Human Resource Management 2 Selection interviewing

1. Human Resource Management 2Selection interviewing Nick Kinnie

2. Objectives • Place selection techniques within their wider organisational context: best practice, best fit and best process • Best process: recap the importance of face-to-face skills and types of interactions • Identify the purpose of the selection interview • Understand the research findings into the effectiveness of interviews • Explain the key practical aspects of selection interviews • Preparation • Interview context, strategy, structure and methods • Prepare for the practical exercise

3. Introduction: selection techniques within the wider organisational context • Human Resource Advantage: human capital advantage (people and practices) and organisational process advantage (implementation) • HCA: • Best practice approach – set of practices which will always produce superior results (text book approach) • Best fit – success depends on the context – egs of selection interviews (Kinnie et al (2006))

4. Organisational Process advantage • Depends partly on the skill of the line manger when implementing the practice • Impact on the experience of the employee and their subsequent attitudes and behaviour • Concept of ‘best process’ • Not just the formal design of the practices – but the preferred ways of carrying out particular practices – taking account of the context • Expect that practical exercise will illustrate these differences

5. ‘Best Process’: Face-to-face interactions • Forms of communication – verbal and non-verbal • Barriers to effective interactions • Types of interaction: enquiry, exposition, joint problem solving and conflict resolution (Torrington et al (2005)

6. ‘Best process’: Face-to-face skills • Defining the situation – setting the tone • Listening skills – tone of voice, giving attention • Questioning skills – types of questions, multiple questions, forbidden questions • Feedback skills – summarising, empathising and non verbal communication

7. Purpose of selection interviews • Allow two way interaction and decision making to take place – within the context of the resourcing model and employer branding • Collect information • Provide information • Human and ritualistic aspects

8. Context of the selection interview: the resourcing model Cognitive 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 Employer Behavioural Cognitive 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 Employee Behavioural Recruitment Selection Retention

9. Selection interview – traditional criticisms • Low reliability among interviewers • Expectancy effect • Primacy – preparation and initial impression – effects lead to quick decisions during the interview Interviews become confirmatory exercises • Stereotyping, prototyping and halo and horns effect • Physical appearance influences interviewers

10. Criticisms continued • Non-verbal cues influence interviewers • More weight given to negative influence • Similarity effects also bias judgements • Interviews suffer information overload and have poor recall

11. What does more recent research tell us about effective interviews? • Structured interviews, especially panel interviews, improve reliability and validity • Interview needs to be part of a combination of selection methods • Importance of systematic use of evidence from variety of parties

12. Effective interviews continued • Select interviewers carefully • Training improves reliability and validity • Provide policy support and structured guidance

13. Effective interviews continued • Fit between person and organisation likely to be important especially in PSFs • Two way nature of selection is important- especially impact on applicants – especially in PSFs • Follow up and evaluation is important but rare (Judge et al (2000), Harris, M. (1989) Cook, M. (1998))

14. Selection interviews in practice • Context of the interview – the employment model • Preparation for the interview • Interview structure • Interview strategy – types of questions • Interview methods

15. Interview preparation • Examine to job description carefully – identify the key characteristics and competencies in the job • Plan the interview – decide on a structure – confer with colleagues – importance of two-way process • Study the CV/AF of the candidates • Plan the timetable of other activities plus reception and setting

16. Structured interviews - benefits • Structured vs unstructured interviews • Systematic approach – criteria are explicit • Comparisons are easier • Multiple interviewers can agree on criteria • Plan is clear to the interviewee and helps to manage time

17. Interview structure • Opening • Put candidate at ease • Set the context and explain plan • Preliminary assessment – by both parties • Middle • Biographical – check information and fill gaps • Competence based – systematic comparison • Problem solving • Closing • Future actions – timetable, communications

18. Individual – dangers of interviewer bias • Sequential – series of interviewers ideally using a common prepared structure • Panel – common in the public sector – some dangers

19. Interview strategy – types of questions • Biographical – evidence from career/cv – identify motives and decision making criteria • Competency based – evidence of past behaviour related to post • Problem solving – ability to make decisions and analyse problems – related to the job • Importance of relationship/rapport – employer branding - stress interviews

20. Interview methods • Exercise control and direction • Active listening is critical – use silence • Use open, probing and follow up questions • Avoid multiple, long and leading questions • Taking notes – criteria based matrix • Braking and closing

21. Conclusions • Recruitment and selection are vital to the success of the organisation • Combination of best fit and best process likely to be most suitable • Structured interviews in combination with other selection techniques are most effective • Success depends on training and support, preparation, careful implementation, review and evaluation

22. Recruitment methods by sector (% of organisation using each technique in 2005) CIPD Recruitment, Retention and Turnover, London CIPD, (2006:9)

23. Recruitment methods by sector (% of organisation using each technique in 2005) CIPD Recruitment, Retention and Turnover, London CIPD, (2006:9)

24. Hearing from someone who worked there Reply to an advertisement Direct application Private employment agency Job centre Other Men Women 30% 25% 25% 31% 14% 17% 10% 10% 9% 8% 12% 9% Methods of obtaining a job Labour market trends (2002), Labour market spotlight, August

25. Selection methods (% of organisation in 2005) CIPD Recruitment, Retention and Turnover,, London CIPD, (2006:11)

27. Accuracy of Selection Methods Source: Adapted from Robertson I and Smith M. ‘Personnel selection’, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol.74, No.4, 2001 pp441-472