Whetten David A., Cameron Kim S. Developing management skills
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CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS SUPPLEMENT B 627
A reflective probe is also used when you want
elaboration or clarification. It is nondirective in nature
and generally mirrors or repeats some aspect of the
answer the interviewee just gave you:
❏ “You think, then, this policy will work?”
❏ “Are you saying your supervisor doesn’t offer
the kind of supervision you need?”
❏ “Is it correct to assume you would be willing to
relocate?”
If the interviewee does not answer your question,
you may need to use a repetition probe. Simply para-
phrase the question or repeat it verbatim. If you want
the interviewee to keep on talking freely, use silence
to encourage him or her to do so. Silence tends to
communicate you expect more from the interviewee.
Be careful not to wait too long, though; give an inter-
viewee enough time to think but not enough time to
become uncomfortable. Responses such as “I see,”
“Hmmmm,” and “Okay, go on” are nondirective and
nonevaluative ways of encouraging the interviewee to
speak. Table B.6 summarizes these probes and when
to use them.
The effective use of probing questions is perhaps
the most important skill an interviewer can develop.
Table B.5 Sample Interview Questions for an Employment Interview
EDUCATION WORK EXPERIENCE SELF-EVALUATION
• What was there about your • How did you obtain your current • What do you know about our
major that appealed to you? job? industry or company?
• What was your most rewarding • What duties occupy most of • What interests you about our
experience in college? your time? product or service?
• What subjects were the most • What part of your work do you • What is your long-term career
difficult for you to master? like the most and the least? objective?
Why?
• If you were starting college all • What has been your greatest • What are your greatest strengths
over again, what courses would frustration and your greatest and weaknesses?
you take? joy?
• What difficulties did you • What things about your • What have you done that has
experience in getting along with supervisor did you like and demonstrated initiative and
other students and faculty? dislike? willingness to work hard?
• What did you learn from your • What criticisms of your work • What do you think determines a
extracurricular activities? have you received? person’s progress in a good
company?
• What are your plans for self-
improvement during this year?
• What are the three most
important things in your life?
It is also the most difficult to develop. Too often, an
interviewer leaves an interview and thinks about all
the things that could have been discussed if only the
topic had been followed up with appropriate probes.
Or perhaps the interview was ineffective because the
interviewer probed into irrelevant topics and thus
spent too much time gathering relatively useless infor-
mation. An effective interviewer needs to learn when
to probe and when to stop. If you have planned appro-
priately, you will be aware of the issues you want to
cover and at what depth. Follow your interviewee’s
cues as well as your agenda in determining when and
how much to probe issues.
Conclude the Interview
The third stage of the interview is the conclusion.
When you conclude an interview, you should accom-
plish four purposes. First, be sure you indicate explicitly
the interview is about to end. Say something such as,
“Well, that’s all the questions I have” or “You’ve been
very helpful.” This helps the interviewee understand if
he or she has any questions, they should be asked now.
Second, try to summarize the information you obtained.
This serves as a check on the accuracy of the informa-
tion you have just obtained: the interviewee can correct
628 SUPPLEMENT B CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
your impressions if they seem to be in error. Third, let
the interviewee know what’s going to happen next: Will
you need to meet again? Will you make a report?
Finally, make sure you continue to build the relationship
by expressing appreciation for his or her time and
thoughtful responses.
Record the Information
While you may have planned the interview perfectly
and asked all the right questions and probes, if you
cannot remember accurately the information obtained,
the interview cannot be considered a success. After all,
you prepared and conducted the interview to get infor-
mation, not simply because you wanted to have a
conversation with someone. The first point you need
to recognize concerning remembering interview infor-
mation is simple: Memory alone will not work. Relying
solely on memory leaves open the possibility of forget-
ting the information or adjusting it to meet your own
Table B.6 Types of Probes and When to Use Them
• Use an
elaboration
probe when an answer seems superficial or inadequate in some way:
I
NTERVIEWER: How have you been able to adapt to your new job responsibilities?
I
NTERVIEWEE: Well, each day I find myself challenged by something new.
INTERVIEWER: Why don’t you tell me more about a specific challenge.
