Recruiting and Interviewing

© 2013 Cengage Learning

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Recruiting and Interviewing


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How did you find out about your most recent job?


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Effective Recruitment Methods Should

• Get the attention of the public• Screen unqualified applicants• Motivate qualified people to

apply• Be cost effective• Be timely


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Recruitment Methods

• Formal or Direct– Media advertisements– Point of purchase– Direct mail– Employment agencies– College recruiters– Computer databases– Special events– Employee referral

programs

• Informal or Indirect– Situation-wanted ads

– Direct applications

– Employee referrals


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Special Populations• The retired• The mentally or physically challenged• Ex-cons• Current convicts• People on public assistance• Other organizations’ employees• People in foreign countries• Temps


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Recruiting a Diverse Workforce

• Build long-term relationships with minority organizations

• Learn how to effectively interview diverse groups• Advertise in minority-read publications• Recruit at historically black/female colleges• Provide minority role-models

– at work

– in recruiting materials


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Media AdsOnly 10% of all jobs are advertised

• Newspaper

• Television http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HULEIgjf2MM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh7IG6A2j8U

• Radio

• Web sites

• Billboards


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Newspaper Ads

AVAILABLE: Good tasting soda. Consumers

must want 20 ounces of fluid, regular level of caffeine, and competitive price. If interested, purchase Coca-Cola from your neighborhood store.


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Newspaper Employment AdsEffective Print Ads

• Creative• Attractive• Contain information

about the job


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C. Rinker PavingNeeds some good men:

asphalt foreman and full and part-time workers1. Must be able to tell time2. Must have hair short enough to see and hear3. Must know address or make and model of car you are

living in4. Must have shoes and trousers5. All nose and ear rings should be light enough not to

interfere with your work6. Must be able to go eight hours without drugs or alcohol7. Must know left from right, right from wrong, and be

able to use a phone8. Must be able to check the gas and oil in a vehicle9. Must be able to gulp down a sandwich in 30 minutes,

and be able to work at least 30 minutes without going to the restroom or drinking something

If you need employment and can qualify, please call 368-9551 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.


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Newspaper Employment AdsFive Major Types

• Apply in person• Call• Send resume• Blink box• Employment agency


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Apply-in-Person Ads

• Dress as if it were an interview

• Be prepared to interview on the spot

• Bring copies of your resume

• Bring a black pen• Be nice to the receptionist

CUSTOMER SERVICE—Local home health company has an immediate, full time position available. Direct personal contact and requires a caring individual. Some typing and billing helpful. Competitive salary and benefits. Apply in person, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Fri., 2501 Williamson Road


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Call Ads• Often used to quickly screen

applicants• Practice your first few

sentences• Be prepared for a short phone

interview• Have your resume ready to

answer questions• Have paper and pencil close by

SalesExperienced sales people preferred. Neat and dependable. Flexible hours & good pay. Call 366-6071, 12 – 8:00 p.m., Tues-Fri; Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.


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Send Resume

• Employer expects a large response

• Type envelope if possible• Include cover letter• Do not use your employer’s

stationary• Send

– Immediately?– Wait a few days?

RECEPTIONISTLocal construction company has immediate opening for person with excellent telephone skills and professional manner to operate the switchboard and greet the public. Typing skills required. Send resume to: Personnel, Acme Co., Box 20069, Roanoke, VA 24018


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Blind Box

• Used when employer – doesn’t want incumbent to

know

– doesn’t want name in the public

– Is afraid people won’t apply if they knew the name of the employer

• Send resume immediately

Carpet CleaningLooking for clean cut, reliable, self-motivated person to clean carpet for growing business. Room for advancement. Must be at least 21 years old and have a valid drivers license. Send resume to Box P-271, c/o Roanoke Times & World News, P.O. Box 491, Roanoke, VA 24010


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Employment Agencies

• Types – Public– Private Employment Agency

• Employer pays fee

• Applicant pays fee

– Executive search firms– Temporary employment

agencies

Programmer/Analyst$30 to $40’s + Fee Paid

Degree required. ASCS-BSCS. 1-2 years experience. 989-2831 Carol Day & Associates

Machine Operator• ½ Fee Paid •

Will train on production equipment. Experience with fabric helpful. $13-$15 per hour. 981-0799 AAA Employment Agency


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Situation-Wanted Ads

• Ads run by applicants• Internet has perhaps made

these obsolete• Effectiveness

– Willis (1991)

– Williams (1991)

Top SpeechwriterCurrently writing speeches for Fortune 200 CEO. Background in tech, multi-industry, Wall St., Wash DCBox EA-648,Wall Street Journal


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Former Marijuana Smuggler

Having successfully completed a 10-year sentence, incident free, for importing 75 tons of marijuana into the US, I am now seeking a legal and legitimate means to support myself and my family.

