3. Good practice in recruitment interviewing
The key purpose of a recruitment interview is to assess the skills, experience and general background of job applicants in order to make a decision on which candidate is the most suitable person for a particular job. Questions should therefore be structured to explore facts, and interviewers should take care not to make decisions based on assumptions about applicants linked to their own subjective views and opinions.
It is a good idea for managers to prepare a list of core interview questions to be asked of all applicants for a particular post. This approach ensures consistency and fairness because all interviewees will be given an equal opportunity to sell their skills and abilities. Managers should not, however, restrict themselves to asking only these questions, as there will also be a need to ask questions that are specific to a particular applicant, for example to clarify something vague or ambiguous on an application form or ask about a gap between jobs. In addition, at the interview itself, further unplanned questions will be necessary in order to follow up or probe any relevant matter raised or hinted at by the interviewee.
NHSScotland is committed to valuing and celebrating diversity, both of its patients and its staff. It is therefore important that potential recruits understand these values and realise that they must behave in a way that is supportive of others and promotes an inclusive environment it is therefore essential that you, the interviewer, understands this and are confident to ask an applicant about their commitment to equalities. Remember this commitment is just as important for entry level staff as for the most senior appointments in the organisation, although you would expect different levels of evidence to support this. It is also important to note that, for example, you could not decline a job offer to someone on the basis that he or she is a member of the British National Party
Following the guidelines below will help those involved in recruitment interviewing to avoid discrimination.
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