The Interview Process

Hillary Jenkins, Otago Polytechnic

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Main Purposes

• Organization gains information and impressions about the applicant

• Applicant gains information and impressions about the organization

• Start of the process of selection (by both parties)

– Opportunity for applicant to also decide if this the place and these are the people they would choose to work with

Interview

• Structures– Questions prepared

– Interviewer knows how well applicant meets person profile

– Applicant has chance to ask about organization and job

• Unstructured– Interviewer provides

no guidance

– Applicant encouraged to do most of talking

– Focus on the person/job fit

Interview

• Panel Interview

– Conducted by two or more interviewers

– Should be representative of client group

– Same questions addressed to all applicants

– Panel members should all take notes and assess responses

– Notes are combined at conclusion

Common Criticism of Interviews

• Lack of preparation

– Interviewers who do not understand the requirements of the job to be filled

– Applicants have not carried out enough research

• Talkativeness

– Interviewers who talk to much and listen too little

• Stereotyping

– Set idea what candidate should look/be like

– Spend interview comparing with theoretical model

• Halo Effect

– Interviewers allow one aspect/characteristic to colour judgement

Interviews

• Inconsistency

– Interviewers need to apply same standards and same importance to attributes and characteristics, as they do to obvious qualifications

• Just like me

– Interviewers become aware of similar biographical data to their own and let it affect their judgement

• Negative information

– Not influenced by some negative aspect of application

• Cultural difference

– Different body language, ways to show respect, name conventions, language

Selection Decision

• Physical makeup

– Any defects of health or physique which may be of occupational importance

• Attainments

– How well has the applicant done educationally?

• General intelligence

– How much did they display

• Special aptitudes

– Has the applicant any? Figures, music, drawing

Selection Decision

• Interests

– Are they intellectual, practical/constructional, physically active, social, artistic, analytical?

• Disposition

– How acceptable does the applicant seek to be to other people?

• Do they influence others? Are they self-reliant

• Circumstances

– What are these? (Human Rights Act)

Making the Appointment

• Verification of qualifications, references

• Formal job offer

• Letter of appointment

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