if they might not be the right fit for the position they have applied for.

Interviewing Techniques

• Situational Interviewing: Simulate job tasks to assess on-the-job performance. For example, have a programmer demonstrate an application for the interview, or have a telemarketer engage in simulated sales calls. This helps the interviewer assess if the candidate performs better under pressure scenarios.

• Behavioral Interviewing: Evaluate past actions to predict future behavior. Ask "Tell me about a time when..." to gather specific, detailed examples; assess suitability based on the candidate’s past successes and how well their skills are transferable to help the candidate perform in the new environment.

• Stress Interviewing: Assess candidate reactions to unexpected pressure to reveal their ability to handle job stress. This is often done unexpectedly to see how the candidate processes information and responds to pressure in real-life scenarios. This is useful to understand if the candidate has the necessary "grace under pressure".

Questioning Techniques

• Closed-Ended Questions: Use sparingly for quick answers and confirmations.
• Open-Ended Questions: Encourage detailed answers by using who, what, where, when, why, and how.
• Past-Performance/Behavioral Questions: Assess past actions.
• Negative-Balance Questions: Discover areas where candidates might not excel.
• Negative-Confirmation Questions: Clarify potentially problematic past behaviors.
• Reflexive Questions: Maintain interview control by subtly ending sentences with words like "don’t you?" "couldn't you?".
• Silence & Mirror Statements: Encourage open communication through silence and mirroring answers as questions to prompt a more detailed answer.
• Loaded Questions: Ask about challenging choices to evaluate decision-making processes.
• Layered Questions: Delve deep into a skill or behavior by combining multiple questions and approaches for greater insights.
• Hamburger Helper Questions: Interrupting for clarity or revisiting previously discussed topics.

Interview Management

• Controlling the conversation: Establish control early to get relevant info.
• Talking Ratio: Maintaining 80/20 ratio for listening and asking; keep candidates talking and focus on listening (for a better connection and understanding of the candidates).
• Framing Questions: Keep your language simple so candidates don't get bogged down in trying to decipher your words and focus on the answer. Keep questions grouped based on themes.
• Keeping Candidates on Track: Gently and persistently guide the interview if candidates wander off-topic; ensure all topics on the agenda are discussed.
• Flustered Candidates: Calm the candidate and move on temporarily to another discussion point if necessary, so they are more likely to regain composure, and then come back to the questions later. Recognize that they might request to come back to the challenging points later in the interview process.
• Overly Talkative Candidates: Redirect conversation by introducing a new topic or answering alongside the candidate; control the information flow to acquire the necessary information.

Closing & Next Steps

• Closing the Interview: Allow candidate to add further details or ask questions; be mindful to follow-up with a polite rejection if needed, using prepared letter templates.
• Next Steps: Schedule further interviews promptly or send a written rejection, offering future considerations, if needed.