HOW TO GET THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB
BY PETER SELLS
The fire service is changing rapidly, as is the need for forward-thinking, creative officers. The process of getting the right person for the right position is complicated and can be frustrating. Many corporations in need of executives issue a “job call” by advertising internal positions using a standardized format such as a Promotion Opportunity Bulletin. In addition to information on how to apply for the position, the job call includes a job description and a list of the competencies needed for the position.
THE JOB DESCRIPTION
The job description is the result of a careful analysis of the job functions and the organization`s reporting structure. Fire departments seeking candidates for key positions should take their cue from the business world and be sure to include all legitimate functions entailed in a position. As an example, if the opening is for a training officer, the job description should stipulate all conditions the holder of that position is expected to meet, such as knowing how to use all items of personal protective equipment. Being specific in a job description also can help to avoid conflicts later in the hiring process. If, for example, it develops later in the hiring process that a candidate is not certified to drive fire apparatus, the department cannot defend screening that candidate out of the competition unless driving fire apparatus was listed in the job description or among the required competencies.
COMPETENCIES
The competencies required to perform the job constitute the standard against which you will measure the candidates. Your task is to analyze the abilities and skills critical for the successful performance of the duties listed in the job description.
List the competencies in two tiers. The first tier, consisting of three to five items, will be used to evaluate the candidates` application and résumé and can be placed under a heading such as “Your application must show.” The second tier, consisting of six to eight items, will be the competencies you expect a qualified candidate to display. An appropriate heading for this tier would be “The successful candidate will also show.”
THE INTERVIEW
The second tier of required competencies gives a benchmark list of skills and abilities the candidates will have to demonstrate to the interview panel. Creating a job-specific, competency-based interview that will allow candidates to demonstrate their potential is the most time-consuming portion of the process.
For the most part, supervisory and management positions require the application of “soft skills.” It is difficult to evaluate high-order knowledge- and attitude-based competencies and to predict how the candidate will behave in actual job situations. Therefore, you must be thorough. It is not enough to ask candidates if they are aware of your corporate policy on workplace harassment. You need to test their ability to apply that knowledge. By including a case study, scenario, or role-play question in the interview, you can assess the candidates` knowledge of the policy as well as their ability to apply problem-solving and management skills appropriately and effectively.
The testing process for each of the required competencies should be completed within a reasonable time frame of 45 to 60 minutes. Candidates could be assigned a short research project to be completed prior to the interview. The project then could be presented to the interview panel, provided that research and presentation competencies are relevant to the position.
Even more traditional “oral exam” questions can be asked. Knowledge can be tested at various levels. As an example, by adding six words to “List the audiovisual aids commonly used in workplace training,” we get the following: “List and give the relative advantages of the audiovisual aids commonly used in workplace training.” The second version allows the candidates to get their teeth into the question. This would make a good opening question: It is not too high in level, it instills confidence in the candidates, and it helps them to relax. If asked later in the interview, or for positions with management responsibility, the question would become “Discuss the considerations in the purchase, selection, production, and use of audiovisual aids in workplace training.”
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Cross-reference to make sure that the range of questions covers all the competencies listed in the job call. Also, create a marking scheme in which each question is given a point value reflecting the relative importance of the competency being examined. For the “discuss” question in the previous paragraph, the marking could be as follows:
Excellent–six marks, at least eight valid responses, clear awareness of long-term budgeting, relevancy, and functionality considerations.
Satisfactory–three marks, three to six valid responses, awareness of major considerations.
Unsatisfactory–one mark, fewer than three valid responses, no clear awareness of major considerations.
By grouping the marks into categories such as excellent, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory, you avoid long panel debates over half marks and other minute issues. It is much easier to gain consensus within the panel on a candidate who gives an “excellent” response than it is to agree on seven marks vs. 7.5 marks out of eight.
Ideally, the interview should generate a wide range of results from the candidate population. If the results are clustered together within a narrow percentage range, they become effectively useless at identifying the best candidates. This may appear to be in conflict with the consensus-building strategy just mentioned. If the range of questions is broad enough and a significant proportion of questions is challenging high-level competencies, there will be adequate separation between the candidates` results. Including questions such as “What is the fire chief`s name?” or “When was the department founded?” indicates a lack of understanding of what the intended result is. It`s not about having everybody get as high a mark as possible. It`s about separating the wheat from the chaff.
