nick18_in
Nikhil Gadodia
Inter(nal)viewing: Hiring The Best
Inter(nal)viewing is a specific methodology used to interview candidates for a position.
[FONT=Arial,Bold]Why Use Inter(nal)viewing?[/FONT]
Traditional "gut feeling" interviewing is often a poor predictor of good hires. "Gut feeling" interviewers tend to choose people they like, or people that are like themselves, or people who interview well, rather than the best candidate for the job. Using traditional interviewing, the odds are that, many new hires may not fully meet management's performance expectations. This makes traditional "gut
feeling" interviewing high risk and potentially costly.
Structured inter(nal)viewing can dramatically increase your success in
hiring the best people. Better hires mean increased productivity, lower turnover,
higher morale, and better quality and service for customers.
Successful organizations use inter(nal)viewing because it:
1. Provides a systematic process.
2. Helps acquire relevant and objective information.
3. Helps protect the organization from costly lawsuits.
4. Provides best match between candidate and job.
5. Reduces training time and lowers turnover.
[FONT=Arial,Bold]What is Inter(nal)viewing?[/FONT]
Inter(nal)viewing is a structured interviewing strategy built on the premise
that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance in similar circumstances. For example, if you want to hire someone who has outstanding customer service skills, you might ask this question: "Tell me about the most difficult customer you ever had to handle. How did you go about it?" This question asks for a specific example of how the candidate performed in the past that relates directly to how a candidate must perform on the job in the future.
Inter(nal)viewing allows the interviewer to gather evidence that the candidate possesses the critical capabilities required for successful job performance. It is these critical capabilities, called competencies, that identify the very best performers in a given job.
Inter(nal)viewing Process Model
We have found a five-step model to be very effective in interviewing and
selection. The four steps include:
Step 1 - analyze the job;
Step 2 – Measure Competency
Step 3 - plan the interview;
Step 4 - conduct the interview;
Step 5 - evaluate candidates.
Step 1 - Analyze The Job
The first step of inter(nal)viewing involves a number of background
activities that require analysis. [FONT=Arial,Italic]Reviewing the job[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic] [/FONT]involves examining job descriptions, performance standards and business plans that impact the position. Hopefully this documentation is up to date! [FONT=Arial,Italic]Developing competencies[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic] [/FONT]involves identifying a list of capabilities and characteristics - the knowledge, skills, abilities, personal style - that distinguish the top performers in the position.
In our workshops on inter(nal)viewing we walk through the process of developing competencies. People see it does not have to be as difficult or involved as some think. [FONT=Arial,Italic]Determine mandatory competencies[/FONT], those you must have and therefore need to hire for, and those competencies you can develop after hire. The competencies you must have in a candidate will become the foundation for interviewing and selection.
Step 2 – Measure Competency
Right person for the right job is a difficult choice without getting to know the inner mind of the candidates. People mask their behavior all the time and more so during interviews. Selecting people for technical skills or knowledge alone does not guarantee success . Use the latest cutting tools in behavioral sciences to get a thorough understanding of the attitudes, thinking styles, core competencies and personality patterns before you make the costly decision to hire. To improve performance and reduce attrition, you need to tackle the cause, the root-cause - the selection.
Gain the cutting edge in the selection process to get the best of your recruitment budgets. You get more for less. Along with behavioral interviews, individual Psychometric Assessment provides employers with an objective and unbiased measure of all things that underlies an individual's likely performance and fit to a role and organizational culture that cannot be measured by other means . Now it's time to get ready for a battery of tests that measure competencies, intelligence as well as influences thru heredity and environment.
Step 3 - Plan The Interview
This step involves planning the interview process and developing interview
questions for all mandatory competencies. Part of planning the interview process
involves choosing and preparing for individual or team interviews (Assessment Centre). Each approach has pros and cons. The next part of planning the interview is to design based on individual competency measures, directing and probing questions to assess candidates against the mandatory competencies for a position. Directing questions set a direction for a portion of the interview and are designed to assess specific competencies. Typically, they are used to ask a person to describe an actual past situation. Probing questions dig deeper and elicit details. Probing questions based on heredity and environment influences asks a candidate for his or her thoughts, feelings, actions taken, results achieved and conclusions / learnings.
Step 4 - Conduct The Interview
Here is an effective model for behavioral interviews. Timings are based on a one
hour interview, but your interviews may be shorter or longer.
A. Establish rapport and get background information. Keep questions and
discussions within the realm of acceptable, work-related topics.
Establishing rapport [FONT=Arial,Bold]should not [/FONT]include discussion of personal topics. (5-
7 minutes)
B. Obtain behavioral information on mandatory competencies (30-40
minutes). Ask the directing questions prepared in advance of the interview
and follow up with probing questions as needed.
C. Describe the position, answer the candidate's questions. (5-10 minutes)
D. Sell the position and the organization. (5-10 minutes)
E. Close the interview (3 minutes)
Step 5 - Evaluate Candidates
Assess the candidate’s competencies for his scores on psychometric assessments on the test battery against the mandatory competencies. How well does the candidate match up to what you're looking for?
Document your evaluation and make a-hire or no-hire decision.
Conclusion
The work of defining competencies and developing inter(nal)viewing questions for a position needs to be done only every few years, not each time you need to fill the job. However one can fine tune the questions to suit the specific candidate for the job in question. For most positions, unless they change radically, performing a quick annual update to the competencies and tweaking the inter(nal)view questions is all that's needed. With a little time and effort, your organization can significantly improve the quality of the people hired by using the concepts of inter(nal)viewing.
