Strategies for success for job interview

The job interview is a critical part of the employment process.

Preparation
Listed below are several strategies that will help you navigate the interview process successfully for the job Start early. Preparing for an interview takes time. The less familiar you are with a particular job market or prospective employer, the more time you should allow yourself to prepare. Know what you want. Identify the job characteristics and benefits that are most important to you (e.g., specific population or service, geographic location, healthcare or financial benefits, job autonomy, supervision and what features are preferable, but not essential. Know the market. !hat changes are occurring, what new skills are important to have and what opportunities and challenges are likely to emerge in the near future" Understand the needs of the employer. #rowse the organi$ation%s website to familiari$e yourself with its mission , core values and leaders. &kim any relevant publications, including the organi$ation%s annual report and articles or books by key staff members. 'dditionally, talk to any colleagues who are familiar with the organi$ation to get an insider%s view of the company%s culture and priorities. Know yourself. 'ssess your strengths and weaknesses. Think about the personal characteristics that help make you successful, as well as the professional skills you bring to the table. #e able to describe how these skills and attributes relate to the job you are interested in. Be prepared to discuss your weaknesses. 'void using the typical, (I%m a perfectionist( response. )hoose a relatively benign area in need of development, acknowledge your awareness of the weakness and be able to describe what you are doing to actively address the shortcoming. Tune up your CV. Include the most updated information and tailor it to the position you are seeking. )onsider which clinical or research e*periences are most relevant to the job and elaborate on them. If the position has a supervisory or administrative component, take care to include professional activities that helped you grow your skills in these areas. Prepare several pertinent questions. #e ready to ask +uestions about both the position and the organi$ation during the interview. &how that you%ve done your homework by integrating information you have read about the organi$ational culture, the services offered, and the current job opening into your +uestions. Practice #ased upon your understanding of the culture and needs of the employer, anticipate the kinds of +uestions they may ask you. Prepare answers to these +uestions, but don%t worry about memori$ing them. It will be easier to build rapport with the interviewer if you allow yourself to speak naturally during the real interview. ,inally, grab a friend or colleague and do a mock interview. Call ahead. Telephone the administrative assistant or office manager a few days before the interview to confirm the appointment time and ask if there are any materials the interviewer wants you to bring to the interview. ave a tested travel plan. Take the time to map out directions to the interview site and do a test run to determine your travel time and parking location before the interview day. -n the day of the interview, remember your directions and your contact person%s name, address and phone number. Be centered. !hether it%s a morning workout or a good breakfast, do whatever will set you at ease and put you in a positive frame of mind going into the interview. 'rriving early and giving yourself enough time for a restroom break will also help to put you at ease.

!irst "mpression
The first few minutes of an interview are typically the most important. #elow are a few steps for starting out on the right foot. #ress appropriately. The rule in terms of interview attire is to dress at least one level higher that the position you are interviewing for. ,or many positions in the field of psychology, a suit is most appropriate on interview day. Project a professional image and be conservative in terms of your hair style and accessories. /ou want them to remember your personality rather than your shirt or tie. $ela%. The interviewer will be more at ease with you if you are at ease yourself. Trust that you are well0prepared, and project confidence without coming across as arrogant. Cultural considerations In 'merican culture, good eye contact, a firm handshake, and a smile are typically viewed as signs of honesty and professionalism in the workplace. !hen working in multicultural conte*ts, be aware of cultural factors and social rules that govern appropriate social interaction. Use your skills as a psycholo&ist. 1uickly assess your interviewer%s mood, body language, tone and rate of speech, and personality style, and adjust your interactions in a way that increases the comfort level in the room. Pay attention. 2emember, even though you are being interviewed, you are also interviewing the organi$ation to see if it is a good fit for you. #egin to look for clues about the work environment and organi$ational culture. 3ow are you greeted when you arrive" !hat does the reception area look like" 3ow do coworkers relate to one another as they pass in the hallway"

The "nterview
Tailor your communication. Is your interviewer a psychologist" !ould this person be your direct supervisor or is this an interview from an outside human resources company" #ased on the answers to these types of +uestions, think about the language you use and the kinds of +uestions you will want to ask the interviewer. Seek input. $emem'er the questions you prepared. 4arly in the interview, ask about the position and the type of person who would be most successful in the job. This key information will help you to best sell your strengths later on in the interview. Be positive( 'ut 'e honest. Promote your strengths when the opportunities arise, but don%t dance around your weaknesses. It%s best to be honest and professional when fielding tough +uestions that may come your way. Close the interview. 2emember three important points. be ready to ask a few +uestions when given the opportunity5 thank the interviewer5 and in+uire as to what the ne*t step in the process will be.

