PLANT TECHNICIAN INTERVIEWER TRAINING PROGRAM

The employment interview is the most universally used method of selecting employees into a company. At P&G, its primary purpose is to obtain information from candidates to determine whether they are suitable for employment. A secondary purpose is to provide candidates with information about the job and Company so that they can make informed decisions about pursuing employment opportunities at P&G. Some specific objectives of the interview are: (1) To clarify data on the application form -- apparent inconsistencies, time gaps in employment or other missing information; (2) To obtain more detailed, job-related information beyond that contained on the application; and (3) To inform applicants about the position and if qualified, to recruit them into P&G.

PLANT TECHNICIAN

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

MODULE 1: PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS 2

MODULE 2: GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF INTERVIEWING 11

MODULE 3: USING THE PLANT TECHNICIAN INTERVIEW GUIDE 19

MODULE 4: COLLECTING INFORMATION 23

MODULE 5: MAKING RATINGS 27

INTRODUCTION

UNDERSTANDING THE INTERVIEW

The employment interview is the most universally used method of selecting employees into a company At P&G, its primary purpose is to obtain information from candidates to determine whether they are suitable for employment A secondary purpose is to provide candidates with information about the job and Company so that they can make informed decisions about pursuing employment opportunities at P&G

Some specific objectives of the interview are:

(1) To clarify data on the application form apparent inconsistencies, time gaps in employment or other missing information;

(2) To obtain more detailed, job-related information beyond that contained on the application; and

(3) To inform applicants about the position and if qualified, to recruit them into P&G

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INTERVIEWER

The interviewer has a critical role in the interview process He/She must be:

(1) Fully knowledgeable about the requirements for technician work;

(2) Trained to effectively use the Plant Technician Interview Guide; and

(3) Able to provide fair and accurate ratings on the candidate's performance in the interview

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PLANT HR MANAGER/HIRING COORDINATOR

It is the responsibility of the Plant HR Manager to ensure the Plant's interviewers are adequately trained and that the Plant Technician Selection Process is administered as designed Periodic audits of the process should be conducted GUIDELINES FOR USING THIS INTERVIEWER TRAINING PROGRAM

This program was designed to provide training to interviewers with varying degrees of experience The following chart should be used as a guide for targeting the training modules After the training, it is most effective to pair new

interviewers with an experienced interviewer(s) to provide additional training and further calibration

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5

Performance Dimensions

General Principles of Interviewing

Using the Plant Technician Interview Guide

Gathering of Evidence

Making Ratings

For interviewers with previous interviewing

experience but no experience with the Plant

Technician Interview Guide

Refresher Course:

For experienced TAG interviewers who need to

sharpen their interviewing skills and

knowledge

Calibration Training:

M ODULE 1: P ERFORMANCE D IMENSIONS

OBJECTIVES 3

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS 3

LEARNING POINTS 3

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS 3

PRACTICE EXERCISE 4

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS 5

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS EXERCISE FORM 7

KEY TO PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS EXERCISE 10

When you have completed this module, you will be able to:

(1) Explain the key attributes of the seven (7) performance dimensions

(2) Recognize multiple performance dimensions included in the same response

(3) Recognize performance dimensions addressed in a response, even if the question asked was targeted at another dimension

(4) Recognize when the applicant has provided information sufficient to rate a particular performance dimension

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS

1) Review learning points

2) Read instructions to the practice exercise

3) Complete practice exercise: Read seven (7) interview answer examples At the end of each example, classify answers according to the performance dimension addressed in each

4) Review exercise: Go through each example and discuss

5) Wrap-up with summary

LEARNING POINTS

Performance Dimensions

• There are seven (7) Performance Dimensions for Plant Technician work The dimensions are listed below and are defined on pages 5-6 of this Guide:

1 Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence 5 Leadership

2 Collaboration & Communication 6 Risk-Taking

4 Mastery

These Performance Dimensions are measured in the Plant Technician Interview Guide to ensure that new hires

possess the skills and abilities required for effective performance The behaviors associated with each Performance Dimension help focus interviewers on key areas required for success on the job

• The Plant Technician Interview Guide has specific questions for each Performance Dimension that are designed to solicit answers that provide information about each dimension Interviewers must gather as much information as necessary about each Performance Dimension to rate the dimension accurately

