| n Selection Interview n Ranking Interview n Inappropriate Interview Questions n Interview Subjects |
Because of the importance of interviews, it must be job related and well-documented. All substantive documentation on the interview should be kept and when appropriate, it may be submitted to the
Personnel Office for inclusion in either the Merit Promotion Folder or the external recruitment folder. If interviews are used for one candidate it is recommended for use for all candidates. It is also recommended all candidates on a Merit Promotion Certificate be provided the opportunity to interview if additional information is needed to help in the selection process. Interviews can be
conducted in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone. If candidates are located in the same commuting area, a personal interview is usually appropriate. If the interview is geographically separated from the selecting supervisor, a telephone interview may be more appropriate. If repeated efforts to contact candidates are unsuccessful, the supervisor should document this fact. To the extent possible be sure the same questions are asked of all candidates being interviewed.
If interviewing, it is best to prepare questions in advance; sometimes interview questions are prepared at the time the job analysis and Crediting Plan is developed. Some bureaus and organizations require the Personnel Office to review questions to ensure job-relatedness, and that the supervisor is soliciting additional relevant candidate qualification information that has not already been assessed during the records review process, and that no inappropriate questions are asked.
There are usually two types of interviews for evaluation purposes - the Selection Interview and the Ranking Interview. Do not confuse these with routine exchanges of information which are limited to discussions of the job duties, travel requirements, and other factual matters. This type of exchange is for informational purposes only and do not necessarily address the candidate’s qualifications.
Remember, interview results should not be given undue weight in determining the best qualified candidate(s). Rather, they should be combined with the results of other instruments to determine a candidate’s final position relative to other competitors. Interview results are only a part of the overall evaluation process and are best used in combination with other evaluation criteria.
RELATED TOPICS: Selection Interview; Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures; Merit Promotion Program.
