APRIL 3-6, 2013, LONG BEACH, CA
Basics for Effective Interviewing
These materials have been prepared by the CASBO ________ Professional Council (or CASBO Associate Member).
They have not been reviewed by State CASBO for approval, so therefore are not an official statement of CASBO.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
BASICS FOR EFFECTIVE
INTERVIEWING
Eliana Ceja
CODESP Selection Analyst
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Overview
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Federal and State Law
Education Code
Job Analysis and the Selection Plan
Develop Interview Content
Administer the Interview
Interview Dos and Don’ts
Summary
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Current Interview Practices
• In a 1997 survey, 99% of Fortune 100
companies said they used interviews to select
employees.
• Interviews are the most widely accepted
selection tool.
• Levels of interview structure vary, and so does
the interview’s ability to predict top performers.
• How can you maximize your ability to predict the
best applicants using the interview process?
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The Structured Interview Process
A Top
Performer is
Hired!!
Administer the
Interview
Plan Format and Logistics
Develop Questions and Rating Scales
Determine Competencies to Address
Job Analysis / Job Review
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Legal Requirements
• The Uniform Guidelines on Employee
Selection Procedures (1978) asserts that
interview content and scoring criteria be jobrelated and based upon data from a job
analysis.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
stipulates that only essential KSAPs
established through job analysis can be
included in the selection plan and assessed.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Legal Requirements
• The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection
Procedures (1978) say that test content and scoring
criteria must be job-related and based upon data from
a job analysis
• Employment decisions include hiring, promotion,
referral, disciplinary action, terminations, licensing
and certification
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) stipulates
that only essential KSAPs established through job
analysis can be included in the selection plan and
assessed
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Ed. Code 45273
Examinations shall be administered
objectively, and shall consist of test parts
that relate to job performance.
A "structured objective examination"
means, for this purpose, an examination
for which the examiner exercises no
discretion in the selection of the
questions or in the evaluation of the
answers.
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Job Analysis
• Process of determining what is necessary to
successfully perform the duties of the position
• Includes identifying position’s essential
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Tasks
Knowledge
Skills
Abilities
Personal Characteristics
Competencies
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Develop a Selection Plan
• For each Knowledge, Skill, Ability, Personal
Characteristic or Competency, determine which
measurement tool to use (e.g., interview,
multiple choice test, or work sample /
performance exam) and its relative weight
• Interpersonal skills and oral communication are
best assessed in an interview as compared to
other selection tools
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Why Interview?
• Most common and best-accepted
employment test in use
• Assess some KSAPs better than MC
test items do (“soft” skills; complex
behaviors and cognitive skills) for more
complete selection plan
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Planning Considerations
• Where does the interview fit into the selection
process (weight and role)?
• Define job content areas
• Develop questions for each content area.
• Develop benchmark answers and rating scale
• Recruit competent raters and train them
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Interview Weight in Selection Plan
The interview should not be weighted too heavily
when:
• Position requires limited oral communication
skills
– Raters may be influenced by other factors, such as a
candidate’s lack of fluency
• Qualified raters are not available
• The size of the group is too large
– Leave the interview for the last test hurdle
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Purposes of the Interview
• Evaluate applicant characteristics (KSAPs)
and competencies
• Verify qualifications
• Obtain missing information
• Communicate job and employment
information to applicant
• Answer applicant questions
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What We’re Up Against
• Research shows that people make
initial decisions about a person in
less than 30 seconds, and then
spend the rest of the interview
validating that decision.
Good News-- We can
structure the interview
to combat this
tendency.
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Reliability & Validity
• Reliability refers to how consistently a test
measures a characteristic
• Validity refers to how accurate the conclusions
made from the interview scores are
• Must have both reliability and validity to best
predict the top applicants for the job
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Interview Format
• Panel versus Single Rater
– Some benefits of a panel interview are
multiple perspectives and less bias.
– The drawback of a panel is the difficulty
finding qualified raters.
– In single rater formats, applicants are less
intimidated.
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Structured Interview Format
• Applicants are assessed
– under the same conditions
– with the same instructions
– using the same job-related questions,
asked in the same order
– using the same job-related, scoring
system.
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DEVELOPING THE
QUESTIONS
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Determine Content Areas
• Content areas are determined based on
job analysis, job description, and selection
plan - pick no more than 6 or 7 to assess
• Include context in which the job is
performed (example: answering questions
of parents visiting the principal's office).
