Job Interview - Essay Example

Conducting a Successful and Legal Selection Interview CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL AND LEGAL SELECTION INTERVIEW This paper seeks to give an interview report on a set of interviews carried out to fill the vacant Accredited Record Technician position in health information management. The HR manager referred four candidates who satisfied the required job qualifications. The first two candidates satisfied the interview criteria, leaving a feeling that they could perform satisfactorily if given the job. However, the third interview comprised of extra issues. The candidate, though seemingly affable and personable, scored the lowest compared to the earlier candidates in terms of experience and overall knowledge. At the end of the interview, the candidate confided that she was pregnant, and in answer to questioning on the relevance of this information, threatens to sue for discrimination if not awarded the job. The fourth interview took place soon after, and it became clear that candidate number three was too weak for the job. This paper will outline the approach that the Human Resource manager should follow during the hiring of an ART employee, while stating the reasons for the given proposal. In order to perform a successful and legal interview session, it is important to decide on the overall structure of the interview before the process itself (Muller et al, 2010). The interviewer needs also to follow a uniform process for all candidates this is inclusive of the familiar individuals. During group interviews, it is vital for an interviewer to have a fingertip feel of what he or she looks for in a candidate. The interviewees also need to be relaxed before the interview, thus provision of refreshments while providing brief explanations on what is required of the job should do just fine (Snell & Bohlander, 2012). The interview questions should be drafted in advance so that each candidate is interviewed under similar conditions. All questions should relate to the job, as well as legal, ensuring that there is a distinction between appropriate and inappropriate questions. This helps to ensure that one does not ask discriminatory questions, risking legal trouble (Berman, 2007). It is also in order to inform the candidates that the interview will be recorded, either by hand or otherwise, to have permanent records of their answers (Fallon & McConnell, 2009). This ensures that any ensuing lawsuit can be fought in court. Listening to the candidate is another important thing to remember, since talking a lot reduces the candidate’s opportunity to air their views. However, the interviewer needs to ensure that he or she leads the line of conversation to avoid hijacking of the process by malicious candidates. Use of short open-ended questions is also encouraged, since asking questions with simple yes or no answers leaves the interview process open to half-truths about the candidate’s experience and condition. The interviewer also needs to develop silence tolerance, to give candidates the opportunity to think and give ideas that are thought out and clear. The candidate also ought to be given a chance to ask questions. However, this chance should be tempered by one’s gut feeling. Should the interviewer feel that the candidate is getting too ambitious, they should revert to asking the questions themselves (Dale, 2009). The first candidate was named Brian Kidd, although, he had a manner of achieving his goals came off as harsh he had a surprisingly firm grasp on reality. While he, by no means, had been in contact with the company much before this job interview, he asked astute questions on the workplace, while also answering his questions pleasantly but with conviction. The candidate played trumpets when in high school and was a top performer in his class. Brian was the most realistic and impressive candidate interviewed. Jane Petrucci was the second candidate and proved a serious young woman, who admitted to being an unrelenting workaholic. His certificates showed that he ranked first in class, which qualified his assertion that she was quite punctual and measured in her activities. The candidate always thought out my questions thoroughly, answering by looking at both the negative and positive sides of the question. Jane, however, had limited social life, her resume light on extra-curricular activities. Jane was an impressive candidate, but she could do with a little injection of humor. This does not detract from his honest and bright nature, but his extreme pragmatism and seriousness could be an obstacle in team building. This report will first cover candidate 4 before returning to candidate 3. Tony was quite eager to state that he was an only child, and straight from the bat exuded the confidence of one accustomed to getting it his way. He elaborated on the value of his mother’s experience as a volunteer at local women’s shelter, claiming it has allowed him to become perceptive to people’s plight. However, Tony came across as an opportunist, as his extra-curricular activity section shows involvement in numerous activities that he never attained official recognition. While he has been involved in art, it soon became clear that it was his cousin’s passion, not his own. His random answers were too vague to do him any good, making him score poorly in the interview (Turner, 2011). Candidate number three came across as personable and friendly, although her experience and knowledge seemed the weakest of all the candidates. She seemed confident, maybe too confident, and seemed to answer the questions put to her off the top of her head. The interview dragged to a close as it became apparent she did not qualify for the job, but when asked if she had a question, she instead offered information. She said she was five months pregnant. Unable to find any relation to the job, she was asked to elaborate, at which point she claimed that if the job will not be offered to her, then she would sue the company for discrimination. After the interview process, it was clear that the candidate was the most qualified for the job was candidate one, followed by two and three. Candidate 4 was the least suited for the job. However, concerning the threat brought forward by candidate three, the company should be covered from any lawsuit. This is because the hiring process was fair for all candidates. To avoid lawsuits, the interviewing panel, first familiarized itself with federal and state laws on discrimination (Bunting, 2009). The interview did not discriminate or violate any federal or state laws. The interview process, which was recorded in shorthand, maintained a neutral stance in assessment questions given to the candidates (Arthur, 2009). Candidate 3 brought the issue of her pregnancy up herself, not via answering a question. The presence of women in the interview panel should also give the company some credibility in fighting any lawsuit. The interviewers were also cautioned to be objective in their comments, focusing on ability rather than appearance or condition. References Arthur, Dianne. (2009). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting & Orienting New Employees. New York: AMACOM . Berman, Jeffery. (2007). Competence-Based Employment Interviewing. Westport: Quorum. Bunting, Samuel. ( 2009). The Interviewers Handbook : Successful Interviewing Techniques For The Workplace. London: Kogan Page. Dale, Margaret. (2009). The Essential Guide To Recruitment: How To Conduct Great Interviews And Select The Best Employees. London: Kogan Page . Fallon, Flemming & McConnell, Charles (2009). Human Resource Management In Health Care:Principles And Practice. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Muller, Marie. Bezuidenhout, Muller, & Jooste, Karien (2010). Health Care Service Management. Cape Town : Juta . Snell, Scott & Bohlander, George. ( 2012). Managing Human Resources. Mason: Cengage Learning. Turner, Tom. (2011). Behavioral Interviewing Guide : A Practical, Structured Approach For Conducting Effective Selection Interviews : Past Behavior Is The Best Predictor Of Future Behavior. Victoria : Trafford. Read More