!ollowin& Up
The interview process doesn%t end when you walk out the door. ,ollowing up appropriately can help you seal the deal. The thank you letter !ithin a day or two of interviewing, send a letter to personally thank your interviewer. In the age of e0mail and overloaded voice0mails, letters send a message that you took the time to think about the interview and the position. /our letter should generally be no longer than one0typed page and provides an opportunity to not only thank the interviewer, but also to restate how your e*pertise would benefit the organi$ation. Be visi'le 'ut not a nuisance. If you still have not heard from the organi$ation after about two weeks, consider sending an e0mail or making a follow0up call to show continued interest in the position.

A successful job interview requires a considerable amount of thought and preparation. However, devoting the necessary time and energy to each of these stages in the interview process will help you put your best foot forward when meeting prospective employers There are different types of interviewing techniques used in Pa istan. !sually following types are common" # Panel $nterview # %ne&one $nterview # 'ideo (onference $nterview # Presentation ) *emo $nterview # (ase $nterview Panel $nterview $n a Panel $nterview, typically + to , members having different roles in the organi-ation as candidates questions to assess their nowledge, s ills, ability to ma e decisions, etc. %ne&one $nterview $n one&one interview one person ta es the interview. it is an interaction between the interviewer and interviewee. Telephone $nterview Telephone $nterviews are becoming more common. They save the employer time and indicate whether a face&to&face interview is warranted. Telephone $nterviews are typically used to ma e a preliminary assessment of a candidate/s qualifications. Presentation ) *emo $nterview This type of interview requires presentation of already selected )prepared topics by interviewer in front of randomly assembled panel. 0uestions are as ed in between the presentation as well as after the presentation. 'ideo (onference $nterview 'ideo&conference $nterviews are becoming more common. They e1pand the scope of searching for qualified candidates with less cost and time involvement. (ase $nterview The (ase $nterview is a special type of interview commonly used by management&consulting firms and is increasingly being used in many other organi-ations. $t helps the interviewer analy-e your critical&thin ing s ills. $f you are not familiar, do not have e1perience, or you are not comfortable with case analysis, it can be one of the most difficult interviews to undergo. $n a (ase $nterview a candidate is given a problem to see

how he or she would wor it out on the spot. The problems that are presented come in many forms, but the interviewer wants to assess the candidate/s analytical s ills, ability to thin under pressure, logical thought process, business nowledge and acumen, creativity, communication, and quantitative analysis s ills. Stages of an $nterview To find a job in today2s competitive mar et is a difficult thing from previous decades. 3ow a day the job search and interviewing is a long process. The job interview process depends on the post that a person has applied for. Here is a brief description of the four main job interview stages" 3on&'erbal (ommunication 4hen you enter the room in order to give interview, this is the 5first impression6 stage. At this moment your non&verbal communication which includes your body language creates your first impression. So be very careful and show confidence through your body language, facial e1pressions and gestures. 7esearch has shown that many interviewers often ma e up their mind about a candidate in the first five minutes of an interview. 58irst $mpression6 attributes" # 8irm handsha e 93o 5dead fish6: # ;ood eye contact # 8riendly, genuine smile # ;ood posture # 7ela1ed and confident introduction 9Stay away from one word 5<=S6 and 53%6 answers: 0uestion and Answer Session The question and answer session ta es up the bul of the interview. $f this part is a naturally flowing conservation rather than a strict question and answer, a person can e1hibit his personality in a better way. A person has to be prepared with e1plicit e1amples that represent his s ills, past e1periences, achievements and personal characteristics that show him to be suitable for the job. # Highlight your positive points, your motivation and enthusiasm for the position. # $f you need time to thin before answering a question, feel free to as for a moment so you can give a thoughtful answer. # >istening can be as important as spea ing, so listen carefully to the questions being as ed and feel free to as for clarification.