EDUCATING THE CANDIDATES
An information session to outline the job call and the process is a great way to inform and educate potential candidates. This is especially true if this type of process is new to your organization. Often, past practices in promotions have left candidates with a mistaken impression of how to prepare themselves. Imagine having studied by cramming chapter after chapter of written material over many weeks or months and then not being asked to simply regurgitate it orally or in writing.
An information session may help candidates to prepare themselves mentally and to avoid feeling threatened by the process. Alternatively, by giving people a chance to ask questions about the job and the process, candidates may decide that this opportunity is not for them. Be as inclusive and as supportive as possible. If candidates can`t attend the information session, be available by phone or by appointment to discuss the job one on one. Remember, however, that even though you see this as a tremendous opportunity for people to join your team, others may have their own perspective. If potential candidates decline to continue after meeting with you personally, thank them for their interest, wish them well, and move on.
Screening the Candidates
The first tier of required competencies is used to screen candidates for the interview phase. The screening will rigorously compare each of the candidates` application documents with the required competencies. A methodical and organized comparison strategy is required. A good way to achieve this is to construct a matrix, or table (see box on page 64). List the first tier, or “application must show” competencies across the top. The candidates` names should be listed down the left side. When reading each candidate`s application documents (including the cover letter and résumé), place a checkmark on the matrix next to the competency demonstrated. If candidates have the same number of checkmarks next to their names as the number of competencies that had been predetermined as criteria for the position, the candidates are screened into the interview. Candidates who have fewer than the number of competencies needed for the position are screened out at this point, since they have not shown themselves to be qualified for an interview.
In the example at right, Albert and D`Angelo would be scheduled for interviews. Byng and Cheng did not show all of the “must show” competencies within their application documents. They would not receive an interview.
A good approach in the screening process is to have two people conduct the paper screen independently. For example, the applications usually will go to someone in human resources (HR) first. The HR representative will fill out the matrix and then pass all the original application documents to you. You will then read through each candidate`s application documents and fill out your own matrix. Once this is done, the two independent evaluations are compared. If the competencies are well-defined and easily demonstrable, there should be little discrepancy between the HR rep`s matrix and yours. Any differences that do crop up may be due to one evaluator`s having missed the significance of an item on a candidate`s résumé. The value in this independent evaluation, aside from a double check, is that the HR representative will often have less personal bias or past history with individual candidates, whereas you will have the job-related experience base from which to judge the relevancy of a candidate`s past employment or community service.
ASSEMBLING THE INTERVIEW PANEL
The panel should be made up of three to five people who have a relevant background. For example, when selecting training officers, the panel could consist of the chief training officer, a line chief officer whose personnel will be trained by the successful candidate, a manager from another municipal department with experience in selecting personnel for supervisory positions, and an HR representative. The HR rep may be present to observe and ensure consistency in the asking of questions and prompting (if allowed) of candidates who seem to have misunderstood a question.
QUALIFYING THE PROCESS
After the interview and panel have been put together, review both for relevancy and consistency. A peer or peers should review the interview. Perhaps another staff chief officer with related subject matter background and an experienced municipal manager or HR specialist could serve as a process expert. After the process is finalized, the panel should meet about one week before the scheduled interviews and go through each element of the interview as a group to ensure that everyone understands the process and all the ground rules for prompting. Panel members without subject matter expertise should be familiarized with any technical jargon expected to be relevant.
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEWS
Totally clear your schedule for as many days as it will take to complete the process with all candidates to be interviewed. Try to allow enough time between interviews to reconcile the marks with the panel members. At the very least, reconcile all marks at the end of each day. If a fabulous answer that had not been anticipated comes up on the second or third day, or if you must revisit a certain question with all candidates, you will quickly fall behind if you have not kept up on the administration of the process. The interview process takes a deceptively physical toll on all parties. To keep the energy level consistent, schedule adequate breaks and meals for the panel.
CONSIDER THE CANDIDATE`S POINT OF VIEW
If your policies allow, provide each candidate with a written copy of each question as it is asked. Allow candidates time to make brief written notes prior to answering. This may actually save time. Their answers will be better organized, and they will be less likely to ramble. Remember that each individual has a preferred method of taking in information. Allowing the candidates to hear and read the question and to organize their answers on paper will help focus the interview toward the candidate`s competency and away from the process.
