How an Interview Package Should Be Planned and How the Package Guides the Entire Interview - Speech or Presentation Example

Student Name and Number Course name and Title Course Name: Course Code: An Example of an Interview Package ABSTRACT The interview package’s main objective is to illustrate how an interview should be planned and how the package guides the entire interview. This package uses the illustration of a Human Resource Manager Interview that is highly focused on the behavioural characteristics of the candidates. This will ensure that the candidates can fit into the highly dynamic role. The interview package will cover: The criteria to be used and the interview guide which will be used for the interview session. This will be formed with reference to Reading seven (7) and three (3) to direct the plan. Information about preparation, introduction and conclusion of the interview The behavioural criteria to be used in the selection of candidates The role of the Human resource manager is highly demanding; such that the interview is expected to be thorough in order to capture the best talent among the candidates. This package will thereby include a plan that will ensure the selection of a candidate with exceptional leadership skills, outstanding personal competencies and adequate experience in human resource management. The package will emphasize the importance of the behavioral criteria; which will require the possession of strategic acumen, communication skills, sound organizational skills, mentorship skills, interactive personality and flexibility; factors that will come in handy for the position. The interview questions included will aid in obtaining the best candidates, who not only qualify for the requirements but also show exceptional skills. The package places particular interest on self motivation, leadership, communication and interpersonal skills. Given the importance of job experience in the profession, the interviewers will take the candidates through a recent experience review with an objective of establishing their ability to handle challenges and to lead people. Candidates will be expected to describe their achievements in order to establish their prowess in the job. 7 years experience in the same field will be required for the successful candidate. The end of the interview will culminate in the selection of a highly effective Human Resource Manager for the company. Table of contents Cover page ………………………………………………………………………..1 Abstract…………………………………………………………………………....2 Description of the behavioural criteria .............................................................…...4 Interview preparation ……………………………………………………………...6 The Interview introduction…………………………………………………………7 The Interview conclusion…………………………………………………………..8 Interview guide …………………………………………………………………….9 Behavioural questions…………………………………………………..………....13 References……………………………………………………………………….....17 Appendix……………………………………………………………………….......19 THE INTERVIEW PACKAGE The interview will be conducted in the main boardroom and will be facilitated by the Human Resource Manager with the help of two assistants and the general manager. The objective of the interview is to seek a HR professional with a high level of understanding on contemporary leadership and organizational development. The potential candidate also needs to portray analysis capabilities and the evaluation of plans besides undertaking the development of strategies to ensure the business’ objectives are met. Besides, the candidate should be able to effectively adapt to the rapid change in the environment as the organization is highly dynamic. Further, he or she should exhibit innovation, simplicity, integrity and the ability to form lasting relationships. Description of the behavioural criteria The role of the Human Resource Manager is highly sensitive because it encompasses the management of the firm’s human resources, who form the most important asset within the firm. The potential candidate must therefore possess proper leadership qualities that will effectively play the role of guiding the firm’s employees in achieving their objectives. Apart from effective leadership skills, the Human Resource manager selected among the candidates is expected to possess the following skills: 1. Strategic acumen This is highly desirable in order to ensure that the Human Resource Manager can lead the organization in devising a strategy, which is meant to improve productivity through improving the efficiency of employees (Walker, 1999; Wright and Snell, 1998). 2. Communication skills Proper communication skills will enable the Human Resource Manager to effectively listen, articulate and pass information to the company’s stakeholders (Becker, Huselid and Ulrich, 2001; Vosburgh, 2003). Furthermore, there may be constant need to address crisis scenarios within the firm hence the need to have effective communication skills. 3. Sound organizational skills These will ensure that the HRM can effectively address the needs of the employees. As noted by Broedling (1999), the Human Resource Manager should ensure that employee needs and requirements are addressed in the most viable manner. 4. Mentorship skills Mentorship skills are important in that they will guide the HRM in supporting employees, empathizing with their needs and serving as a useful resource for the employees. 5. A highly interactive personality This will ensure proper communication with employees, with a view of addressing their needs. As indicated by Mathis and Jackson (2007) and Adler (1991), the HRM solely deals with the employees and he or she must be in a position to interact with them in order to ensure that they are satisfied and thus make them effective. This way, the needs of members of staff will be effectively addressed. 