• Because the Performance Dimensions are related to each other, more than one Performance Dimension is often present in an answer A clear understanding of each dimension is important to recognize the overlap For example,

an answer may include elements of Collaboration & Communication and Risk-Taking Interviewers must be able to recognize both of these Performance Dimensions and use that information to rate accordingly

A few comments regarding specific Performance Dimensions:

Collaboration &

Communication:

Remember that you have three kinds of evidence regarding Communication During the interview, you will have access to (1) information provided in response to your questions about communication, (2) evidence about communication skills gathered

by observing the candidate during the interview, and (3) evidence from the candidate's written application materials

Mastery: Mastery should be interpreted as the ability to learn and apply technical skills, as well

as manufacturing plant technical experience You should evaluate Mastery by asking about work experience if applicants have plant technical experience Some

applicants lack technical experience specific to plant technician work but have the ability to learn the technical requirements of the job One way to determine ability is

to examine technical experience broadly Hence, you must be able to identify any technical skills present in a candidate's answer For example, look for skills developed on-the-job such as computer skills or telephone system skills or skills developed through personal experiences such as woodworking and gardening Remember: Avoid only focusing on mastery that is specific to plant technician work;

be flexible and examine other technical areas that might indicate a potential to acquire technical skills

1) Read the vignette labeled Example #1

2) Decide which Performance Dimension is being addressed by the candidate

• Often, more than one Performance Dimension can be found in an answer Sort the information appropriately and make sure you rate the Performance Dimension represented in the answer which is sometimes different than the Performance Dimension that is targeted by the question

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS

Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence: Ability to maintain high work standards and concern for the quality of work,

to work reliably and conscientiously and to actively improve individual skills

• Recognize the importance of quality and take precautions to ensure quality

• Strive to exceed minimum performance standards

• Seek to build skills and expertise required to be effective

• Seek and use feedback on performance to monitor personal improvements

• Withstand time pressures and pressure from others when problems occur such as unexpected schedule changes

• Accept any work assignment

• Be trustworthy and dependable

• Be conscientious with regard to work hours, shiftwork, and absenteeism

Collaboration & Communication: Ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with diverse people and to promote teamwork and collaboration Ability to communicate clearly and concisely

• Initiate and build relationships with others

• Seek input from others on important plans, decisions, and strategies

• Work well with people with diverse backgrounds and opinions

• Actively contribute to team initiatives and work collaboratively to find mutually agreeable solutions

• Support a climate where problems, ideas, and information are readily shared

• Show respect, courtesy, and consideration in dealing with others

• Act as an approachable resource to others

• Readily engage in information sharing using speaking, listening, reading and writing skills

• Persuade or convince others of an idea or action when needed

Solutions: Ability to learn quickly and to identify, logically organize, and solve work-related problems

• Learn and apply new information quickly

• Anticipate problems before they occur

• Use data to identify and understand problems

• Logically analyze problems by establishing clear objectives, gathering information to better understand key issues, and targeting actions or solutions to critical aspects of the problem

• Understand relationships among different parts in a system and use those relationships to solve problems

Mastery: Ability to perform the technical aspects of the work, including process operations, Total Quality, and

maintenance activities

• Understand and use basic mechanical principles and concepts to operate, repair, and adjust equipment, and troubleshoot equipment problems

• Use technical knowledge and skills to solve practical problems

• Read and interpret information presented in tables, charts, and graphs

• Use measuring instruments to monitor equipment and product quality

• Learn and use basic computer terminology and operations required to track production and inventory information

• Learn how to use Total Quality tools and methods

Leadership: Ability to contribute to the development of team and organizational objectives, to motivate self and others

to achieve goals, and to accept responsibility and take ownership in the work

• Develop, support, and promote team and organizational objectives

• Set goals and establish high standards

• Responsibly challenge organizational barriers

• Focus on possibilities, not limitations

• Inspire and influence others through example

• Coordinate and provide direction to others

• Train and encourage others to succeed

Risk-Taking: Ability and willingness to step outside current boundaries, duties, and areas of responsibility; to take informed risk; to persist in accomplishing difficult goals, despite obstacles; to find ways to improve the work and translate those ideas into workable solutions; and to adjust to unpredictability and change in the work

