Chapter 7
The Recruiting Interview
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Chapter Summary
• Where to Find Good Applicants
• Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Obtaining and Reviewing Information on
Applicants
• Structuring the Interview
• Conducting the Interview
• Evaluating the Interview
• Summary
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Where to Find Good Applicants
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Internet Options
Career catalogue department at large bookstores
College placement services
Ethnic organizations
Job fairs
Downsizing or merging organizations
Personal associates and friends
Professional societies
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Reviewing EEO Laws
▫ EEO Laws to Know
 Know both state and federal laws
 Federal EEO laws pertain to all organizations that:
 Deal with the federal government
 Have more than fifteen employees
 Have more than $50,000 in government contracts
 Engage in interstate commerce
Continued...
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Reviewing EEO Laws
▫ EEO Laws to Know
 State laws may be more stringent than federal laws.
 Unintentional violations are still violations.
 EEO laws apply to applicants who are not
“minorities” or women.
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Reviewing EEO Laws
▫ Compliance with EEO Laws
 Bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs) are
the keys to nondiscriminatory hiring.
 EEO violations are easy to avoid.
 Focus on the positive, not the negative.
 Treat applicants as you would want to be treated.
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Reviewing EEO Laws
▫ Keep Up-to-Date
 Current information on EEO laws is essential.
 Accepting or keeping unlawful information create
liability for the company even if the information was
not requested.
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Developing an Applicant Profile
▫ The profile must be a composite of BFOQs.
▫ The profile is the ideal by which all applicants are
measured.
▫ Is past performance the best predictor of future
performance?
▫ Can non-dominant group applicants match your
profile?
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Preparing the Recruiting Effort
• Assessing What Applicants Want
▫ What Do Applicants Desire in a Position and
Career?
 Applicants are increasingly information driven.
 Applicants may not look or dress like you; live with it.
▫ What Do Applicants Desire in an Interviewer?
 The recruiter is the organization in the applicant’s eyes.
 Select recruiters with applicant characteristics in mind.
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Obtaining and Reviewing Information
on Applicants
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Application Forms
Resumes
Cover Letters
Letters of Recommendation & References
Tests
▫ Basic skills tests
▫ Personality tests
▫ Honesty tests
 Many sources have criticized the use and validity of honesty
tests.
 Probing deeply into answers is essential in assessing
honesty.
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Obtaining and Reviewing Information
on Applicants
• Benefits of Previewing Applicants
• Doing your homework leads to more effective
interviews.
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Structuring the Interview
• The Opening
▫ Establishing Rapport
▫ Orientation
▫ The Opening Question
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Structuring the Interview
• The Body of the Interview
▫ Unstructured interviews do not recruit top
quality applicants.
▫ Highly structured interviews are more
reliable but less flexible and adaptable.
▫ In all cases, get the applicant talking as quickly as
possible.
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Structuring the Interview
• Closing the Interview
▫ The closing must sustain the positive tone of the
interview.
▫ Do not encourage or discourage applicants
needlessly.
▫ Make decisions and notify all applicants as soon as
possible.
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Conducting the Interview
• Nontraditional Interviewing Approaches
▫ Applicants and recruiters prefer the traditional
one-on-one interview.
▫ Stifle any signs of competition in seminar
interviews.
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Conducting the Interview
• Asking Questions
▫ Keep your questions open-ended.
▫ Applicants give longer answers to open-ended
questions.
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Conducting the Interview
• Common Question Pitfalls
▫ Be on guard for pitfalls in primary and secondary
questions.
▫ Evaluative responses will lead to safe, superficial
answers.
▫ Do not ask unlawful questions.
▫ Do not ask for information that you already have.
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Conducting the Interview
• Traditional Questions
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Interest in the Organization
Work-related (general)
Work-related (specific)
Teams and Teamwork
Education and Training
Career Paths and Goals
Performance
Salary and Benefits
Career Field
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Conducting the Interview
• Nontraditional Questions
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Behavior-Based
Critical Incident
Hypothetical
A Case Approach
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Conducting the Interview
• Giving Information
▫ Information is the primary interest of applicants.
▫ Minimize “you” in the interview.
▫ Rule # 1: Keep your ears open and your mouth
shut.
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Evaluating the Interview
• Record your impressions and reactions
immediately.
• Assess the performance of both interview
parties.
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Evaluating the Interview
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Summary
• The recruiting interview can be an effective
means of selecting employees, but it takes
preparation that includes becoming familiar
with state and federal EEO laws, developing an
applicant profile, obtaining and reviewing
information on applicants, and developing a
carefully structure interview.
• When the interview is concluded, conduct
evaluations of the applicant and yourself.