Ø Baby boomers: The term used to describe those individuals born between 1945 and 1970.
Ø Baby busters: The term used to describe those individuals born between 1961 and 1972.
Ø Background check/investigation: The process of verifying information supplied by applicants who are being considered for employment, including, but not limited to, contacting former employers, obtaining educational records and requesting criminal or consumer credit reports.
Ø Baldridge National Quality Award: The Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses—manufacturing and service, small and large—and to education and health care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results.
Ø Balanced scorecard: A popular strategic management concept developed in the early 1990s by Drs. Robert Kaplan and David Norton. The balanced scorecard is a management and measurement system that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. The goal of the balanced scorecard is to tie business performance to organizational strategy by measuring results in four areas: financial performance, customer knowledge, internal business processes, and learning and growth.
Ø Bankruptcy: A federal law consisting of different chapters (i.e. chapter 7, chapter 11 or chapter 13) that allows individuals and businesses that are experiencing extreme financial duress and are unable to meet their financial obligations to eliminate or restructure their debts.
Ø Barrier analysis: The process of reviewing an organization’s policies and procedures to identify and eliminate impediments in recruitment, selection, transfer, or promotion of protected class individuals throughout the organization.
Ø Behavioral-based interview: An interview technique that focuses on a candidate’s past experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities by asking the candidate to provide specific examples of when he or she has demonstrated certain behaviors or skills as a means of predicting future behavior and performance.
Ø Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS): An appraisal that requires raters to list important dimensions of a particular job and collect information regarding the critical behaviors that distinguish between successful and unsuccessful performance. These critical behaviors are then categorized and appointed a numerical value used as the basis for rating performance.
Ø Behavioral risk management: The process of analyzing and identifying workplace behavioral issues and implementing programs, policies or services most suitable for correcting or eliminating various employee behavioral problems.
Ø Behavior modification: A conscious attempt to change or eliminate an individual’s undesirable behavior by specifying expected behavior and reinforcing and rewarding desired behavior.
Ø Bell-shaped curve: The curve representing the normal distribution of a rating or test score.
Ø Benchmarking: The systematic process of comparing an organization’s products, services and practices against those of competitor organizations or other industry leaders to determine what it is they do that allows them to achieve high levels of performance.
Ø Benchmarks: The standards used as a basis for comparison or measurement.
Ø Bereavement leave: An employer policy that provides a specific number of paid days off following the death of an employee’s spouse, parent, child, grandparent or in-law so that the employee may attend funeral proceedings, etc.
Ø Best practices: Defined in a variety of ways, but typically refers to the practices of an organization that enables them to achieve superior organizational performance results.
Ø Bidding: The practice of posting all job openings internally so that current employees may be allowed the opportunity to apply for vacant positions prior to the employer seeking qualified candidates through other external recruitment measures.
Ø Blended workforce: A workforce is comprised of permanent full-time, part-time, temporary employees and independent contractors.
Ø Blind ad: A job advertisement placed in a newspaper, trade journal/publication, magazine or Internet job board that contains no identifying information about the employer placing the ad.
Ø Blood-Borne Pathogens Standard: An OSHA standard that sets forth requirements for employers with workers exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials. In order to reduce or eliminate the hazards of occupational exposure, an employer must implement an exposure control plan for the worksite with details on employee protection measures. The plan must also describe how an employer will use a combination of engineering and work practice controls, ensure the use of personal protective clothing and equipment, provide training, medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccinations, and signs and labels, among other provisions. Engineering controls are the primary means of eliminating or minimizing employee exposure and include the use of safer medical devices, such as needle less devices, shielded needle devices and plastic capillary tubes.
Ø Blue collar workers: Hourly paid workers employed in occupations that require physical or manual labor.
Ø Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ): A very narrowly interpreted exception to EEO laws that allows employers to base employment decisions for a particular job on such factors as sex, religion or national origin, if they are able to demonstrate that such factors are an essential qualification for performing a particular job.
Ø Bonus plan: An incentive pay plan which awards employees compensation, in addition to their base salary, for achieving individual or group performance and productivity goals.
Ø Boundary less organization: Defined as an organization that removes roadblocks to maximize the flow of information throughout the organization.
Ø Branding: The process of identifying and differentiating an organization’s products, processes or services from another organization by giving it a name, phrase or other mark.
Ø Breach of contract: Occurring when an individual who is a party to a contract or agreement does not uphold or violates the terms of the contract.
Ø Break-even analysis: A measure used to determine the approximate sales volume required to cover the costs associated with producing a particular product or service.
Ø Broad banding: A pay structure that consolidates a large number of narrower pay grades into fewer broad bands with wider salary ranges.
Ø Buddy system: A form of employee orientation whereby a newly hired employee is assigned to another employee (typically within the same department) who shows the new employee the ropes, introduces him or her to coworkers, gives personal assistance and answers questions on an as-needed basis.
Ø Budget: A numerical summary of an organization’s available resources and how those resources are to be allocated based on anticipated future expenditures for various items, such as equipment, training and development programs, benefits, implementing new processes or services, etc.
Ø Bumping: The practice of allowing more senior level employees whose positions have been slotted for elimination or downsizing the option of accepting an alternative position within the organization, for which they may be qualified to perform and which is currently occupied by another employee with less seniority.