• Is assertive and makes decisions in the face of uncertainty

• Set specific stretch goals

• Displays action mindset

• Respond proactively rather than reactively in all aspects of work

• Be a self-starter and work well with minimal supervision

• Put in extra time and effort when necessary to do the work

• Demonstrate perseverance in completing work

Capacity: Ability to utilize full capacity to meet and exceed business objectives Ability to manage multiple priorities

and organize daily activities to finish required work

• Use time management and project management skills to handle multiple priorities

• Work on projects that directly effect the organization's results

• Be very active and involved, and take on challenging or extra assignments

• Continuously develop personal skills and abilities

• Improve the product, save time and resources, or simplify processes

• Reapply proven ideas to new situations

• Adjust to multiple demands, shifting work priorities, ambiguity, adversity, and change

PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS EXERCISE FORM

Instructions:

1) Read the examples of interview responses

2) Classify each response into one of the seven (7) Performance Dimensions

3) Indicate in the spaces provided, the key reasons for selecting that particular performance dimension

4) Discuss as a group, the key reasons for selecting each performance dimension

E XAMPLE 1

As a team leader with Eagle Manufacturing, I set a goal of improving performance on the team's production line After assessing deficiencies in our team operations, I held monthly training sessions to train team members in these problem areas I helped the team set high, yet attainable goals Then I worked closely with all team members to help them achieve success

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 2

I was a member of the tractor acquisition team for my previous company There were four members on the team, two operators and two mechanics I was one of the operators We had to agree on the specifications and criteria for the purchase Since the operators and the mechanics were looking for different things in the tractors, we had some conflict at the beginning as to what would be our priorities Since my colleague operator was a difficult man who did not want to yield on anything, I made sure that he and I agreed on what we needed before meeting with the mechanics After a lot of debating and long meetings, we finally bought tractors that were okay from an operator standpoint I think we got the better end of the deal

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 3

The CAM mechanism on the lift table stopped working I followed the CAM shaft to the pinion gear and found the drive chain had come off I repaired it by taking apart the chain's split link with needle nose pliers, replacing the chain on the pinion sprocket, and reconnecting the split link I had to realign the pinion gear and motor drive gear using a straight edge and wrenches so the chain would not come off again The reason this happened is that the pinion gear had come loose and moved on the shaft

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 4

At the beginning of my summer job, I wanted to earn $2,000 It was a challenging goal because I was living in a really small town I joined forces with a friend and we worked very hard finding work Eventually we contracted with a rental company to paint houses and our combined earnings topped $5,000

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 5

I performed an audit on a recently acquired division No company team had ever audited the unit And this was a business the company had never been involved in So, it was up to me to determine what audit steps to perform I had to quickly develop an understanding of the business and the document flow I had to analyze the various reports and data available After reviewing all the information, I was able to perform the necessary audit steps within the budgeted time Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 6

As an electrically skilled tech, I often have two to three people asking me to do things for them at the same time I am always as polite as possible, but with two to three people demanding your services and production hanging in the

balance, it isn't easy I mentally review the tasks and determine which things will have the greatest impact, and I work on those first

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 7

In college, I took an important class which had a group project as part of the grade requirement At the mid semester point, most of the work was done and we were in good shape to get a reasonable grade However, I thought that we should go the extra mile in order for our project to stand out It was a very important course Anyway, my group was happy with where we were and did not want to do anything else With their consent, I took it upon myself to make a video segment for the project It took a while to do and I had to learn some new editing techniques but we were the only group to use video in the presentation The professor was really impressed and we got an A in the course

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

E XAMPLE 8

I convinced the director of the youth center to improve the media darkroom I explained to him that the improvements were necessary some equipment had to be replaced because the darkroom had become virtually useless The key to my presentation was persuading the director that if we didn't renovate the darkroom, photographers were unlikely to want to work for the youth center's newspaper and that any learning done there would be obsolete

Mark the performance dimension represented by this example: List the key reasons for selecting this particular

dimension:

m Conscientiousness & Valuing Excellence

m Collaboration & Communication

KEY TO PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS EXERCISE

E XAMPLE #1

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Primarily Leadership, but also • Identified deficiencies and provided opportunity for improvement Collaboration & Communication • Set goals and inspired others to achieve them