*iscipline interviews "

A disciplinary interview is a formal discussion between the supervisor and the employee, typically behind closed doors, usually in the supervisor2s office or in a conference room. At this point, the employee is alerted to the fact that future infractions will not be tolerated, resulting in further disciplinary action based on the severity of the offense. The purpose of a disciplinary interview, or a disciplinary action meeting, is to inform an employee of missteps, poor performance or wor place behavior that violates company policy. Carrying out a Disciplinary Interview *isciplinary $nterview is an integral part of the overall *isciplinary Procedure. *isciplinary interviewing is often as stressful and daunting a tas for the manager or supervisor as it is for the employee concerned. The fear of ma ing a mess of it, damaging a good wor ing relationship, or being found guilty of unfair dismissal in (ourt are enough to seriously damage a ?anager/s health. The primary purpose of a disciplinary procedure is to help the employee whose conduct or performance falls below organi-ational standards to improve. $n practice then, the actual interview must allow the employee to present his)her point of view and give a comprehensive picture of the case. Through a constructive discussion of the issues, the employer should be able to assess culpability, to decide on appropriate action and to attempt to effect the desired change in the employee/s behavior. >egal Angle" Two ey requirements of direct relevance to disciplinary interviewing, which are well established in the $rish (onstitution and in our case law, relate to the /investigation/ and /hearing/ elements of the process. An inadequate investigation of the situation on the part of the employer may give rise to a dismissal or disciplinary action being deemed unfair. Accordingly, a reasonable and fair investigation of the matter should be underta en by the employer prior to a decision to dismiss or discipline. The employer is also obliged to put the relevant case to the employee, thus allowing him)her to respond. A refusal to allow representation at such meetings is also li ely to render a disciplinary or dismissal decision unfair. According to the Code of Practice on Disciplinary Procedures, issued by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment in 1996,representation,
by an 'employee representative', includes a colleague of the employee's choice and an authorised trade union, but not any other person or body unconnected with the enterprise (e.g. the local solicitor). The Code also emphasises the 'principles of natural justice', with their implications for the disciplinary interview. However, employers do have discretion to allow employees bring any representative of their choice. Firstly, details of the allegation must be put to the employee, and secondly, they should be given the chance to respond to the allegations. Failure to adhere to these 'golden rules' is likely to leave the relevant disciplinary action void. Whilst this may seem quite obvious, it is interesting that a recent study at the University of Manchester discovered that in dismissing employees the key factor, frequently leading to unfair dismissal determinations, was that employees were not given a chance to defend themselves or put forward their side of the story. Consequently, to get the best out of the disciplinary procedure, it is advisable that interviewers adhere to the following recommendations, which are categorized into the BEFORE, DURING and AFTER stages of the interview:

&&&

@efore
A. *ecide on the best time for the interview. This should be close to the incident. However a /cooling off/ period may be required, to ensure that parties approach the interview rationally rather than emotionally. This will also enable you to do the all&important preparatory wor .$f the offense is adjudged to be of a serious nature, it is advisable that the employee be advised immediately of the situation in the presence of their representative, given a chance to respond and suspended pending investigation into the alleged misconduct. This should be with pay. 4hen a thorough investigation is completed, the interview can proceed. B. 7esearch carefully and confidentially. (hec the range of relevant documents on the employee/s personal file 9previous warnings, training received, appraisal records etc.:, the disciplinary procedure and company precedents, the facts of the case 9who & where & when & why & how & it is or $ thin it is:, and the required and average performance standards on the job. 7igorous preparation will help you avoid /getting egg on your face/. $ndeed it may be that having completed your investigation you/ll decide to ta e no action, or settle for an informal discussion of the issues and come to an agreement on what changes are necessary. +. Plan the interview structure and your ey questions. 4rite down all of the facts and be prepared to substantiate them.

C. *ecide on the personnel to be involved. 4here issues have reached a serious stage, at least two management representatives should be present, to ensure correct and consistent application of rules and procedures. <ou should also be clear as to who has the authority to formally warn or dismiss staff. The aforementioned (ode also recommends that the employee concerned be allowed to confront or question witnesses. D. Advise the interviewee of the time, place and purpose of the interview and their representation entitlement.

,. Allow enough time & as you never now what will surface in the course of such a delicate, yet potentially e1plosive meeting & and prohibit interruptions. =nsure that the physical lay&out of the room is appropriate to the purpose of the meeting.