• Use a
clarification
probe when you need to clarify information given by the interviewee:
I
NTERVIEWER: How do you feel about working overtime?
I
NTERVIEWEE: Well, it’s okay some of the time.
INTERVIEWER: Can you tell me specifically when you would be willing to work overtime?
• Use a
reflective
probe when you want elaboration or clarification but want to obtain it in a nondirective manner:
I
NTERVIEWER: So how are you adapting to your new responsibilities?
I
NTERVIEWEE: Well, each day I find myself challenged by something new.
INTERVIEWER: Really? Something new each day?
• Use a
repetition
probe when the interviewee doesn’t answer your question:
I
NTERVIEWER: What do you believe to be the most difficult aspect of your job?
I
NTERVIEWEE: Well, that’s not an easy question. My supervisor says I have problems with meeting productivity quotas.
INTERVIEWER: But what do
you
believe to be the most difficult aspect of your job?
• Use
silence
when you want to encourage the interviewee to continue talking:
I
NTERVIEWER: Do you think we should continue our policy concerning absenteeism?
I
NTERVIEWEE: Yes, I do.
I
NTERVIEWER: (pauses for 10 seconds)
I
NTERVIEWEE: Yes, I think it’s good policy because . . .
needs. Even if you summarize the interview as soon as
it is over, you run the risk of reinterpreting the infor-
mation in ways the interviewee did not mean.
However, if summarizing the interview is your pre-
ferred choice, make sure you write your summary
immediately after the interview. Additionally, you
might want to use your interview guide as a basis for
summarizing: Review your questions and write out the
interviewee’s answers.
A better way to remember information is to take
notes during the interview. Make sure you advise the
interviewee you will take notes. Take notes as unobtru-
sively as possible so as not to make the interviewee
uncomfortable. Learn how to write notes while still
maintaining eye contact with the interviewee. This is a
difficult skill to master, but it can be done; journalists use
this skill frequently with great success. Develop your
own shorthand so you are, in fact, taking notes and not
recording the interview verbatim. If you need a verbatim
account of the interview, then you should use a tape
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS SUPPLEMENT B 629
recorder. First ask the interviewee if he or she minds
being tape-recorded. Keep the recorder out of sight if
possible so neither you nor the interviewee feels threat-
ened by it. One final way to help you remember the
interview information is to have a second interviewer
participate in the interview. After the interview, your dis-
cussion will function as a check on each other’s memory
of what occurred.
Specific Types of
Organizational Interviews
The information presented in the preceding sections
will help you plan and conduct almost any type of
interview. However, there are some special types to
plan and consider. In this section, we will briefly
describe the most common types of organizational
interviews and apply the general principles presented
earlier to specific issues and circumstances.
INFORMATION-GATHERING
INTERVIEWS
The information-gathering interview is the one most
frequently held in organizations and is also the one that
is most like a conversation. You might conduct this type
of interview when you need to gather facts about an
issue or to help in a problem-solving situation. If you
treat these fact-finding missions as interviews, you will
be in a better position to gather accurate, useful infor-
mation because you will take the time to plan ahead.
Clearly, you need to follow the planning steps discussed
above: decide on a general purpose and create an
agenda; develop questions; develop the structure of the
interview; plan the setting; and anticipate problems.
Furthermore, the information-gathering interview is
the only interview for which you can choose the expert.
In other organizational interviews, such as the selection
interview or the performance-appraisal interview, you
have little choice of whom you will see. However, when
you want to gather information about some topic or
problem, you choose the interviewee. This choice
is based on two factors: who can give you the informa-
tion you need and who is willing to give you this infor-
mation (Stano & Reinsch, 1982). Too often, interviewers
will talk to interviewees who are willing but who do not
have the necessary information. For instance, suppose
your organization is considering the implementation of a
flextime work schedule and you have been assigned to
write a feasibility report. While you may get some inter-
esting opinions from a colleague on the advantages of
such a schedule, it would be better if you could find an
expert on flextime for your interview. On the other
hand, if you wanted to find out how well received such
a change would be, then you would talk to colleagues
rather than an expert.