Ø Burden of proof: The burden placed on an employer, as a result of a claim of discriminatory treatment, to provide a verifiable, legitimate and nondiscriminatory reason for any employment action taken which may have resulted in adverse treatment of a member(s) of a protected group.
Ø Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): The principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business and labor. BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.
Ø Burnout: Physical or emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation or decreased morale resulting from an individual being exposed to excessive or prolonged stress and frustration caused by personal problems, work pressures, financial difficulties, etc.
Ø Business continuity planning: Broadly defined as a management process that seeks to identify potential threats and impacts to the organization and provide a strategic and operational framework for ensuring the organization is able to withstand any disruption, interruption or loss to normal business functions or operation.
Ø Business literacy: The knowledge and understanding of the financial, accounting, marketing and operational functions of an organization.
Ø Business plan: A document that provides relevant information about a company by outlining items such as the company’s business description, market or industry, management, competitors, future prospects and growth potential, etc.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
HR DICTIONARY - A ALPHABET
ØAbility test: An assessment instrument used to measure an individual’s abilities, mental or physical skills level (i.e. problem solving, manual dexterity, etc.).
ØAbsenteeism: Referred to as the habitual failure of employees to report for work when they are scheduled to work.
ØAbsolute ratings: A rating method where the rater assigns a specific value on a fixed scale to the behavior or performance of an individual instead of assigning ratings based on comparisons between other individuals.
Ø Abstract reasoning: The process of perceiving issues and reaching conclusions through the use of symbols or generalizations rather than concrete factual information.
Ø Academic: An educator who is a faculty member at a college or university. Also referred to as Academician.
Ø Accessible format: Materials that are designed in alternate formats such as Braille, audiotape, oral presentation or electronically for individuals with visual impairments.
Ø Accountability: The responsibility placed on an individual or group for their own or others’ actions, conduct, performance, projects, etc.
Ø Accreditation: A process of external quality review and certification by a recognized body that evaluates individuals, colleges, universities and educational programs to assure they are performing the functions that they claim to be performing in a competent manner.
Ø Achievement test: A standardized testing instrument used to measure how much an individual has learned or what skills he or she has attained as a result of education, training or past experience.
Ø Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS): Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which kills or damages cells of the body's immune system by progressively destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections, which are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria that usually do not make healthy people sick.
Ø Acquisition: The process of acquiring control of another corporation by purchase or stock exchange.
Ø Action learning: A learner-driven, continuous learning process where learning revolves around the need to find solutions to real problems.
Ø Active learning: The process of learning new knowledge, skills and behaviors through taking specific actions or performing specific tasks.
Ø Activities of daily living (ADL): The personal care activities which are essential to an individual’s everyday living, including eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility and toileting.
Ø Adjunct program: A supplemental training tool that applies programming principles to existing instructional modules, materials, texts, manuals, etc., that are designed to direct the learner to specific areas within the module.
Ø Adult learner: Individuals who are beyond postsecondary education age, are employed on a full- or part-time basis and are enrolled in a formal or informal educational program.
Ø Adverse action: Any act by an employer that results in an individual or group of individuals being deprived of equal employment opportunities.
Ø Adverse impact: A substantially different rate of selection in hiring, promotion or other employment decision that works to the disadvantage of a race, sex or ethnic group.
Ø Adverse selection: An employer’s selection practices or policies that result in discriminatory or unfavorable treatment toward an individual or individuals who are members of a protected group.
Ø Advisory committee: A group or panel of internal or external members with no decision- making authority, assembled to identify and discuss specific issues and make recommendations.
Ø Affirmative action (AA): Any program, policy or procedure that an employer implements in order to correct past discrimination and prevent current and future discrimination within the workplace.
Ø After-acquired evidence: Used in litigation of employment discrimination disputes, after-acquired evidence is evidence that the employer discovers after it has already discharged an employee which proves that even if the discharge in question is found to be illegal, the employer would have dismissed the employee anyway in light of discovering the misconduct.
Ø Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967: The ADEA protects workers age 40 and over by prohibiting discrimination against workers 40 and over in any employment or employment-related decision. The Act applies to most employers with 20 or more employees. One of the main provisions of the Act is that employers, with very few exceptions, can no longer force an employee to retire.
Ø Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: The ADA is a federal anti-discrimination law which prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. This law (covering employers with 15 or more employees) is designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same employment opportunities that are available to persons without disabilities. When an individual's disability creates a barrier to employment opportunities, the ADA requires employers to consider whether a reasonable accommodation could remove the barrier.
Ø Alternation ranking: A rating method used in job evaluation and performance evaluation whereby the rater is asked to select the best and worst employees from a listing of all employees and then rank them accordingly.
Ø Alternative assessment: Nontraditional procedures and techniques used within the framework of instructional programs to evaluate a student’s educational achievement.
Ø Alternative dispute resolution (ADR): A voluntary procedure used to resolve disputes or conflicts between individuals, groups or labor-management. This procedure utilizes the services of a neutral third party to facilitate discussion and assist the parties in reaching an agreement, which is binding.
Ø Alternative worksite: Any location other than the employer’s physical worksite where employees are allowed to perform their jobs.