• Promoted teamwork and collaboration

E XAMPLE #2

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Collaboration & Communication • Worked collaboratively to find mutually agreeable solutions

• Worked with people of diverse backgrounds and opinions

• Accepted compromise

E XAMPLE #3

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Mastery • Exhibited understanding of basic mechanical principles of

repairing and adjusting CAM mechanism

• Used technical knowledge and skills to solve practical problems

• Able to troubleshoot problems

E XAMPLE #4

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Risk-Taking • Persisted in accomplishing difficult goal

• Showed perseverance; found workable solution despite obstacles

E XAMPLE #5

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Primarily Solutions, • Learned and applied new information quickly

and also Conscientiousness & • Used data to identify and understand problems

Valuing Excellence • Logically organized a plan

• Withstood time pressure

E XAMPLE #6

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Capacity • Referred to "mental list of things to do"

• Balanced competing priorities

E XAMPLE #7

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Conscientiousness & • Desired to exceed minimum performance standards

Valuing Excellence • Recognized the value of quality

• Recognized the value of a good grade in the course

• Put in extra time and effort when necessary

• Took on a challenging assignment

E XAMPLE #8

P ERFORMANCE D IMENSION K EY R EASONS

Collaboration & Communication • Persuaded or convinced others of an idea or action when needed

• Expressed thoughts and ideas convincingly

M ODULE 2: G ENERAL P RINCIPLES OF I NTERVIEWING

OBJECTIVES 12

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS 12

LEARNING POINTS 12

SECTION 1: SETTING THE TONE 12

SECTION 2: INTERVIEW MANAGEMENT 14

SECTION 3: QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES 15

PRACTICE EXERCISE #1 19

ILLEGAL QUESTIONS (FOR USE IN THE U.S.) 20

PRACTICE EXERCISE #2 21

HANDOUT 1: EXERCISE ON LAWFUL QUESTIONS 22

HANDOUT 2: EXERCISE ON LAWFUL QUESTIONS -ANSWER KEY 23

When you have finished this module you will be able to:

• Create an atmosphere in which the applicant feels comfortable

• Ask interview questions that are job-related and that will result in useful information for evaluating the candidate's potential

• Self-monitor your interviewing style for future improvements

• Guide the flow of the interview so that you can obtain all the information you need in a natural, threatening fashion

non-• Conduct yourself in an interview in a way that is fair and leaves applicants with a favorable impression

of P&G

• Gather information in an efficient and accurate manner

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS

1) Review the learning points for each section, including the examples provided

2) Wrap-up with summary

LEARNING POINTS

S ECTION 1: Setting the Tone

INTRODUCTION

The role of the interviewer is to obtain complete information from the candidate and evaluate that

information accurately The interviewer must also create a climate in which the candidate feels

• Start the interview by establishing rapport and try to develop a feeling of trust and confidence between you and the applicant The first few minutes of the interview will dictate the atmosphere for the remainder of the interview

• Start by building rapport with some natural, easy "small talk" The objective is to start a conversation

by first talking about something which generally is of neutral (and shared) meaning (e.g., sports, weather, special event, etc.) Often information from an application or resume can supply good clues

on personal interests which can be used as rapport builders This also conveys that you have read them

E XAMPLES OF ESTABLISHING RAPPORT

1 "Hello, Mr Johnson I hope that you managed to find the plant without too much

trouble?"

2 "Good morning, Mr Wells We are pleased that Ms Smith referred you to us for

employment I understand the two of you once worked together."

3 "Hello, Mr Jones We appreciate your keeping this interview appointment in spite of the

snow falling outside Did you have any problems getting here today?"

TRANSITIONING

• Once you have established rapport with the applicant, you will need a transition to the interview itself

• The transition should not be so abrupt that you lose the rapport established in the first few minutes

• A good transition makes the move from "small talk" more natural and serves to structure the interview for the applicant

E XAMPLE OF T RANSITIONING

"Well, Mr Johnson We certainly appreciate you rescheduling your appointments this morning to meet with us Since your time is so valuable, perhaps we should move on to the interview I'll be asking you some questions which will help me to see if our job and Company match your interests, abilities, and needs So I don't miss any of the important points you mention, I'll be taking notes as we talk After you've finished talking, you may have some questions for me about the job or our organization If so, I'll be happy to answer them as best I can For now, perhaps we can begin by "