*uring
1. Don't be cosy, yet don't be rude - strike the right balance. In any interview the interviewee deserves a fair hearing. You don't want to intimidate the employee to the extent that you only hear his/her side of the story when it's told by his/her legal representative at the Employment Appeals Tribunal! At that stage it's too late and too costly for you. 2. Remain calm throughout the meeting, whatever the provocation or personal jibes. This should help you to see the key issues in a more objective light.

3. Deliver your opening statement. This can take the form of advising those present that it is a disciplinary interview, the stage of the procedure you're at, your role relative to the procedure and the function of other people present (i.e. representatives, witnesses etc.). The structure of the meeting should then be outlined. 4. The structure of the meeting entails the aforementioned opening statement, stating your position and posing questions. The employee and their representative will then reply, question witnesses and produce their own witnesses. You can then further question the employee and his/her witnesses. The employee should be encouraged to highlight any issues they consider important, including any mitigating circumstances. There may also be adjournments. 5. Use open-ended questions to elicit information, and probing and close-ended questions for clarification and to eliminate evasions. Your questioning and presentation of the case should be neutral, creating an invitation to respond. By the end of the meeting you want to have established what happened to whom, where, when, how and why. You also need to be able to differentiate between facts and assumptions (i.e. it is or I think it is). 6. Determine whether there is any mitigating evidence. The action you take depends on the circumstances and the seriousness of the offense. When determining the action to be taken the test of 'reasonableness' must be borne in mind, and should take account of the mitigating factors. This means that every situation must be evaluated on its own merits, taking account of these special considerations. The final management decision must reflect such considerations, or else it is likely to fail the 'test of reasonableness' when applied by the Rights Commissioner or the Tribunal. 7. Summaries, to ensure that everyone understands the key issues and then adjourn the meeting. This summary should reflect the key points of your original case, the employee's reply, the changes to your original case that have arisen during the meeting, the circumstances pertaining to the case as it now stands and the matters for investigation during the adjournment. Adjournments should always be for the minimum amount of time necessary to allow checks that have to be conducted and for you to confer, consider all of the issues and decide your action. Reconvene the meeting and convey your decision. Of course, should unexpected matters surface in the course of the meeting adjournments to investigate same may be required. 8. At the end of the meeting summaries the outcome and action to be taken - warn or withdraw. Should the evidence point toward disciplinary action, management's position should be explained to the employee, who should be made fully aware of his/her shortcomings and management's concern. The nature of improvement and the means for its achievement should be outlined, as should the consequences of future transgressions. Management must ensure that the employee fully understands the discipline imposed and the right of appeal. 9. If it is established that you have no case, the employee should be provided with a full explanation as to why it is not being taken any further. This explanation should be neither defensive nor apologetic. An effectively handled withdrawal from the disciplinary process can enhance the image of the organization, and its disciplinary system as investigative-oriented and fair.

After

1. Write up your records, advise the relevant personnel and send copies to the appropriate parties (e.g. Personnel Dept., the employee, the representative). Accurate records should be kept of all disciplinary issues. The more detail the better, but in particular they should set down dates, parties involved, the original case, the changes to that case, your action and its relationship to previous actions, and the particular circumstances of the case and how they affected the final action. At the counseling stage, a brief note of the issue, the individual concerned and the date and nature of the discussion would suffice. At verbal, written and all subsequent stages, the records should be more elaborate - including reference to what has been done 'to put things straight'. 2. At the end of the disciplinary interview you will have outlined the nature of improvement and the means for its achievement. You should subsequently monitor the employee's performance or conduct in an attempt to ensure that it does not recur. 3. Work at trying to prevent relationship(s) deteriorating. Disciplinary action can be a source of discomfort, disrupted relationships and resentment. Whilst your final action may be fair and reasonable in the circumstances, it is unlikely to endear you to your staff. Your action should be followed up, to ensure that the problem does not arise again. You should not gloat over your handling of the problem, but make positive efforts to consolidate the relationship. 4. Wipe the slate clean in due course (if appropriate). Warnings should remain on an employee's record for as long as is consistent with the nature of the offense in accordance with organizational rules and practice. Minor warnings tend to have a shorter time scale than those relating to more serious issues.

