Contents

• General Rules for Effective Interviewing
• Areas to be aware of and questions not to ask
• Sample Interview Questions

General Rules for Effective Interviewing

The purpose of an employment interview is to assess if the individual first has the skills to perform the job, and second is someone who could work at this organization. Listed below are some general rules or guidelines that may help you be a more effective interviewer.

1. Clearly define the purpose or objective of the interview.
2. Plan as to how to attain the objectives.
3. Be prepared for the interview. Know what questions you plan to ask and be prepared to answer the candidate's questions about the position, the organization and salary and benefits.
4. Develop a rapport between yourself and the candidate.
5. Be prepared to listen to the other person. Do not do all the talking.
6. Create a feeling of trust and confidence with the candidate. Fairness and honesty must genuinely exist.
7. Put the candidate at ease. Start with some small talk or general questions to break the ice.
8. Words and phrases used must have common meaning. Do not use company jargon.
9. The room should be comfortable, well lit, and private.
10. Sit facing the candidate.
11. Give the candidate your undivided attention. Do not attempt to do other work while conducting the interview, and keep interruptions to a minimum. Forward your phone so you will not be interrupted.
12. Ask open-ended questions, not questions that can be answered with a yes or no.
13. Ask questions that involve actual work situations to determine if the individual truly has the skills you need for the position.
14. Try to ask the same questions of each of the candidates in order to be able to make a fair decision.
15. Do not make snap or knee-jerk decisions, conduct the entire interview before making a decision.

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Areas to Be Aware of and Questions Not to Ask

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin in any term, condition, or privilege of employment. In addition, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against the disabled. Listed below are examples of questions that should not be asked as they are considered to be discriminatory in nature.

Sex and Marital Status:

1. Do you have to miss work at certain times of the month?
2. Do you get along well with other women/men?
3. How old is your youngest child?
4. Do you have any children?
5. Are you married/single/divorced/separated/widowed?

Race:

1. How do you feel about having to work with members of a different race?
2. Your supervisor will be insert race; does this create any difficulties for you?

National Origin:

1. That's an unusual name, what nationality are you?
2. Were you born here?

Relogion:

1. What church do you go to?
2. Do you attend church regularly?
3. Are you active in any church groups?

Age:

1. Do you think you can keep up with the younger staff in the office?
2. Are you on any type of medication?
3. Would you be willing to work for a person who is younger than you?

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Sample Interview Questions

1. Tell me a little about yourself?
2. What challenged you most on your current job?
3. What didn't you like about your job?
4. Which job helped you grow the most as a professional and why?
5. What is you professional goal?
6. Why are you planning on leaving your current position?
7. What is it about your current position that you don't like that is causing you to want to leave your current position?
8. What are the three most important responsibilities in your current position?
9. What achievements in a current or past position are you most proud of and why?
10. How important was communication and interaction with others in your current/past position?
11. What communication difficulties did you encounter?
12. How many levels of management did/do you interact with?
13. What was your communication about?
14. Tell me about a time when you had a project that required you to interact with different levels within the organization-staff above and below you. How did you do this?
15. Tell me about an unpopular decision you had to make? Whom did it affect? How do you feel you handled it? What could you have done different, if anything?
16. Why are you looking to leave?
17. In what ways have your past positions prepared you to take on new and greater responsibilities?
18. What have you done, in your work life that you are most proud of?
19. How would your peers describe you? Your supervisor?
20. In working with new people, how do you go about getting an understanding of them?
21. Tell me about a time when you needed to get an understanding of another's situation before you could get your job done. How did you accomplish this, and what problems did you encounter?
22. What type of person do you get along with best? Least?
23. Define cooperation.
24. Define a conducive work atmosphere.
25. Have you worked as part of a team?
26. Describe a time when a team fell apart. Why did it happen? What did you do?
27. How do you motivate staff?
28. What kind of decisions is most difficult for you to make?
29. How do you organize and plan?
30. Describe a typical day. What problems do you normally experience in getting things done?
31. What is it about this position that interests you?
32. Describe the best manager you ever had?
33. What do you do when there is a decision to be made and no procedure exists?
34. Describe yourself in three words.
35. Why should we offer you this position?
36. Why are you the best candidate for this position?
37. What can you do for us that someone else cannot do?
38. Any questions to ask of me/us?

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