Interviewing
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These guidelines show the kinds of questions that are prohibited and acceptable during a job interview and before a job offer has been made. To find out about other specific interview questions, contact your unit's HR professional, the central Office of Human Resources, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, or the Office of the General Counsel.
For the interview process, best management practices include:
- Creating a list of written interview questions before interviewing begins
- Writing the questions based on the job description—specifically, the skills, abilities, and experience required for the position
- Asking the same questions of all candidates
- Making objective and factual notes of each interview
- Selecting the candidate who is the most qualified or at least equally qualified as other candidates compared to the selection criteria you established.
Sample Questions
Topic | Prohibited | Acceptable |
---|---|---|
Age |
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Asking whether candidate will be able to provide legal proof of ability to work after hired |
Arrest Record |
Any inquiry related to arrests. The Office of Human Resources and the Office of the General Counsel must be consulted first to determine if any exception is warranted. |
None |
Conviction Record |
Inquiries about conviction that do not relate to performance of the job. Conviction of a crime cannot be an automatic bar to employment by a public entity in Minnesota. |
Inquiries about an actual conviction. The information may only be used in the hiring decision if it relates to the applicant's fitness for the job. Such inquiries should be approved by the Office of Human Resources with consultation with the Office of the General Counsel first so that any pre-employment screening complies with University and legal requirements. |
Disabilities/Perceived Disabilities |
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Gender |
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Marital Status |
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Questions regarding any names the candidate has had. Ask this question of both sexes. |
Military Service |
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Inquiries about education and training related to the job |
National Origin |
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Non-Work Activities |
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Public Assistance Status |
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None except questions regarding how the candidate can be contacted regarding the job. |
Race/Color |
Any questions regarding hair color, eye color, complexion, height, weight, or ability to work with employees of another race are suspect |
None except voluntary self-identification on affirmative action form for use by the Office of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action in reporting requirements and institutional assessment |
Religion |
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Explicitly state the working hours of the position and ask whether the candidate can work those hours with reasonable accommodations if necessary. Ask this question of all candidates. |
Sexual Orientation |
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None. After hiring you may ask the name and telephone number of the individual to contact in case of an emergency. |
Union Affiliation |
Are you now or have you ever been a member of a union? |
None |
Sample Behavioral Questions
Topic | Questions |
---|---|
Attention to Detail |
Can you give an example of a time when an important detail was missed in your work? What was the result? What did you do to correct the situation? |
Attention to Detail |
When you have come across errors in your own work, what have they been and how did you handle it? |
Creativity |
How much creativity is possible in your work? |
Decision-making |
Let's say you need to make a decision about __________. What steps would you take? |
Decision-making |
What kind of decisions did you have to make as a ____? Do you think you made the right choice? Why? |
Decision-making |
Tell me about the most difficult decision you have had to make in your position at ___. |
Integrity |
Rules sometimes have to be bent or broken. Can you tell me about a time when you had to do this? |
Integrity |
How far have you bent your standards to succeed in previous jobs? Give me an example. |
Initiative |
Did you have duties in your job as a ____ that were not included in your job description? |
Initiative |
Have you ever done more than was required for a job? |
Initiative |
Did you take on any new responsibilities in your last job? |
Initiative |
What are some projects that you initiated? Why? |
Initiative |
Were there any rules or policies at ____ that you didn't agree with? What did you do about it? |
Learning |
How did you learn the duties of your previous position and how long did it take before you could comfortably perform them on your own? |
Learning |
What formal training have you had? How did you do? |
Learning |
What subjects or courses are the hardest for you to learn and why? |
Learning |
What subjects or courses are the easiest for you to learn and why? |
Knowledge |
How have you kept on top of the current trends in ______? |
Knowledge |
What job-related conferences, seminars, etc., have you attended recently and what did you learn from them? |
Management |
Is there something about your management style you would like to change? |
Management |
What have you done in your previous supervisory positions to make your subordinates' jobs easier or more rewarding? |
Motivation |
What did you enjoy the most about your previous job and why? Least and why? |
Motivation |
All jobs have their frustrations. What duties or conditions have you found most dissatisfying in your previous job and why? |
Motivation |
What has been your greatest work achievement and why? |
Motivation |
What factors do you consider most important in evaluating the success of your work? |
Organization |
How do you keep yourself organized? |
Performance Standards |
How do you define doing a good job in your current position? |
Performance Standards |
How is your performance in your current job? How do you know? |
Performance Standards |
Have you ever been displeased with your own performance? When, why, and what did you do about it? |
Performance Standards |
Have you ever disagreed with you supervisor on your performance evaluation? |
Performance Standards |
Can you give me a couple of examples of times when you've produced work above standard and below standard? |
Problem-Solving |
What were some of the more complex assignments you were given? Describe some of the steps necessary to complete the assignment. |
Problem-Solving |
If you find errors in your work, how do you handle it? |
Problem-Solving |
Have you ever identified a problem before your supervisor? What did you do? |
Satisfaction |
What achievements are you most proud of? Why? |
Satisfaction |
What factors do you consider when evaluating your success? |
Satisfaction |
What parts of your job as a _____ did you enjoy? What parts did you not enjoy? |
Effective Interviewers:
- Are completely prepared
- Give the candidate undivided attention
- Put the candidate at ease
- Ask open-ended questions
- Listen at least 80% of the time