6. Highly flexible The Human Resource Manager should be able to effectively adjust according to situation at hand. The potential candidate must therefore exhibit high level flexibility so as to deal with needs that arise within their jurisdictions. Interview preparation The interviewers will be expected to prepare for the interview through familiarizing themselves with the interview questions and establishing potential answers. This will ensure that they can easily counter objections and also provide direction for the interview. The interviewers will be expected to organize themselves in such a way that they are available for the interview session. The questions asked will be based on pre-established behavioural criteria, required skills and work experience. The interview questions The preparation of questions will encompass the development of clear questions aimed at drawing as much information as possible from the interviewee. The interview questions will be drawn from the job description, the evaluation form used by the company in assessing employee capabilities and the applicant’s résumé and cover letter (Buckingham and Vosburgh, 2001). The job description helps the interviewer in designing questions that will determine whether a candidate is qualified for the job in relation to the qualifications included in the advertised job. It aids in the determination of personal qualities required for the job. The company evaluation form plays the role of determining the general skills required for the company’s employees such as communication skills, writing skills and general knowledge of the industry. The candidate’s résumé and cover letter help the interviewer in designing questions that seek to understand the candidate’s personality, education background and work experience (Cabrera and Cabrera, 2003). This insinuates that the panel must seek to establish whether candidates meet the criteria implied in the job description as well as the qualifications requirements. The major concern of job interview is to establish the most suitable candidate for the job. Efforts should therefore be geared towards establishing whether candidates possess the right skills, expertise and work experience to fit into the organization. The first step towards the interview is the designing of interview questions. These should ensure that all the required qualifications for the job are included. It is highly important that the panel members agree on the questions to be used and that the allocated time is enough to conduct the interview. The location The location of the interview plays a significant role in influencing the interview and the eventual selection of a suitable candidate for the job. The interview will be conducted in the main boardroom where there is a cool ambience and where distractions are likely to be avoided. The boardroom also provides an efficient background to emphasize the seriousness of the job being offered. Advising candidates It is advisable to ensure that the candidates receive information regarding the interview at least one week to the set date. This will help them in organizing travelling arrangements and give candidates who are not familiar with the location time to establish where the company is located. Any special considerations for candidates with special needs can then be considered. The Interview introduction Prior to the commencement of the interview, there are various aspects that the interviewer should adopt. Firstly, it is important to establish and maintain a climate that is supportive; and which is as natural as possible. The interviewers are expected to greet the candidates and possibly start with a brief social chat that includes introduction. This will enable the development of a communication climate. Dessler (2004) notes that the interviewee needs to maintain effective listening and non-verbal skills such as posture, eye contact and gesture to enhance cooperation and make candidate more comfortable. Before starting the interview, the interviewee should introduce the interview before proceeding to the interview. The introduction to the interview will be as follows: Welcome to Nautilus Minerals Inc. We are highly delighted that you have shown interest in the position of the Human Resource Manager and that you have taken time to attend the interview today. My name is John Smith, the development manager of Nautilus Minerals Inc. My colleagues are Davis McCain, the regional Human Resource Manager and Linda Johnson, an assistant Human Resource Manager. Please feel welcome, take a seat. This interview will last for approximately one hour and will encompass questions to establish your qualifications in reference to the selection criteria. Please feel free to ask questions and to tell us whether you are comfortable during the interview process. It is highly imperative for you to be as comfortable as possible. We want this session to be as interactive session and therefore expect you to contribute significantly to any discussions established during the interview. If you are ready, we would like to commence the interview at once in order to work within the schedule. Interview conclusion The interview should only be concluded once the panel is sure that they have collected adequate information from the candidate to facilitate decision making. Questions from the candidates should also be addressed, such that the panel should finish by asking the candidate whether there are any questions they would like to ask (Dessler, 2004). The interviewers should politely tell the candidate on the outcome of the interview. The interviewers should politely inform unsuccessful candidates about their decisions and take time to encourage them to apply for other jobs and probably highlight what they need to improve about themselves. In case the results will be released later, they should give information regarding how the candidates will