Ø Analysis of variance: A statistical method used to determine whether a relationship exists among two or more variables by formulating concurrent comparisons of the variables.
Ø Analytical thinking: The ability to analyze facts, generate a comparison and draw correct inferences or conclusions from available information.
Ø Anecdotal: Information that is based on observations or indications of individual actions instead of any organized process.
Ø Anti-nepotism policy: An employer’s policy that restricts the employment of two or more family members at the same time.
Ø Apparent authority: The appearance that an individual has the authority or power to act as an organization’s agent, even though the organization has bestowed no such authority or power to that individual.
Ø Applicant files: Application forms/resumes and other relevant items maintained by an employer and used during the selection process.
Ø Applicant flow data: Records of hiring, promotion and other related employment actions used for the purpose of monitoring selection and employment practices.
Ø Applicant pool: The sum total of all individuals who have applied for a position either by submitting a resume or application for employment which the employer uses to select candidates for employment.
Ø Applicant tracking: Any paper or computerized system that tracks the organization’s data such as resumes/applications and internal job posting information.
Ø Application service provider (ASP): A third-party organization that delivers software applications and related services over the Internet allowing an organization to outsource some or all of its information technology needs.
Ø Apprenticeship: A system used to train a person in a recognized trade or craft in accordance with specific standards. The apprenticed individual obtains his or her skills by performing the related duties for a specified period of time under the tutelage of an experienced craft or tradesman.
Ø Aptitude testing: A standardized testing instrument used during the selection process that is intended to measure and predict an individual’s abilities.
Ø Arbitration: An alternative dispute resolution method that uses a neutral third party (i.e. arbitrator) to resolve individual, group or labor-management conflicts and issue a binding decision.
Ø Architectural barriers: The physical attributes or design of a building, structure or facility that prevent individuals with physical disabilities from accessing or freely using the building, structure or facility. The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 requires any building constructed or leased in whole or in part with federal funds be made accessible to and usable by the physically disabled.
Ø Assessment center: A testing location where a candidate being considered for assignment or promotion to managerial or executive-level position is rated by a team of experienced evaluators over a series of days using standardized activities, games and other simulations to predict the candidate’s future job performance.
Ø Attendance policy: An employer’s written standards regarding the requirement for employees to be on time and present at work during regularly scheduled work periods.
Ø Attitude survey: A tool used to solicit and assess employee opinions, feelings, perceptions and expectations regarding a variety of managerial and organizational issues.
Ø Attorney: A professional individual who is authorized to practice law and can be legally appointed by either a plaintiff or a defendant to provide legal advice or act as a legal agent on their behalf during legal proceedings.
Ø Attrition: A term used to describe voluntary and involuntary terminations, deaths and employee retirements that result in a reduction to the employer's physical workforce.
Ø Auxiliary aids: Defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as including "a wide range of services and devices (necessary) for ensuring that equally effective communication" takes place with regard to persons with hearing, speech and vision disabilities. Such aids include, but are not restricted to, providing interpreters, assistive listening devices, materials in Braille, closed caption, telecommunication devices for the hearing impaired, etc.
Ø Availability analysis: The process of determining the number of qualified minorities and women in the relevant available workforce who possess or have the ability to acquire the required skills or qualifications for any available position within the organization.
ØAbsenteeism: Referred to as the habitual failure of employees to report for work when they are scheduled to work.
ØAbsolute ratings: A rating method where the rater assigns a specific value on a fixed scale to the behavior or performance of an individual instead of assigning ratings based on comparisons between other individuals.
Ø Abstract reasoning: The process of perceiving issues and reaching conclusions through the use of symbols or generalizations rather than concrete factual information.
Ø Academic: An educator who is a faculty member at a college or university. Also referred to as Academician.
Ø Accessible format: Materials that are designed in alternate formats such as Braille, audiotape, oral presentation or electronically for individuals with visual impairments.
Ø Accountability: The responsibility placed on an individual or group for their own or others’ actions, conduct, performance, projects, etc.
Ø Accreditation: A process of external quality review and certification by a recognized body that evaluates individuals, colleges, universities and educational programs to assure they are performing the functions that they claim to be performing in a competent manner.
Ø Achievement test: A standardized testing instrument used to measure how much an individual has learned or what skills he or she has attained as a result of education, training or past experience.
Ø Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS): Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which kills or damages cells of the body's immune system by progressively destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections, which are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria that usually do not make healthy people sick.
Ø Acquisition: The process of acquiring control of another corporation by purchase or stock exchange.
Ø Action learning: A learner-driven, continuous learning process where learning revolves around the need to find solutions to real problems.
Ø Active learning: The process of learning new knowledge, skills and behaviors through taking specific actions or performing specific tasks.
Ø Activities of daily living (ADL): The personal care activities which are essential to an individual’s everyday living, including eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility and toileting.
Ø Adjunct program: A supplemental training tool that applies programming principles to existing instructional modules, materials, texts, manuals, etc., that are designed to direct the learner to specific areas within the module.
Ø Adult learner: Individuals who are beyond postsecondary education age, are employed on a full- or part-time basis and are enrolled in a formal or informal educational program.
Ø Adverse action: Any act by an employer that results in an individual or group of individuals being deprived of equal employment opportunities.
