Recruitment myths busted

A merit based selection decision can be made without conducting an interview.  

An interview is often not a good predictor of how an applicant will perform in the job.  Right Job Right Person clearly states that interviews are just one of the many selection options which may be used.

There are a number of people who may be disadvantaged if an interview is the only selection option used for making your recruitment decision – for example: people from non-English speaking backgrounds, some people with disabilities and shy or modest people.

Right Job Right Person – Stage 1: DEFINE

This stage of the RJRP process suggests a range of selection processes you can use – either singularly or combined to ensure you make the right selection.

REMEMBER - Poor performance at interview does not mean poor performance in a job!

Questions asked at interview should be designed to give applicants the best possible chance of providing useful information to the panel. Feel free to ask applicants for any other information that will help them assess the applicants merit against the selection criteria.

The Right Job Right Person framework recommends that if you do choose an interview from the available options, that the selection panel use a structured interview approach including behaviourally based questions.  This means that all applicants would be asked the same core question, but depending on their response could be asked any number of further “probe” questions to ensure the selection panel gains the relevant information for making an informed recruitment decision.

The fact that this myth has developed suggests that interviews have ceased to be a way of finding out useful information from applicants and instead have moved into a ‘right or wrong answer’ approach.

REMEMBER - There is no right or wrong - use probing questions to get the information you need to make the right decision.

Interviews are not a natural environment and the selection panel should be prepared to make this situation as relaxed and comfortable for the applicants as possible. One way of doing this is by prompting an applicant who is floundering with a question.  It might be all the applicant needs to help them refocus and answer the question, meaning they provide you with the information you need to make an informed selection decision.

REMEMBER - You cannot fully explore an applicant’s ability if you cannot prompt or probe for information from the applicant.

Commissioners Direction No. 1 (Employment in the State Service) requires you to advertise permanent or fixed term jobs over 12 months in the Government Gazette (which feeds the Government Jobs Website). These jobs must remain open for a minimum of nine (9) days after being advertised. 

Other than the above requirements there are no restrictions to where you advertise!   

Right Job Right Person – Stage 2: ATTRACT

The ATTRACT stage of the RJRP process states that knowing the labour market will help you to work out where to advertise – in this stage, think about the most effective place to advertise the role. 

REMEMBER - “Think outside the square” when it comes to advertising a vacancy. Think about what and where it would be best to advertise.

Just because someone works internally does not automatically make them right for the job. There is no rule that says you must interview all internal applicants. Short listed applicants, be they internal or external, should have been able to demonstrate in their application their ability to meet the selection criteria to a level which warrants further investigation.

All external and internal applicants should be assessed using the same short listing methods and criteria.

REMEMBER - Internal applicants who are not short-listed should be treated fairly and informed of the decision to not short list them prior to the interviews occurring. This is especially so when non short listed internal applicants are in the same work area as other internal applicants who may have been short listed.

There is no rule to say you cannot invite people to apply for your vacancies.

In tight labour markets you should use your contacts and networks to ‘put out the word’ about your vacancy. The ability to be able to invite people to apply is particularly useful for hard to fill roles.

Phone referee checks are in most instances better than a written referee check. Consider your particular vacancy and the applicant pool before you determine when referee reports will be collected, for whom and how.

Right Job Right Person – Stage 3: SELECT

The SELECT stage of the RJRP process recommends referee checking via the telephone in preference to written referee checks. The framework suggests that referee checks are conducted utilising a structured interview approach with behaviourally based questions. Make sure you document the referee’s comments and ensure you have the referee endorse in writing that it is a ‘true and accurate’ record of the conversation.

Verbal referee checks enable you to:

• explore in detail with referees; the applicants skills, knowledge and personal qualities;
• investigate any issues that arose in the interview; and
• gain a greater ‘in depth’ knowledge of the applicant, and to build a sound evidence base to assist the selection panel find the right person for the job.

Even though the applicant provides details of referees, you do not have to rely solely on the referees provided. Non-nominated referees can be contacted as long as the selection panel ensures that the applicant knows in advance and that applicants are given the opportunity to address any adverse comments. 

Sometimes non-nominated referees are the source with the most current and relevant information about the applicant’s ability to undertake the role.

REMEMBER - Privacy legislation, procedural fairness and natural justice should be complied with when undertaking any referee check.

It is unreasonable and unfair to expect a selection panel member not to incorporate their knowledge of an applicant in the selection process. 

Pretending that you do not have firsthand knowledge about an applicant’s ability to undertake the role is unrealistic.  Instead of asking the applicant known to the panel to prove what you already know they can do, why not give those applicants who you don’t know, the opportunity to provide you with the evidence that they can perform the duties of the role?

REMEMBER - Treat each applicant fairly and ensure that all applicants are given the opportunity to prove their claims against the role.

The myth is that the selection panel must have:

• Three panel members
• One panel member from outside the business unit
• An appropriate gender balance
• All panel members must be at least one level higher than the job being offered

There is no legislative requirement to have a specific gender, level or stakeholder mix on selection panels. Prescribing the gender, level or stakeholder mix does not guarantee a fair selection process, especially if the people have been chosen to participate in the selection panel based on their gender or level, rather than their knowledge of the vacancy to be filled.

All selection processes are unique, as such, selection panels will differ in order to meet the needs of the selection process.

The panel chairperson may elect panel members at their discretion. The panel chairperson should ensure that the selection process is fair and reasonable (including the selection of panel members).

The aim of forming a selection panel is to get together the most appropriate panel of skilled individuals who have specific knowledge relevant to the vacancy and process.

A selection report need not be ‘War and Peace’. The selection report must demonstrate with rigour, your use of an evidence based selection process to arrive at your selection. The report would also be used in the case of a Review.

The purpose of a selection report is to:

• act as the official record of the selection process;
• convey the panels’ recommendation;
• provide enough information for the delegate to make an informed and fair recruitment decision; and
• provide feedback to applicants who request post selection feedback. 

The final decision to select an applicant, or take other action, rests with the delegate.

REMEMBER - If you have gathered supporting evidence throughout the selection process (e.g. referee reports etc.) you do not need to repeat these again in the selection report. The selection report need only convey enough information for the delegate to make a sound recruitment decision. A summary may be all that is required.