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Interviewing Guidelines

While the resume may give a basic outline of an applicant's knowledge, skills and experience, the interview allows you to get more detailed information as to whether this candidate is right for your workgroup. In most cases, an interview pool of five applicants is optimal. Below you will find practical tips and considerations to guide you through the employment process.

If you require pre-screening interviews for applicants, please contact your HR Manager for more details. Human Resources can also provide clerical/secretarial aptitude and software skills testing.

1. Develop Your Plan of Action

  • Prior to interviewing candidates, develop a core set of questions to ask each applicant based on the required and preferred skills, knowledge, and abilities listed in the position description.
  • Review the applicant's profile, transcripts, and relevant licenses, certificates and clearances. If information is inconsistent, seek clarification during the interview process and document your findings.

2. Guide the Interview

  • Minimize distractions, avoid outside interruptions, and hold all phone calls.
  • Allow the same amount of interviewing time for each applicant.
  • Review the position description and job announcement with the applicant. When appropriate, offer your web address and/or department publications to help the applicant understand the vision, mission, function and activities of your department.
  • Discuss the following topics: duties and responsibilities of the job, location, travel requirements, equipment and facilities, hours, attendance and performance expectations, on-the-job training and development opportunities.
  • Do not oversell the position. Provide an accurate portrayal of the duties and responsibilities of the job.
  • Ask the candidate about his or her work history, relevant experience, training/educational background, and career goals.  Ask the candidate to explain any job-hopping or breaks in work history, as well as why he or she left any previous employers.
  • Ask probing, open-ended questions. The applicant's past on-the-job behavior often provides insight as to how he or she will perform on the job. See the guide to Behavioral Interviewing (.pdf) for sample questions.
  • Hiring someone to supervise others can be an especially difficult task. He or she must have the required technical expertise, as well as the interpersonal, organizational and communication skills needed to effectively lead others. See Typical Management Competencies (.pdf) for a list of characteristics that generally lead to good management skills.
  • Consult with your HR Manager if a conviction record is listed on the employment application. A conviction record does not necessarily bar employment at Carnegie Mellon.
  • Allow time for the applicant to ask questions.
  • Bring the interview to a close by explaining the timeline for filling the position.

3. Take Good Notes and Obtain Reference Information

  • Document applicant responses and job-related criteria. Summarize your notes into the Recruiting@CarnegieMellon module within two weeks of the conclusion of the recruitment process. 
  • Be sure to get the contact information for reference checks.
  • Human Resources conducts background checks on final candidates for positions that involve handling significant amounts of cash, receiving merchandise and other security-sensitive tasks. Contact your HR Manager to initiate a background check.
  • If the position requires the employee to drive a university-owned vehicle, the applicant must provide a driver history (available online at PennDOT).

4. Maintain Confidentiality

  • Everyone involved in the hiring process must treat all applicant information confidentially. At no time should candidates' qualifications be discussed outside the recruitment process.
  • Selection committee members should return all credentials to the hiring department at the conclusion of the recruitment process.

5. Consider Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Obligations

  • You must refrain from asking questions about the following: religion, race, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital or family status, disability, workers’ compensation history, birthplace, arrest record, pregnancy, social or political affiliation.
  • Contact your HR Manager to discuss additional recruitment efforts to create a diverse pool of applicants, including minorities and females.

6. Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

  • The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with covered disabilities in recruitment, hiring, job assignment, promotion, training, pay, layoff, firing, leave benefits and all other employment-related activities.
  • Employers are prohibited from refusing to hire an otherwise qualified individual with a disability because an applicant has asked for a reasonable accommodation or because an applicant has a known association with a person who has a disability.
  • You must not make any pre-employment inquiry about a disability or the nature or severity of a disability in a job interview or reference check. Do not ask questions regarding worker’s compensation history, illness or excused absences due to illness.
  • Permissible Inquiries
    • You may ask questions about the ability of an applicant to perform the essential functions as outlined in the position description.
    • You may determine whether applicants can perform essential functions safely and without injury to themselves or others. You may describe and ask whether the applicant can adhere to the university’s attendance policy. You may also state performance standards and ask if the applicant can fulfill such requirements.
    • If an applicant asks for a reasonable accommodation during the interview, provide it. If an applicant states that he or she will require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job, please note the accommodation and consult with your HR Manager.

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