Guidelines for Conducting Assessment Interview

GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW

1. GENERAL

The following assessment guideline helps to inform and prepare both staff members and Heads of Schools/Units for an assessment interview. It may therefore be of assistance to both the staff member and Head in planning for either a probation or an annual assessment.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW

At its simplest an assessment interview is a planned discussion between a Head of School/Unit and the employee to review how the employee has carried out his/her job since the last assessment. This discussion is carried out with a number of set objectives in mind:

a) to review progress and priorities

b) to resolve any problems in these areas

c) to discuss the employee's future potential and future training needs

3. JOB DESCRIPTION

A job description gives a clear definition of the overall objectives into key areas of activity. The job description should form the basis of discussion on assessment.

4. ASSESSMENT PREPARATION

The effectiveness of an assessment interview can be significantly improved by dialogue with a genuine exchange between the Head of School/Unit of the staff member. Therefore, both the staff member and the Head should prepare for the interview.

The preparation by the Head should include reviewing the job description, standards of performance, staff members personal file and any other relevant documentation which may aid the assessment process.

Issues to be aware of and prepared for

The following are examples of useful questions which a staff member may consider and raise at an assessment interview. It may therefore be helpful for the Head to be aware of these issues.

- What particular aspects of your work interest you most?

- What particular parts interest you least?

- How do you feel you have carried out the main tasks you are responsible for?

- Which tasks could have been performed more effectively and how?

- What, if any, were the reasons preventing you from being more effective in these areas?

- What tasks do you feel you have performed particularly well and why?

- What areas, if any, are unclear in the job?

- What extra help or guidance do you feel you need to do the present job more effectively?

- Where do you see your future in say five years time?

- What achievement do you see as necessary in order to realise your future career aspirations?

Pointers for preparation for an assessment interview

- Fix mutually convenient time.

- Don't fill the diary for the whole day with assessment interviews.

- Read and review:

a) job description

b) standards of performance and priorities

c) personal file

- Review in advance any targets or special projects.

- Consult peers whose departments interface with work of the interviewee.

- Prepare the interview room/office.

- Ensure no interruptions.

- Make sure any aggravation from a previous meeting is out of your system before starting the interview.

5. QUESTIONS TO ASK

Achieving discussion

. What was the most interesting task you had to do this year?

. What was the most successful area in the past year?

. How do you feel you handled the re-organisation in retrospect?

. What areas of your work would you say require more attention?

. What extra help do you need to improve those areas?

. What do you think you need to learn now to develop the job further?

. What training and development programme could assist this development?

. Are there any further qualifications you intend to pursue?

. What have been the most difficult problems that you have faced?

. Where do you see your future in the University?

. How do you see this job development?

. What research/teaching objectives are being considered for the next 12 months?

. What would you say are the priorities for the next twelve months?

Probing deeper

. How do you mean?

. What else do you think of that situation?

. Why do you think that was so?

. I'm not quite sure I understand what you are saying. Will you please explain again?

. Can you give me more details on what you think were the reasons?

6. DON'TS

. Using a prepared assessment form

. Arguing over controversial points

. Allowing conversational drift

. Being over aggressive

. Not listening

. Using ambiguous language

. Not being prepared?

. Ducking

. Assuming infallible memory

. Being overbearing

7. POINTS FOR SATISFACTORILY CONDUCTING AN ASSESSMENT

INTERVIEW

1. Create a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

2. State objectives of the exercise.

3. Explain the procedures involved i.e. forms etc.

4. Explain how you wish to conduct the interview.

5. Get the employee to assess his/her performance first.

6. Use open-ended questions to get a discussion going.

7. Probe if details are missed or if he/she speaks in generalities.

8. Ensure your review covers all the key areas of the job, the standards and any short term priority tasks.

9. Make your assessment known to the person.

10. Discuss any points arising from your assessment.

11. Praise for work well done.

12. Point out areas for improvement and the reasons why.

13. Demonstrate how you think these areas can be improved.

14. Encourage.

15. Summarise from time to time.

16. Get employee to give views on his future development.

17. Discuss and agree future training needs and development.

18. Finalise the discussion by a quick overall review of the interview.

19. State what will happen to any action plans i.e. attendance on a course.

20. Show what will happen to the notes taken.

21. End the interview on a positive note.

Human Resources

April 2009