Interviewing Skills

For Hiring Managers

 Session Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Recognize legal and policy issues related to
interviewing
• Identify styles and types of interviews
• Plan an effective interview strategy
• Develop good questions
• Conduct successful interviews
• Take precautions to prevent discrimination

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 Session Outline
• Legal and policy issues
• Interview styles and types
• Planning strategies
• Interview questions
• Conducting and concluding interviews
effectively
• Avoiding discrimination in hiring

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 Why Interviews Are Important
Interviews:
• Give you an opportunity to meet job
candidates face-to-face
• Help you to assess a candidate’s strengths,
weaknesses, and suitability for the job
• Provide you with the information you need
for making the best hiring decisions

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 Legal and Policy Issues
• Fair employment laws
• ASU’s EEO policy
• Discrimination
complaints
• Discrimination lawsuits

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 Types of Interviews
• Initial screening
• One on one
• Multiple interviews
• Selection committee
• Finalists’ interviews

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 Plan Your Strategy
• Know and understand ASU’s policies and
procedures
• Determine key selection criteria
• Prepare a description of the job and the organization
• Create an outline and develop interview questions
• Brief selection committee members on interview
format
• Arrange for a quiet, private meeting place

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 Plan Your Strategy (cont.)
• Be sure to allow enough
time for each interview
• Anticipate interruptions
• Make sure you have the
supplies you need
• Allow sufficient time
between interviews

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 Develop Interview Questions
• Review applications and
résumés
• Prepare a list of
questions
• Make sure questions
relate to job
qualifications
• Create open-ended
questions
• Plan for easy follow-up

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 Key Questions to Ask
• Specific duties?
• Typical day?
• Major accomplishments?
• Teamwork experience?
• Knowledge, skills and abilities?
• Why leaving current job?
• Salary expectations?

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 Conduct the Interview
• Greet applicants
• Introduce yourself and
others on the selection
committee
• Break the ice
• Talk about the job and
the organization

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 Conduct the Interview (cont.)
• Focus on qualifications
for the job
• Avoid stereotyping
• Allow silence
• Take notes

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 Interviewing Don’ts
• Do not ask
discriminatory questions
• Do not ask personal
questions
• Do not allow superficial
impressions to influence
your decision

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 Questions to Avoid
• Age
• Citizenship
• Disabilities
• Marital status
• Military service

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 Questions to Avoid (cont.)
• Religion
• Non-professional affiliations
• Personal life such as spouse, children, or
financial situation
• Arrest records

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 Conclude the Interview
• Ask for additional
questions
• Explain notification
procedure
• Give an expected start
date for the job
• Describe the next steps
• Thank candidates for
coming
• Escort them to main
reception area

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 Review Your Notes
• Notes should be factual
• Avoid any opinions or personal biases
• Include job-related information only
• Keep notes on file for at least 1 year

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 Evaluate Candidates
• Use your list of interview questions and
responses
• Create a list of job qualifications
• Rate each interviewee using the ASU Hiring
Matrix
• Make sure ratings and remarks are job-
related
• Use a standard and consistent rating format

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 Key Points to Remember
• Interviews are an essential part of the hiring
process
• You need to be a skilled interviewer
• You must be able to plan, conduct, and
evaluate interviews with job candidates
• Avoid potentially discriminatory questions
and judgments
• Call Human Resources if any questions or to
ask for help

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