Structured interview selection plan for retail department manager positions

¶ … qualifications specifically related to the duties and responsibilities of the individual position. In regards to the department manager position, a varied and broad array of skills is needed to perform the task well. Below is a general synopsis of the core competencies needed to perform the department manager role in a successful and sufficient manner.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's)

Knowledge -- information which makes adequate performance on the job possible. The department manager must posses specific knowledge related to the overall retain environment as it relates to customer relations. Knowledge of fundamental numerical concepts such as adding, division, subtraction and multiplication will also be needed. Knowledge of consumer behavior would be preferred in order to effectively align merchandise and selling behaviors effectively.

Skills -- This plan defines "skill" as a proficiency that is observable, quantifiable and measurable. In regards to the department manager position skills heavily correlated to customer interactions will be needed to perform necessary tasks.

Ability -- The definition of "ability" pertains to the candidate's capacity to perform an activity at the present time.

2. Essential qualifications- Essential qualifications refer to the minimum training and experience requirements, including knowledge, skills, abilities, and selective criteria included on the vacancy announcement.

3. Qualified -- Qualified applicants are those individuals whose credentials indicate the possession of training and experience, selective criteria, and KSA's included in the vacancy announcement.

4. Most qualified -- The most qualified applicants is the group, who, to the greatest extent, possess qualifications that exceed the essential requirements described in the vacancy announcement.

Differentiating qualified and most qualified applicants

Determining Qualified Applicants

All applicants are to be submitted to the retail stores human resource department. A designated employee in Human Resources will analyze all applications to determine which applicants meet essential qualification requirements. This group then becomes the pool of qualified applicants and is referred to the hiring manager based on business needs and applicant preference. If the qualities of the applications referenced to the HR manager are deemed inadequate, the hiring manager may decide to advertise the position with approval from the HR regional manager. As a service to the hiring department, the hiring manager may elect to have the human resource department determine the "highly qualified" pool of applicants from the ones that meet the essential qualification requirement as defined above.

Determining Most Qualified Applicants

Other department managers, will evaluate the applications, using the evaluation techniques mentioned above to determining those that are most qualified. The group designated as most qualified will be those that exceed essential qualifications. Applicants for interviews will be selected from the most qualified list. The hiring department will be responsible for the adverse effects resulting from the use of qualification standards that are unreasonably construed. If, due to lack of ability, there are no applicants that clearly exceed the essential qualifications, the applicants meeting essential qualifications may be considered by the hiring manager.

Method of Assessment

Major KSAO Category

Needed for initial selection

Education needed

Experience

Needed

Retail Knowledge

Exam

Personality

Assessment needed

Marshfield applicant exam

1) Knowledge of customer service policies

X

X

X

2) Ability to make quick decisions with incomplete information

X

3) Ability to lead a team to drive company results

X

X

X

4) Knowledge of retail management policies and practices

X

X

5) Ability to analyze financial data including sales and credit performance

X

X

X

6) Ability to multitask while remaining focused on core objectives

X

X

7) Logical thinking skills

X

X

X

8) Ability to communicate effectively

X

X

9) Teamwork skills

X

10) Skill in managing personnel resources

X

X

Interview Questions

Hiring and interviewing are essential skills for any human resource department. Attracting, retaining, and subsequently coaching potential talent in a more seamless and global environment is essential for corporate growth. Hiring, when done correctly allows the firm to acquire the best available talent which can be ultimately be used to further corporate ideals. Likewise effective interviewing provides an unbiased method of evaluation and assessment as it relates to the hospitality management field. These skills, particularly during peek travel times, will allow companies to provide the best available talent to its consumers. This talent, when evaluate correctly, allows for seamless market share growth in the midst to troubling economic circumstances. This is particularly important for a retail organization predicated on macroeconomic factors. The following interview questions consist of 6 behavioral and 6 situational questions.