Business Experience: Owned and operated a successful fishing business – multi-vessel, one airplane, one island and processing facility. Simultaneously owned and operated a fleet of tractor-trailer trucks conducting business in the western US. During this time I also co-owned and participated in the executive level management of 120 people worldwide in a successful pot smuggling venture with revenues in excess of $100 million annually. I took responsibility for my own actions, and received a 10-year sentence in the US while others walked free for their cooperation.

Attributes: I am an expert in all levels of security: I have extensive computer skills, am personable, outgoing, well-educated, reliable, clean and sober. I have spoken in schools to thousands of kids and parents over the past 10 years on “the consequences of choice,” and received public recognition from from the RCMP for community service. I am well-traveled and speak English, French and Spanish. References available from friends, family, and the U.S. District Attorney.

Toronto Financial Post, Friday, February 23, 2001


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EffectivenessNumber of Inquiries

Inquiries Frequency Percent

0 44 30.6

1 20 13.9

2 26 18.1

3 18 12.5

4 8 5.6

5 9 6.3

6 6 4.2

7 4 2.8

10 4 2.8

12 2 1.4

>20 3 2.1

TOTAL 144


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EffectivenessNumber of Job Offers

Job Offers Frequency Percent

0 117 78.5

1 10 6.7

2 11 7.4

3 2 1.1

4 2 1.3

5 3 2.0

6 1 0.7

7 1 0.7

15 1 0.7

20 1 0.7

TOTAL 149


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Point of Purchase Methods

• Signs• Cash register receipts• On-hold phone

recording (Papa Johns)• Restaurant placemats• Pizza boxes• Table tents• Sides of trucks

• Brochures• Milk cartons• Book markers


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Recruiters• Recruiters

– Campus recruiters

– Outside recruiters

• Employment Agencies and Search Firms– Private employment agencies

– Executive search firms

– Public employment commissions

• Job Fairshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM-FKbUf2AQ&feature=youtu.be


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Employee Referral ProgramsFrequency of Use

• Private Sector (SHRM, 2005)– 50% have formal programs

– 66% use in some way

• Public Sector– 1% have formal programs (Trice, 1997)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRlFrYfkJjo&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FBHynJMXUc


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Employee Referral ProgramsIncentive for Referral

• Incentive Given– 88% if referral results in hire– 2% if referral results in interview– 4% for making a referral

• Type of Incentive– 77% provide financial incentive– 23% give cars, gift certificates, trips, and

other gifts

• Amount of Incentive– Median is less than $1,000– 12% have incentives over $2,000


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Employee Referral ProgramsWhy are They so Effective?

• Realistic job preview• Employees and friends are similar

– Personality

– Ability

• Employee can help socialize friend when hired


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Direct Mail Recruiting

• Types– e-mail– fax– Postal

• Postal Basic Facts– Response rate should be 1-2%– Make mailing creative and eye catching – Hand addressed mail gets opened most frequently,

then typed names, followed by mailing labels


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Direct Mail Success Stories• INTEGRIS

– Mailed out 30,000 letters– Received 350 responses– Hired 5 nurses

• Union Special– Illinois manufacturer of sewing machines– Had 10 openings for engineers– Sent 3,300 cards to Chicago area engineers ($5,000)– Received 100 responses– Interviewed 30 applicants

• Allstate– Local unemployment was 2.9%– Previous help-wanted ads yielded 2 responses– 14 data processing openings– Direct mail to local Allstate customers– Received 500 responses and hired 20 employees


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Internet Recruiting• In 2010, 90% of employers planned to invest significantly in Internet

recruiting• Three common Internet methods

– Employer-based websites• Normal website• Company blogs• .jobs domain

– Internet recruiters• www.monster.com• www.hotjobs.com

– Social networking websites• FaceBook, MySpace, & LinkedInhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kf7sDme9VU&feature=related• Blogs• Podcastshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVrBnynnCz4


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Offering Incentives• Bonus

– signing

– tenure

– year-end

• 401k match• Relocation• Vacations• Flexible schedules• Educational assistance• Casual dress


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Evaluating Recruitment Effectiveness

• Time to fill• Retention rates• Cost per hire• Number of applicants• Job performance of

new hires• EEO/diversity impact


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Most Common MethodsHR Departments Job Seekers

