What are the objectives of the selection interview?
The objective of the selection interview is to predict the likely behavior of the candidate in a particular work situation. The only way this can be done with any precision is by getting a sample of its behavior typical enough to act as a basis for forecasting what it will do in the future.
One major problem is that the behavior we observe during the brief interview period may not be characteristic. A rather heavy individual, for example, may well give the impression of being quite dynamic if he only has to maintain it for half an hour. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement behavior that can be directly observed in face-to-face contact.
Obtaining as much of the candidate’s life history as possible.
The primary goal of the selection interview should therefore be to observe the behavior of, say, twenty or thirty years old, much of which is bound to be highly characteristic of the individual in question.
It is important to remember, however, that there are two subsidiary objectives of the selection interview. So we can say that the objective of the interview is threefold:
o Assess the suitability of candidates for the position
o Give information to the candidate
o To present the company in a good light to the applicant
The importance of selection interviews
The interview is just one of a whole range of selection methods that exist.
For example, there are intelligence tasks that provide information about the mental agility of the candidates and aptitude tests can tell us about special aptitudes for manual dexterity, the ability to think spatially, creative ability, etc. .
These tasks can highlight an individual’s strengths and weaknesses; testing in group situations, on the other hand, can provide indications of people’s ability to work together.
However, despite the increasing and widespread criticism of the personal interview as a selection procedure, it remains by far the most common method. It is flexible, relatively inexpensive, and acceptable to the candidate and management. The selection interview has other advantages. It has been found that certain areas of information can be more accurately assessed by interviews than by other methods, i.e. the interpersonal behavior of candidates and the likelihood that they will adapt to the social aspects of the work situation and also the motivation of the candidates. job candidates.
Homework:
The task is to choose a person who is likely to succeed in a certain job or variety of jobs: The task is not to choose a ‘good person’, however defined
The method
All methodologies involve forecasting the future, so no method can be foolproof.
– invariably, selectors rely on intuition and that often proves successful, but this method, while not foolproof, will surely ensure you make the right decisions more often.
o Past behavior
or past experience
or your intuition
o Scientific analysis
or References
o Get a second opinion
o Insist on a trial period
o Increase salary and incentives after probationary period
o Talk to people in the industry
o Consider a hands-on assessment
first considerations
Before purchasing material of any kind, consider its purpose and the tolerance it will allow. Human resources are excessively expensive and therefore it is necessary to follow five strategic steps
o Consider the position
o Consider experience and formal qualifications required
o Consider the personal qualities required to carry out the job
o Reduce the basic grades to allow perhaps no more than four or five
o Discussion with other selectors
consider the position
o Establish a clear picture of the position
o Focus on core responsibilities
o Are there special aspects that are unusual, eg health considerations?
Consider experience and formal qualifications required
o Is this a position that really requires experience in a similar field?
o Are academic qualifications relevant?
o What is the minimum standard?
Consider the personal qualities required
For example:
or very high intelligence
o Ability to get along with everyone in any circumstance
Curiously, less than 10% of the population owns the first and for some positions it is a clear disadvantage; the second is not as common, and in any case the two qualities are often mutually exclusive.
Remember that the long list of qualities that first comes to mind has two main disadvantages; few own all of them, and if they did, they probably wouldn’t apply for your job. Second, it is almost impossible for the interviewer to keep all of them in mind while interviewing and their search becomes too fuzzy for full effectiveness.
Reduce required basic qualifications
Remember:
You are going to look for the key qualities that are highly required in the job for which you are recruiting. When choosing qualities, it is advisable to avoid those that are too encompassing and, in particular, those with a high emotional content. Thus, ‘leadership’ could be replaced by ‘the power to persuade others’ or ‘intelligence’ by ‘the ability to understand something quickly’.
The importance of choosing these descriptive words depends solely on the clarity with which they are understood by the selector(s). In a way, it’s better to choose your own words to describe the qualities you’re looking for than to use the ones usually provided in textbooks. Words with the most practical content possible tend to be the most useful. Looking for someone with ‘an inquiring mind’ can be easier than looking for someone ‘good at research’.
Discussion with other selectors
It is almost certain that someone else cares about the selection. Agree with them on the top four or five qualities required and write them down on a piece of paper. Agreeing in advance saves time because discussion about each candidate after the interview can be more easily limited to what is relevant. Also, if selectors clearly know what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to spot it when it’s there and notice its absence when it’s not.
Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved