Dear Reader:
The following document was created from the MTAS electronic library known as MORe (www.mtas.tennessee.edu/more). This online library is maintained daily by MTAS staff and seeks to represent the most current information regarding issues relative to Tennessee municipal government.
We hope this information will be useful to you; reference to it will assist you with many of the questions that will arise in your tenure with municipal government. However, the Tennessee Code Annotated and other relevant laws or regulations should always be consulted before any action is taken based upon the contents of this document.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments regarding this information or any other MORe material.
Sincerely,
The University of Tennessee
Municipal Technical Advisory Service
1610 University Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37921-6741
865-974-0411 phone
865-974-0423 fax
www.mtas.tennessee.edu
A major milestone in the recruitment and selection process is reached when you have decided who you will interview.
Click on the items below to find more detailed information on preparing and conducting an interview.
Prior to conducting interviews, there is one remaining procedure that you may wish to consider using — the pre-interview questionnaire [1].
The pre-interview questionnaire is a series of questions that are pertinent to the position for which you are recruiting. It has two purposes:
Both of the above are important in evaluating candidates for managerial and professional positions.
The pre-interview questionnaire should be returned by each candidate well in advance of the interview date, so that each interviewer has an opportunity to review it and complete the pre-interview assessment form [2]. The assessment form should be completed and at hand when you interview the candidate. You may desire to audiotape or videotape the interview.
In preparing for the interview you may discover that some of the candidates you are considering have decided not to pursue the opportunity. There are a number of legitimate reasons why this may happen. Accepting another position, second thoughts about leaving the current job, or reaching a conclusion that this is just not the right move are not uncommon.
In deciding how many candidates to interview, you must be guided in part by budget and time constraints. Time and money have a way of helping make decisions. There is no magic number. Be guided by the specific situation that confronts you, and do not force the situation by striving for a particular number. Interviewing three candidates that you really feel good about is better than interviewing five against your better judgment.
You will need to decide who will be doing the interviewing for your organization. Your charter may dictate who will do the hiring for the position. For a management or professional position, it is a good idea for more than one person to participate. Sometimes a screening committee or a selection committee approach makes sense. Often it may be the governing body itself. What’s important is to include some perceptive questioners and listeners. The interview is an important event leading to a big decision. You are about to do some heavy-duty comparison shopping.
It is necessary that you enter the interview with a clear plan and specific objectives. At a minimum, observe these basic principles:
The kinds of questions asked in the interview are important, and careful consideration should be given to the way they are worded and asked. For a professional management-level position, these are some of the areas that you should evaluate in the interview:
These areas are general categories within which specific questions are developed and asked. All candidates should be asked the same questions. The emphasis and importance placed on each area will vary depending upon the needs and priorities of the position and the organization.
Date
Dear Public Works Director Candidate:
Thank you for applying for the position of public works director for the city of (name), Tennessee. We have received many applications for this important position.
Of the applications we received, there are approximately (number) at which we would like to look closer. Your application is one of these. In order to find out more about you and your management style, we have enclosed a list of six questions we would like you to answer and return to us no later than (date). Based on these responses, we will select a small number of applicants whom we would like to bring to (city name) to interview. Simply write or type your responses in the space provided, and please feel free to call if you have any questions.
In the meantime, I want to thank you again for your interest in the position of public works director. We look forward to receiving your responses so that we can learn more about you.
Sincerely,
City Manager
Encl: Public Works Applicant Questionnaire
It is important to emphasize the importance of conducting each interview in a fair and equitable manner. It is not possible to develop identical interview situations, but every effort should be made to ensure a basic consistency in the interview format. This does not mean that concerns specific to a particular candidate cannot or should not be pursued. The interview is exactly the right time to do that.
What are the basic goals of interviewing for management and professional positions? There are two, and they must be kept uppermost in mind at all times:
The interview begins by you welcoming the candidate and making him or her feel comfortable. Open the interview by highlighting the job description and reviewing with the candidates the salient features of their resumes. Allow and encourage candidates to tell you about themselves. Keep in mind that the interview is a two-way street. Both parties are buyers and both are sellers. As the potential employer, you must be prepared to answer legitimate questions. If a candidate does not ask you any questions, you have good reason to be concerned about that candidate’s seriousness. Allow at least one-third of the total interview time for the candidate’s questions and for your responses.
The uppermost concern of most job candidates is “Is this the right job for me?” The questions directed to you and the answers you give are significant because they will help the candidate make a decision on that most important of questions. In answering, be honest and straightforward. Anything short of honesty is a disservice to your own organization and grossly unfair to the candidate. Answering the question “Is this the right job for me?” is as important to you as it is to the candidate. If you are an inexperienced interviewer, there are a number of common pitfalls that you should be aware of and avoid. These include:
There are many legal concerns and questions related to hiring. Visit the section entitled "Interviewing and the Law" to get more detailed information regarding questions that can be asked during an interview.
During the interview do everything you can to get the whole story, the big picture and all the basic questions answered to your satisfaction. At the conclusion of the interview complete the interview evaluation form. It is not unusual that more than one interview with the same candidate may be necessary or desirable.
As you continue to narrow the field and to really zero in on one or two applicants, a second or third interview can be productive and decisive. Do what is necessary to completely achieve the two primary objectives of the interview. Do not ask questions regarding religion, ethnicity, health, marital status, dependents or politics.
1. What interests you most about the position?
2. What are your personal and professional strengths?
3. Why do you want to leave your present job?
4. What aspects of this job would you most enjoy?
5. Tell us about some major accomplishments you have achieved in your present position.
6. In your view, what is the most important aspect of this job?
7. What qualifies you to manage a department with ____ employees and an operating budget of million?
8. What are your personal and professional goals?
9. How would you describe your own personality?
10. If we walked up and down Main Street of the community you now serve, what would the business community and the public tell us about you?
11. What do your subordinates think of you?
12. What are the characteristics you look for when hiring people?
13. Have you terminated employees?
14. How would you go about terminating a key employee?
15. Describe your management philosophy and style.
Links:
[1] https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/reference/sample-pre-interview-questionnaire
[2] https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/reference/pre-interview-assessment-form
DISCLAIMER: The letters and publications written by the MTAS consultants were written based upon the law at the time and/or a specific sets of facts. The laws referenced in the letters and publications may have changed and/or the technical advice provided may not be applicable to your city or circumstances. Always consult with your city attorney or an MTAS consultant before taking any action based on information contained in this website.
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