SELECTION OF QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
Selecting the successful personnel from among those who have demonstrated the necessary qualifications may be integrated into the qualification process or conducted as a separate “short listed” interview. Depending on corporate policy and collective agreements, the highest scoring candidate does not necessarily have to be selected. It should be the one who will be the best fit for the job. For example, you may have an immediate critical need for a training officer with a certain area of technical expertise.
COMMUNICATION
The most rewarding part of the process is notifying the successful individuals. The most difficult part is notifying the unsuccessful individuals. The actual means of notification may be dictated by corporate policy; but whenever possible, follow a few simple and logical rules:
Don`t communicate with the unsuccessful candidates until the successful candidates have been notified and have accepted the positions.
Deliver the news as soon as possible. The successful candidates will not mind your calling them at home. Any delay allows doubt, suspicion, and anxiety to build up among all candidates (they`re only human).
If the number of candidates allows, deliver bad news in person. There are issues and techniques for delivering good news and bad news to candidates; they will not be addressed here. n
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Surviving the Management Interview
The call is out. You`re finally able to apply for that position of fire chief, deputy director, or manager of special operations/ haz mat/EMS/technical rescue you`ve had your sights set on for years. What now? Hopefully for your sake, you`ve kept up to date on what`s happening within your organization or the external organization you`re seeking to join. What skills and competencies is the organization looking for? In what new directions is the organization moving? How does the job fit into the larger corporate scheme? If you don`t know, find out–and soon.
Many things have changed in public sector management in just the past few years. How many of you have stumbled over the word “competencies” in the last paragraph? What exactly is a competency? Competencies are abilities and skills the organization has identified as critical for the successful candidate. Look at the following excerpt from a (fictitious) job call from 1988:
The City of Red Dirt is looking for a fire chief, to operate a fire department of 15 fire stations, 22 apparatus, and 450 full-time firefighters. Reporting to City Council, the fire chief is responsible for managing an annual budget of $30 million and the development of the City`s Master Fire Plan. Extensive knowledge of fire protection codes and standards is required. Applicants must have a minimum of 10 years senior fire command experience and be graduates of the Metro Dirt District College Fire Technology Program.
How many competencies did you identify in the Red Dirt job call? In round numbers, there was exactly one. The first two sentences constitute the job description. The last sentence lists two required credentials. The problem with credentials is that they don`t say anything about your abilities. They only indicate the fulfillment of specific objectives. This doesn`t give any indication of your abilities and skills–your competencies. There can be some overlap between the two but only if the credentials are legitimate indicators of the required competencies. Too often, they are completely arbitrary. They may be designed to limit the competition to a small number of candidates, usually internal to the organization. The only competency listed was knowledge of fire protection codes and standards–not their significance, not the ability to gain compliance within the community, just extensive knowledge.
Check out the competencies in this (also fictitious) 1998 job call:
Can-Able Headhunters has been retained by the Municipality of Tierra Rojo to identify a new general manager/fire chief for the Community Life Safety Services Division. Known for innovative approaches to service delivery, Tierra Rojo is firmly committed to meeting the changing needs of the city`s diverse communities. As a member of the Executive Management Team, you will champion and coordinate change management initiatives within a workforce of 410 emergency service professionals in 18 locations. You are well-known as an effective management executive and are envied for your ability to build teams with a positive focus under difficult situations. You will likely have a graduate degree augmented by significant public sector senior management experience.
This may look like an extreme example, but it was toned down from a recent actual job call.
How can you be expected to show such “soft skills” as team building? From the boss` perspective, how can a selection process identify such competencies? Red Dirt would have conducted a paper screen of the résumés followed by a knowledge-based interview (essentially an oral exam). Possibly a short list would be created for an interview that would follow. The process Tierra Rojo requires may involve similar steps, but the screening and interview stages are designed to allow the candidate to demonstrate the required competencies.
The screening will rigorously compare the candidates` application documents with the required competencies. Those who are successfully screened in will undergo an interview process that may require them to
complete a research project,
present a summary of the project to the interview panel,
provide an analysis of case studies,
give solutions to management problems involving innovative application of policy and procedure, or
demonstrate high-order abilities in realistic paper scenarios or role-playing exercises.
