Interview & EvaluationOnce the candidate development process has generated a number of potentially qualified individuals, the ESP moves to the actual interview process.

Many hiring executives, including board members and CEOs, are uncomfortable interviewing candidates for employment. Reasons range from not knowing what types of questions to ask to concern they talk too much. This discomfort has its root in the fact that most hiring managers were never formally trained in behavioral interview techniques and, as a result, develop their own, often inefficient methods.

In this segment, conducted either one-on-one or in a group setting, we discuss a variety of subjects that are intended to increase the awareness and ability of hiring managers to conduct structured interviews and make selection decisions based on facts rather than opinions or emotion.

The value of a well-defined position profile becomes apparent at the interview stage because it provides the interviewer with a template for the type of information he/she needs to gather. On its surface, the interview process is fairly straightforward: obtain relevant information regarding a candidate’s background, compare it to the previously defined position profile qualifications, and make an informed decision as to whether he/she is qualified for the position. However, as the expression goes, “the devil is in the details.”

I encourage hiring managers to create a trusting environment in which a candidate feels comfortable answering probing questions truthfully, in detail and without fear of criticism or reprisal. I assist in defining the types of questions the interviewer(s) should ask, with an emphasis on obtaining information relating to performance/ accomplishments rather than job duties or activities.

Once relevant information has been gathered, the real challenge is how it’s evaluated. Although other methods can be equally effective, I suggest that interviewers catalog their findings under a CIMM format, which stands for:

Character
I
ntelligence
M
otivation
M
aturity
In general, if the overall CIMM evaluation is positive and aligns with the hard and soft skills defined in the position profile, the candidate is likely qualified and worthy of further consideration.

An outline of my Interview Skills Enhancement Workshop can be found here.