Hiring Step #6: Conduct Competency Interviews, page 110.
- You’re now ready to interview candidates face-to-face.
- Of the 12 Topgrading Hiring Steps, this first face-to-face interview is the weakest.
- Eliminate this step and your hiring success will probably not be affected.
Disadvantages of Competency Interviews
- Competency interviews are far better than “tell me about yourself” chats.
- The trouble is, Competency Interviews are weak predictors of job performance when compared with the Topgrading Interview.
- Human Resource Executives of Global 100 companies said that Competency Interviews are the reason for 80% of their mis-hired managers.
- The Competency Interview Model:
- Analyze the job.
- Write a list of competencies necessary for success.
- Prepare a list of behaviorally anchored questions.
- Structure the process with standard questions and note-taking.
- Unfortunately, Competency Interviews generate maybe 100 data points to address maybe six competencies.
- The Topgrading Interview (Step #7) generates thousands of data points to address dozens of competencies.
- Competency Interviews fail because a typical competency question is, “Pat, can you give me an example of when you had a lot of passion for your work?” Of course, anyone can come up with an example and anyone can claim more passion than exists. Candidates are in total control of responses.
So, Why Include Competency Interviews?
- Sharp candidates want to talk with a lot more people than just the Topgrading interviewers.
- It lets candidates ask additional questions.
- Some companies like the “inertia” of keeping this step.
Here’s How to create a Competency Interview Guide
- Pick key competencies:
- Most jobs have five or six “key competencies.”
- Write four questions about each competency:
- Two questions asking a candidate to describe situations in which the competency was shown.
- Two questions asking a candidate to describe situations in which the competency was NOT shown.
- Write as many culture-fit questions as there are interviewers:
- Every competency interviewer will focus on one or more competencies, PLUS ask at least one question to try to determine how the person will fit with organizational culture.
- Create a Competency Interview Guide:
- Include questions and spaces for responses.
- Choose the competency interviewers:
- Typically four to six for a management job.
- Typically includes peers of the hiring manager.
- Typically a couple of people at the candidate’s level.
- The hiring manager is not one of the interviewers for the competency interview but instead will be one of the tandem Topgrading interviewers.
- The hiring manager sometimes greets the candidate at the beginning of the day, to essentially be the host for the day.
After the Competency Interview
- The Hiring Manager meets with the competency interviewers.
- The Hiring Manager decides whether to ask the candidate in for the Topgrading Interview.
