Writing the questions
The selection committee writes the interview questions as a team. The questions you prepare should focus specifically on the selection criteria. Avoid questions that could imply the candidate will be discriminated against by the commitee and leave UTS liable for legal action.
You also need to define what constitutes an acceptable answer, before you start conducting interviews. An acceptable answer should include:
- an example of a specific work-related situation that the candidate has faced
- how the candidate responded to the situation
- the outcome of the candidate's response
Ask all candidates the same core questions, however you should feel free to add supplementary questions to further explore individual's skills and experience as required.
There is no limit to the number of questions you can ask, but keep in mind how long it might take to answer each question. The interview should take approximately one hour and candidates should be able to comfortably answer all your questions within this time, as well as having time to cover any queries they may have about the role and UTS.
Remember, an interview is a two way process and it is not just about UTS determining the best fit for the role. It is also when your candidate is likely to decide if UTS and the role fits what they are looking for as their next career step.
Behaviour based questions
You can significantly increase the effectiveness of your interviews by using behavioural and competency based techniques. Research suggests that it increases the predicative validity of your interview to 50-55%, up from 10% when you rely on a CV and a general interview.
This interview format involves assessing skills, attributes and behaviour through behaviour based questions. These types of questions ask for specific examples of a candidate's behaviour in situations similar to those they will face in the new position.
These questions are usually worded in a way that will elicit specific examples of what the person has done in the past. For example, they often start with a statement like: 'Tell me about a time when...' or 'Can you describe a situation where...'.
Behaviour based questions allow you to assess candidates more objectively, based on specifics rather than 'gut' feelings or personal impressions.
Remember to probe using open question techniques that make it hard for the candidate to simply answer yes or no. This will provide you with more detailed information. For example:
- Tell me why you choose that method of communication?
- Talk me through the decision making process.
- What strategies did you use to get the project back on track?
You can use the sample Behavioural Interview Questions to help you develop your questions.
There is also more information about behaviour based questions and interviews in the UTS: Career Services web site.
