PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION HR OFFICE

Conducting An Effective Interview

Marika Fsadni M. FSADNI & Associates

9 October 2014

Salient Shortcomings by Interviewers Unprepared InterviewersInterview not structured wellAsking leading questionsUntimed interviewsInterviewers doing all the talkingInterviewers trying to impress each otherLack of coordination between interviewersAsking illegal questions!

The Basic Requirements of Effective Interviewing

The Three Golden Ps!!

1. Preparing for the Interview

2. Performing at the Interview

3. Post-Interview Evaluation

Preparing for the Interview

Preparing for the Interview

Each Selection Board Member must:Have all the papers and documention related to the career opportunity/ vacancy position available at the interview.Have the full set of docs (application letter, CV, copies of certificates, etc.) pertaining to each candidate (being interviewed) available at the interview.

Preparing for the Interview

...Cont.d

Have available the list of selection criteria and relevant weightings approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the career opportunity/ vacancy position in question.

Preparing for the Interview Prior to commencing the Interviews, the Selection Board Member must discuss and agree upon:The objectives of the interview in line with the PSC briefingThe time to be allocated for each interviewThe stucture of interview to be adoptedWho will lead the interviewThe type of questions to be askedA set of questions to ask.

Performing at the Interview

Performing at the Interview

Every Selection Board Member must adhere to the guidelines detailed in "Appointments in the Malta Public Service".

The Selection Board must also make each candidate feel at ease. "Stress interviews" defeat the object of the entire recruitment process.

Performing at the Interview An effective interview must cover the following:Validate information contained in the candidate‘s applicationProbe for information underlying the declared factsDiscover what the application did not reveal about the candidate‘s achievements (various) and how these were attainedExplore the candidate‘s skills and potential.

Performing at the Interview – Opening the Interview

The Selection Board should:Introduce the Selection Board Members (slowly) to the candidate being interviewedThank the candidate for applying for the vacancy position and for attending the interviewIf the interview did not commence on time (as scheduled), the Board should apologise to the candidate for this delay.

Performing at the Interview – Opening the Interview

...Cont.d

Briefly inform the candidate of the structure of the interview Then kick off with the actual interview.

Performing at the Interview – Opening the Interview

At the very onset of the interview, the Selection Board must verify that all the details and declarations made in the candidate‘s application and CV are correct. This may be done by:

1. Asking the candidate to give a brief introduction of him/herself to the Selection Board, more specifically on the academic qualifications and professional experience attained to date.

Performing at the Interview – Opening the Interview

...Cont.d

Remember: Not all candidates submit an up-to-date CV and also time may have elapsed between the application submission stage and the interviewing stage.

2. Verify all the candidate‘s documents against the originals (e.g. academic certificates, transcripts, etc.).

Performing at the Interview – Assessing the Candidate’s Potential

The Interviewing skills and probing abilities of the Selection Board are essential for this phase!

A competent Selection Board must be able to effectively assess the candidate‘s human, technical, analytical and conceptual (where relevant) skills in line with the "selection criteria" approved by the PSC.

Performing at the Interview – Assessing the Candidate’s Potential

Some Ideas:Ask open-ended questionsDo not ask leading questionsPose clean and to-the-point questionsDo not waffle when asking questionsAllow the candidate to express him/herself in fullIf the candidate goes off subject, gently redirect him/her to your question

Performing at the Interview – Assessing the Candidate’s Potential

...Cont.dPara-phrase the question if you feel that the candidate did not understand the questionDo not discourage the candidate either directly (verbally) or indirectly ( by your body language)Do not ask difficult questions simply to impress the other Board Members

Performing at the Interview – Assessing the Candidate’s Potential

...Cont.dVery Important: Ask effective “scenario“ questions (i.e. "what if" questions)Very Important: When posing questions, keep in mind the laws on "non-discrimination and equality of opportunity".

Performing at the Interview – Non-Discrimination and Equality for Opportunity

When drafting questions for interviews, the Selection Board must note that:The Equality for Men and Women Act states that it is "unlawful for employers to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against a person in the arrangements made to determine or in determining who should be offered employment or in the terms and conditions on which the employment is offered...”

Performing at the Interview – Non-Discrimination and Equality for Opportunity

Also ... Discrimination on the grounds of family responsibilities in employment is prohibited by the Equality for Men and Women Act. Thus employers cannot give less favourable treatment, directly or indirectly, on the basis of parenthood or family responsibility; nor can they treat women less favourably for reasons of actual or potential pregnancy or childbirth.

Performing at the Interview – Closing the Interview

At the close of the interview, the Selection Board should:Ask the candidate whether he/she wishes to ask any further questions/queriesThank the candidate for his/her timeInform the candidate of what will happen next.

Post-Interview Evaluation

Post-Interview Evaluation and Achievements Immediately after each interview, the Board must review and rate the candidate‘s performance and allot jointly against each of the approved selection criteria.The Board must retain the records of the interviews, including any brief notes on information and general impressions left by the candidates, should these be required at a later stage (e.g. petitions, further queries, etc.)

Thank you for your attention!

Marika FsadniM.FSADNI & Associates