If you want to be a top recruiter for your company, you need to learn the Inter(nal)viewing skills now before you lose out. [FONT=Arial,Bold][/FONT]
Inter(nal)viewing is a specific methodology used to interview candidates for a position.
[FONT=Arial,Bold]Why Use Inter(nal)viewing?[/FONT]
Traditional "gut feeling" interviewing is often a poor predictor of good hires. "Gut feeling" interviewers tend to choose people they like, or people that are like themselves, or people who interview well, rather than the best candidate for the job. Using traditional interviewing, the odds are that, many new hires may not fully meet management's performance expectations. This makes traditional "gut
feeling" interviewing high risk and potentially costly.
Structured inter(nal)viewing can dramatically increase your success in
hiring the best people. Better hires mean increased productivity, lower turnover,
higher morale, and better quality and service for customers.
Successful organizations use inter(nal)viewing because it:
1. Provides a systematic process.
2. Helps acquire relevant and objective information.
3. Helps protect the organization from costly lawsuits.
4. Provides best match between candidate and job.
5. Reduces training time and lowers turnover.
[FONT=Arial,Bold]What is Inter(nal)viewing?[/FONT]
Inter(nal)viewing is a structured interviewing strategy built on the premise
that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance in similar circumstances. For example, if you want to hire someone who has outstanding customer service skills, you might ask this question: "Tell me about the most difficult customer you ever had to handle. How did you go about it?" This question asks for a specific example of how the candidate performed in the past that relates directly to how a candidate must perform on the job in the future.
Inter(nal)viewing allows the interviewer to gather evidence that the candidate possesses the critical capabilities required for successful job performance. It is these critical capabilities, called competencies, that identify the very best performers in a given job.
Inter(nal)viewing Process Model
We have found a five-step model to be very effective in interviewing and
selection. The four steps include:
Step 1 - analyze the job;
Step 2 – Measure Competency
Step 3 - plan the interview;
Step 4 - conduct the interview;
Step 5 - evaluate candidates.
Step 1 - Analyze The Job
The first step of inter(nal)viewing involves a number of background
activities that require analysis. [FONT=Arial,Italic]Reviewing the job[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic] [/FONT]involves examining job descriptions, performance standards and business plans that impact the position. Hopefully this documentation is up to date! [FONT=Arial,Italic]Developing competencies[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Italic] [/FONT]involves identifying a list of capabilities and characteristics - the knowledge, skills, abilities, personal style - that distinguish the top performers in the position.
In our workshops on inter(nal)viewing we walk through the process of developing competencies. People see it does not have to be as difficult or involved as some think. [FONT=Arial,Italic]Determine mandatory competencies[/FONT], those you must have and therefore need to hire for, and those competencies you can develop after hire. The competencies you must have in a candidate will become the foundation for interviewing and selection.
Step 2 – Measure Competency
Right person for the right job is a difficult choice without getting to know the inner mind of the candidates. People mask their behavior all the time and more so during interviews. Selecting people for technical skills or knowledge alone does not guarantee success . Use the latest cutting tools in behavioral sciences to get a thorough understanding of the attitudes, thinking styles, core competencies and personality patterns before you make the costly decision to hire. To improve performance and reduce attrition, you need to tackle the cause, the root-cause - the selection.
Gain the cutting edge in the selection process to get the best of your recruitment budgets. You get more for less. Along with behavioral interviews, individual Psychometric Assessment provides employers with an objective and unbiased measure of all things that underlies an individual's likely performance and fit to a role and organizational culture that cannot be measured by other means . Now it's time to get ready for a battery of tests that measure competencies, intelligence as well as influences thru heredity and environment.
Step 3 - Plan The Interview
This step involves planning the interview process and developing interview
questions for all mandatory competencies. Part of planning the interview process
involves choosing and preparing for individual or team interviews (Assessment Centre). Each approach has pros and cons. The next part of planning the interview is to design based on individual competency measures, directing and probing questions to assess candidates against the mandatory competencies for a position. Directing questions set a direction for a portion of the interview and are designed to assess specific competencies. Typically, they are used to ask a person to describe an actual past situation. Probing questions dig deeper and elicit details. Probing questions based on heredity and environment influences asks a candidate for his or her thoughts, feelings, actions taken, results achieved and conclusions / learnings.
Step 4 - Conduct The Interview
Here is an effective model for behavioral interviews. Timings are based on a one
hour interview, but your interviews may be shorter or longer.
A. Establish rapport and get background information. Keep questions and
discussions within the realm of acceptable, work-related topics.
Establishing rapport [FONT=Arial,Bold]should not [/FONT]include discussion of personal topics. (5-
7 minutes)
B. Obtain behavioral information on mandatory competencies (30-40
minutes). Ask the directing questions prepared in advance of the interview
and follow up with probing questions as needed.
C. Describe the position, answer the candidate's questions. (5-10 minutes)
D. Sell the position and the organization. (5-10 minutes)
E. Close the interview (3 minutes)
Step 5 - Evaluate Candidates
Assess the candidate’s competencies for his scores on psychometric assessments on the test battery against the mandatory competencies. How well does the candidate match up to what you're looking for?
Document your evaluation and make a-hire or no-hire decision.
Conclusion
The work of defining competencies and developing inter(nal)viewing questions for a position needs to be done only every few years, not each time you need to fill the job. However one can fine tune the questions to suit the specific candidate for the job in question. For most positions, unless they change radically, performing a quick annual update to the competencies and tweaking the inter(nal)view questions is all that's needed. With a little time and effort, your organization can significantly improve the quality of the people hired by using the concepts of inter(nal)viewing.
If you want to be a top recruiter for your company, you need to learn the Inter(nal)viewing skills now before you lose out. [FONT=Arial,Bold][/FONT]