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THE INTERNAL PROCESS FOR SELECTING SUPERSTARS!
When the first scheduled candidate arrived, the nightmare began----the management team was not prepared for the interview. That being the case, the interview started in a negative manner and all momentum was lost. After the interview, the candidate called me with the bad news that he was no longer interested in the opportunity. This news was unfortunate since the client truly liked the candidate and desired to pursue him. We had to explain why that was not going to happen.
Thus, I felt compelled to write this article titled Internal Process For Selecting Superstars, a simple but important part of attracting talented individuals to your organization. In this issue of the newsletter we will discuss Preparing for the Interview. In the next issue we will discuss Conducting the Interview; and in the final segment of this series we will discuss Analyzing the Results of the Interview. PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW Recruiting and selecting highly qualified people for employment has become much more complex in recent years. Interviewers have to be effective in gathering critical information during the interviewing process; and they also have to conduct the interview in a legal manner. However, it is possible to conduct an interview that is both lawful and effective. The key is knowing how to plan and conduct such an interview. In preparing for the interview each individual who will be meeting with the candidate(s) should do the following: 1) Identify the key performance factors/selection standards for the open position; 2) Preplan the content of the interview, including specific questions that will be asked of all candidates; 3) Understand the internal situation (e.g., benefits, salary structure, company culture, important chemistry factors, etc.); 4) Review in depth the candidate’s resume and other information that was provided by Human Resources; 5) Prepare the setting for the interview(s). Identify the key performance factors of the open position: Prior to the interview and meeting the candidate, the interviewer should give some systematic thought to the purpose of the interview. A good starting point is to review the job description that was developed by Human Resources. This document contains all of the key information that was determined by you as being very important in the selection process. In addition to reviewing the job description, talk to people who currently hold similar positions, to people who previously held this position, and to the hiring supervisor. Remember to focus on personal skill sets/abilities that are required for success in the position. After you have gathered this critical information, organize the information into several sets of potential key performance or selection factors (e.g., leadership, judgment, etc.) that will be utilized during the interviewing process. It is imperative that all candidates are treated in the same manner and are evaluated using the same selection standards! Once the final list of important factors has been developed, it is always a good idea to discuss the list with the people in the organization with whom you consulted (i.e., person in a similar position, person previously in the position or human resource manager). Preplan the content of the interview: Much research in psychology suggests that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Well constructed interview questions will assist the interviewer in legally obtaining information about past work behavior. Job-related interview questions (same questions for all candidates) about the candidate’s background may deal with education, work experience, and leisure activities. Also, we suggest that the interviewer relate an important current challenge in the organization and ask the candidate directly how they would address and attempt to deal with this challenge. The responses that these questions elicit may provide valuable insights into a broad range of intellectual and personality characteristics, as well as specific experience and skill sets. Understand the internal situation: Prior to meeting with the candidate, prepare yourself to answer any questions the candidate might ask about the position or the organization, such as salary, benefits, culture, training, selection process, etc.). Review in depth the candidate’s resume and background information: Prior to the candidate’s arrival, review his/her information and/or company application form. Read this information in detail and develop an overall understanding of the candidate’s work and education history. A candidate knows when you are not prepared; and he/she departs from the interview session with a negative attitude about the interviewer and the organization! Every person who interviews in your organization should leave at the end of the day with a positive impression of the organization and with a strong desire to join the organization. Prepare the setting for the interview: Preparing the setting (i.e., comfortable, private, ample time for interview, etc.) where the interview will take place is easy but often overlooked! Be prepared to invest enough time with the candidate to do a thorough job. Again, a candidate who gets the impression that he/she is being “rushed through” the process immediately develops a negative impression of the organization. All of the advanced preparation described above will help to insure that you are prepared to attract the next “Superstar” to your organization! You are now ready to move to the next step in the process, Conducting the Interview, which we will discuss in the next issue of our newsletter. Stay tuned |
This week I experienced the recruiter’s nightmare! After an intensive search, we had introduced a short list of highly qualified candidates to our client. We assisted our client in scheduling the interviews for these candidates many days in advance of the first internal interview. 
