Preparation:
Review your post of “Good” and “Bad” Supervisor characteristics from a previous assignment, pick two characteristics–one good, one bad which you will focus on in an applicant interview.
Make sure you are working with the supervisor post for this assignment, not the employee descriptors–we want to filter supervisor applicants in this assignment.
Refresh your recollection with interviewing techniques in HRM Core Concepts, Ch 6, or other sources online. Students receiving an A grade will demonstrate research by citing their sources.
Choose characteristics relevant to a high level management position; may not choose things like “comes to work on time” or other simplistic KSAs.
Assignment:
1) Identify each characteristic in your opening paragraph, and give an example of the behavior that embodies the characteristic. In prior Units we have refined our ability to describe the behavior. What does the manager do that demonstrates the characteristic? In order to hire for a characteristic, you should be able to define it and give an example of it in action. If you cannot do this, you need to rethink and refine the characteristic you are identifying. 5 pts.
Must pick managerial characteristics or behaviors–not “tasks” or simplistic, vague characteristics.
2) For each characteristic, write the interview question(s) you will ask the applicant. 5 pts.
You will have a total of two interview questions, one for each characteristic you’ve identified. Your questions may not be “yes” or “no” questions.
3) For each question you identify, state the general contents of a “good” and “poor” answer. (A hiring authority must consider the range of possible good answers ahead of time; hiring authorities will be unable to effectively filter applicants if you don’t know what a good answer contains…..) 10 pts.
This step is not easy to do and requires analysis of the characteristic and the question.
Example:
Q: Tell me about a time you had to coach a manager who was having a problem with an employee. What happened?
A: Best answer should be a serious situation with positive results. Examples of less success with some “learning” are also good.
Poor answer is a failure to describe any situations; applicant assertion that they have never coached a manager; descriptions of poor technique that demonstrate lack of coaching skill.
You will not receive full points if you state a candidate’s verbatim answer; that is impossible. The goal in identifying a rubric of good and bad answers BEFORE you interview candidates is to provide guidance for choosing one candidate over another in an objective manner.
This rubric clarifies what you are seeking, creates a record for individuals and organizations to defend against claims of discrimination, and offers a more objective measure of applicant responses based on your pre-identified, business-related criteria and ideal response.
Final Product: Your finished assignment will have two interview questions, and one “good” and one “bad” answer descriptor for each question
This assignment is a window into the recruiting challenges you will face in the future. Through analysis and practice, you will be more confident when you must create questions and filter applicants in your future job.
Cite to your research sources.
Good supervisor characteristics
• Values everyone in the team
• Should be able to take constructive criticisms the same way he takes positive feedbacks.
• Handles issues fairly and be quick to answer an emergency.
Bad supervisor
• Poor communication
• Gossip
• Micromanagement