Employment Services

Classified - Conducting the Interviews

Once you have ESO permission to proceed with interviews, you may set up the interviews.

1. Send the Selection for Interview Letter.  Be sure to enclose a blank Application for USM Employment for them to complete and bring with them to the interview.  Note: if you arrange the interviews by phone and there is sufficient time for them to receive the "Application" prior to the interview, please mail.  Otherwise they will be required to fill out at interview so alert them they will need to bring any info needed.  You will need to submit your successful applicant's form to Employment Services at time job offer is made.
2. Use your Interview Rating Sheet to document the interviews.  Some suggestions:
   1. Review again the list of questions that are not permitted before you start.
   2. Be alert to ADA considerations:
      Arrange for an accessible place for interviews (if questions, or if someone requests special accommodations such as having a signer for a hearing-impaired person, contact the Office of  Campus Diversity and Equity for guidance)
      
      Avoid questions regarding disability.  Assess the candidate's qualifications without regard to what appears to be a disability.  Go over the job description with every person interviewed and ask if they can perform the duties.  If the person indicates a disability that may make performance of certain duties difficult (or if the disability is apparent), you may ask the person to describe or demonstrate how the functions would be performed, or what accommodations would be necessary in order to perform them.  Don't make assumptions that a person's disability will interfere with ability to do the job or that a suggested accommodation would be unreasonable.  Contact the ESO for assistance as to making an individualized assessment of the situation.
   3. Start the interview with a brief description of the job, the workplace, and the staffing structure of your department.  Give the applicant a chance to ask questions.
   4. If it is a Service and Maintenance Unit position, and it is being filled by the intra-departmental promotion option, the unit agreement requires that seniority be given "due consideration" (Art. 15, para 5b).  Include a question regarding how long the person has worked here and how s/he thinks that experience/seniority will assist in being successful in the new job.
   5. While interviews are helpful, be aware that one needs to be careful to avoid common problems such as "first impressions" (making the decision within the first few minutes), "similar to me" (rating people higher who look, act or have background similar to the interviewer), and "halo effect" (rating a person high on all factors based on being outstanding on only one factor).

Once you've completed interviews, it is time to do the very important reference checks.

For problems with this page, contact: Linda Boody