The nature of an information-gathering interview is
such that the interviewee may not realize he or she
is being interviewed. Thus, it may be difficult to keep
the interviewee on track and responsive to your ques-
tions. More so than in any other interview, you as the
interviewer must remain flexible and adaptive to your
interviewee. Choose a physical setting that will encour-
age talk and provide an appropriate climate. The funnel
sequence works well in information-gathering inter-
views because of its ability to immediately elicit general
information and the interviewee’s feelings on the sub-
ject. However, the inverted funnel may be a better
choice if you will be interviewing a number of people on
the same topic and you need to maintain consistency in
evaluating their responses.
EMPLOYMENT-SELECTION
INTERVIEWS
The employment interview is used to help current orga-
nizational members choose new members. During the
selection interview, the interviewer tries to assess
whether job candidates will fit into the organization and
if they have the appropriate skills for the job. In addi-
tion, the interviewer often tries to sell the organization
itself to the interviewee. Questions asked during the
selection interview address four general topics: prior
work experience, education and training, personality
characteristics, and related activities and interests. The
nature of the job and the interviewee will dictate which
topics will be emphasized.
As Table B.7 shows, there are three sources of
information you should review when creating ques-
tions for a selection interview:
Table B.7 Formulating Selection Interview
Questions
❏ Use the
job description
to formulate questions concern-
ing task-related skills and personality characteristics.
❏ Use the selection interview
evaluation form
to formu-
late questions that can help you assess the applicant
on the basis of your organization’s general criteria for
employees.
❏ Use the applicant’s
résumé
and
cover letter
to
formulate questions concerning the applicant’s
specific skills and prior work experience.
630 SUPPLEMENT B CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
1. Review the job description to assess the
technical skills and experience needed by
the person. Also review the job environment to
determine the desirable personal qualities
required. Create your questions based on these
reviews; avoid asking merely generic questions.
2. Look at the evaluation form your company uses
to assess prospective employees. Make sure
some of your questions deal with the topics on
this evaluation form. For instance, if one of the
topics on this form is communication skills, cre-
ate questions that specifically address this sub-
ject. In this case, you may want to ask the appli-
cant about his or her writing skills and how he
or she has used them in the past.
3. One final piece of information you should use
for developing questions for a selection inter-
view is the applicant’s résumé and cover letter.
Read these documents carefully. If there are
gaps in time between jobs, ask the applicant
about them. If the information on the résumé
is too general, develop questions to get at
the specifics. Remember most people create
résumés with a very specific goal in mind: to
obtain an interview. Therefore, the information
tends to be a summary of all the good aspects of
that person’s career to date. Additionally, all
information tends to be written in glowing
language. Be prepared to reach beyond this lan-
guage to obtain clarifying information. For
example, suppose you came across this line in a
cover letter: “I’ve had years of experience in
leadership positions.” Clearly, you would want
to ask this applicant for more specific informa-
tion: “How many years?” “What kinds of posi-
tions were these?” “What were your specific
leadership responsibilities?”
In constructing interview questions, be sure to
include some that focus on specific experiences. For
instance, you might want to ask something such as,
“Can you tell me about a time when you successfully
met a goal you set?” The interviewee may be reluctant to
be specific, but you should probe until the interviewee
offers you useful, specific, behavioral information.
Why is behavioral information so important?
Many experts believe the best way to assess future job
performance is to assess past behavior: Past behavior
predicts future performance. If you can find out how
the interviewee behaved in real situations in the past
that are similar to those he or she is likely to face in
your organization, you can determine if his or her style
will fit into your organization and work well with
other members.
Take care that you ask a balanced series of ques-
tions: Ask for negative information as well as positive.
This will help you obtain a well-rounded picture of the
interviewee and also expose hidden bias. For instance,
you might want to follow the positive question with
something like: “Well, now tell me about a time when
you failed to meet a goal you set.” Again, make sure
the person gives you specific behavioral information.
In conclusion, remember your primary purpose in a
selection interview is to find a person who is qualified for
a particular opening in your organization. Table B.8
details a six-step process (using the acronym PEOPLE)
used by a major firm to help interviewers accomplish this
purpose. It follows the general interviewing model
outlined in the first half of this supplement.