Ø Adverse impact: A substantially different rate of selection in hiring, promotion or other employment decision that works to the disadvantage of a race, sex or ethnic group.
Ø Adverse selection: An employer’s selection practices or policies that result in discriminatory or unfavorable treatment toward an individual or individuals who are members of a protected group.
Ø Advisory committee: A group or panel of internal or external members with no decision- making authority, assembled to identify and discuss specific issues and make recommendations.
Ø Affirmative action (AA): Any program, policy or procedure that an employer implements in order to correct past discrimination and prevent current and future discrimination within the workplace.
Ø After-acquired evidence: Used in litigation of employment discrimination disputes, after-acquired evidence is evidence that the employer discovers after it has already discharged an employee which proves that even if the discharge in question is found to be illegal, the employer would have dismissed the employee anyway in light of discovering the misconduct.
Ø Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967: The ADEA protects workers age 40 and over by prohibiting discrimination against workers 40 and over in any employment or employment-related decision. The Act applies to most employers with 20 or more employees. One of the main provisions of the Act is that employers, with very few exceptions, can no longer force an employee to retire.
Ø Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: The ADA is a federal anti-discrimination law which prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. This law (covering employers with 15 or more employees) is designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same employment opportunities that are available to persons without disabilities. When an individual's disability creates a barrier to employment opportunities, the ADA requires employers to consider whether a reasonable accommodation could remove the barrier.
Ø Alternation ranking: A rating method used in job evaluation and performance evaluation whereby the rater is asked to select the best and worst employees from a listing of all employees and then rank them accordingly.
Ø Alternative assessment: Nontraditional procedures and techniques used within the framework of instructional programs to evaluate a student’s educational achievement.
Ø Alternative dispute resolution (ADR): A voluntary procedure used to resolve disputes or conflicts between individuals, groups or labor-management. This procedure utilizes the services of a neutral third party to facilitate discussion and assist the parties in reaching an agreement, which is binding.
Ø Alternative worksite: Any location other than the employer’s physical worksite where employees are allowed to perform their jobs.
Ø Analysis of variance: A statistical method used to determine whether a relationship exists among two or more variables by formulating concurrent comparisons of the variables.
Ø Analytical thinking: The ability to analyze facts, generate a comparison and draw correct inferences or conclusions from available information.
Ø Anecdotal: Information that is based on observations or indications of individual actions instead of any organized process.
Ø Anti-nepotism policy: An employer’s policy that restricts the employment of two or more family members at the same time.
Ø Apparent authority: The appearance that an individual has the authority or power to act as an organization’s agent, even though the organization has bestowed no such authority or power to that individual.
Ø Applicant files: Application forms/resumes and other relevant items maintained by an employer and used during the selection process.
Ø Applicant flow data: Records of hiring, promotion and other related employment actions used for the purpose of monitoring selection and employment practices.
Ø Applicant pool: The sum total of all individuals who have applied for a position either by submitting a resume or application for employment which the employer uses to select candidates for employment.
Ø Applicant tracking: Any paper or computerized system that tracks the organization’s data such as resumes/applications and internal job posting information.
Ø Application service provider (ASP): A third-party organization that delivers software applications and related services over the Internet allowing an organization to outsource some or all of its information technology needs.
Ø Apprenticeship: A system used to train a person in a recognized trade or craft in accordance with specific standards. The apprenticed individual obtains his or her skills by performing the related duties for a specified period of time under the tutelage of an experienced craft or tradesman.
Ø Aptitude testing: A standardized testing instrument used during the selection process that is intended to measure and predict an individual’s abilities.
Ø Arbitration: An alternative dispute resolution method that uses a neutral third party (i.e. arbitrator) to resolve individual, group or labor-management conflicts and issue a binding decision.
Ø Architectural barriers: The physical attributes or design of a building, structure or facility that prevent individuals with physical disabilities from accessing or freely using the building, structure or facility. The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 requires any building constructed or leased in whole or in part with federal funds be made accessible to and usable by the physically disabled.
Ø Assessment center: A testing location where a candidate being considered for assignment or promotion to managerial or executive-level position is rated by a team of experienced evaluators over a series of days using standardized activities, games and other simulations to predict the candidate’s future job performance.
Ø Attendance policy: An employer’s written standards regarding the requirement for employees to be on time and present at work during regularly scheduled work periods.
Ø Attitude survey: A tool used to solicit and assess employee opinions, feelings, perceptions and expectations regarding a variety of managerial and organizational issues.
Ø Attorney: A professional individual who is authorized to practice law and can be legally appointed by either a plaintiff or a defendant to provide legal advice or act as a legal agent on their behalf during legal proceedings.
Ø Attrition: A term used to describe voluntary and involuntary terminations, deaths and employee retirements that result in a reduction to the employer's physical workforce.
Ø Auxiliary aids: Defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as including "a wide range of services and devices (necessary) for ensuring that equally effective communication" takes place with regard to persons with hearing, speech and vision disabilities. Such aids include, but are not restricted to, providing interpreters, assistive listening devices, materials in Braille, closed caption, telecommunication devices for the hearing impaired, etc.
