Design the Interview Session

Federal and state laws prohibit prospective employers from asking certain questions that are not related to the position to be filled. Questions should be job-related and not used to find out personal information. Below are two quick links to specific information about which interview questions are legally permissible.

There are a variety of question formats that can be effective when conducting a Selection Interview. The best approach is for the panel to use a combination of different types of open-ended questions. Click Here for a list of behavioral based questions that can be modified for use in the interview process.

Job-related exercises, or behavioral Micro Assessments, are critical functions or key job accountabilities that the incumbent would face in the position being filled.  Micro Assessments can provide a valuable hands-on assessment opportunity and may be scheduled at the time of interview, or at an alternate time.  If the assessments are scheduled for all candidates at the same time, the time commitment required to monitor these exercises is minimal. 

Another option is to only schedule the candidates who make up the short list.  Then only the well-qualified applicants will proceed to the interview, saving significant time and resources for the selection committee.   
Examples of such exercises might include:

• Composition and formatting of a letter
• Manipulation of figures and formulas in a spreadsheet
• Configuring a computer workstation
• Performing a lab procedure
• Submission of a short essay, in advance of the interview, on a topic that would require library and other media research
• Solving a time-sensitive issue

The aim of any job-related exercise is to provide selection committee members with the assurance that the candidate has the needed hands-on skills to be successful at the position being filled.

A valid and defensible system of rating and ranking candidates is essential. This can be done using an assessment form designed to evaluate each applicant in regard to the main competencies of the job. The rating process helps ensure consistency and equity in evaluating applicants. The ideal outcome is to achieve consensus among selection committee members on candidate ranking.

There are a number of rating forms which can be used to screen resumes/applications or evaluation candidates after the interview. These forms may be adapted to fit the needs of the specific search being conducted.