Behavioral Interview Questions

1) Tell me about a time when you lead a team to a specific outcome? What were the situations and their outcomes? KSAO 9

2) Tell me about a time when you disagreed with the group, and spoke out against it? What was the outcome of the situation? KSAO 10

3) Tell me about an instance where you swayed an opponent to agree with your point-of-view regarding a contentious issue? KSAO 8

4) Tell me about a time when you handled a disgruntled customer and rectified a very hard situation? KSAO 2

5) Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a policy and spoke out against it? How did you do it and what was the outcome? KSAO 4

Situational Interview Questions

1) When faced with a very technical problem, what steps do you take to arrive at a desirable solution? KSAO 7

2) A customer is attempting to purchase a pair of jeans. Explain how you would coach your associates to inspire the individual to purchase more than just the shirts? KSAO1

3) As a manager you are faced with a nonperforming associate. They have been a non-performer for 5 weeks. How would you rectify the situation to improve sales results of the associate? KSAO 3

4) Your boss gives you an assignment due in 3 hours. You realize however you have an appointment with one of your associates that you can not miss. What would you do to meet both requirements? KSAO 6

5) You notice sales in the department have been declining for the past month. What would you do to attempt to pinpoint the cause? KSAO 5

Interviewing question scoring keys

KSAO 1

1 point: Answer does not mention about a specific outcome and leading a team

2 point: Answer moderately mentioned outcome and leadership skills

3 points: Answer fulfills requirement completely

KSAO 2

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient communication skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately sufficient communication skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills communication requirement

KSAO 3

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient communication skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately sufficient communication skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills communication requirement

KSAO 4

1 point: Candidate did not quickly addressed customer concern

2 point: Candidate addressed customer quickly but did not immediately resolve the issue

3 point: Candidate addressed customer and resolved situation quickly

KSAO 5

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient communication skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately sufficient communication skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills communication requirement

KSAO 6

1 point: Candidate does not think logically to resolve problems

2 point: Candidate thinks logically in a moderate manner

3 point: Candidate thinks logically to resolve issues quickly and efficiently

KSAO 7

1 point: Candidate showed inadequate ability to coach associates

2 point: Candidate moderately shows ability to coach associates

3 point: Candidate shows exceptionally ability to coach associates to sell proactively

KSAO 8

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient teamwork skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately sufficient teamwork skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills teamwork requirement

KSAO 9

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient multitasking and teamwork skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately multitasking and teamwork skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills multitasking and teamwork requirement

KSAO 10

1 point: Answer conveys insufficient decision making skills

2 point: Answer conveys moderately decision making skills

3 point: Answer completely fulfills decision making requirement

Pilot Trial Interview

The pilot trial interview is designed to test the ability of the above questions to adequately ascertain the merit of individual candidates. To accomplish this, sample candidates will be utilized and exposed to all the questions. These candidates will be diverse in their age, ability, and socioeconomic status. The interviewer will then provide feedback as to the overall structure of the questions and how they helped determine the candidate's skills and abilities. The sample candidates will also provide feedback as to the structure of the questions and if any confusing language was embedded within the overall evaluation process.

Interview Comments

The interview process was fairly straight forward with the interviewee able to answer all the questions in a satisfactory manner. The wording however was too esoteric at times. Many of the questions particularly those that were situational-based had words many of the interviewees did not understand within the context of the question. Many of the questions also were too open ended and didn't have the desired effect of ascertaining a particular skill or ability. As such, the questions were restructured to be simpler and more transparent for the interviewee to understand. When asked how they felt throughout the interview, many respondents articulated to the interviewer that they felt as if they were within a normal interview. They did not feel pressured or nervous in regards to the questions being asked. They also indicated that the questions were very broad yet specific in their design. Many of the answers for the same questions were varied yet still provided ample background to conclude proficiency in a certain skill.

Final Recommendations and Conclusion

In conclusion, the interview questions provided the opportunity to better ascertain candidates skills and abilities relative to peers. The questions allowed the interviewer to also decipher the great candidates from those who simply meet the essential requirements. Through proper corrections to the overall wording of questions, candidates could understand the overall form of the questions. As mentioned throughout the duration of this document, hiring and interviewing are essential components to any human resources department. This is particularly true for the retail management field which is undergoing fundamental change in the manner in which consumers demand industry products. To better ascertain individuals strengths relative to peers the behavior and situational-based questions will work in the industry. The situational model will work for the more routine behaviors needed on the job while the behavior model will be applied to more broad positions within retail. To effectively compete in this global economy hiring personnel that provide a competitive advantage relative to peers will be vital to success in the retail field.

References:

Heneman III, H.G., & Judge, T.A. (2009). Staffing organizations. NY, NY: Mendota House, Inc.

Kammeyer-Mueller, J. (2009). Tanglewood casebook. New York, NY: Mendota House, Inc.