COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Gain more from interviews and hire the best candidates for your organisation

• Clarify and understand what you’re legally allowed/not allowed to ask

The job interview is one of the most powerful tool and process to evaluate a candidate. It is critical for employers to develop and structure interviews that not only factors in relevant skills and experience but also includes behavioural competencies to assess the candidate’s cultural fit.

In an increasingly litigious society, every hiring manager must be aware of the relevant legislation and how some topics/questions are not permissible as interview questions or risk facing a lawsuit. Best Practice Employment Interview for Employers is a practical one-day seminar where you will be actively engaged in discussions and practical exercises laced with practical advice and real-life tips to help you build your confidence in mastering the employment interview.

Structuring Interviews and Developing Interview Questions

• Developing a competency matrix

• Structuring you advertising, response and pre-interviews to competencies

• Determining if technical/psychometric testing will assist you in the selection process

• Develop interviewing forms containing objective criteria to serve as checklists

• When to use open and closed questions

• Distinguishing between ‘values’ and ‘factual’ questions

• How do attitudes, values and prejudices relate to the interviewing process?

• Determining the best answers or scoring weight prior to the interview

Practical Exercises: Preparing a behavioural competency based set of interview questions, creating a competency matrix

Exploring and Understanding Relevant Legislation

• Familiarising with topics that aren’t permissible as interview questions

• Why you shouldn’t ask certain questions

• Legislation

- Human Rights Act

- Employment Relations Act

- Privacy Act

• Examples of statements to avoid during the interview process that could be alleged to create a contract of employment

Conducting the Interview

• The structured behavioural interview

• Preparing the environment

• Eliminating/minimising distractions

• Adopting a flexible interview structure

• How to incorporate risk management into your interviewing process

• Working in tandem with a partnering interviewer

• Keeping track of time

• How to create a positive experience for the potential candidate

Detecting Deception

• Recognising deception

- Verbal cues

- Inconsistencies

- Avoidance of a clear answer

• Validating and checking responses

Optimising Reference Checks

• Using indirect behavioural interviewing to gain deeper insights

• What are the legal issues around reference checking?

Post Interview Process

• Analysing information gathered from the interview

• Assessing candidates and summarising suitability

• Providing feedback

• Declining candidates in a positive and constructive manner