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Tips for Question Development
• Open ended questions allow for information-rich
answers, which help improve rating accuracy
• Closed ended (Yes-No) questions allow raters to
verify or clarify data
• Preplanned follow-up questions (probes) can be
used to extract more specific information
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Question Formats
• Job Knowledge
• Background (overall / general
experience)
• Situational (hypothetical)
• Behavioral (specific experience)
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Format Examples
JOB CLASS: Accounting
CONTENT AREA: Budget Preparation
 “Suppose you were asked to prepare a budget for
the upcoming year, given xyz information. How
would you approach this task?”
 “Describe the steps involved in preparing a budget.”
 “Tell us about a time where you had to prepare a
budget.”
 “Describe your training and experience in preparing
a budget.”
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Best Format?
• Each organization needs to choose what
fits their unique needs
• Most important: chosen format must be
APPLIED CONSISTENTLY FOR ALL
APPLICANTS (reliability and validity)
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Overcoming Applicant
Self-Inflation
 A recent Cornell study stated that people who lack skills
consistently rate themselves “above average”
 Experienced candidates are often more modest about their
skills, while students and beginners often have the
tendency to overrate themselves
 Combat this by asking applicants to justify or back up their
comments with factual details
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Sample Question
• INITIAL QUESTION ASKED:
“It’s often necessary to work together in a
group to accomplish a task. Please
describe your most recent experience
working as part of a group or team.”
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Sample Probes
• What was the task?
• How many people were in the group?
• What difficulties arose as a result of working as
a group?
• What role did you play in resolving these
difficulties?
• How successful was the group in completing its
task?
• How often do you work as part of a group?
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Developing the Interview
Questions
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Base questions on job analysis / job description
Be clear and concise
Set difficulty level appropriate to job
Establish benchmark answers and rating scales
with SMEs
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KSAs and Competencies
Appropriate for Interview
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Communication Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Problem Solving
Conflict Resolution
Dependability
Conscientiousness
Stability
Perseverance
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Energy
Initiative
Motivation
Adaptability
Technical Skills /
Potential
• Team Player or
Leadership Behaviors
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Select Questions
• Use job analysis or review and job description to
select the KSAPs to assess (examples: budget
preparation; teamwork ability)
• Choose multiple questions to assess each KSAP
or competency
• Keep in mind the time allotted for each interview
• Determine probes
• Determine sequence of questions
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Developing Answers
• Pre-developed scales and
benchmarks give raters detailed
means of rating applicant responses
to make objective ratings
• Create behaviorally descriptive
answers and incorporate them into
the rating scale
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Rating Scales & Pass Points
• Odd-numbered scale (3, 5, or 7 points) is
recommended
• The rating scale should be tied to the
behavioral descriptions of answers
• Rate each content area, not each question
• Establish job-related pass points (behavioral
rating scale and benchmark answers should
help)
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ADMINISTERING THE
INTERVIEW
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Logistics
• Composition of the interview panel
• Scheduling for raters and candidates
• Interview environment for the candidates
• Optionally, provide candidates with
information pertinent to the interview
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Interview Panel Participants
• An oral exam panel should include at least two (2)
members.
– If the position being filled requires technical knowledge and
skills, at least two (2) members of the panel shall be
technically qualified to evaluate each candidate’s technical
expertise.
• A district employee may serve on the oral exam
panel if he or she is not at the first or second level of
supervision over a vacant position in the class for
which the examination is held.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Training Raters
 Why?
◦ They can make or break your structured interview
process!
