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Professional Interviewing

Poorly prepared and unstructured interviews could be costing your company dearly.

The Problem

• Traditional employment interviews are poor predictors of job performance

• There are now no fewer than 6 specific areas of discrimination which could lead to claims against your company. Many penalties are uncapped.

• 68% of companies said that staff turnover is having a ‘negative’ or ‘seriously negative’ impact on performance

• Average cost of managerial turnover is estimated at £10,000 per manager

• By improving recruitment processes, companies can achieve a 10.1% growth in market value. Source: Watson Wyatt

The Answer

Research has shown that structured interviews such as competency based interviews are almost 3 times more reliable as a predictor of performance that standard employment interviews.

Further, research has also shown that psychometric testing can be as much as fours times as reliable as basic employment interviews as a predictor of performance.

Using competency based interviewing focuses on the skills and competencies required of the role and therefore avoids discrimination.

The Process

The starting point for proper competency based interviewing is job profile analysis. This process analyses the role and determines which individual, managerial, analytical and interpersonal competencies are required for good performance.

Competencies can be given relative weighting in terms of their importance to the role.

Interview questions are prepared to explore each candidate’s level in each competency. In order to avoid candidates making up answers it is advisable to ask candidates to describe situations or tasks in their current role or experience which demonstrate each competency. This should be followed by question on specific actions they took and the outcomes of these.

All candidates should be ask the same questions and notes or scoring of there answers retained. This will allow objective comparison after all candidates have been seen. Candidates are measured against the actual requirements of the job rather than on gut feel.

Further it provides and evidenced based approach to selection which will avoid claims of discrimination.

Psychometric ability testing and personality profiles can be used to provide objective comparison of candidates.

Further Advice

Mercury Search and Selection can advise their clients in conducting job analysis and with the preparation of competency based interview questions when working on assignment. Call us for more details