Week 5 Forum Responses/Interviews/PSYC 502

Respond to the 2 forum post below with 250 word minimum, list references

RESPONSE 1 (Cameron): Interviews are an essential part of the employment selection process.  Due to a variety of aspects including the types of questions asked, and the way in which the interviewee’s responses are evaluated, the reliability and validity of interviews may be greatly impacted.  However, there are steps to utilize, which can improve the reliability and validity of interviews.  For example, a structured interview with standardized questions, can improve the reliability and fairness of the interview because the same questions are asked of all candidate, which can enhance consistency and reduce interview bias.  Furthermore, having a list of standardized question that are based on a job analysis enhances validity, because the questions would be focused on the specificities of the job itself, which would increase job relatedness.  Another way to increase validity is to use multiple scales to evaluate responses to standardized questions, as to rate the interviewee on each specific competency (Huffcutt, Culbertson, & Weyhrauch, 2013).

Here are the three questions I would ask when interviewing candidates for a managerial position.

1. Describe a time when you were faced with completing an important, but boring task.  How did you deal with this situation?

This question is designed to to evaluate the individual’s drive and determination in completing a task.  It calls into question past experience, and can provide insight into future performance.  A good answer would show that the candidate has the ability to find effective solutions to get the job done, no matter what the circumstances, such as ” I developed strategies to maintain my interest and concentration throughout the task, in order to get it completed.”  Whereas, a bad answer would indicate that this individual might lack some problem solving skills and is not as motivated as one should be in a management type position, such as “It took me longer to complete the task because I became distracted, but I eventually got it done.”

2. If you were to have an argument with a co-worker, how would you handle the situation?

This question is designed to evaluate the individual’s interpersonal skills, and whether they are able to work well with others, and whether they are to successfully find ways to solve conflicts.  A good answer would show that the candidate is able to take responsibility for mistakes when necessary, and effectively work well with others, without unduly placing blame solely on the co-worker, such as “I would acknowledge my own role or mistakes in the situation, and I would calmly and communicatively work through the issue with my co-worker.”  Whereas, a bad answer would convey that the individual is not willing to look at all sides of the issue, or take any blame, even if warranted.  This would show a lack in inter-personal skills, and send the message that he or she might be confrontational and does not work well with others, such as “I would call out my co-worker if I really felt he or she was at fault.”

3. If the workday ended before a crucial task was completed, how would you handle the situation?

This question is designed to measure work ethic, and whether the individual has the willingness and ability to manage time wisely, and complete necessary tasks no matter what obstacles arise.  A good answer would exhibit a strong and dependable work ethic, and an individual who has good time management skills, such as “I would stay as late as necessary to ensure the task was completed, although I would work to ensure that that type of situation would not arise, by carefully planning the days activities accordingly.”  Whereas, a bad answer would indicate that the individual lacks dedication to his or her work, and does not prioritize the responsibility to get the work done in a timely manner, such as “If I had to leave, I would definitely make sure it was completed the next day.”  Overall, I feel these questions would specifically evaluate certain circumstances that would be necessary for a managerial position.

Huffcut, A.I., Culbertson, S.S., & Weyhrauch, W.S. (2013). Employment interview reliability: New meta-analytic estimates by structure and format. International Journal of Assessment and Selection, 21(3), 264-276.

RESPONSE 2 (Keaira): Interview validity refers to whether interview questions map to specific competencies listed on the Competency Assessment Worksheet normally utilized to assess, and select individuals during the hiring process, and to ensure maximum validity, there needs to be a one-to-one correspondence between interview questions asked and underlying competency (Grosse, 2018). Interview reliability goes hand in hand with validity because in order to ensure reliability all interview questions need to be mapped to specific competencies. When an interview stays structured or ensures that the proper mapping has been utilized in all interviews then the data from said interviews can be deemed both reliable, valid, and consistent with the requirements or competencies necessary to complete the job.

However, as the structure of interviews decreases the reliability and validity also decreases due to numerous of factors. These explanations include certain biases along with differences in the questions asked and the manner in which they may be interpreted. It is not to say that these variations are done intentionally but interviews with different individuals are unique and when there are different interviewers along with numerous interviewees the structurer tends to decrease.  

Part II

1. Think about a time when you had several options from which to choose, but none of them were sufficient to meet your goal. How did you decide which option to follow?

The question above is to assess a future employers decision making skills in their past, and where they currently are. In any job or career, employers are looking to hire employees who can demonstrate that they can make logical decisions or at the least think logically. The interviewee should respond in a manner that shows a systematic approach to weighing options and gives the interviewer an idea of their past decision making and lessons learned.

2. Describe your current supervisor’s management techniques and evaluate them.

When this question is asked in an interview, the employer is trying to assess the interviewees leadership style and their compatibility with the current organization. While there is technically no right or wrong answer for this question, the employer is just assessing what techniques, leadership, and problem-solving skills the person would implement if they were given a management position or faced with certain situations in the workplace.

3. What are the most difficult problems you think you have faced recently and how have you solved them?

             The last question above allows the employer to assess an individual’s resourcefulness, responsibility, and ability to solve various challenges. Once again like the previous question technically there is not right or wrong answer, however, the interviewer is looking for or logical or systematic answer that also displays your inventiveness or creativity. The manner in which the interviewee answers these questions will exhibit not only the above characteristics but also how they react under pressure along with their ability to think logically, and their overall attitude towards challenges.

References

Grosse, E. F. (2018). Interview Skills for Managers—Management Development. Retrieved from O’Reilly: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/interview-skills-for/750206/750206_ch02lev1sec9.html

The University of New Mexico. (1989). Sample Interview Questions Based on Nine Basic Competency Areas. Retrieved from NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory: https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/outreach/student_programs/HelpfulInterviewTips.pdf