Selection Panel Information Package

Selection Panel Information Package

for Parents and Community Representatives on Principal Selection Panels.

Table of Contents

1.OVERVIEW

1.1.Merit Process

1.2.Holistic Assessment

1.3.Relocation (at level) Applicants

2.SELECTION PANELS

2.1.Panel composition

2.2.Late applications/receipt of additional information

2.3.Size/quality of applicant pool

2.4.Length of applications

3.SELECTION PROCESS

3.1.Selection strategy

3.2.Selection tools

3.3.Scoreless assessment

3.4.Knowledge, skills and attributes (KSA’s)

3.5.Shortlisting

4.INTERVIEW PROCESS

4.1.Interview preparation

4.2.Developing interview questions

4.3.Telephone interviews

4.4.Interview

4.5.Probing questions

4.6.Closing the interview

4.7.Further assessment

5.POST INTERVIEW PROCESS

5.1.Compiling panel assessments

5.2.Referee checks

5.3.Adverse information in selection process

5.3.Developing final order of merit list

5.4.No recommended applicant

5.5.Minority report

A.APPENDIX A

1. OVERVIEW

1.1.Merit Process

The merit principle is the foundation upon which recruitment and selection occurs, in accordance with the Public Service Act 2008. In applying the merit principle in selection, the following must be taken into account:

(a) the extent to which the person has abilities, aptitude, skills, qualifications, knowledge, experience and personal qualities relevant to the carrying out of the duties in question;

(b) if relevant—

(i) the way in which the person carried out any previous employment or occupational duties; and

(ii) the extent to which the person has potential for development.

It is vital that selection panels ensure their recruitment processes are conducted in a fair and transparent manner to maintain employee and public confidence. Selection processes for advertised vacancies must be clearly documented and able to be independently reviewed.

1.2.Holistic Assessment

The selection process is to be a holistic assessment of each applicant to identify the most suitable applicant for the position considering all selection tools. The assessment process should be comprehensive and robust and assess the merit of applicants, not just the performance of applicants in the assessment process.

A holistic approach recognises that each selection tool has the potential to be valuable in identifying the competency of an applicant in relation to the key capabilities of a role. However panels need to determine which selection tools are going to be most desirable in terms of allowing an applicant to display their skills set as appropriate to the role. Multiple tools are often used to give applicants a number of avenues to showcase their skills as people relate differently to different activities.

Holistic assessment ensures that applicants, who may not perform well through one specific selection tool,have the opportunity to demonstrate a high level of competence through other selection tools. With the use of referee reports, the panel can establish that an applicant has either overstated or understated their competency through a written application, structured interview or other selection tools that have been used.

1.3.Relocation (at level) Applicants

Relocation applicants are those existing employees who have registered and expressed interest in being relocated should a position become available at the same level. These employees and their preferred locations are registered with Workforce Recruitment and Employment and their details are referred to appropriate panels. Relocation applicants are to be given the opportunity to be assessed for an appropriate position prior to the position being advertised and filled through open merit. Although these employees are to be given primary consideration they are still subject to a full suitability assessment process. If a panel identifies there are no suitable applicants for relocation to fill the position at level the position can then be sent to advertising.

A selection panel is convened for each vacancy and will be involved in both the suitability assessment process of relocation applicants and any subsequent merit selection process.

The selection panel will determine the means of assessing suitability. The selection panel must consider the suitability of all applicants consistently and in accordance with the requirements of the vacancy.

In the case of relocation applicants the panel will not be assessing the merit of the applicant but rather their suitability and fit to the requirements of the role at the school.

If an applicant is determined not suitable, the Panel Chair or delegate will be required to give feedback. The process cannot proceed to open merit without this occurring.

1. SELECTION PANELS

2.1.Panel composition

The objective of the selection panel is to develop an accurate assessment regarding an applicant’s competence and/or capacity in relation to the key capabilities on the role description under the How you will be assessed section. The panel will need to take into account the previous employment of the applicant, as well as the degree to which the candidate has potential for development.

The selection panel as a minimum will consist of a chair (with accountability for the performance of the principal), a community representative and a third member to be nominated in consultation with the school’s Parents and Citizens Association or council.

Community representation can be from the school’s Parents and Citizens Association, school council or a representative from P&C’s Qld.

The panel chair may nominate any additional panel members to ensure the best outcome for the school. For example, the panel chair may elect to engage experienced and qualified practitioners in educational leadership and/or recruitment to improve the quality of the process and to promote consistency across panels.

The panel chair is responsible for:-

• the overall coordination and management of the selection process,
• ensuring all panel members are comfortable with and understand the selection process,
• ensuring a completed selection report is submitted within the required timelines and
• providing feedback for applicants who seek it.

