Selection Interview

Selection

Goals
‣ Use some type of “test” in the present
to predict future job performance
‣ To “discriminate” among applicants

Steps in
Development
of a New
Selection
Program
Job Analysis
Identify Relevant Tasks,
Duties, and Dimensions of
Job Performance
Identify Knowledge, Skills, Abilities,
and Other Characteristics (KSAOs)
Necessary for Job Performance
Develop or Identify Existing
Selection Test(s) to Assess
Applicant Behaviors & KSAO Levels
Examine Reliability,
Validity, and Utility of
Selection Test(s)
If OK
If Not OK
Put Selection Test(s) into
Operational Use

Selection: Interviews

Variables That May Influence Interview Outcomes
Applicant
Age, race, sex, etc.
Physical appearance
Educational & work
background
Job interests & career plans
Attitude, intelligence,
motivation, etc.
Experience & training as an
interviewee
Perceptions of interviewer,
job, company, etc.
Verbal & nonverbal behavior
Situation
Political, legal, &
economic forces in
marketplace &
organization
Role of interview in
selection system
Selection ratio
Physical setting:
Comfort, privacy, number
of interviewers
Interview structure
Employment
Interview
Interviewer
Age, race, sex, etc.
Physical appearance
Attitude, intelligence,
motivation, etc.
Experience & training as an
interviewer
Perceptions of job
requirements
Prior knowledge of applicant
Goals for interview
Verbal & nonverbal behavior
(Arvey & Campion, 1982)
Interview Outcome

Recommendations from Research
• Narrow scope - restrict interview content to most job-relevant duties,
KSAOs, or competencies
• Carefully review use of pre-interview data (Concern with “knowledge of
predictor” bias!)
• Adopt semi-structured format
• Use only job-related questions
• Use multiple questions for each attribute being assessed
• Develop and use a formal scoring format allowing separate evaluation
of each attribute
• Train the interviewers
• Where possible, use an interview panel
(Adapted from Gatewood & Feild, 1987)

Questions: A Few Guidelines
• Prepare: Plan questions prior to interview
• Is the question relevant to the interview’s objective
• Can the response be easily recorded and scored
• As phrased, is the question likely to be understood
• Avoid illegal questions!
(Stewart & Cash, 2000)

Job Content Interview Strategy
1. Job analysis (uses Combination Job Analysis Method or C-JAM)
- Identify and rate tasks/KSAOs
- Link KSAOs to critical tasks
- Choose KSAOs important for the selection stage
2. Develop a “selection plan”
3. Generate critical incidents for interview KSAOs
4. Incidents, KSAOs, tasks interview questions
5. Incidents, KSAOs, tasks behavioral scoring guide
6. Record applicant responses (take notes!)
7. Rate response to each item using scoring guide
(Adapted from Feild & Gatewood, 1989)