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Of course we know today that stress interviews really
only tell us how a candidate would react under a
certain kind of stress, not how proficient they are in
their day-to-day work performance.
As early as 1942, intelligence testers advocated
using a structured set of interview questions so that
each candidate is compared on the same ground.
However, the traditional ‘let’s see what happens’ type
of interview kept coming to the fore, even though it
had a terrible accuracy rating of anywhere from 14%
to about 50%. Over the years, structured interviews
have been gaining more favor with organizations.
Structure improves accuracy and validity and makes
the selection process more defensible.
It is important to note that today’s research indicates
structured interviews, based on job requirements,
that combine competency-based questions,
behavioral-type questions, and critical incidents give
organizations an accuracy rating that is far, far higher
than ever before.
We know that the structured interview, where every
candidate has the opportunity to answer the same
questions, is more objective and justifiable. We
recognize the validity of behavior-based questions
because the best predictor of future performance is
quantified past performance.
Well-prepared critical incidents (stories of real events
that ask for specific behaviors) identify performance
behaviors and have about an 85% accuracy rating.
However, interviewing is not a science. Our job is to
eliminate as many opportunities for error as possible.
You should clearly identify what the job entails, follow
a structured format for interviewing, and combine
the interview with other testing for the best shot at
getting a good candidate.
Factors in the Hiring Process
The Three Levels of Factors
Level III traits tend to be highly stable. Your goal is
to predict future performance by getting a deeper
understanding of how someone has displayed level III
qualities in the past.
Principles for Exploring Past Actions
• The best predictor of future performance is past
performance in similar circumstances.
• The more varied the situations in which behavior
is demonstrated, the more deeply rooted the
behavior.
• The more recent the behavior, the more predictive
of future performance.
• The more long-standing the behavior, the more
deeply-rooted it is.
• People reveal past patterns of behavior most
vividly in instances where they experience
• greatest successes or setbacks.
• Look for patterns. If done once, it is a clue; twice,
it is a pattern; if done three times it is a well-
established characteristic.
Three Areas to Explore
• Work
• School/Education
• Outside Activities
Cost Analysis
Do you have any idea what it costs to hire a new
employee? Sometimes when we see people coming
to the door looking for jobs, we think employees
are like products on a conveyer belt: toss out the
rejects and try another one.
However, employee turnover
costs money, usually a lot
more than we realize. Costs
include everything from
running an advertisement, to
screening and interviewing
the candidates, to the time and money to train new
people. Some companies have identified costs ranging
from 35% to as much as 100% of an employee’s annual
salary.
The best
future be
behavior
“
“
Level 1
Outward appearance
Level
2
Education/job history
Level
3
Attitude, self-motivation, persistence, maturity,
aptitude, temperament