The community representative is responsible for providing information to the panel, in an impartial way, regarding community expectations of the incoming principal including: for providing the Panel, in impartial way the school community’s expectations of the incoming principal including:-

• the qualities required of the incoming principal (e.g. knowledge, experience, community connectedness etc.)
• the key programs and initiatives on offer at the school which the P&C value and seek to maintain and enhance
• any programs and specialisations which the P&C and the school community value and would like the incoming principal to develop and implement.

Changes to selection panel composition once a selection process has commenced should only be made in exceptional circumstances to ensure consistency of assessment by the panel e.g. due to illness of selection panel member.

2.2.Late applications/receipt of additional information

The acceptance of late applications is at the discretion of the panel.

If late applications are accepted they need to ensure that all applicants are assessed in the same manner (i.e. same assessment process and selection tools applied as all other applications).

Decisions to accept or reject late applications and/or additional information are to be documented and included in the selection report. Once a panel has decided not to accept a late application or additional information, then subsequent late applications or additional information cannot be accepted. A selection panel is to advise applicants if late applications or additional information are not being accepted.

2.3.Size/quality of applicant pool

An open merit process can proceed with one or more applicants. Where a small pool exists or where the overall quality of applications is lower than expected the panel is to choose from the following options:

•withdraw the vacancy and request the position be readvertised, with consideration given to using additional advertising avenues to attract an enhanced applicant pool; or

•continue the selection process, but retain the ability to cease the process at any stage and recommend the vacancy be readvertised when the panel reaches the view none of the applicants is suitable for appointment.

Panels are required to submit a selection report even if there are no suitable shortlisted applicants. Where a small applicant pool exists and where one applicant on the basis of the written application is assessed as superior to all other applicants, the panel may decide to shortlist only one applicant. However, panels are strongly encouraged to be as inclusive as possible.

Where a panel decides to shortlist only one applicant from a small applicant pool or only one applicant has applied, it is not possible to recommend the appointment of this applicant based solely on the written application. Additional selection tool/s and verification from referee reports are required to be undertaken in order to reach an outcome of the process. This is to occur even in cases where the applicant has been acting in the vacant position for a significant period of time.

2.4.Length of applications

Some application processes will include a written application. Where applicants generally exceed the word limit specified in the job ad, the panel will determine what parts of it will be considered or if indeed it can be considered at all.

Panels are to consider all information provided through the written application, résumé/Curriculum Vitae (CV) etc, however if applicants greatly exceed the word limit specified in the job ad it is the panel’s discretion as to whether the application/part of it is considered.

1. SELECTION PROCESS

3.1.Selection strategy

The selection panel is responsible for implementing a selection strategy to select the most meritorious candidate for the role using a fair and transparent approach. The selection strategy should be developed after reviewing the role description and will include the type, number and sequence of selection tools. Selection tools must be relevant to the responsibilities and key capabilities for the position.

A combination of selection tools should be utilised, however a minimum of two selection techniques are recommended for a selection decision. The most commonly used selection tools are a written application (including CV) and a structured interview. However, the selection panel should also consider whether the use of additional selection tools will increase their level of confidence in determining the relative merit of all applicants. Panels willdetermine how each key capabilitywill be assessed through a variety of selection techniques.

Regardless of the selection tools a panel chooses to utilise, the following requirements should be met:

(a)the selection tools used are fair and consistently applied to each applicant;

(b)they do not have the potential to be discriminatory;

(c)they clearly relate to the key capabilities and are able to be verified; and

(d)the choice of selection tools is indicated in the selection report.

3.2.Selection tools

Other selection tools the panel may wish to consider are listed below and outlined in Appendix A. This is not an exhaustive list of the available options:

•in basket exercise

•role play

•work samples

•work based demonstration

•presentation

•psychometric testing and assessment centres for senior/executive positions

Please note that referee checks are not regarded as a selection tool but as a means of verifying information obtained through the selection tools.

3.3.Scoreless assessment

There has been a shift towards scoreless assessment and away from qualitative rating systems in the Queensland Public Service and this is considered best practice in selection processes. The benefits of scoreless assessment are:-

•provides a faster and more efficient assessment process and focuses the panel on determining the differences between shortlisted candidates, rather than focusing on how to score the candidates;

•focuses the panel on undertaking a holistic assessment of the candidates, rather than individual components of the assessment process;

•enables meaningful feedback for shortlisted candidates.

However, if panels choose to use ratings it is crucial that any ratings are supported by a detailed comparative statement as ratings on their own are an inadequate summary of the assessment process.