• These examples are classic "let's get started" statements that should take less than a minute and will help you shift easily and smoothly into the actual interview

EMPATHIC LISTENING

• Conveying the impression of attentive, interested listening to the job applicant is an important

characteristic of a skilled interviewer

• Empathic listening is particularly important in the first few minutes of the interview

• Several simple techniques will help you listen with empathy

E MPATHIC L ISTENING T ECHNIQUES

acceptable duration

continue speaking (e.g "uh, uh", "mm ") Also use short reinforcement utterances to signal continuation (e.g., "yes, I see",

INTERVIEW MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Preview the applicant data

• Read over the application form, written experiences, and earlier interviews, if applicable Make note

of items to be followed up in the interview (e.g., gaps in employment history, insufficient responses to items, concerns of previous interviewers) by writing them in the interview guide in the appropriate dimension

Ensure privacy

• Privacy is very important The applicant should NEVER be concerned that the conversation may be overheard as it might inhibit him/her from speaking freely Nor should you be distracted by excessive noise or others in the immediate area

Make sure that you will not be interrupted

• The time you spend with the applicant should not be interrupted by phone calls, messages or other business Interruptions are not only rude, but they also interrupt the flow of the conversation

Allow time

• Allow enough time to permit a thorough assessment of the applicant This includes enough time for pre-work as well as documentation evaluation Applicants will feel uneasy if you appear hurried during the interview

Pace yourself

• Keep track of how much time is left and manage that time accordingly You should know how much time to spend on one area in order to cover everything in the allotted time If you have enough information to evaluate an area, move on the next

Keep your own talking to a minimum

• In general, after establishing rapport and providing a transition to the interview, you should speak as little as possible As a general rule, you should talk about 20-30% of the time in the interview When you talk too much throughout the interview: 1) you allow the applicant to tailor responses to what you want to hear, 2) you may dominate or intimidate the applicant, and 3) you are unable to listen and learn about the candidate while you're talking,

End the interview on a positive note

• Close the interview positively Allow the applicant to ask questions and always let the applicant know what to expect next (e.g., "You will hear from us within the next 10 days.")

S ECTION 3: Questioning Techniques

INTRODUCTION

• The most common interviewing errors are found in questioning techniques

• The way a question is phrased and the behaviors exhibited by the interviewer can greatly influence the validity of the information gathered in the interview

QUESTIONS TO AVOID

Avoid asking closed-ended question

• Closed-ended questions require only a yes/no, one-word, or very short answer

These kinds of questions provide very little useful information and generally need to be

followed with a clarify question Some examples:

INCORRECT CORRECT

"Did you do anything to check on the success

of your solution?"

"What did you do to check on the success of your solution?"

Avoid asking leading questions

• Leading questions provide the candidate with little or no room for maneuver by

setting up only one obvious answer They tell candidates what they should have done

and are highly prone to falsified responses Some examples:

INCORRECT CORRECT

"I'll bet you had to analyze all the options

carefully before making that decision,

didn't you?"

"What factors did you consider before reaching that decision?"

"You must have had to put in a lot of extra

hours to get everything done on time,

huh?"

"What did you do to handle the situation?"

Avoid asking threatening questions

• Threatening question affix blame onto the candidate and imply that he or she did the wrong thing Such questions are likely to put candidates on the defensive, and may inhibit their responses during the rest of the interview

A more appropriate way to phrase the question is to ask the candidates to provide examples from their experiences that demonstrate their skills and abilities

Avoid asking questions about philosophies, beliefs, or opinions

• Such questions are rarely job related, and candidates tend to respond by giving

"canned" answers designed to tell the interviewer just what he or she wants to hear The

product is usually misleading, irrelevant data which tends to confound the interviewer's

perception and rating of the candidate Some examples:

"In your opinion, what qualities are essential

to effective leadership?"

"Describe a situation in which you demonstrated your leadership abilities?"

Avoid asking run-on or multiple part questions:

• These questions give candidates hints as to what they should have done, and are highly falsifiable They also may cause confusion by making the candidate remember too many questions Some examples:

INCORRECT CORRECT

"What things did you have to coordinate in

order to complete the project? Other

priorities? Schedules? Other people?