Newspaper ads 96 95

Networking 95 95

Employee referrals 91 92

Internet 88 96

Employment agency 76 81

Walk-ins 76 62

Temp-to-hire 75 65

Head hunters 74 89

Job fairs 70 76

Ads in trade journals 67 78

Community organizations 55 63

Minority job fairs 51 42

Website job applications 49 90


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% Rating Method as EffectiveHR Departments Job Seekers

Networking 61 78

Internet job postings 58 48

Employee referrals 55 65

Head hunters 54 45

Newspaper ads 47 30

Website job applications 40 36

Ads in trade journals 37 37

Temp-to-hire 36 43

Employment agency 35 31

Job fairs 23 23

Job hotlines 22 19

Radio/TV advertising 21 15

Open houses 18 12


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Why Recruitment Sources Should Differ

• Informal sources provide realistic job previews

• Different sources reach different types of people

• Similarity of employee and person referred


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What are the most effective recruitment methods you have seen?


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Humor Break

Name Greg Bulmash

Sex Not yet. Still waiting for the right person

Desired position Company president. But seriously, whatever is available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn’t be applying here.

Desired salary $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that’s not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

Education Yes

Last position Target for middle management hostility

Salary Less than I’m worth

Most notable achievement

My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes

Reason for leaving It sucked

Hour available to work Any


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Preferred hours 1:30-3:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday

Do you have any special skills?

Yes, but they are better suited to a more intimate environment

May we contact your current employer?

If I had one, would I be here?

Do you have a car? I think the more appropriate question here would be, “Do you have a car that runs?”

Have you received any special awards?

I may already be a winner of the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes

Do you smoke? In the job no, on my breaks yes.

What would you like to be doing in 5 years?

Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blond super model who thinks I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I’d like to be doing that now.

Sign here Aries


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Structured Interviews


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Interviews Differ in Three Ways

• Structure– Unstructured

– Structured

• Style– One-on-one

– Serial

– Return

– Panel

– Group

• Medium– Face-to-face

– Telephone

– Videoconference

– Written


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Optimal Employee Selection Systems

• Are Valid– Based on a job analysis (content validity)– Predict work-related behavior (criterion validity)

• Reduce the Chance of a Legal Challenge– Face valid– Don’t invade privacy– Don’t intentionally discriminate– Minimize adverse impact

• Are Cost Effective– Cost to purchase/create– Cost to administer– Cost to score


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Unstructured Interviews are Not Optimal

• They are:– Unreliable– Not valid– Legally problematic

• Because they:– Are not job related– Rely on intuition, “amateur psychology,” and talk show

methods– Suffer from common rating problems

• Primacy• Contrast• Similarity• Range restriction (e.g., leniency, strictness, central tendency)


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Common Unstructured Interview Questions

• Where do you see yourself five years from now?• What are your greatest strengths?• What are your greatest weaknesses?• What subject did you most enjoy in college?• Why should I hire you?• Why are you interested in this job?


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Top Ten Stupid Interview Tricks

• A manager at Wells Fargo won’t hire MBA’s who take more than 60 seconds to scan the menu at lunch

• A CEO wouldn’t hire applicants who salted their food before tasting it

• Holiday Inn doesn’t hire applicants who smile less than four times during the interview

• An HR professional wouldn’t hire applicants who didn’t have the back of their shoes properly shined

• An auto insurance executive takes off points for education – “I don’t want the valedictorian, I want the kid who sold cigarettes in the bathroom.”


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Top Ten Stupid Interview Tricks

• An HR manager asked applicants about their favorite book

• A town manager likes to leave the room, not come back, and then wait to see how long an applicant will wait

• An HR recruiter asks applicants, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?”

• A local school superintendent won’t hire men with hair in their ears

• Any interviewer who does not use structured interviews!


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What interview horror stories have you heard about?


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Structured Interviews are Optimal

• They are:– Reliable– Valid– Not as prone to legal challenge

• Because they:– Are based on a job analysis– Ask the same questions of each applicant– Have a standardized scoring procedure


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ComparisonHigh

Structure

Low

Structure Study

Validity r = .57 r = .20 Huffcutt & Arthur (1994)

Gender

Differences d = .00 d = .23 Huffcutt, et al (2001)

Racial Differences d = .13 d = .51 Huffcutt, et al

(2001)


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Dirty Harry Tries His Hand at Interviewing (The Enforcer – DVD segment 6)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPMrlox2ieE


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Structured Interview Goals• Understand the Applicant