be contacted. The conclusion for the Human Resource Management position interview will be as follows: Having exhausted all aspects of the interview, we come to the conclusion of the formal interview. Please feel free to ask a few questions about the company or the panel. This interview will be followed by an analysis of the qualifications of all the candidates with a view of selecting the best candidate for the job. The candidates will then be contacted to make formal communication on the results of the interview. I take this opportunity to appreciate your effort and interest in this company. On behalf of my colleagues, I wish you all the best. Thank you once more and enjoy the rest of the week. The Interview Guide Candidate’s Name: Panel Members’ names Skills and competencies Relevant experience Introduce candidate and explain the interview process Order Welcoming the candidate Introducing panel members Reiterate the vacant position and what qualifications are required for the position. Explain the interview and selection process as it will be conducted on the candidate. Seek to establish whether the candidate has a question before starting the interview. Experience Review It is imperative for the employer to examine the experience possessed by the job candidates. This helps in establishing the capabilities of the candidates and also aids in the selection of the best candidates for the job. An ideal candidate will have significant experience in the occupation as indicated in the job description. The concept of job experience is important in that it helps in the process of matching the right candidates for the job (Shonhiwa and Gilmore, 1996), job experience also aids in the establishment of the right career path that the candidate could follow such that the experience of such a candidate may be utilized for other jobs available within the company in future (Vosburgh, 2003). The candidates will be taken through a recent experience review as represented in the table below. Recent Experience review guide Job title and experience Date Can you explain to the panel, whether you have experience in Human Resource Management? Have you ever undertaken a training role? What are (were) your main responsibilities/duties? Have there been any changes in responsibility? What did you /do you like best about the position? What was the most interesting role according to you? Have you participated in any projects; and what were the initiatives and outcomes? What was your biggest achievement? Why did you (or why are you planning) leave? Job title and experience Date What are (were) your main responsibilities/duties? Have there been any changes in responsibility? What did you /do you like best about the position? What do/did you like least Have you participated in any projects; and what were the initiatives and outcomes? What was your biggest achievement? Why did you (or why are you planning) leave? The Lead-in Question Why an interest in joining this organization? Human Resource experience sought The prospective HR manager needs to have 7 years experience in a similar position. The manager should have worked in an organization with at least 50 employees, where all employees are under his or her supervision. Participation in recruitment exercises is an important part of the experience required and the candidates must demonstrate competence. Effective participation in team projects with practical experience in handling team projects. Experience in handling employee complaints; with an ability to solve conflicts. This should be accompanied by examples on the same. Behavioural questions These will aim at establishing the qualities of the candidates and their ability to fit into the position. Self motivation and leadership skills 1. Please describe your strengths and how they are likely to impact your work as a Human Resource Manager. 2. If you have ever developed a training initiative, can you discuss with this panel what kind of challenges you met and how you solved them? Tell us whether the project was successful and why. 3. How would you motivate employees to meet deadlines so as to ensure that the firm’s strategic objectives are met? 4. What is the biggest challenge that you have encountered in the course of your work? How did you address the challenge? 5. Describe your relations with others and give an example of a situation where you had to help out someone from a compromising situation. Qualities sought High level of understanding on contemporary leadership and organizational development. The candidate needs to portray leadership capabilities and ability to take proactive actions to address various challenges within the organization. Besides, the candidate should be able to effectively adapt to the rapid changes in the environment. Key actions Innovation Problem solving skills Proper prioritization of workload Motivation to achieve Group work capabilities Ability to initiate ideas and execute projects Comments Additional behavioural questions Communication and interpersonal skills 1. How would you describe your verbal strengths? Discuss with the panel how these would be useful in this position. 