And how did you go about coordinating

to talk about his/her past achievements that relate to the job than if most of the interview is spent on an irrelevant topic If you find yourself on a sidetrack, steer the interview back to where you want to be, most likely with another question

BEHAVIORS TO AVOID

Avoid behaviors that may inhibit responses

• Tone of voice, choice of words, facial expressions, and bodily postures all can create an impression You may not mean it or even realize it, but showing expressions of surprise, annoyance, or disapproval can affect an applicant's responses

The following are examples of behavior which may create unnecessary nervousness in the applicant: 1) Glancing at your watch or around the room indicates boredom and an eagerness for the interview

to end You do need to keep track of time so arrange the interview room so you can check the clock unobtrusively

2) Shuffling through papers or being generally inattentive indicates a lack of interest

3) Rolling your eyes or squinting may indicate disbelief, skepticism, or rejection

It's difficult to read your own body language To check whether you might be sending hidden

messages, there are two things you might do:

♦ Ask a friend who knows you well to advise you of any qualities or quirks which you may have

♦ Role play and record on videotape an interview Then play it back with the sound turned off to analyze your movements and expression without the benefit of hearing your words

• Remain pleasant and at worst neutral This does not mean you should speak in monotone It is possible to vary tone and manner in a positive, accepting way

• The cues that applicants read in your behavior can serve to make them more relaxed and allow open communication or make them more tense and cause answers to be guarded Since your responsiveness has a strong influence on the success of the interview, you must constantly be aware of the impressions you are conveying to the applicant

ASKING PRODUCTIVE QUESTIONS

Because a prime objective is to learn as much about the applicant as possible to make a reliable assessment, the interviewer must make skillful use of questions A properly phrased question can produce a good deal

of information There are effective and ineffective ways of asking interview questions Some important things to remember:

• Use broad questions to encourage a thorough response "Tell me about the responsibilities of your last position" is a better question than, "Did you have to write reports?"

• Reword or restate questions which the applicant seems not to have fully understood

• Don't ask questions already answered by factual information you have on the applicant However, do ask questions to find out more about information you know

It is important that the applicant be encouraged to respond with a fair amount of detail The initial

response to a question is seldom the complete answer

Use encouragements such as "I'd like to know more about the" or "tell me more about that" to prompt the applicant to give more detail Short silences (3-5 seconds) can be a powerful technique for getting an applicant to say more, so be comfortable with these periods of silence

Restating or paraphrasing an applicant's response indicates that you follow what has been said and will encourage further elaboration Be careful, however, that you don't put words in the applicant's mouth

PRACTICE EXERCISE #1

Instructions:

The purpose of this exercise is to develop confidence in opening and managing an interview and asking appropriate questions Proceed as follows:

1 Have participants pair up with another participant

2 Assign two performance dimensions to each pair

3 Have the participants role play an interview situation where one participant is conducting the interview and the other participant is the interviewee Have the interviewer ask questions about the two

performance dimensions while practicing the following interviewing techniques: (1) establishing rapport, (2) asking appropriate questions, (3) listening to responses, (4) transitioning, and (5)

managing the interview

4 Participants being interviewed my either role-play or answer candidly based on personal experience

5 Have the participants switch roles and repeat the exercise

ILLEGAL QUESTIONS (for use in the U.S.)

• Employment laws are designed to protect job candidates from unlawful inquiries

• These laws are specific and can be very complex

• Legal problems can be avoided by being aware of classes protected under EEO law and stating questions appropriately in order to avoid discriminating against a candidate based on:

Physical and/or mental disability

• An individual with a disability can be defined as follows:

a) having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of his/her major life activities;

b) having a prior history or record of such an impairment (this protects people who have a history of disability from discrimination, whether or not they currently are substantially limited in a major life activity);

c) is perceived as having such an impairment (this protects people who are not substantially limited in a major life activity from discriminatory actions taken because they are perceived as having such a limitation)

2 Decide if each question is legal or illegal in an interview situation

3 When you complete the exercise, refer to the ANSWER KEY to check your answers

Handout 1

EXERCISE ON LAWFUL QUESTIONS

Listed below are a number of questions which are sometimes asked in employment interviews Please check whether

you believe these questions are legal or illegal in light of federal and state laws

Proper Improper

_ _ 1 How many children do you have living at home? What arrangements will you make for

them?

