Targeted Selection Best Practices in Selection Methods

1. Targeted Selection – Best Practices in Selection Methods Catie Lasley, Human Resources March 9, 2007

2. Targeted Selection Interviewing: Why do it? A poor hire costs an organization 40-60% of a person’s annual salary. To reduce legal exposure related to inappropriate questions. Past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

3. Quality Talent Decisions Matter to Top Twenty Smart, committed and experienced people are our competitive advantage Getting the right people in the right place at the right time is key to making our strategic plans reality

4. Know Your Talent Needs Develop a meaningful “success profile” of the job ideally before the search begins Know how each position aligns with the strategic success of your department or unit

5. Key Questions What is this position responsible for that makes the biggest difference to your department’s success? How will this position’s responsibilities blend with the work of your current staff to create value? What characterizes the ideal performer, both the “can do” and the “will do”?

6. Define Job Analysis Questionnaire job standards to match key behaviors. “Always communicate in a positive and constructive manner” “Contributes to department teamwork by taking the initiative to help others when in need and asking for help when in need.”

7. Job Posting Open Ended Posting Specific Questions Can be written to elicit past behaviors Describe the most you’ve ever done to please a customer. Describe a high stress situation in which you had to maintain a positive attitude, what was the situation and how did you handle it.

8. Selection Game Plan Goal: discover what each person knows, has done, can do and wants to do Methods: Application/Personnel File Review Phone Screen In person Interviews Simulations (if applicable) Reference Checks

9. Application Review Current or past UK employees’ personnel file Resume and cover letter Review all application materials carefully: Answers to open ended questions Felony question Nepotism question Reasons for leaving

10. Phone Screen The first chance to make a good impression Opportunity to learn more about their skills and experience Sample phone screens available from your Employment Specialist

11. Phone Screen Ask questions to drive at job standards key to the position Describe some techniques you have used in the past to build trust with your direct reports. Please describe some that worked well and contrast with other techniques that did not work well. Tell me about a time when you accomplished more than expected by working together as a team with your coworkers. What was it about the team that made it work?

12. In Person Interviews Prep your panel members Share the “success profile” for the job Review the application materials prior to interview day Determine who will ask which question Define what the itinerary is for each interviewee Coaching and customized interview guides available from Employment

13. Time Line For Interview Opening 2 min. Key Background Review 6-8 min. Planned Behavioral ?’s (ea.) 5-7 min. Buy-Time Question 3 min. Job Information 6 min. Closing 1 min.

14. Building Rapport Every candidate, as a person needs:

15. Building Rapport Creates an environment that encourages the candidate to respond openly. Will provide complete information including sensitive and negative information. Makes a good impression on candidates and leaves them feeling treated fairly. More likely to accept the job offer. More likely to still have a good word to say. Enhances UK’s reputation.

16. Opening the Interview Introduce the candidate to everyone participating in the interview. Explain how the interview will proceed. Talk about the purpose of the interview: Get acquainted. Learn more about the candidate’s background and experience. Help the candidate learn more about the job and UK.

17. Targeted Selection Interview Guide Key Background Review (what do they know & what they can do) Behavioral questions elicit past performance (has done) Job fit questions elicit motivational fit (wants to do)

18. Behavioral Questions Identifies dimensions important to the specific position such as professional/technical knowledge customer focus work standards aligning performance for success initiating action

19. Professional/Technical Knowledge Describe the steps involved in __________ (process, function, task). Why are they important? Even though we try to be expert in our area of work, it’s impossible to know and understand everything. Tell me about an aspect of your work/technical field you are still trying to master.

20. Manager Customer Focus What actions or policies have you instituted that fostered and supported customer focus? Describe one. Tell me about one procedure you’ve put in place to monitor the quality of customer focus within your department/organization.

21. Front Line Customer Focus Tell me about your most difficult customer. Describe a specific interaction you had with this customer. [Listen for attitude and approach.] Describe a time when you took action to provide quick and thorough service in response to an internal/external customer’s request or problem.

22. Internal Customer Focus Tell me about a manager/supervisor/team leader with whom you had the most productive relationship. Why was it so productive? Describe a significant example of how you’ve worked with people from diverse backgrounds. What did you do? What was the result?

23. Work Standards In your position with _______, how did you define doing a good job? Did you do a good job? How did you know? Give me an example. When evaluating the work standards of your direct reports, what factors do you weigh the most? Describe how you have used those factors to evaluate a specific employee.

24. Aligning Performance for Success Tell me about a recent performance review that you conducted with a direct report. Describe what happened before, during, and after the review. What have you done to ensure that direct reports have adequate resources and opportunities to work on improving performance?

25. Initiating Action Describe a time when your quick response to a problem or situation made a difference. What happened? Sometimes there is not enough time to do everything possible to exceed or even meet customers’ expectations. Tell me about a customer situation when you didn’t make the extra effort because you didn’t have time. What happened?

27. Follow-Up Questions You said it worked out well. How could you tell? Can you tell me about a specific situation in which you used that approach? What were the circumstances in this situation?

28. Job Fit When in your work have you been the most satisfied? When have you been most dissatisfied? Why? During Key Background Review ask What did you like best about that position? What did you like least? Why did you leave or why are you considering leaving?

29. Buy Time Question Allows the candidate to think for a few minutes before answering Allows interviewers to look for any gaps and complete notes Examples – Considering the responsibilities of this position, what do you think your biggest contributions would be? Why should you be selected for this job?

30. Managing the Interview

31. Managing the Interview Maintain comfortable eye contact with the candidate. Build rapport with self-esteem building comments. Use non-verbal cues to let the candidate know when you have enough information.

32. Note-taking Jot down key words only. Keep comfortable eye contact with the candidate. Use the buy-time question to fill in any gaps in your notes.

33. Note-taking Tips Take notes openly Note only pertinent information Note behavior observed in the interview Take notes on sensitive or negative information carefully

34. Closing the Interview Thank the candidate for his or her time. Explain the next steps in the hiring process. Indicate when the candidate can expect to hear from you next.

35. Post Interview Work Data Evaluation—Your independent analysis and evaluation Data Integration—Discuss your data evaluation with other interviewers and reach consensus

36. Data Evaluation Identify complete STARs Identify STARs as effective (+) or ineffective (–) Weigh each STAR Rate each dimension

37. Rating Scale

38. Job Fit Chart Job Has It

39. Reference Checks Guide Ask questions related to behavioral standards. We all have strength and areas for improvement. What areas do you think this person might want to improve upon? Have you seen them take any steps toward improving their skills in these areas (classes, training, etc.)? Do you know of a time when this person had to work out a conflict with a supervisor? Tell me about that situation.

40. Making the Selection Each piece of the selection process has its value Look for the best fit candidate for that job (not your job) Unlikely to get a perfect fit – consider trainability of lacking competencies and relevant importance to the job

41. Questions?For customer interviews, phone screen or reference check guides, or on site coaching for interview techniquescontact your Employment Specialist