Several steps are necessary for an effective meeting, for which the outcome is positive change in job performance .
Step A %btain the employee2s personnel file materials. 7eview the file documents for a better understanding of past performance and wor place behavior. ?eet with the employee2s supervisor about recent performance or behavioral issues. Prepare a report about the incident or behavior that is the basis for current disciplinary action and review it with the supervisor to ensure the circumstances are accurately summari-ed. Step B *etermine whether the employee has demonstrated similar behavior in the past, who addressed the previous issues and how they were resolved. =nsure you have current disciplinary action forms and documentation about wor place policies. $f the employee2s behavior involves violation of a wor place policy, review your report and the appropriate wor place policy to determine the correct interpretation of policy. Prepare a draft disciplinary review form based on your summary and the supervisor2s comments. Step + Schedule a time to meet with the employee and her supervisor. ;ive them ample time to prepare for the disciplinary interview. @riefly e1plain the reason for your meeting&&employees aware of performance and behavior that slips below company e1pectations usually already now why they are being summoned to human resources. 3evertheless, inform the employee that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss recent matters concerning performance and wor place behavior. Step C Assemble the file materials, disciplinary records and documentation. ?a e copies for the supervisor and the employee. Step D @egin the meeting with an e1planation about its purpose and the e1pected outcome. 7eview the employee2s performance during the evaluation period, using past performance appraisals, disciplinary reviews, commendations and attendance records. Point out positive performance and behavior and e1plain why it is congruent with the company2s philosophy. Step , Provide the employee and supervisor with copies of the documents concerning current performance. =1plain why you are concerned about changes in the employee2s behavior. (ompare the employee2s performance or behavior to the appropriate wor place policies. e1plain violations of the wor place policies and the consequences. Tell the employee your version of the incidents or behavior and as him to describe the incident or circumstances from his point of view. Step E =1plore reasons why there may be differences between the supervisor2s perspective and the employee2s point of view. =ncourage dialogue between the employee and supervisor. consider that the employee&supervisor relationship may be an underlying reason for performance problems or behavioral issues. %bserve their interaction and intervene whenever necessary to resolve any conflict or a brea down in their communication. Step F *iscuss whether the performance problem or behavioral issue is resolvable. As the employee about suggestions for improvement and engage the supervisor in the discussion. *etermine if the employee and the supervisor share responsibility for improving the employee2s wor performance. 8or e1ample, if the employee2s poor performance is based on not having proper training or s ills, enlist the supervisor2s help in obtaining the resources necessary to help the employee improve. $f the issue is behavioral, due to potential conflict between the employee and supervisor, determine the cause and recommend ways to resolve it. Step G Provide the employee with a copy of the disciplinary action, and place a copy of the documentation in the personnel file. $nform the employee about company policy concerning disciplinary action and the length of time disciplinary action forms remain in an employee2s file before they can be removed. Step AH Schedule a follow&up meeting with the supervisor and employee to discuss improvements and progress. Some companies give employees an opportunity to clear their personnel file of information that can have a negative impact on their employment status, such as disciplinary records. A typical policy allows removal of disciplinary records after a certain period, usually si1 months to a year, if the employee has no similar or repeated incidents.

Conducting a Disciplinary Interview

1. Prepare and plan before the interview. 2. Gather all the facts, and obtain written information about attendance and productivity. 3. Consider special circumstances such as low staffing, work overload and even personal difficulties. 4. Check the employees record to see whether they have had previous warnings. 5. scertain what the organi!ations disciplinary procedure is and what options are available to you. 6. Confer with colleagues to see if they have dealt with similar cases and what the outcomes were. 7. Draw up a structure for the interview. 8. Inform the employee in writing of the reasons why they are having an interview, the time and place, and who will be present. 9. Give the employee sufficient time to prepare their case. 10. Conduct the interview in these stages" introduction, present the case against the employee, allow the employee to reply, discuss the case and summaries at the end. 11. #hen both sides agree the interview should be ad$ourned so that thought can be given to what action is to be taken. 12. Inform the employee in writing of the action to be taken" both parties should then sign this. 13. %et a date for a review. 14. &he employee should be informed of the appeals procedure if they feel they have been unfairly treated.

