Interview Skills Training Design
Professional Development for Managers on Staff Selection Techniques
Apr 7, 2007
Selecting the right candidate for the role can be greatly enhanced by ensuring that the hiring manager has been thoroughly trained in interviewing techniques.
As the hiring manager is typically involved in round two of the interviewing process and often makes the hiring decision, it is critical that they understand interviewing techniques so that they gather enough information to make an informed decision.
Audience
The content delivered will vary depending on whether this is a module within a new manager’s training program or whether experienced managers will be taking the training. First determine if you will design a module to deliver to a mixed audience or whether you want to create two modules – one for experienced hiring managers and one for new hiring managers.
Delivery Mode
Interviewing skills training requires face to face interaction. It would be very tough to demonstrate body language clues and practice probing for answers in an online or self-paced format. A mixed model could work if the theory of interviewing was taught in an online format and then followed up with a face to face workshop. The classroom based segment would give participants the opportunity to practice interviewing techniques taught in the online format.
Content Outline
- Introduction – importance of choosing the right candidate, cost of hiring
- Illegal questions
- Types of Interviews (overview, purpose, pros, cons) – phone screening, one on one interviewing, panel interviewing, group interviewing.
- In-person Interviewing Process – small talk and making the candidate comfortable, standard and tough questions, behaviour based questions, wrap up, evaluation
- Standard questions – for example: What do you know about this company? What are your career goals?
- Tough questions – for example: What is your greatest weakness? What do you have to offer over the other candidates? What makes you mad and what do you do with your anger?
- Behaviour Based Questions – for example: Tell me about a time when…, Give me an example of…, Can you describe a situation where…
- Probing for PAR Answers for Behaviour Based Questions – Problem (or situation), Action and Result
- Interpreting Body Language
- Post-interview Evaluation
Active Training Suggestions
- Discussion around the different types of interviews
- Competency Profiling
- Practice interviewing with set questions, alternate between being the interviewer and candidate
Supplemental Handouts and Information
- Video on interpreting body language
- Employment Standards Act
- Competency profiles for various positions
- Sample questions based on common competencies
- Candidate Rating Form (form used to rate candidates on demonstration of the key competencies for the role)
If you have comments or suggestions on this article, please start a discussion
If you liked this article, try:
Copyright © 2007 Joni Rose and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
