We have a promising applicant who lives out-of-state. Is a phone interview a good alternative?
Yes, it is. An out-of-state candidate may be quite reluctant to spend the money to travel for a "first
round" interview where there is great uncertainty about how competitive he or she is. Some
supervisors are reluctant to do phone interviews, perhaps because they over-emphasize the "face to
face" nature of the process. However, if one focuses on the information gathering purpose of the
interview, it can be conducted just like the other candidates, except on the speaker phone. If the
candidate does end up being a "finalist," then it is important to hold a second round, in-person
interview. At this point the candidate is more apt to spend the money (or your Department may be
more willing to pay some travel expenses).
Some of the applicants on my hiring certificate are really "overqualified." How do I deal with this?
Very carefully. Declaring an applicant "overqualified" is often seen as a code word for discrimination
against older applicants. However, it is not unreasonable for an employer to be concerned that an
overqualified candidate may be unhappy or bored, leave the job early or have problems in relationships
with coworkers and supervisors. This is why it is so important to have some basis for deciding who is
the best "fit" for your job. This is accomplished through your job analysis and identification of job
requirements. It may be that an applicant with education or experience (either type or level) far in
excess of what is actually required (job requirements) would not be a good fit with the particular job,
but you must be prepared to show that this is based on the actual requirements of the job and is not a
"disguised" form of age discrimination.
Is it OK for me to "test" the candidates' ability to perform a part of the job?
For some jobs, a work sample "test" can be a valuable part of your interview process. For example, in
a secretarial job an important function might be keyboarding a document from a hand written copy,
proofing and editing it, and producing a final document. As a work sample, you might have your
candidates perform this task and evaluate the results. You can then use these results as one part of your
overall evaluation process. Another example would be presentation skills that would be critical for a
job as a trainer. You could provide your candidates with materials in advance of the interview and ask
that they prepare a brief presentation to be done during the interview. Your evaluation of the
candidates' preparation and presentation skills can be used in your overall evaluation.
A couple of words of caution about using a work sample. First, you must administer the work sample
in a consistent manner to all your candidates. Second, you should agree on how the work sample will
be evaluated in advance and again this must be done in a consistent manner to all your candidates.
Finally, and most important, such a test must be clearly job-related, truly a sample of work that is
actually performed on that job.
Any use of tests other than work samples, such as written aptitude, ability, job knowledge or
personality tests should not be used without technical advice from the Department of Personnel,
Recruitment Services Division.
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