PERFORMANCE-APPRAISAL
INTERVIEWS
The performance-appraisal interview is usually part of a
larger professional appraisal system. The goal of this sys-
tem is to evaluate a member of an organization and often
to provide feedback to a subordinate concerning ways to
improve job performance. While every organization dif-
fers in the specifics of carrying out the performance-
appraisal system, there are some common aspects.
Generally, prior to the performance-appraisal
interview, written evaluations are prepared by the sub-
ordinate, the superior, or both people. There are any
number of types of evaluation forms, including an
essay form, on which the manager writes a description
of the subordinate’s work, with no real set format;
forced-choice ratings, in which the manager chooses a
statement from many which describes the subordinate
in one area; or a graphic rating scale, in which the
manager rates the subordinate on various areas on a
1–7 numerical scale. In most cases, though, you will
be asked to back up your assessment of the subordi-
nate with specific and concrete information. For
instance, if you are using a graphic rating scale and
indicate the employee performed unsatisfactorily, you
should write out in objective terms why you have
made this assessment. The subordinate has a right to
know, and you have the responsibility to back up your
decisions with evidence.
It is the responsibility of the interviewer to prepare
the structure of the performance-appraisal interview. The
interviewer should set a definite time and place for the
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS SUPPLEMENT B 631
interview, considering the effects these choices will have
on the interview and the interviewee. The interviewer
must decide on the general purpose of the interview and
the agenda. Common topics that are often brought up in
performance-appraisal interviews include job knowl-
edge, job performance, job goals, career goals and oppor-
tunities, and interpersonal skills.
The difficult aspect of the performance-appraisal
interview is that people tend to shy away from evalu-
ating others or being evaluated in face-to-face situa-
tions. Both participants in a performance-appraisal
interview may be apprehensive. As the interviewer,
you need to reassure the interviewee that you are con-
ducting the performance-appraisal interview as a
means of assisting in the interviewee’s development.
Keep in mind that people do not like to be criticized,
and balance your criticisms with reassurances and
commendations.
In conducting a performance-appraisal interview,
you must decide beforehand on your objectives. The
objectives should then dictate the form of the interview.
In general, three types of appraisal interviews seek to
meet specific objectives (Maier, 1958), and a fourth type
can be used to meet multiple objectives (Beer, 1987).
These interview types are summarized in Table B.9.
The first type of appraisal interview is called the
tell-and-sell interview. This approach is evaluative in
nature. First, you tell the subordinate how you have
Table B.8 Selection Interview Format (PEOPLE-Oriented Process)
P = Prepare
1. Review application, résumé, transcripts, and other background information.
2. Prepare both general and individual-specific questions.
3. Prepare suitable physical arrangements.
E = Establish Rapport
1. Try to make applicant comfortable.
2. Convey genuine interest.
3. Communicate supportive attitude with voice and manner.
O = Obtain Information
1. Ask questions.
2. Probe.
3. Listen carefully.
4. Observe the person (dress, mannerisms, body language).
P = Provide Information
1. Describe current and future job opportunities.
2. Sell positive features of firm.
3. Respond to applicant’s questions.
L = Lead to Close
1. Clarify responses.
2. Provide opportunity for final applicant input.
3. Explain what happens next.
E = Evaluate
1. Assess match between technical qualifications and job requirements.
2. Judge personal qualities (leadership, maturity, team orientation).
3. Make a recommendation.
632 SUPPLEMENT B CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
evaluated him or her, and then you sell the subordinate
on the ways you have chosen to improve his or her per-
formance. This type of interview should be used when
you must be very clear about your expectations. This
format is also effective with young employees who find
it difficult to evaluate themselves, with very loyal
employees or those who strongly identify with the orga-
nization or the appraiser, and with employees who do
not want to have a say in how to develop their job and
role in the organization (Downs et al., 1980).