◦ Even experienced interviewers may have never been
trained on effective interviewing
 Their role, the interview process, what content
areas are being assessed, the questions,
answers, rating scales, and pass point
 Potential biases and/or errors
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Rater Biases and Errors
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Halo Effect
Similar to Me
Central Tendency, Leniency or Strictness
Rater Prejudice
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Don’t Assume That:
• Raters have already been trained – very rare
• Raters will not make errors
• Raters will be familiar with your process
• Giving raters careful instructions
regarding the process and ratings will
improve the consistency and conclusions
of the structured interview
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INTERVIEWING
DOs and DON’Ts
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In the Interview, DO:
 Ask a single question and
its follow-up questions at
one time
 Maintain the same
question order for all
applicants
 When clarifying, restate
the question word for
word
 Make engaging but
neutral nonverbal cues:
eye contact, nodding,
neutral facial
expressions
 Actively listen:
summarize, repeat and
rephrase
 Record answers
exactly as they are
stated
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Dos Continued
• Note WHAT was
said, not HOW it
was said
• Allow the applicant
time to provide other
relevant information
regarding
• Collect as much info
qualifications
as possible before
drawing conclusions
or making a rating
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
In the Interview, DON’T:
• Ask questions that
lead the applicant’s
response
• Ask inconsistent
questions
• Argue with the
applicant
• Indicate agreement
or non-agreement
• Talk excessively
• Ask illegal questions
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Illegal Questions
• Federal & state legislation and court
decisions have designated certain topic
areas as discriminatory and
inappropriate for questioning
• There are different questions you can
ask to obtain critical, job-related
information
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CA Dept. of Fair Employment and Housing
The law provides protection from harassment or
discrimination in employment because of:
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Age (40 and over)
Ancestry
Color
Creed
Denial of Family and Medical
Care Leave
• Marital Status
• National Origin
• Medical Conditions (Cancer,
Genetic Characteristics)
• Mental & Physical Disability
(HIV, AIDS)
• Race
• Religion
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation
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Avoid Questions on Family
and Religion
• Do NOT ask: number / age of children, child care
arrangements, plans for pregnancy, or religious days
observed
• Instead you may ask:
Do you have responsibilities or commitments that will
prevent you from meeting specified work schedules?
Do you anticipate any absences from work on a
regular basis? If so, please explain the
circumstances.
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Avoid Asking Direct Questions
About Age
• Do NOT ask: applicant’s age, year of birth,
or year graduated from high school
• Instead, you may ask:
Do you meet the minimum age
requirement set by law for this position? If
hired, can you produce proof of your age?
If you are a minor, can you provide proof of
age in the form of a work permit or
certificate of age?
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Avoid Asking About Disabilities
and Health Conditions
• Do NOT ask about mental or physical
disabilities, nature and severity of disabilities
(regardless of obviousness) or whether
applicant has received workers’ comp
• Instead, you may ask:
Will you be able to carry out all job assignments
necessary for this position in a safe manner ?
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Avoid Asking About Citizenship,
National Origin, Ethnicity, Race
• Do NOT ask: place of birth, ancestry, native
language, spouse or parents’ birthplaces or
residence, race or color, whether applicant is
a US citizen or has naturalization papers, for
relatives’ contact info, or require photos
before hiring decisions.
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Ethnicity, Citizenship, etc.
Instead, you may ask:
• Can you, after employment, provide
verification of your legal right to work in the
United States?
• Do you have language abilities other than
English that may be useful in performing
this job successfully?
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Other Questions to Avoid
• Do NOT ask questions about:
– Arrest records (may only consider
convictions if job related; typically on
application)
– Type or condition of military discharge
– Home, car, or furniture ownership or debts
– Sexual orientation
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Legal vs. Illegal - Take Home Points
• If you think a question may
potentially discriminate against
applicants based on the previously
mentioned areas, do NOT ask it!
• Always bring questioning back to
what is job related and necessary
at the time of hire
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Rating The Applicant
• Have raters take careful notes
• Provide raters with a rating sheet with space
for documenting job-related reasons for scores
• Make ratings AFTER the applicant leaves the
room and raters have had a chance to review
their notes
• Identical ratings from each interviewer are not
required, but all ratings must be justified with
explanatory comments
• Weight interview areas appropriately
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Confidentiality
• Remind the raters that the following are
confidential:
– Interview Questions
– Answers
– Rating Scales
– Applicant Names and Background
– Rater Discussions and Comments
• Have the raters sign confidentiality forms
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Final Interview Format
– Final interview by the hiring manager should focus
on “job fit”
– In single rater formats, applicants are less
intimidated
• They may provide information that is not
welcome due to its personal nature
– If the manager has not previously been trained in
interviewing, provide a list of questions and topics
to avoid
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SUMMARY
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Some Key Points
 Interviewing is a process - planning, development,
administration
 Use the interview to assess relevant job-related KSAPs
needed at time of hire
 Structure interviews with planned questions and followup questions for each KSAP
 Develop formal scoring system with space for
comments
 Train raters
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Practicality
• We have discussed the best practices
for the interviewing process.
• But selection does not happen in a
vacuum, sometimes a little validity is
compromised for greater usability.
• The challenge for you is to assess what
is feasible in your organization and
make improvements accordingly.
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
The Bottom Line
The more structured and
carefully planned your
interview process is, the
better chance you will
select the right person for
the job – so set yourself
up for success!
2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO
Questions?
www.codesp.com
codesp@codesp.com
714-374-8644
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