_ _ 2 What crimes have you ever been convicted of?

_ _ 3 Do you have a college degree?

_ _ 4 Do you own a car?

_ _ 5 Are you or have you ever been married?

_ _ 6 Have your wages ever been garnished?

_ _ 7 Have you ever been arrested?

_ _ 8 Do you plan to have children?

_ _ 9 Are you pregnant?

_ _ 10 How old are you? (If a person appears to be 55 years of age.)

_ _ 11 Was a fidelity bond ever refused to you?

_ _ 12 What does your husband (or wife) do?

_ _ 13 What was your maiden or prior married name? (If needed for a pre-employment

investigation.) _ _ 14 Do you have any friends or relatives working for this Company?

_ _ 15 Do you attend church regularly?

_ _ 16 Have you ever received welfare payments or government subsidies?

_ _ 17 Where were you born?

_ _ 18 Do you have any type of disability that might interfere with your ability to do the work? _ _ 19 Can you lift items weighing up to 50 lbs?

Handout 2

E XERCISE ON L AWFUL Q UESTIONS - ANSWER KEY

Proper Improper

_ _X 1 How many children do you have living at home? What arrangements will you

make for them?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about potential causes of absenteeism and tardiness Why is this question improper? Because it is mainly asked to women, resulting in two hiring policies one for women

and another for men which is illegal under the law Also this question has potential for having an adverse effect on persons with dependent children

Proper question: Are there any factors that would prevent you from meeting your work commitments or getting to

work on time?

_ _X 2 What crimes have you ever been convicted of? )

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about the possibility the person has been convicted of

crimes, suggesting they may perform criminal activity on the job

Why is this question improper? Asking candidates about convictions for crimes irrelevant to the position in question

can be illegal Also, this question can have an adverse effect on some minority groups

Proper question: A direct question can be asked about criminal convictions relevant to the job (stealing, when applying

for a job in a small electronics firm) The best practice would be to obtain conviction information through local police departments

_ _X 3 Do you have a college degree?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Whether the person has credentials assumed to suggest better

performance on the job than persons lacking the credentials

Why is this question improper? Unless having a college degree has been proven to be relevant to successful

performance on the job, it should not be used as a selection criteria

Proper question: Unless the credentials can be proven to be job relevant (e.g., need for an engineering degree to be an

engineer), this type of question is illegal to ask

What information is the question designed to elicit? Whether the person has a means of getting to work

Why is this question improper? Not having a car does not necessarily suggest that someone cannot make it to work In

addition, persons who do not own a car are often persons in lower income brackets There is potential, then, for adverse impact

Proper question: Will you have any difficulty getting to work on time?

Proper Improper

_ _X 5 Are you or have you ever been married?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Whether the person has, or lacks, qualities assumed to suggest

better job performances (e.g., marriage suggesting stability for men)

Why is this question improper? Marital status is not related to whether or not the person can perform the job

Proper question: None

_ _X 6 Have your wages ever been garnished?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information on factors in the person's life that may impact his/her

ability to get to work on time and/or not be absent

Why is this question improper? Wage garnishments do not affect the worker's ability to perform the job Also, adverse

impact can be created by this type of question

Proper question: Is there anything that will keep you from getting to work on time or being at work on required days?

_ _X 7 Have you ever been arrested?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information on whether the person has been guilty of performing

illegal activities that could adversely affect job performance or the organization

Why is this question improper? An arrest, is in no way an indication of guilt Also, minorities have historically

suffered proportionately more arrests than others, and therefore, may be disadvantaged by the question

Proper question: In this domain, the only proper question is a question about convictions relevant to the job

_ _X 8 Do you plan to have children?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information on factors in the person's life that may impact his/her

ability to get to work on time and/or not be absent

Why is this question improper? Because it is mainly asked to women, resulting in two hiring policies one for women

and another for men which is illegal under the law Also this question has potential for having an adverse effect on persons with dependent children

Proper question: Is there anything that will keep you from getting to work on time or being at work on the required

days?

Proper Improper

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about factors in the woman's life that may eventually

lead her to leave the job prematurely or that could impact her ability to perform effectively in the future (e.g., in a job involving heavy lifting)

Why is this question improper? It is only asked to women

Proper question: Any questions of this nature must be prefaced with a statement of job requirements After stating

these, a proper question would be, "These are the job requirements Is there anything that will prevent you from meeting them now or in the future?"

