HRSP Case Study: Implementing a customized pre-employment interviewing process

Situation: Human Resources staff at a large, multinational manufacturing corporation needed to create a standardized, systematic process for conducting pre-employment selection interviews. HR Leadership sought a valid, reliable process that would serve as an aid in meeting corporate goals for affirmative action and increasing employee performance.

Actions: HRSP staff worked in concert with corporate HR leadership to complete a detailed analysis of current interviewing practices vs. future needs. Customized tools, worksheets, and competencies were created and finalized by HRSP based on the specific job requirements. These materials, when combined with related training for hiring managers, clearly outlined the steps to be completed before, during, and after the employment interview, including:

  • Legal guidelines for interviewing
  • Preparing interview questions
  • Conducting a reliable interview process
  • Handling difficult candidate responses
  • Common interviewing "do's and don'ts"
  • Evaluating candidate responses
  • Reporting the results of an interview

Results: In less than 6 months, HRSP staff was able to define and finalize the critical competencies for use in the new and improved employment interview process. A standardized set of validated, lawful interviewing questions and procedures resulted in:

  • Improved opportunities to compare job candidates - both against each other and against the specific needs of the open position
  • Reliable use of tools and worksheets for conducting the interview
  • Significantly greater understanding of situations and questions that should be avoided during an employment interview
  • Highly increased consistency in evaluating candidate responses and reporting interview results