2. Why is it important to study body language and what is its impact in solving various challenges that are likely to be encountered in the course of your duty? 3. What are some of the examples of challenges that you are likely to encounter when dealing with clients? How would you address them? 4. Discuss how you can effectively solve a conflict between two employees who cannot get along yet they are working in the same department. The main cause of their conflict is the differences in their culture. Qualities sought Effective communication skills and interpersonal skills. These will come in handy in effectively addressing employee needs. Key actions Clear Communicates with no ambiguity Ability to communicate with groups Conflict resolution capabilities Proper verbal communication skills Good listening skills Involvement of team members in decision making Mastery in non-verbal communication Good listening skills Comments Qualifications Qualification Masters Degree in Human Resource Management 7 years experience Diving Licence Comments Referees The candidate will be asked to name two referees who can serve as a source of verification for the information obtained. Referee 1 (preferably current manager) Referee 2 Name: Position: Relationship: Number of years known: Name: Position: Relationship: Number of years known: Final Questions Is there any question that you would like to ask the panel? Please feel free to bring up any important issue or capability that we may have left out and which you believe could impact on your qualification for this position. Final note Thank the candidate for coming for the interview and effectively confirm the communication time frames. References Adler, NJ 1991, International dimensions of organizational behavior. PWS-Kent Publishing Company, Boston. Becker, B.B., Huselid, MA & Ulrich, D 2001, The principles of good measurement. In The HR Scorecard: Linking people, strategy, and performance Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Broedling, LA 1999, Applying a systems approach to human resource management, Human Resources Management, Vol 38, Issue 3, pp. 269-278. Buckingham, M & Vosburgh, RM 2001, The 21st century human resources function: It's the talent, stupid! Human Resource Planning, Vol 24, issue 4, pp. 17-24. Cabrera, A & Cabrera, EF 2003, Strategic human resource evaluation. Human Resource Planning, vol 26, issue 1, pp. 41-51. Dessler, G 2004, Human resource management, Pearson/Prentice Hall, London. Hewitt, JA, Barbara B. M & Mari EM 2003, Finding our Replacements: One Institution’s Approach to Recruiting Academic Librarians, Portal, Vol 3, Issue 2, pp. 179-89. Mathis, RL & Jackson, JH, 2007, Human Resource Management, Cengage Learning, London. Shonhiwa, SO & Gilmore, HL 1996, Development of human resources: a portfolio strategy, SAM Advanced Management Journal, vol 61, issue 1, pp.16-24. Trompenaars, F & Woolliams, P 2003, A new framework for managing change across cultures. Journal of Change Management, Vol 3, issue 4, pp. 361-376. Vosburgh, R 2003, The state of the human resources profession in 2003: An interview with Dave Ulrich. Human Resource Planning, Vol 26, issue 1, pp.18-23. Walker, JW 1999, Perspectives: What makes a great human resource strategy? Human Resource Planning, Vol 22, Issue 1, pp.11-13. Wright, PM & Snell, SA 1998, Strategy - HR fit: Does it really matter? Human Resource Planning, Vol 21, Issue 4, pp. 56-57. Appendix 1: Job advertisement on which interview package is based. Human Resources Manager - Nautilus Minerals Fantastic close knit culture City fringe location - Milton New and exciting project - a world first! Nautilus Minerals is following the lead by the offshore oil and gas industry to tap vast offshore resources and is planning to extract high-grade Seafloor Massive Sulphide ("SMS") deposits of copper, gold, zinc and silver. Development is underway for the world's first seafloor copper-gold project, Solwara 1, in approximately 1,600 metres of water in the Bismarck Sea, New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea. The Company holds more than 520,000 km2 of tenement licenses and exploration applications in the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand both regionally and across the world. We currently have a position located in Milton, Brisbane for a highly motivated HR Manager to provide strategic input to a growing international business.  This is an opportunity for the right candidate to make their mark on a new industry and a unique project. Some of the responsibilities for the position would be to: Participate in business planning and strategy formation to ensure the general HR strategy meets business objectives Provide advice to management in the management of change and restructuring initiatives Develop, in consultation with senior management group, workforce plans and organisational development initiatives to support superior performance, career development and future business needs Monitor remuneration including competitive analysis of remuneration packaging Ensure HR issues are fully considered in the development of organisational plans and actions Monitor industrial/employee relations' developments and advise and assist managers in dealing with employee relations' issues Assist with recruitment, implementation of performance, remuneration reviews and a range of other HR initiatives. Ensure that appropriate governance and policy is in place. As Nautilus currently has offices in Brisbane, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, the successful applicant for this role should have some experience with developing HR policy and documentation within medium to large mining and offshore operating companies.  A commitment to a high performance culture and the necessary vision to implement fit for purpose systems and initiatives will be a key criterion in this role. We are also looking for a HR professional with an understanding of contemporary leadership and organisational development issues and strategies who has an ability to analyse and evaluate plans and implement change to ensure the needs of the business are met. We are a dynamic organisation, therefore an ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments is a must. As a business, we value Simplicity, Innovation, Integrity, Performance, Lasting Relationships, the Environment and Safety. To submit your application, please click the apply button and follow the prompts. For more information please visit www.nautilusminerals.com or www.cares.nautilusminerals.com. Read More