Ø Availability analysis: The process of determining the number of qualified minorities and women in the relevant available workforce who possess or have the ability to acquire the required skills or qualifications for any available position within the organization.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - JOB MOTIVATION
JOB MOTIVATION
Following is a list of questions designed to help identify an applicant’s motivation to do the type of work the position requires. The intent is not to see if they had good motivation/satisfaction in their previous jobs, but to see if the types of things they enjoy doing will be available in this position. For example, if a person said he enjoyed his last job because he liked to work outside and with people doing different things all of the time, a desk job in accounting would probably not provide high satisfaction.
1. What do you like best (least) about your job as a _______________________ ?
2. What were/are your reasons for leaving _________________________________?
3. Give me some examples of experience in your job at ________________that were satisfying? Dissatisfying? Why?
4. What gave you the greatest feeling of achievement in your job at ______________? Why?
5. Give me an example of when you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement.
6. All jobs have their frustrations and problems. Describe specific job conditions, tasks, or assignments that have been dissatisfying to you. Why?
7. Give me some examples of past working experience that you have found personally satisfying.
8. What are some recent responsibilities you have taken on? Why did you assume these responsibilities?
9. Tell me about the most boring job or task you have had. Why was it boring? What did you do about it? How did you handle the boredom?
10. Tell me about a time when the duties and responsibilities available in a specific position overlapped with duties and responsibilities that brought you personal satisfaction.
11. Why do you want to be a _____________________________ (title of position)?
12. Why did you choose this (career, type of work)?
13. What job values are important to you?
Following is a list of questions designed to help identify an applicant’s motivation to do the type of work the position requires. The intent is not to see if they had good motivation/satisfaction in their previous jobs, but to see if the types of things they enjoy doing will be available in this position. For example, if a person said he enjoyed his last job because he liked to work outside and with people doing different things all of the time, a desk job in accounting would probably not provide high satisfaction.
1. What do you like best (least) about your job as a _______________________ ?
2. What were/are your reasons for leaving _________________________________?
3. Give me some examples of experience in your job at ________________that were satisfying? Dissatisfying? Why?
4. What gave you the greatest feeling of achievement in your job at ______________? Why?
5. Give me an example of when you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement.
6. All jobs have their frustrations and problems. Describe specific job conditions, tasks, or assignments that have been dissatisfying to you. Why?
7. Give me some examples of past working experience that you have found personally satisfying.
8. What are some recent responsibilities you have taken on? Why did you assume these responsibilities?
9. Tell me about the most boring job or task you have had. Why was it boring? What did you do about it? How did you handle the boredom?
10. Tell me about a time when the duties and responsibilities available in a specific position overlapped with duties and responsibilities that brought you personal satisfaction.
11. Why do you want to be a _____________________________ (title of position)?
12. Why did you choose this (career, type of work)?
13. What job values are important to you?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s utilization of appropriate interpersonal styles and methods in guiding individuals or a group toward task accomplishment.
1. Tell me about a time you had to take a firm stand with a co-worker. What was the situation? What was difficult about the co-worker? What was the firm stand you had to take?
2. Describe how you instruct someone to do something new. What were you training them to do? Walk me through how you did it.
3. Tell me about a time you had to win approval from your co-workers for a new idea or plan of action.
4. Tell me about a new idea or way of doing something that you came up with which was agreed to by the boss. What did you do to get it to the right person? What did you do to get the boss to agree? Be specific.
5. Describe any supervisory or leadership training, schooling, or work experience you have had and its relevance to this position.
6. Give a specific example of something you have done that demonstrates you are a team player.
7. What leadership skills and experience do you have that would qualify you as an effective leader? Be specific.
8. What are your long-and-short term plans for your department? Are they in writing?
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s utilization of appropriate interpersonal styles and methods in guiding individuals or a group toward task accomplishment.
1. Tell me about a time you had to take a firm stand with a co-worker. What was the situation? What was difficult about the co-worker? What was the firm stand you had to take?
2. Describe how you instruct someone to do something new. What were you training them to do? Walk me through how you did it.
3. Tell me about a time you had to win approval from your co-workers for a new idea or plan of action.
4. Tell me about a new idea or way of doing something that you came up with which was agreed to by the boss. What did you do to get it to the right person? What did you do to get the boss to agree? Be specific.
5. Describe any supervisory or leadership training, schooling, or work experience you have had and its relevance to this position.
6. Give a specific example of something you have done that demonstrates you are a team player.
7. What leadership skills and experience do you have that would qualify you as an effective leader? Be specific.
8. What are your long-and-short term plans for your department? Are they in writing?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - COMMUNICATION SKILLS
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Following is a list of sample questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s communication skills. This section also includes observations to be made during the interview.
Interviewer’s Observations
A. Consider if the applicant is able to express himself/herself effectively and in a well-organized manner.
B. Observe whether the applicant has good eye contact.
C. Consider whether the applicant’s grammar, sentence structure, etc. are appropriate to the requirements of the position.
These questions should be customized to fit your position. Normally, only two or
three questions would be used:
1. We’ve all had occasions when we misinterpreted something that someone told us (like a due date, complicated instructions, etc.) Give me a specific example of when this happened to you. What was the situation? Why was there a misinterpretation? What was the outcome?