*o/s and *on/ts *o" A. ;ather all the facts before the interview. B. >eave enough time for both sides to prepare for the interview. +. ?a e the interview a discussion. let the employee have their say and listen to it. C. 7ecord the evidence, the minutes of the interview and the outcomes. *on2t" 3eglect to chec the organi-ation2s disciplinary procedure. Assume guilt before the interview. 8inish the interview without setting clear goals for the future

The appraisal interview'

$t is perhaps the most important part of the entire performance appraisal process. The appraisal interview gives a manager the opportunity to discuss a subordinate s performance record and to e1plore areas of possible improvement and growth. $t also provides an opportunity to identify the subordinate2s attitudes and feelings more thoroughly and thus to improve communication. !nfortunately, the interviewer can become overburdened by attempting to discuss too much, such as the employee/s past performance and future development goals. *ividing the appraisal interview into two sessions, one for the performance review and the other for the employee/s growth plans, can alleviate time pressures. ?oreover, by separating the interview into two sessions, the interviewer can give each session the proper attention it deserves. $t can be difficult for a supervisor to perform the role of both evaluator and counselor in the same review period. *ividing the sessions may also improve communication between the parties, thereby reducing stress and defensiveness.
Trait ?ethods @ehavioral ?ehods Summary of 'arious Appraisal ?ethods A*'A3TA;=S A. Are ine1pensive to develop B. !se meaningful dimensions +. Are easy to use A. !se specific Performance dimensions B. Are acceptable to employees and superiors +. Are useful for providing feedbac C. Are fair for reward and promotion decisions A. Have less subjectivity bias B. Are acceptable to employees and superiors +. >in individual performance to organi-ational performance C. =ncourage mutual goal setting *$SA*'A3$TA;=S A. Have high potential for rating errors B. Are not useful for employee counseling +. Are not useful for allocating rewards C. Are not useful for promotion decisions A. (an be time&consuming to develop)use B. (an be costly to develop +. Have some potential for rating error A. Are time&consuming to develop)use B. ?ay encourage short&term perspective +. ?ay use contaminated criteria C. ?ay use deficient critena

7esults ?ethods

D. Are good for reward and promotion decisions The format for the appraisal interview will be determined in large part by the purpose of the interview, the type of appraisal system used, and the organi-ation of the interview form. ?ost appraisal interviews attempt to give feedbac to employees on how well they are performing their jobs and on planning for their future development. $nterviews should be scheduled far enough in advance to allow the interviewee, as well as the interviewer, to prepare for the discussion. !sually ten days to two wee s is a sufficient amount of lead time. Three Types of Appraisal Interviews " & The individual who has probably studied different approaches to performance appraisal interviews most thoroughly is 3orman 7. 8. ?aier. $n his classic boo The Appraisal $nterview, he analy-es the cause&and&effect relationships in three types of appraisal interviews" tell&and&sell, tell&and&listen, and problem solving. Tell-and-Sell Interview The s ills required in the tell&and&sell interview include the ability to persuade an employee to change in a prescribed manner. This may require the development of new behaviors on the part of the employee and s illful use of motivational incentives on the part of the appraiser)supervisor. Tell-and-Listen Interview $n the tell&and&listen interview, the s ills required include the ability to communicate the strong and wea points of an employee/s job performance during the first part of the interview. *uring the second part of the interview, the employee/s feelings about the appraisal are thoroughly e1plored. The supervisor is still in the role of appraiser, but the method requires listening to disagreement and coping with defensive behavior without attempting to refute any statements. The tell&and&listen method assumes that the opportunity to release frustrated feelings will help to reduce or remove those feelings. Problem-Solving Interview The s ills associated with the problem&solving interview are consistent with the nondirective procedures of the tell&and&listen method. >istening, accepting, and responding to feelings are essential elements of the problem&solving interview. However, this method goes beyond an interest in the employee/s feelings. $t see s to stimulate growth and development in the employee by discussing the problems, needs, innovations, satisfactions, and dissatisfactions the employee has encountered on the job since the last appraisal interview. ?aier recommends this method, since the objective of appraisal is normally to stimulate growth and development in the employee. ?anagers should not assume that only one type of appraisal interview is appropriate for every review session. 7ather, they should be able to use one or more of the interview types, depending on the topic being discussed or on the behavior of the employee being appraised. The interview should be seen as requiring a fle1ible approach. Conducting the Appraisal Interview while there are probably no hard&and&fast rules for how to conduct an appraisal interview, some guidelines may increase the employee/s acceptance of the feedbac , satisfaction with the interview, and intention to improve in the future. ?any of the principles of effective interviewing discussed in (hapter D apply to performance appraisal interviews as well. Here are some other guidelines that should also be considered.