3.4.Knowledge, skills and attributes (KSA’s)

A vital component of any successful selection process is the development of KSA’s to measure the performance of the shortlisted applicants in the assessment process. Prior to commencing any form of applicant shortlisting or assessment the panel is to determine the requirements for the successful applicant to undertake the role as outlined in the approved role description.

Knowledge / Skills / Attributes/Abilities
What the person needs to know to perform the role / The specific skills to meet required role outcomes / Inherent personal qualities relevant to the role

KSA’s assist the panel to develop a shared understanding of the key capabilities and what the panel is seeking from applicants. The use of KSA’s also promotes consistency in the assessment of applicants from each panel member and will assist the panel in developing core interview questions or additional selection tools.

In setting KSA’s the panel will need to determine the requirements for each key capability andwhat evidence of these the candidate needs to demonstrate in the selection process.

3.5.Shortlisting

Shortlisting is a process of determining which applicants have demonstrated the strongest claims and will receive further consideration for the position through additional selection tools. Decisions made to shortlist applicants must be fair, transparent and able to be defended during any review process.

Each panel member should consider the applications separately and then meet as a group to discuss their recommendations. The panel should take enough notes to facilitate further discussion of candidates and for the purposes of providing feedback for candidates who are not shortlisted.

A shortlisting process is generally based on an applicant’s written responses to the key capabilities and associatedKSA’s and the information provided in the applicant’s CV. However, panels are free to use additional information sources during the shortlisting process. For example, a panel may choose to seek some initial information from a referee and use this information to determine whether or not to shortlist an applicant. Selection panels are to adopt an inclusive approach to shortlisting to maximise a competitive applicant pool.

All panel members are required to participate in the shortlisting process. The final shortlist of applicants is determined through a consensus approach involving all panel members where the panel make an assessment of each applicant in relation to each key capability. However where there are large applicant pools it is not necessary for each panel member to fully assess every key capability for each application. If the panel has established a shared understanding of the key capabilities and developed a set of KSA’s, panel members may share the assessment of written applications using a moderation process, provided a minimum of two panel members are involved in the assessment of each application. Moderation involves all selection panel members collectively comparing and contrasting their assessments and then forming a collective assessment of each applicant.

1. INTERVIEW PROCESS

4.1.Interview preparation

In preparing for an interview the panel should:

•decide on date/s of interview andbook a suitable interview location

• determine how much time is to be allocated for each interview and develop an interview timetable that allows enough time for each interview to be conducted as well as panel discussion time in between each interview. As a general guide interviews should range from a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of one hour, relative to the level and complexity of the role.
• contact shortlisted applicants, providing a minimum of 24 hours’ notice prior to interview.
• develop a set of core questions that will be presented to each applicant. All questions must clearly relate to the key capabilities.

•prepare ideal responses for each core question based on KSA’s identified by the panel;

•determine if the interview questions will be provided to applicants prior to the interview during interview preparation time.

•determine which panel member will present each question;

•determine if a scribe is to be used;

•determine whether the panel chair or another panel member will be responsible for responding to the applicant requests for feedback at the end of the selection process. It is expected that feedback would be provided by an employee of the department.

4.2.Developing interview questions

The panel should develop a range of questions that will be presented to each applicant. Questions should be designed to obtain evidence about the competency of each applicant in relation to the key capabilities.

The panel will need to determine the spread of questions across the key capabilities, depending on the nature and relative importance of each key capability. For example more than one question could be developed for a key capability or the panel may develop questions that assess more than one key capability at a time.

It is considered best practice to use behaviourally oriented questions. The aim is for applicants to demonstrate through past behaviour that they meet the key capability, with past performance being a predictor of future performance. A useful tool in assessing an applicant’s response is to look for evidence of the following:

•Situation

•Task

•Action

•Result

Some examples of open-ended questions that encourage behaviourally orientated responses include:

Example Questions
Situation or Task /

• Describe a situation when...
• Why did you ...?
• What were the circumstances surrounding ...?

Action /

• Exactly what did you do?
• Describe specifically how you did that?
• Describe your specific role in the project?
• Walk me through the steps you took?

Result /

• What was the result?
• How did that work out?
• What problems/success resulted from ...?
• What feedback did you receive?

Selection panels may like to apply the following test to determine the suitability of a question:

•Is the question easily understood?

•Does the language of the question support the intended meaning?

•Does the question provide the opportunity to obtain evidence of the applicant’s competence or capacity?

•How comfortable would you feel about answering the question?

Alternatively, a question may be designed to identify potential behaviour, problem solving skills and how an applicant may undertake a task or project in the future. These questions are often termed situational or scenario questions.