2. What kind of reports/proposals have you written? Can you give me some examples?
3. Give an example of when you told someone to do something, and they did it wrong. What was the outcome?
4. What reports that you are currently preparing (or recently prepared) are the most challenging and why?
5. What kinds of presentations have you made? Can you give me some examples? How many presentations do you make a year?
6. Give me an example from your past working experience where you had to rely on information given to you verbally to get the job done.
7. What different approaches do you use in talking with different people? How do you know you are getting your point across?
8. What is the worst communication problem you have experienced? How did you handle it?
Following is a list of sample questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s communication skills. This section also includes observations to be made during the interview.
Interviewer’s Observations
A. Consider if the applicant is able to express himself/herself effectively and in a well-organized manner.
B. Observe whether the applicant has good eye contact.
C. Consider whether the applicant’s grammar, sentence structure, etc. are appropriate to the requirements of the position.
These questions should be customized to fit your position. Normally, only two or
three questions would be used:
1. We’ve all had occasions when we misinterpreted something that someone told us (like a due date, complicated instructions, etc.) Give me a specific example of when this happened to you. What was the situation? Why was there a misinterpretation? What was the outcome?
2. What kind of reports/proposals have you written? Can you give me some examples?
3. Give an example of when you told someone to do something, and they did it wrong. What was the outcome?
4. What reports that you are currently preparing (or recently prepared) are the most challenging and why?
5. What kinds of presentations have you made? Can you give me some examples? How many presentations do you make a year?
6. Give me an example from your past working experience where you had to rely on information given to you verbally to get the job done.
7. What different approaches do you use in talking with different people? How do you know you are getting your point across?
8. What is the worst communication problem you have experienced? How did you handle it?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - TEAM WORK
TEAMWORK
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to a person’s ability to work and get along with others.
1. We’ve all had to work with someone who is very difficult to get along with. Give me an example of when this happened to you. Why was that person difficult? How did you handle that person?
2. When dealing with individuals or groups, how do you determine when you are pushing too hard? How do you determine when you should back off? Give an example.
3. From time to time, all of us are confronted by someone who wastes our time at work. Tell me about some situations like that. What did you do?
4. How do you go about developing rapport (relationships) with individuals at work?
5. Give me some examples of when one of your ideas was opposed in a discussion. How did you react?
6. Describe a situation when you found yourself dealing with someone very sensitive. What happened?
7. Describe some situations when you wished you had acted differently with someone at work.
8. Tell me, specifically, what you have done to show you are a team player at ______________.
9. We all have ways of showing consideration for others. What are some things you’ve done to show concern or consideration for a co-worker?
10. When did you last lose your temper at work? Describe the reasons. What was the outcome?
11. How do you keep your employees informed with what is going on in the organization?
12. What methods do you use to keep informed with what is going on in your area?
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to a person’s ability to work and get along with others.
1. We’ve all had to work with someone who is very difficult to get along with. Give me an example of when this happened to you. Why was that person difficult? How did you handle that person?
2. When dealing with individuals or groups, how do you determine when you are pushing too hard? How do you determine when you should back off? Give an example.
3. From time to time, all of us are confronted by someone who wastes our time at work. Tell me about some situations like that. What did you do?
4. How do you go about developing rapport (relationships) with individuals at work?
5. Give me some examples of when one of your ideas was opposed in a discussion. How did you react?
6. Describe a situation when you found yourself dealing with someone very sensitive. What happened?
7. Describe some situations when you wished you had acted differently with someone at work.
8. Tell me, specifically, what you have done to show you are a team player at ______________.
9. We all have ways of showing consideration for others. What are some things you’ve done to show concern or consideration for a co-worker?
10. When did you last lose your temper at work? Describe the reasons. What was the outcome?
11. How do you keep your employees informed with what is going on in the organization?
12. What methods do you use to keep informed with what is going on in your area?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - WORK STANDARD
WORK STANDARD
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s personal standard of performance.
1. What are your standards of success in your job? What have you done to meet these standards?
2. Bosses sometimes are not satisfied with the way we do certain things or complete certain projects. Can you give me some examples of when this happened to you?
3. What do you consider the most important contribution your department has made to this organization? What was your role?
4. What factors, other than pay, do you consider most important in evaluating yourself or your success?
5. Everyone has to bend or break the rules sometime. Can you give me some examples of when you had to do this?
6. When judging the performance of others, what factors or characteristics are most important to you?
7. Describe the time you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement.
8. Tell me about a time when you weren’t very pleased with your work performance. Why were you upset with your performance? What did you do to turn around your performance?
9. We’ve all had to work with people who are very difficult to get along with. Give me an example of when this happened to you. Why was the person difficult? How did you handle the person? What was the result?
10. When have you declined a work-related decision? Why?
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s personal standard of performance.
1. What are your standards of success in your job? What have you done to meet these standards?
2. Bosses sometimes are not satisfied with the way we do certain things or complete certain projects. Can you give me some examples of when this happened to you?
3. What do you consider the most important contribution your department has made to this organization? What was your role?
4. What factors, other than pay, do you consider most important in evaluating yourself or your success?
5. Everyone has to bend or break the rules sometime. Can you give me some examples of when you had to do this?
6. When judging the performance of others, what factors or characteristics are most important to you?
7. Describe the time you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement.
8. Tell me about a time when you weren’t very pleased with your work performance. Why were you upset with your performance? What did you do to turn around your performance?
