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Interviews in the personnel diagnostic’s context

Content Slides to strengthen skills such as

Communication skills, Goal-oriented leadership

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Interviews – summary

Most widespread procedure for personnel selection and potential diagnosis

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High level of acceptance among applicants and companies

Advantage: immediate reaction and the flexibility of responding to each other.

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Different ways to conduct an interview

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With third parties/ reference

As part of an Assessment Center

With the candidates themselves

In addition to document analysis as the only procedure for personnel selection.

As preliminary telephone interview

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Overview

Suitability Interview

Structuring and guidelines help in the interview

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Types of questions

Some questions serve to obtain better information

The behaviour triangle

supports the questioning in general

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Suitability interview

direct oral questioning
most frequently used procedure in personnel selection
a targeted, requirement-related direct conversation with the candidate

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Also part of the interview:

realistic information on the desired position is given
the candidate's questions

statements + suitability characteristics (behavioural anchors) → evaluation

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Interview structure

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Structured

Unstructured

Interview

increases the quality criteria of the selection process, especially reliability and fairness
increase in rater agreement →objectivity
captures suitability characteristics of specialist knowledge and professional experience that are necessary for the requirement profile

more likely to capture the suitability characteristics of intelligence, emotional stability and social skills

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Interview structure

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Structured

Standardisation of the questions

Standardisation in the evaluation

questions, order and answer options prescribed

needs defined sequence of different sections or question areas
interview guide as prerequisite

Usually: structured or partially structured oral surveys

A guide is used and there is a classification of the questions
Different questions can be selected within these sections

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What is your experience with aptitude interviews?

Both from the interviewer's and the candidate's point of view.

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Interview process

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Evaluation

Planning and preparation

Implementation

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Planning and preparation

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Understanding the requirements
Question wording
Determination of questions’ order
Selection of relevant criteria to be recorded and possibly weighting
Decision rules based on characteristics and result
A mixture of biography-oriented and situational questions makes sense
Creation of the guide
Organisational framework conditions: place, time, undisturbed premises, accessibility and calibration, Number of candidates
Training of interviewers

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Implementation

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Use of the guidelines

Opening

Gathering information

Conclusion

Requirements of the interviewer

Notes with as many quotations as possible

3 parts

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Evaluation

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Assign information to the suitability characteristics

First rate statements independently per rater

If necessary calibration/harmonisation or collection after the assessment with the qualitative information

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Type of questions

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Biography-oriented questions

Events from the curriculum vitae or previous experiences from everyday working life

Situational questions

Constructed questions about "critical incidents", critical or extraordinary events that do not reflect everyday work and rather behavior in stressful situations

Reflexive questions

Refer to the self-assessment of their own performance -> asked to think about their perception and actions as well as their effects

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Distortions

halo effect

self-fulfilling prophecy

first impression effect

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We use schemes and heuristics to filter information

Danger of unconscious bias and observation distortions, e. g.

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Self-representation strategies

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Assertive tactics

Own self-appreciation through self-promotion, hint that you have the desired qualities etc.
Related to others: To appreciate and praise others intensively or to behave in conformity with others

Defensive tactics

As a reaction to a perceived threat to one's own image,

Justifications
Excuses
Denial of one's own responsibility for the negative consequences of actions.

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appropriate questions

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School/university degrees

Professional qualifications

professional knowledge

i.a. language skills

professional career

professional experience (successes/failures)

Work attitude

Motivation

Training

potential Time flexibility Shift work

Restrictions

if applicable, illnesses Alcohol/drug

dependence

Salary requirement

Previous salary, if applicable - only admissible if relevant to the new employment

Work permit

Possible date of employment

Ability and willingness to work in the field

Driving licence

Agreement with company smoking ban

Willingness to wear company uniforms

Willingness to change residence if applicable

etc.

Qualification and work experience

Operational capability

Terms of contract

Special

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Inappropriate questions

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Pregnancy

marital status/planning

sexual orientation

disability

health condition

genetic predisposition

Smoker/non-smoker status

Religious confession/ �world view

trade union affiliation

Political affiliation

membership of a political party

Military or civilian service completed

Ethnic affiliation

Nationality (see appropriate question about work permit)

private financial circumstances

garnishment of salaries, -assignments

Narrow personal space

Value orientation

Origin

Assets

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Special features of appropriate and inappropriate questions

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Candidate’s privacy should be protected

Appropriate holistic picture of the candidate’s suitability

appropriate and inappropriate questions

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Legal consequences of inappropriate questions

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Candidate has the right to lie or deny an answer

Employer may not withdraw the contract in the event of false statements on an inappropriate question

Legal responsibility lies with the employer and might turn into legal consequences!

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What do you think are “typical” questions?

Do you know of any cultural differences in appropriate questions?

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Dealing with information that should not have been asked for

If candidate makes statements related to topics from the areas of imappropriate questions …

No comment on them

No further questions in this regard

Statement is not taken into account

Do not “listen”

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Suitable and non suitable questions

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Not suitable

Suitable

Open questions related to specific behaviour
Short and understandable questions
Questions that relate to specific behaviour
Biography-oriented questions (past, typical behaviour)
Situational questions (intention, maximum behaviour, mental activity

Questions that unnecessarily narrow the range of answers
Chain questions (only one aspect per question)
Leading questions

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Behavioural triangle

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Situation

Behaviour

Outcome

#Teamplayer

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Behavioural triangle

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Situation

Behaviour

Outcome

#Teamplayer

Obtain very specific information from the applicant.
Questioning statements critically and yet respectfully
Comparability of applicants and situations

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Behavioural triangle

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Situation

Behaviour

Outcome

#Teamplayer

Which result did you achieve?

Describe for us a situation in which you showed/acted ...

How specifically did you act/behave?

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Now it’s your turn to try out the behavioural triangle.

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Multimodales Interview

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Contact phase

Informal conversation to create a comfortable atmosphere

Self presentation

Presentation of the candidates career path. First relevant aspect for evaluation

Questions in regards to different aspects from the CV or previous conversations

Free conversation

Interests in profession, company and organisation

Questioning about relevant aspects of expertise, values and career ideas

Conversation Closing

Answering open questions from the candidate and giving an outlook to the upcoming process

Behavioral questions

Such as situative questions which will be evaluated with anchor answers

Informations & conditions

Realistic informations about position, day-to-day work and negotiation about conditions

Requirement profile related questions based on the candidate’s experiences

Biography oriented questions