Ask for a Self-Assessment As noted earlier in the chapter, it is useful to have employees evaluate their own performance prior to the appraisal interview. =ven if this information is not used formally, the self&appraisal starts the employee thin ing about his or her accomplishments. Self&appraisal also ensures that the employee nows against what criteria he or she is being evaluated, thus eliminating any potential surprises. 7ecent research evidence suggests that employees are more satisfied and view the appraisal system as providing more procedural justice when they have input into the process. 4hen the employee has evaluated his or her own performance, the interview can be used to discuss those areas where the manager and the employee have reached different conclusions&&not so much to resolve the 5truth6 but to wor toward a resolution of problems.

Invite Participation The core purpose of a performance appraisal interview is to initiate a dialogue that will help an employee improve his or her performance. To the e1tent that an employee is an active participant in that discussion, the more li ely it is that the root causes and obstacles to performance will be uncovered, and the more li ely it is that constructive ideas for improvement will be raised. $n addition, research evidence suggests that participation is strongly related to an employee/s satisfaction with the appraisal feedbac , the e1tent to which the employee believes it is fair and useful, and his or her intention to improve performance.Cs As a rule of thumb, supervisors should spend only about +H to +D percent of the time tal ing during the interview. The rest of the time they should be listening to employees respond to questions.

!press Appreciation Praise is a powerful motivator, and in an appraisal interview, particularly, employees are see ing positive feedbac . $t is frequently beneficial to start the appraisal interview by e1pressing appreciation for what the employee has done well. $n this way, he or she may be less defensive and more li ely to tal about aspects of the job that are not going so well. However, try to avoid obvious use of the 5sandwich technique6 in which positive statements are followed by negative ones, which are then followed by positive statements. This approach may not wor for several reasons. Praise often alerts the employee that criticism will be coming. Positive comments following the criticism then suggest to the employee that no more negative comments will come for a while. $f managers follow an appraisal form, the problem of the sandwich technique will often be avoided. 8urthermore, if employees are ept informed of their behavior on a regular basis, there will be no need to use this appraisal technique.

"inimi#e Criticism =mployees who have a good relationship with their managers may be able to handle criticism better than those who do not. However, even the most stoic employees can absorb only so much criticism before they start to get defensive. $f an employee has many areas in need of improvement, managers should focus on those few objective issues that are most problematic or most important to the job. Some tips for using criticism constructively include the following" A.(onsider whether it is really necessary. 8rustration with performance problems sometimes leads to criticism that is little more than a manager 5letting off steam6 ?a e certain that the criticism focuses on a recurrent problem or a consistent pattern of behavior. B. *on2t e1aggerate. =ven managers who disli e critici-ing may find that, once they get started, they tend to overdo it. Sometimes we overstate problems in order to be convincing or to demonstrate our concern. Try to eep criticism simple, factual, and to the point. Avoid usinF terms li e 5always,6 5completely,6 or 5never.6 +. ?alice improvement your goal. 5>aying it on the line6 is not li ely to be useful unless it clarifies a path to improved performance. (riticism needs to be complemented with managerial support. This point is elaborated upon ne1t.