If, however, you want to let the subordinate
respond to your evaluation, you would use the tell-
and-listen appraisal format. In this interview, you first
tell the employee your evaluation; then you listen to
his or her reactions without displaying any agreement
or disagreement. The objective of this interview is
evaluative, but you also want to hear the subordinate’s
viewpoints and work with the subordinate to help him
or her accept your evaluation. Active listening directed
at helping the subordinate work through his or her
feelings about the evaluation and past performance
will help you successfully complete a tell-and-listen
appraisal. This type of interview works best with
people who have a high need to participate in their
jobs, with interviewees who are relatively close in sta-
tus to the interviewer, and with subordinates who are
highly educated (Downs et al., 1980).
The third general type of performance appraisal is
the problem-solving interview. In this interview, evalu-
ating the person is no longer the goal. Rather, the
appraiser’s role is to help the employee develop a plan
for improving his or her performance. The perfor-
mance deficiencies are determined by the subordinate,
not the supervisor. Your goal as the interviewer is to
Table B.9 Types of Performance-Appraisal Interviews
Tell-and-Sell Interview
Used for purely evaluative purposes. Manager tells the employee the evaluation and then persuades the employee to
follow recommendations for improvement.
Tell-and-Listen Interview
Used for purely evaluative purposes. Manager tells the employee the evaluation and then listens to the employee’s
reactions to the evaluation in a nonjudgmental manner.
Problem-Solving Interview
Used for employee-development purposes. Manager does not offer evaluation but lets employee decide his or her weak
areas and works with employee to develop plan for improvement.
Mixed-Model Interview
Used for both evaluative and development purposes. Manager begins interview with problem-solving session and
concludes with a more directive tell-and-sell approach.
avoid judgments and evaluations; rather, you offer sug-
gestions for solutions to the problems defined by the
interviewee. You form a partnership with the subordi-
nate to solve the problems he or she brings up.
Finally, if your objectives are to both perform an
evaluation and offer developmental coaching, you
could choose to use a mixed-model interview (Beer,
1987). In this type of appraisal interview, you begin
with a problem-solving framework and end the inter-
view with a more directive tell-and-sell approach. In
this way, you can both help a subordinate meet the
development goals as well as offer your own evalua-
tion and plan for development.
No matter which type of interview you choose, a
performance-appraisal interview should contain all the
elements of a general interview: build rapport and orient
the interviewee to the subject; conduct the body of the
interview in a supportive manner; conclude by specifying
what is going to happen. Additionally, the performance-
appraisal interview generally includes a discussion of a
specific plan for improvement or change.
Summary and Behavioral Guidelines
While many people consider interviewing a process that
just happens, we have argued that effective interviewing
requires planning and thought. The steps shown in
Figure B.1 provide a framework for enhancing your
interviewing skills. The first step, thorough preparation,
is essential for a successful interview. Planning involves
deciding on your purposes, questions, structure, setting,
and responses to anticipated problems. During the actual
interview, work toward establishing and maintaining a
supportive and productive climate. Keep in mind every
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS SUPPLEMENT B 633
interview should have an introduction, body, and
conclusion and you need to develop ways to record the
information you obtain during the interview.
There are a variety of organizational interviews,
but the most common are the information-gathering
interview, the employment-selection interview, and
the performance-appraisal interview. Each of these
interviews has very different objectives and specific
means to reach them. Be flexible in how you conduct
these interviews. As in any communication activity,
you should adapt to the situation, your personality, and
the person with whom you are conversing.
Interviewing is a vital management skill. When
done well, an interview can provide you with informa-
tion not otherwise available. This information can then
better inform the decisions you make as you act out
your role in the organization.
Following are general behavioral guidelines for plan-
ning and conducting interviews. Specific guidelines
for specialized interviews are incorporated into the
Observer’s Feedback Forms in the Skill Practice exercises.
Planning the Interview
1. Specify your purposes and plan an agenda.
❏ Determine your general purpose: to gather
information, persuade, discipline, or evaluate.
❏ Compose an agenda, prioritizing all topics.
2. Formulate questions.
❏ Determine the type of questions (closed or
open) that are consistent with the objectives.
❏ Write specific questions for each topic on the
agenda.
❏ Use appropriate language in your questions.
❏ Avoid biased or leading questions.
3. Develop the interview guide.
❏ Select the appropriate format: structured,
semistructured, or unstructured.
❏ Use either the funnel or inverted funnel
question sequence.