9. We’ve all had to work with people who are very difficult to get along with. Give me an example of when this happened to you. Why was the person difficult? How did you handle the person? What was the result?
10. When have you declined a work-related decision? Why?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - TECHNICAL SPECIFIC
TECHNICAL AND/OR POSITION SPECIFIC
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s past work experience, duties, and working conditions which are similar to those of the position for which the individual is being considered.
1. What training have you received in ____________________?
2. Describe how the process can best be performed. Have you discovered any shortcuts? How do they work?
3. Describe your experience with the following tools and equipment. (Interviewer, list job related tool).
4. Walk me through the procedures you would follow to_______________.
5. What equipment have you been trained to operate? When/where did you receive that training?
6. What equipment did you operate in your job at ___________________?
7. Describe your experience performing the following tasks. (Interviewer, list job related tasks).
8. What job experiences have you had that would help you in this position?
9. How do you follow the prescribed standards of safety when performing (task) _________________?
10. Have you ever identified potential malfunctions of equipment? How did you discover the potential malfunction? What did you do to correct the problem?
11. Being a ________________________ certainly requires a lot of technical knowledge. How did you go about getting it? How long did it take you?
12. Do you consider your technical abilities basic, intermediate, or advanced?
13. On a scale of one to ten, ten being you are a perfect technical match or this position, where would you rank yourself?
14. What would you add to or subtract from your technical background to make you more qualified for this position?
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s past work experience, duties, and working conditions which are similar to those of the position for which the individual is being considered.
1. What training have you received in ____________________?
2. Describe how the process can best be performed. Have you discovered any shortcuts? How do they work?
3. Describe your experience with the following tools and equipment. (Interviewer, list job related tool).
4. Walk me through the procedures you would follow to_______________.
5. What equipment have you been trained to operate? When/where did you receive that training?
6. What equipment did you operate in your job at ___________________?
7. Describe your experience performing the following tasks. (Interviewer, list job related tasks).
8. What job experiences have you had that would help you in this position?
9. How do you follow the prescribed standards of safety when performing (task) _________________?
10. Have you ever identified potential malfunctions of equipment? How did you discover the potential malfunction? What did you do to correct the problem?
11. Being a ________________________ certainly requires a lot of technical knowledge. How did you go about getting it? How long did it take you?
12. Do you consider your technical abilities basic, intermediate, or advanced?
13. On a scale of one to ten, ten being you are a perfect technical match or this position, where would you rank yourself?
14. What would you add to or subtract from your technical background to make you more qualified for this position?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - PLANNING & ORGANIZING
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s ability to schedule work and handle multiple tasks.
1. How do you organize your day?
2. How often is your time schedule upset by unforeseen circumstances? What do you do when that happens? Tell me about a specific time.
3. Describe a typical day ... a typical week. (Interviewer, listen for planning)
4. How do you establish priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples.
5. What is your procedure for keeping track of items requiring your attention?
6. What did you do to get ready for this interview?
7. We have all had times when we just could not get everything done on time. Tell me about a time that this happened to you. What did you do?
8. Tell me how you establish a course of action to accomplish specific long-and-short term goals.
9. Do you postpone things? What are good reasons to postpone things?
10. Give me some examples of projects or tasks where you postponed immediate action. Why?
11. How do you catch up on an accumulated backlog of work after a vacation or conference?
Following is a list of questions designed to gather information relating to an individual’s ability to schedule work and handle multiple tasks.
1. How do you organize your day?
2. How often is your time schedule upset by unforeseen circumstances? What do you do when that happens? Tell me about a specific time.
3. Describe a typical day ... a typical week. (Interviewer, listen for planning)
4. How do you establish priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples.
5. What is your procedure for keeping track of items requiring your attention?
6. What did you do to get ready for this interview?
7. We have all had times when we just could not get everything done on time. Tell me about a time that this happened to you. What did you do?
8. Tell me how you establish a course of action to accomplish specific long-and-short term goals.
9. Do you postpone things? What are good reasons to postpone things?
10. Give me some examples of projects or tasks where you postponed immediate action. Why?
11. How do you catch up on an accumulated backlog of work after a vacation or conference?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - STRESS TOLERANCE
STRESS TOLERANCE
Following is a list of questions designed to provide information relating to an individual’s stability of performance under pressure. These questions are not designed to rate a person’s stress level. They are designed to give the interviewer an idea of how the applicant has reacted to past stressful situations.
1. What pressures do you feel in your job? How do you deal with them?
2. Describe the highest pressure situations you have been under recently. How did you cope with them?
3. Tell me how you maintain constant performance while under time and work load pressures.
4. Describe times in the past year when you have been most upset with yourself at work.
5. Describe times in the past year when you have been most upset with someone else at work.
6. Describe the last time a person at work (customer, co-worker, boss) became irritated or lost his/her temper. What did they do? How did you respond? What was the outcome?
7. Tell me about some situations in which you became frustrated or impatient when dealing with (customers, co-workers, boss). What did you do?
8. In your career, what has been your greatest disappointment?
9. We’ve all lost our temper at one time or another. Describe for me the last time you lost your temper. What had occurred? How did you respond?
