Our one-day interviewing skills course is tailored for delegates who would like to gain better interviewing skills and learn how to conduct successful interviews for choosing the right employee(s). Our Interviewing course will show candidates how to; gain winning interview skills; give better interviews; be a better interviewer and learn how to interview effectively. As well as improving interviewing skills, delegates will also learn recruitment and employment law.

QUESTIONING SKILLS P2: SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS

Always ask situational questions, as they explore the candidate’s actual experience in a specific skill/quality from the person specification. These sorts of questions will give you some idea of how they may react in future e.g. “Tell me about a time when you had to make a quick decision. What did you do?”

Use the STARS technique to ensure that you gain meaningful information

S          Situation – What was the situation?

T         Target – What were you aiming to achieve?

A         Action Taken – What action did you take?

R         Result – What was the result? Did you achieve your aim?

S          Spin-Offs – What have you done differently as a result?

Follow up or probe questions

Use when you do not have enough information, or to discourage vague answers.

“Tell me more about…”, or “Can we go into this a little deeper?”

Other good follow up probe questions are:

“How did you tackle that?”

“Why did you do that?”

“What else were you aware of?”

“Would you enlarge a little on that for me please?”

Such questions need to be oiled so as not to appear too aggressive

In-Depth Questioning Using STARS

In order to make an effective evaluation of a candidate it is vital to gather ‘evidence’ on each of the criteria from your person specification. This can be achieved by probing actual situations where the individual had an opportunity to demonstrate the skill in which you are interested. e.g. ‘Can you think of a situation where you had to demonstrate initiative?’

The STARS sequence allows you to gain in depth information. Define what it is you want and then ask the question e.g. ‘I’d like you to tell me about a time when you had to deal with a different situation with an angry customer’.

Situation

‘What was the situation?’

Target

‘What were you aiming to achieve?’

Action

Tell me in your own words what you said when…?

What did you say?

What did the other person say?

How did you feel? Why?

What was your motive in doing that at this point? Why?

What was the customer’s reaction?

What did you do then?

What other options did you have?

Why did you choose that one?

Why did you say that?

Why take that action?

What was their reaction?

Result

What was the outcome?

How did you know this was successful?

How does this demonstrate…?

How did this compare with what you set out to do?

Spin-Offs

What did you learn?

How have you used that learning?

What have you done differently as a result?

Using this sequence will also enable you to compare what they were aiming to achieve with what was actually achieved.

It can be used to probe both achievements and disappointments although it is vital to balance negative and positive examples.

Interviewing Skills Course

This course will cover the practical skills needed for successful interviewing and our reputation for effective recruitment training has been endorsed by many delegates. Those who have attended the course have described it as being productive, informative and focused. It allows delegates to understand the stages of carrying out interviews and shows them how to conduct an effective interview so that they are able to attract the best candidates and choose the best person for the job. We guarantee to deliver the best employment strategies, tips and techniques for better interviewing and recruiting skills.

Course Dates

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Who will benefit from the course?

Our course will cover the practical skills needed to make recruitment interviews productive and focused. It will allow delegates to understand the stages of the recruitment process and how to conduct an effective interview so that they are able to attract the best candidates and choose the best person for the job.

Our courses allow all staff to benefit from enhanced interviewing skills. The types of delegate we have trained previously are:

• Directors and senior managers
• Sales and fundraising staff
• Local government employees
• Managers, department heads, team leaders and supervisors
• Technical and academic team members

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