❏ Formulate transition statements between topics.
4. Select a setting that is consistent with your
objectives.
5. Identify potential complications that might
occur during the interview and develop
contingency plans.
Conducting the Interview
6. Establish and maintain a supportive climate.
❏ Greet interviewee and initiate a brief social
conversation.
❏ Foster a positive communications climate by
constant analysis of, and adaptation to, the
interview process.
❏ Use effective listening skills and nonverbal
language (eye contact, posture, and gestures)
to foster cooperation.
7. Introduce the interview.
❏ State the purpose of the interview.
❏ Clarify interviewee’s and interviewer’s roles.
❏ Specify the time frame of the interview.
❏ Indicate how the information will be used.
❏ Use a transition to signal the beginning of the
interview.
8. Conduct the interview.
❏ Use the interview guide to manage the flow of
the interview.
❏ Use probing questions when elaboration or
clarification are required.
❏ Be flexible and adapt to the flow of the
interview.
9. Conclude the interview.
❏ Signal the interview is about to end.
❏ Summarize the information you have
collected.
❏ Clarify details or technical information.
❏ Review what will happen as a result of the
interview.
❏ Strengthen the relationship by expressing
appreciation.
10. Record the interview content, using the appropriate
format.
❏ Write a summary immediately after the
interview.
❏ Take notes during the interview (sustaining
eye contact).
❏ Use a tape recorder (with the interviewee’s
permission).
❏ Use a second interviewer to improve
your recall.
SKILL
PRACTICE
634 SUPPLEMENT B CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
EXERCISES FOR CONDUCTING
SPECIAL-PURPOSE INTERVIEWS
Evaluating the New Employee-Orientation Program
You work for a high-tech electronics firm that was recently purchased by a large,
multibusiness conglomerate. Your company produces components for highly sophisti-
cated communications equipment used by the government. This is an exciting, but some-
what confusing, period in the company’s history. The new parent company, BETA
Products, is known as a Japanese-like firm. It emphasizes high productivity, along with
employee commitment and loyalty.
BETA is sending a human resources management team to inspect your organization in
two weeks. In advance, they have sent a list of programs they want to review, including
your new employee-orientation program. Your boss, the vice president of human resources,
has given you the assignment of preparing a 30-minute briefing on this program to the BETA
task force. Specifically, she has asked you to interview representatives of various groups in
your organization to determine their perceptions of the program’s merits and shortcomings.
Currently, when a new employee enters your organization, he or she goes through
an extensive orientation session. During this session, the new employee meets with a
member of the Human Resources Department to learn about company policies and pro-
cedures and receive the Employee’s Handbook. This session can last from two to three
hours, depending on the participants. At the end of the session, the new employee is
assigned a mentor, a member of the new employees department who has been with the
organization for at least one year. The role of the mentor is to help the new employee
become familiar with his or her new job and coworkers. The mentor is expected to meet
with the new employee on a semiregular basis for at least six months. The relationship
can continue if both parties agree. This orientation program has been used for about three
years but has never been formally evaluated.
Assignment
To complete this assignment, you have scheduled interviews with several department
heads, mentors, and current trainees. Prepare the interview you would conduct with the
person from whom you are assigned to gather information about the orientation program.
Before beginning this task, review the behavioral guidelines for planning an effective
interview at the end of the Skill Learning section. You should also consult Tables B.1
through B.3, and Table B.6. In small groups, compare your questions with others. What
did you leave out? What questions need to be reworded? What types of probes may be
needed? After this discussion, split up into triads and take turns serving as the inter-
viewer, interviewee, and observer. Do not look at the following role descriptions while
planning this exercise. An observer will give feedback using the Observer’s Feedback
Form as a guide.
Role Descriptions for Interviewees
Trainee
You’ve just found out you are going to be interviewed on the mentor program with which
you’ve been involved for three months. You’ve been quite happy with the program and
CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS SUPPLEMENT B 635
would like to see it continued; in fact, someday, you want to be a mentor to new
employees.