– Clarify and confirm resume information– Obtain new information

• Predict Job Performance– Ask questions focused on past behavior– Ask questions focused on knowledge and skills– Ask questions focused on future behavior

• Predict Organizational Fit– Use several interviewers– Combine interview impression with test scores

• Sell the Organization to the Applicant– Provide information about the position/organization– Answer the applicant’s questions


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Creating the Structured InterviewSteps

• Conduct a thorough job analysis• Determine best way to measure

each KSAO• Construct Questions• Determine rating anchors for

each question• Choose two or more members

for the interview panel


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Creating the Structured InterviewConduct a Thorough Job Analysis

• Tasks performed• Conditions under which they are performed• KSAOs needed to perform the tasks• When KSAOs are needed

– Before hire

– After hire

• Critical incidents of poor and excellent performance


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Creating the Structured InterviewDetermine Best Way to Measure

each KSAO• Interview questions• Psychological tests• Simulations or job samples• Reference or background

checks• Training and experience

ratings


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Creating the Structured InterviewConstruct Interview Questions

• Clarifiers– Clarify resume information– Seek missing information

• Disqualifiers• Past focus (behavioral

description)• Skill or knowledge focus• Future focus (situational)• Organizational fit focus


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Examples of Clarifiers

• I noticed that you do not have an education section on your resume, could you tell me about your educational background?

• I noticed a three-year gap between two of your jobs, could you tell me a little about that?

• You were a bench hand at AT&T. What is that?• Why did you leave your job at McDonalds?


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Examples of Disqualifiers

• Can you work at least one weekend a month?

• Can you work overtime without notice?

• Do you have any felony convictions?

• Would you be willing to treat a patient with AIDS?

• Do you have a valid driver’s license?


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Examples of Past-Focused Questions• When dealing with customers, it is inevitable that you are

going to get someone angry. Tell us about a time when a customer was angry at you. What did you do to fix the situation?

• The job of network engineer requires a good deal of customer service. Tell us about your previous customer service.

• This job involves persuading employees to follow our safety rules. Tell us about a time in the past when you had to persuade an employee to do something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvtm1GeYE6U&feature=youtu.be


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Examples of Skill Determiners• A customer brings you his check book and says that he

cannot get it to balance. What is he probably doing wrong? How would you explain the error to him?

• A client calls and tells you that she has 10 computers in a 30’ by 100’ room and that she wants to network the computers. What questions would you ask her? What parts would you need to compile to complete the task?

• Several months after installing the above network, the client calls and says that nothing will print on the printer. What could be going on?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXZe23jaXRc&feature=youtu.be


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Examples of Future-focused Questions• Suppose that you were scheduled to work on Saturday. A

friend calls on Thursday and says that you get to use a condo at the beach for free—but it has to be this weekend. What would you do?

• Imagine that you told a client that you would be there at 10:00 a.m. It is now 10:30 and there is no way you will be finished with your current job until 11:30. You are scheduled to meet another client for lunch at 12:00 and then be at another job at 1:15. How would you handle the situation?


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Examples of Organizational-Fit Questions

• Under what type of supervisor do you work best? Is there a type of supervisor for which you have trouble working?

• What type of work pace is best for you? • Describe your sense of humor?• Describe your experience working with a culturally

diverse group of people.


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Creating the Structured InterviewConstruct Rating Anchors

• Correct/Incorrect Approach• Typical Answer Approach• Key Issues Approach


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Sample Question

You are working as a teller and have a long line of waiting customers. A customer runs to the front of the line and yells that he bounced a check and was charged $20, which caused other checks to bounce. He then swears at you and tells you that he will not leave until the problem is solved. You are unable to check on his account because the computer is down. What would you do?


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Typical Answers Scoring

5. Because I do not have the information and the line is long, I would call my supervisor and have her talk to the customer in her office away from everyone else

6. While trying to calm him down, I would call my supervisor

7. I would try to calm him down and explain to him that the computer is down

8. I would explain that I cannot help him because the computer is down, and ask him to come back later

9. I would tell him to get to the end of the line and wait his turn

I would ignore him until he went away


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Key Issues Scoring

___ Acknowledged the long line and concern for

other customers

___ Recognized the need to calm the customer

___ Recognized the need to get the customer

away from the other customers

___ Recognized that help could not be immediately

given because the computer was down

___ Was not confrontational with the customer


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Conducting the Structured InterviewChoose Interviewers for Panel

• Use at least 2 interviewers• Consider gender and race

representation• Consider best format

– Panel interview

– Multiple interviews


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Conducting the Structured InterviewInterviewing Applicants