This type of interview is completely different from the more regimented promotion processes commonly used for line officer positions. Company officer and other line promotions may be governed by collective agreements, which can limit the flexibility to change and modernize the competencies being examined. A performance appraisal, followed by a written exam, followed by oral/practical exams is a common sequence.
We all know how to prepare for the Red Dirt interview. Study, read, drink coffee, and study some more–constantly for two years prior to the competition. I have literally seen people study themselves to death this way. But, if that`s the environment in which you have spent your career, and you`re now faced with a Tierra Rojo job call, how can you prepare?
BE PREPARED
If your prospective boss schedules an information session about the promotion opportunity, attend it. These sessions often are held when the pool of potential candidates is very large. Don`t leave the session without having the answers to all your questions. If no session is scheduled–and it may not be if the position must be filled quickly–make sure you phone or meet with the boss in advance. Find out about the process, the interview panel, and the timetables.
RELAX
Don`t be intimidated by the interview panel or the process. Remember, you were invited to apply and were selected for the interview. Many others have not been successful in getting this far. You have invaluable skills and expertise gained from years of service. You deserve the interview and a shot at the big chair.
BE YOURSELF
Be honest, and answer from the heart. We all have looked up to individuals in higher positions and wanted to emulate them. You will do your best by picturing yourself in the new job, not by pretending to be someone else.
LISTEN CAREFULLY
Interview questions are not intended to be tricky, but they are often subtle. There is a lot of difference between “List the major challenges facing our organization” and “How would you address the major challenges facing our organization?” The first would be typical of an opening question designed to loosen you up and test your awareness of the current environment. The second would come later in the interview. Questions like this allow you to demonstrate your ability to analyze, prioritize, and solve complex problems. It is always a good tactic to write the question down, ask that it be repeated, or both. You will be granted the time you need to organize your answer mentally or on paper before you speak.
DON`T ANTICIPATE
Of course, you will be doing some reading to prepare for the interview. You will also be thinking strategically about the type of questions you may be asked. Your best indicators here are the competencies listed in the job posting, coupled with your knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you don`t know the organization or what the job is all about, you`d be better off betting your life savings on trying to fill an inside straight. The key here is to concentrate on the type of question an interviewer would need to ask to have a candidate show the required competencies. If you dwell on particular areas of legislation or policy or attempt to use the interview to bring forward that pet project you`ve been working on, you are in danger of going off on a tangent.
DON`T ASSUME ANYTHING
The interview panel may be made up entirely of people in senior positions within your organization. Then again, it may not. The onus is on you to ask about the makeup of the panel in advance. The more senior the position in question, the fewer positions above it on the organization chart. Often it is necessary to bring in people from other branches of the organization or external people who have similar management positions or expertise in selecting managers. This is entirely appropriate. A senior manager in Public Works faces the same challenges as a senior manager in Fire, Police, Parks, or Transit. All manage and develop staff, juggle budgets, deal with union grievances, plan strategically, and face political pressure to compromise their principles. All, however, do not have background expertise in your field.
Don`t leave anything unsaid that would clarify and validate your response to a nonexpert. Avoid jargon and acronyms, or at the very least be prepared to provide a brief explanation if you find yourself faced with a blank stare. Don`t kid yourself into thinking that you can baffle or impress these people with reams of statistics or a string of job-specific language that sounds like nothing more than letters and numbers to the uninitiated.
DON`T SECOND-GUESS YOURSELF
The organization is looking for people who can quickly and accurately take in, process, and analyze information and provide innovative and effective solutions to complex problems. This is what you will be expected to do in the interview. Listen to the question, prepare your response logically, deliver it, and move on. You may be faced with a series of questions that are closely related. A case study, for example, may be used to test your awareness of policy, your judgment in its application, and your problem-solving skills–all in a three-part question. If at any time you wish to add to a previous response, do so. Do not, however, alter the basic theme of a previous response. You don`t want to appear indecisive or appear to be hedging your bet. Your first instincts, carefully considered within the context of the question, will gain you the most points. n
n PETER SELLS is chief training officer in the Toronto, Canada, Fire Services, where he has served for 13 years. He was a key member of the IFSTA committee that developed the current edition of the Fire and Emergency Services Instructor manual.