Many of your friends have pointed out you have a tendency to talk too fast, talk a lot,
and tend to dominate a conversation. You realize when you get nervous or involved in an
issue, you do talk a lot. You are certainly nervous about this interview because you are
very involved in the program and you’ve heard through the grapevine the program might
be cut. You feel that would be terrible. You really want to let the interviewer know how
much you’ve learned from your mentor and the whole orientation program. What you
have to say is important, and you want to make sure the interviewer hears all the good
things you have to say about the program.
You are particularly positive about the program because it contrasts with your expe-
rience from your former job. In that organization, you were merely given a cursory
overview of the company benefits through a videotape presentation. Furthermore,
because there was no standardized mentoring program, new employees were left to fend
for themselves. They were given no clear picture of what the company expected of them,
no encouragement, and no sense of involvement in a group effort. As a result, a great deal
of confusion and misunderstanding resulted. Here, in contrast, you have appreciated
being able to get answers to your questions from one person. Overall, you feel as though
this approach enabled you to become proficient in your job very quickly.
Department Head
You’ve just found out you are going to be interviewed on the mentor program, and it
couldn’t have come at a worse time. You’ve just lost one of your best employees, and you
have been scrambling to try to find a replacement. You’re really not interested in spend-
ing time to think about this interview or participate in it. You’d rather use the time on
employment interviews to find a new assistant.
In fact, you tend to be uncomfortable in interviews of any kind. Because you tend to
be shy, this kind of one-on-one formal conversation always makes you feel uncomfortable.
You don’t mind it so much when you are the interviewer—at least then you have some
control over the situation. But you don’t feel you’ve ever been a really good interviewee.
The direct questions always make you feel as if you are on trial; as a result, you withdraw
and appear to be uncooperative, even defensive.
You think the interviewer should be talking to people more directly involved in the
program. You really don’t have much to do with it anyway, except for matching up people.
The program seems to work okay, but no doubt trainees would learn just as quickly if they
sought out their own mentors. You know many of your staff members feel the program is
worthwhile, so you’ll back it up, albeit reluctantly. However, you would much rather write
an evaluation of the program than have to talk about it to a relative stranger.
Mentor
You’ve just found out you are going to be interviewed on the mentor program, a program
with which you’ve been involved for six months. When you first became a mentor, you
were excited about the possibilities. Now, however, experience has shown the program is a
waste of time. Too often, the trainees use their mentors as a crutch, both at work and in
their social lives. The program inspires a dependency you find counterproductive and time
wasting.
You’ve found yourself in the position of practically taking over trainees’ jobs because
they got used to relying on your expertise. You’ve thought this might simply be a result of
your own personality—too willing to help, perhaps—but you’ve also noticed this behav-
ior in other mentors and trainees.
Furthermore, you haven’t noticed any significant difference in productivity between
people who have gone through the program and people who haven’t. In fact, because of
636 SUPPLEMENT B CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS
the development of social relationships, your feeling is that productivity has probably
declined: there is too much gossip and goofing off and not enough concentration on tasks.
You think the company ought to abandon the program. While a brief orientation might
be useful to new hires, you no longer can justify the amount of time you put into the pro-
gram, given the results. Even this evaluation of the program is taking up your valuable time.
Observer’s Feedback Form
RATING
1 = Low
5 = High
Introduction
1. Did interviewer
_______ use a friendly greeting?
_______ begin to build rapport?
_______ state purpose?
_______ orient interviewee?
_______ refer to taking notes or recording interview?
Body
2. Did interviewer
_______ use appropriate question sequence?
_______ use a variety of question types?
_______ use internal summaries and transitions?
_______ respond to interviewee with good secondary questions (probes)?
_______ use silence when appropriate?
_______ maintain rapport with interviewee?
_______ handle problematic interviewee well?
Closing
3. Did interviewer
_______ sum up?
_______ maintain/encourage good interpersonal relationship?
_______ indicate what would happen with information?
_______ set up another meeting, if appropriate?
_______ thank interviewee?
Nonverbals
4. Did interviewer
_______ wear appropriate clothing?
_______ maintain eye contact with interviewee?
_______ use purposeful gestures?
_______ use appropriate tone of voice?
_______ maintain good posture?
_______ look enthusiastic and interested in what interviewee had to say?