_ _X 10 How old are you? (If a person appears to be 55 years of age.)

What information is the question designed to elicit? Employers often assume, unlawfully and incorrectly, that older

persons are less apt to perform effectively on the job than younger persons Information about age, then, is perceived to

be important

Why is this question improper? The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits discrimination based on age

against individuals who are between the ages of 40 and 64, inclusive

Proper question: None

_ _X 11 Was a fidelity bond ever refused to you?

What information is the question designed to elicit? It is an indirect effort to find flaws which may exist in the

individual's past

Why is this question improper? A fidelity bond may be denied for totally arbitrary and discriminatory reasons to which

the individual does not have an adequate knowledge

Proper question: A question, such as this is only appropriate if bonding is required for the position If so, a proper

question would be, "Are you eligible for a fidelity bond?"

_ _X 12 What work does your husband (or wife) do?

What information is the question designed to elicit? It could be an indirect way to see whether or not the candidate is

married, in which case the comments on marital status apply

Why is this question improper? The profession of one's spouse is in no way related to performance on the job

Proper question: None

Proper Improper

_ _X 13 What was your maiden or prior married name? (If needed for a pre-employment

investigation.)

What information is the question designed to elicit? The need for previous names for pre-employment investigation

may be valid The question may also be improperly used to find out if the woman is married or has been married in the past It might also be used as an indication of her religious or national origin

Why is this question improper? Because it is only asked to women

Proper question: The only case in which this question is proper is if the information is needed for some kind of

employment investigation If this is the case, a proper question would be, "Have you ever gone by any other name than that which you are using now?"

_ _X 14 Do you have any friends or relatives working for this Company?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Depending on its use, information designed to bias a hiring

decision one way or the other, based on the applicant's answer

Why is this question improper? This question may reflect a preference for friends or relatives of present employees

Such a preference would be unlawful if it has the effect of reducing employment opportunities for women and

minorities It would have this unlawful effect if the present work force differs significantly in its proportion of women

and minorities from the population of the area from which the workers are recruited This question may also reflect a

rule that only one partner in a marriage can work for the employer This rule typically hurts women far more often then men

Proper question: This question can be used for placement purposes

Proper question: None.

_ _X 15 Do you attend church regularly?

What information is the question designed to elicit? In general, information about the person's ability to meet job

schedules based on the schedule with which they practice their religion

Why is this question improper? Whether or not a person attends church is unrelated to performance on the job

Proper question: A more direct question is lawful, such as, "Is there anything that will keep you from meeting the work

schedule of the job?"

Proper Improper

_ _X 16 Have you ever received welfare payments or government subsidies?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about the person's financial status that can be used for

selection decisions

Why is this question improper? This question is not job-related It may also result in adverse impact for some groups Proper question: None

_ _X 17 Where were you born?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about the person's work status, (i.e., whether or not

the person has a work permit)

Why is this question improper? Because it's generally asked to minorities, it can result in adverse impact

Proper question: Are you legally able to work in this country?

_ _X 18 Do you have any type of disability that might interfere with your ability to do

the work?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about any disabilities that could be potentially

limiting, in terms of the candidate's job performance

Why is this question improper? Interviewers should not ask about a candidate's disability, but should ask about his or

her ability to perform essential functions

Proper question: The interviewer describes the essential functions of the work and asks the candidate if he or she is

able to perform those functions, with or without accommodation

_ _X 19 Can you lift items weighing up to 50 lbs?

What information is the question designed to elicit? Information about physical ability

Why is this question improper? Interviewers should not ask about a candidate's ability to perform vague tasks, but

should ask about his or her ability to perform specific essential functions

Proper question: The interviewer describes the essential functions of the work in details and asks the candidate if he or

she is able to perform those functions, with or without accommodation

M ODULE 3: U SING THE

P LANT T ECHNICIAN I NTERVIEW G UIDE

OBJECTIVES 28

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS 28

LEARNING POINTS 28

SECTION 1. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW 28

SECTION 2. DURING THE INTERVIEW 29

SECTION 3. AFTER THE INTERVIEW 30