• Build rapport• Explain the process and the agenda• Ask the questions• Score the answer and take notes after each question• Provide information about the job and the

organization (e.g., salary, benefits, climate)• Answer interviewee’s questions• End the interview on a pleasant note


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After the Interview

• Keep all interviewees informed of your progress• Tactfully reject the applicants who are not hired• Document, document, document


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Resumes and Cover Letters


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Views of Resumes

• A history of your life

• An advertisement of your skills


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Characteristics of Effective Resumes

• Attractive and easy to read– white space

– font

• Does not contain typing, spelling, or factual mistakes

• Makes the applicant look as good as possible


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General Considerations

• Length• Paper color and type• How it will be sent

– mailed

– faxed

– scanned

• Job objectives


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Problems with Job Objectives

• Limit job opportunities

• Take-up valuable space and reading time

• Are difficult to write


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Types of Resumes

• Chronological

• Functional

• Psychological


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Important Psychological Principles

• Primacy• Priming• Short-term memory• Relevancy• Negative information bias• Unusualness• Anderson’s adding versus

averaging principle


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Anderson’s Averaging Versus Adding Principle

• Ted Gacy– Smart +3

– Fun +3

– Motivated +3

– Sum 9.0

– Average3.0

• John Bundy– Smart +3

– Fun +3

– Motivated +3

– Well-dressed +2

– Sum 11.0

– Average2.75


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Sample Professional Strengths

• Highest degree• Work experience• Computer skills• Other skills• Languages spoken• Leadership experience• International travel• Personal traits


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Sample Highlights

• Minor or concentration• GPA (overall, major)• Clubs• Leadership positions• Community service• Worked to finance

education• Internships


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Professional Experience

• Include all relevant jobs• Can include

– internships

– volunteer work

• For each job, include– dates

– duties

– level of performance

– reason for leaving


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Cover Letters


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Cover Letter Paragraphs• Opening Paragraph

– Here is my resume – This is the job I am applying for– This is how I know about the job

• Second Paragraph– I am qualified– Here is why

• Optional Paragraph– Why your organization?

• Last Paragraph– Looking forward to hearing from you– Here is how to reach me


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Opening ParagraphsAdvertisement in Newspaper Enclosed find a copy of my resume. Please consider me for the sale associate position that was advertised recently in the Charleston Gazette.

Blind Application Enclosed find a copy of my resume. Please consider me for any sales-related positions that are either now available in your organization or may soon become available

Referral from a Friend Enclosed find a copy of my resume. Please consider me for the sales associate position that John Anderson—a friend and AT&T employee—told me was now available


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General Points

• Keep to one page• Don’t beg• Avoid sounding

desperate• Avoid grammar and

spelling errors• No officious words or

phrases• No personal

circumstances

• Avoid curse words and insults

• Don’t rehash your resume

• Don’t bad mouth your former employer

• Tailor your letter to each company

• Direct to a particular person


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April 18, 2012

Mr. John SmithAlco, Inc.217 West StreetJohnson, VA 24132

Dear Mr. Smith:

Enclosed find a copy of my resume. Please consider me for the position of welder that was advertised in the Roanoke Times and World News.

I believe I am qualified for your position. I have six years of welding experience in an industrial setting. Furthermore, I am a very dependable worker as shown by the fact that I have only missed two days of work in the last five years. Finally, I am available to work any shift at any of your three plants.

I look forward to hearing from you. I can best be reached after 3:00 p.m.on weekdays and anytime on weekends.

Sincerely,

Andrew S. Jones


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Disastrous OpeningsCover Letters That Were Never Read

• Dear Dave, I call you that because I feel I’ve known you for years.• Dear Mr. Todd: As Rod McKuen said so beautifully….• Dear Mr. Todd: I would like to aply for the position of editoral asistent• Dr. Mr. Todd: I have always dreamed of being a writer.• Dear Mr. Todd: My mother told me I should …


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• FLASH! Judy Carson is coming to Nashville and …• Dear Mr. Todd: The Bible tells us “See and ye shall find.” So I am seeking ….• My dear Mr. Todd: While vacationing on the Continent (a delightful time!), it

occurred to me that…• Dr. Mr. Todd: Your company appears to be violating the Equal

Opportunities Amendment and to help you rectify the situation, I would like to…

• Dear Mr. Todd: Your company needs help …• Dear Mr. Todd: You don’t know me, but …


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Applied Case Study: Recruitment at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa


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Focus on EthicsEthical Communication

Documents

Recruiting and Interviewing