Change the $ehavior% not the Person ?anagers frequently try to play psychologist, to 5figure out6 why an employee has acted a certain way. However, when dealing with a problem area, in particular, remember that it is not the person who is bad, but the actions e1hibited on the job. Avoid suggestions about personal traits to change. instead suggest more acceptable ways of performing. 8or e1ample, instead of focusing on a person2s 5unreliability,6 a manager might focus on the fact that the employee 5has been late to wor seven times this month.6 $t is difficult for employees to change who they are. it is usually much easier for them to change how they act. &ocus on Solving Problems $n addressing performance issues, it is frequently tempting to get into the 5blame game6 in which both manager and employee enter into a potentially endless discussion of why a situation has arisen. 8requently, solving problems requires an analysis of the causes, but ultimately the appraisal interview should be directed at devising a solution to the problem. $e Supportive %ne of the better techniques for engaging an employee in the problem&solving process is for the manager to as , 54hat can $ do to helpI6 =mployees frequently attribute performance problems to either real or perceived obstacles 9such as bureaucratic procedures or inadequate resources:. @y being open and supportive, the manager conveys to the employee that he or she will try to eliminate e1ternal roadbloc s and will wo with the employee to achieve higher standards. stablish 'oals Since a major purpose of the appraisal interview is to ma e plans for improvement, it is important to focus the interviewee/s attention on the future rather than the past. $n setting goals with an employee, the manager should observe the following points" =mphasi-e strengths on which the employee can build rather than wea nesses to overcome. (oncentrate on opportunities for growth that e1ist within the framewor of the employee/s present position. >imit plans for growth to a few important items that can be accomplished within a reasonable period of time. =stablish specific action plans that spell out how each goal will be achieved. These action plans may also include a list of contacts, resources, and timetables for follow&up.

&ollow (p )ay to )ay $deally, performance feedbac should be an ongoing part of a manager2s job. 8eedbac is most useful when it is immediate and specific to a particular situation. !nfortunately, both managers and employees are frequently happy to finish the interview and file away the appraisal form. A better approach is to have informal tal s periodically to follow up on the issues raised in the appraisal interview. >evi Strauss, for e1ample, e1plicitly includes informal feedbac and coaching sessions on an ongoing basis. The process, referred to as the Partners in Performance Program, helps >evi Strauss managers adopt more of a coaching role 9versus that of a judge: and are designed to enhance continuous improvement and business objectives. Improving Performance $n many instances the appraisal interview will provide the basis for noting deficiencies in employee performance and for ma ing plans for improvement. !nless these deficiencies are brought to the employee/s attention, they are li ely to continue until they become quite serious. Sometimes underperformers may not understand e1actly what is e1pected of them. However, once their responsibilities are clarified, they are in a position to ta e the corrective action needed to improve their performance. Identifying Sources of Ineffective Performance Performance is a function of several factors, but perhaps it can be boiled down to three primary concerns" ability, motivation, and environment. =ach individual has a unique pattern of strengths and wea nesses that play a part. @ut talented employees with low motivation are not li ely to succeed. $n addition, other factors in the wor environment&&or even in the e1ternal environment, which includes personal, family, and community concerns&&can impact performance either positively or negatively. 8igure F.F may provide a better picture of how these three factors 9motivation, environment, and ability: can influence performance. $t is recommended that a diagnosis of poor employee performance focus on these three interactive elements. As shown in Highlights in H7? F, if an employee2s performance is not up to standards, the cause could be a s ill problem 9 nowledge, abilities, technical competencies:, an effort problem

9motivation to get the job done:, and)or some problem in the e1ternal conditions of wor 9poor economic conditions, supply shortages, difficult sales territories:. Any one of these problem areas could cause performance to suffer. Performance )iagnosis* Although performance appraisal systems can often tell us who is not performing well, they typically cannot reveal why. !nfortunately, research evidence suggests that managers often ma e wrong attributions for poor performance. They often assume that poor performance is first due to lac of ability,, second to poor motivation, and that to e1ternal constraints. $ronically, research evidence also suggests that we tend to ma e just the opposite attributions about our own performance. 4e first attribute poor performance to e1ternal constraints such as bad luc or factors out of our control. $f the problem is internal, then we typically attribute it to temporary factors such as motivation or energy 95$ had a bad day6: and only as a last resort admit that it might be due to ability. So what can be done to diagnose the real reasons for poor performanceI ?ort specifically, how can managers identify the root causes and gets to wor on a solution that improves performanceI @y comparing different performance measures, managers can begin to get an idea of the underlying causes of performance problems. 8or e1am pie, as shown in Highlights in H7? F, results measures cannot distinguish between ability, motivation, or situational determinants of performance. So if someone is not achieving desired results it could be due to ability, motivation, or e1ternal constraints. %n the other hand, behavioral measures are less affected by e1ternal constraints. So if someone is demonstrating all the desired behaviors but is not achieving the desired results, logic suggests that it may be due to factors beyond his or her control. %ther inds of diagnoses are possible by comparing different measures of performance. And only by correctly diagnosing the causes of performance problems can managers&&and employees&&hope to improve them 8actors That $nfluence Performance