10. Give me an example of when your ideas were strongly opposed by a co-worker or supervisor. What was the situation? What was your reaction? What was the result?
Following is a list of questions designed to provide information relating to an individual’s stability of performance under pressure. These questions are not designed to rate a person’s stress level. They are designed to give the interviewer an idea of how the applicant has reacted to past stressful situations.
1. What pressures do you feel in your job? How do you deal with them?
2. Describe the highest pressure situations you have been under recently. How did you cope with them?
3. Tell me how you maintain constant performance while under time and work load pressures.
4. Describe times in the past year when you have been most upset with yourself at work.
5. Describe times in the past year when you have been most upset with someone else at work.
6. Describe the last time a person at work (customer, co-worker, boss) became irritated or lost his/her temper. What did they do? How did you respond? What was the outcome?
7. Tell me about some situations in which you became frustrated or impatient when dealing with (customers, co-workers, boss). What did you do?
8. In your career, what has been your greatest disappointment?
9. We’ve all lost our temper at one time or another. Describe for me the last time you lost your temper. What had occurred? How did you respond?
10. Give me an example of when your ideas were strongly opposed by a co-worker or supervisor. What was the situation? What was your reaction? What was the result?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - INITIATIVE
INITIATIVE
Following is a list of sample questions designed to gather information about an individual’s ability to identify tasks that need to be done without specifically being told to do them.
1. Have you found any ways to make your job easier or more rewarding?
2. What do you do differently from other people in the same position?
3. Have you ever recognized a problem before your boss or others in the organization? How did you handle it?
4. What do you do in your job that is not covered in your job description?
5. We’ve all had occasions when we were working on something that just “slipped through the cracks.” Can you give me some examples of when this happened to you? Cause? Result?
6. In your past experience, have you noticed any process or task that was being done unsafely (incorrectly)? How did you discover it or come to notice it?
7. Are you doing a good job? How do you know?
8. Give me some examples of doing more than required in your job?
9. Can you think of some projects or ideas (not necessarily your own) that were carried out successfully primarily because of your efforts?
10. What new ideas or suggestions have you come up with at work?
11. This job requires much time working alone. Tell me about a job or project where you worked unsupervised and were given only general guidelines for job/project completion.
12. Have you found any ways to make other employees’ jobs easier or more rewarding?
13. What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
14. What did you do to change the aspects of your job that you dislike?
Following is a list of sample questions designed to gather information about an individual’s ability to identify tasks that need to be done without specifically being told to do them.
1. Have you found any ways to make your job easier or more rewarding?
2. What do you do differently from other people in the same position?
3. Have you ever recognized a problem before your boss or others in the organization? How did you handle it?
4. What do you do in your job that is not covered in your job description?
5. We’ve all had occasions when we were working on something that just “slipped through the cracks.” Can you give me some examples of when this happened to you? Cause? Result?
6. In your past experience, have you noticed any process or task that was being done unsafely (incorrectly)? How did you discover it or come to notice it?
7. Are you doing a good job? How do you know?
8. Give me some examples of doing more than required in your job?
9. Can you think of some projects or ideas (not necessarily your own) that were carried out successfully primarily because of your efforts?
10. What new ideas or suggestions have you come up with at work?
11. This job requires much time working alone. Tell me about a job or project where you worked unsupervised and were given only general guidelines for job/project completion.
12. Have you found any ways to make other employees’ jobs easier or more rewarding?
13. What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
14. What did you do to change the aspects of your job that you dislike?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE - BACKGROUND REVIEW
BACKGROUND REVIEW
Application/Resume
The following questions are designed to confirm the information on the candidate’s resume. Verify the address and phone numbers with information provided by Human Resource Services. If there are changes, advise the candidate to update his or her resume in Human Resource Services with the correct information.
Educational Background
1. What is the highest level of education you have received?
2. List all degrees you have earned. Give the name of the institution from which each degree was earned and the field of study of each degree.
3. List any other education or training relevant to the (position title) position.
Employment Background
1. Who is your present or most recent employer?
2. What are/were your major responsibilities at (present/most recent job)?
3. Discuss/determine skills and level of expertise related to (position title). (Insert specific questions).
4. Which skills have you acquired in your present or previous positions that make you competitive for this position?
5. What do/did you like best about that position? What do/did you like least?
6. Which accomplishments in your present position are you proud of and why?
7. Why are you planning to/did you leave that position?
Application/Resume
The following questions are designed to confirm the information on the candidate’s resume. Verify the address and phone numbers with information provided by Human Resource Services. If there are changes, advise the candidate to update his or her resume in Human Resource Services with the correct information.
Educational Background
1. What is the highest level of education you have received?
2. List all degrees you have earned. Give the name of the institution from which each degree was earned and the field of study of each degree.
3. List any other education or training relevant to the (position title) position.
Employment Background
1. Who is your present or most recent employer?
2. What are/were your major responsibilities at (present/most recent job)?
3. Discuss/determine skills and level of expertise related to (position title). (Insert specific questions).
4. Which skills have you acquired in your present or previous positions that make you competitive for this position?
5. What do/did you like best about that position? What do/did you like least?
6. Which accomplishments in your present position are you proud of and why?
7. Why are you planning to/did you leave that position?
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