With the introduction of the Equality Act, we need to ensure we are even more scrupulous than before about asking questions.  One extremely effective method of keeping out of harm’s way is to employ a competency based or critical incidence based format.

The approach is effective because it is incisive, does not rely on sector specific information and reveals whether a candidate is likely to be able to do what the client organisation requires.

Essentially the process enables the interviewer to transport the candidate back to a specific period or project, get them to relive that time, answering questions like:

• Tell me about a time when…
• What have you done in…
• How would you…

The questions are set against specific competencies which include leadership skills, team building, adaptability, managing change and communication skills.  Within each of these competencies, there will be contributory activities and behaviours.  For example in change management specific behaviour includes:

• Being able to encourage others
• Being able to work to tight deadlines
• Being able to manage conflict
• Being able to influence those with opposing views

 So typical open questions can be:

1. Tell me about a time when you had to encourage a colleague to change his/her mind?
2. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult situation?
3. What can you do now, as a result of Project x, which you could not do before?      

These questions are deliberately open, and are a direct invitation for the candidate to place themselves in the mouth of a funnel, “in the moment” of the specific incident.

Once there, the candidate can be asked supplementary questions such as:

i.              What happened next?

ii.             What options did you consider?

iii.            When was that?

iv.            How was that received?

v.             What was the result?

Using supplementary or probing questions the interviewer gradually draws the candidate down into the funnel  with the 3 fold objective of:

1. gaining more information;
2.  checking authenticity of the account;
3. revealing the specific behaviour being  investigated.

The advantages of using this methodology are that the interviewer can structure the interview, making the process easier to administer and creating a way of managing the collection of evidence.

Using a soft or hard copy document means candidate responses can be recorded against each question, a process vitally important for selection evidence, feedback to candidates (see September 2010’s Newsletter), quality assurance and process objectivity.

Call me.  We can tailor train to suit your team.

Further information:

 The Equality & Human Rights Commission http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/home/

Eggert, M (2007). Perfect Answers to Interview Questions. London: Random House Books. 39 -67.

From a customer service focus, we’re constantly seeking feedback to enable performance improvement and learning.  For example, after interviews, I’m keen to know how the candidates view their performance, how they interacted with the client and whether they’re still interested in the role on offer.

We’re equally keen to learn about our client’s view of the candidates, especially as they’re calling the tune.  What did they think of the shortlist and how did each candidate respond? Crucially, who is to be recalled and who turned away and most significantly, why?

This is an aspect which tends to be brushed aside in the rush to ask those who have been successful for another round. So why is the “why” so important?

It’s important because whether or not the candidate achieves the next stage, they need to understand why they were successful or drew a blank.

Giving candidates a deeper understanding can lead to personal insight, analysis of the feedback and evaluation of their own performance. Most candidates need no encouragement to take this opportunity to learn from their experience, so that in future they know how to improve their performance.

From the client’s point of view, although it may seem a chore, collecting and reporting the evidence as to how a decision is reached is vitally important.  Firstly it informs the client about the veracity and robustness of their interview process.  If a panel is involved, results can be normalised across the members.  If individuals are meeting candidates in different timeframes, then notes can be compared afterwards.

As recruiters, this is a learning opportunity for us too, checking client feedback comments against the original client specification, candidate CVs and our interview notes. The question constantly asked is what can we do differently to ensure we can exceed this standard in future?

There’s another equally important learning angle to this process.  Without this quality of dialogue between client, recruiter and candidate, the opportunities for exploration, discovery and relationship-building are sacrificed.  With a progressive dialogue, trust can be built and possibilities explored leading to openness, shared understanding and a better experience for candidate and client alike.

Our favourite assignments are those where the conversation between the clients and ourselves never stops.  An exchange of thought and evidence streams between each stage of the process, contributing to understanding and knowledge, which flows onwards to each of the candidates in a timely, inclusive and personalised way.

I’d like to think we can draw a parallel between what is described above and best practise in teaching and learning.

Research carried out by Professors Black & Wiliam¹  found that formative (continuous) assessment followed by feedback has a marked effect on learning quality.  It has been found to add the equivalent of two grades to students’ achievement. “Learners need information on what they do well, and how to improve, then they need to act on this. Teachers can give feedback, but students can too, with self- assessment and peer assessment. The best feedback (or formative assessment) uses student’s work to diagnose strengths and weaknesses, and to set individual targets for improvement”.²  

Success at interview can be viewed similarly.  What if you or someone you know consistently made the shortlist but didn’t clinch the job? There’s a strong possibility that high quality feedback resulting in two grades of improvement could make all the difference. 

So, remember, always ask for feedback – it’s a real improvement opportunity.

1Black, P. J., & Wiliam, D. (1998b) Inside the black box: raising standards through classroom assessment. London: King’s College London School of Education. 

2Petty G. Teaching Today. Feedback. Available from http://www.geoffpetty.com/index.html  Date accessed 24.8.10 

You can probably guess where I’m going with this one…Eyjafjallajökull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul), which started erupting last Wednesday, 14 April, beneath Iceland’s 5^th largest glacier, and which, in less than a week, has had a profound impact on our lives, even if we’re not flying, were stranded or expecting someone back from their travels.  This has certainly been a case of expecting the unexpected or managing uncertainty on a grand scale. From minute to minute the situation changed, as Mother Nature, through Eyjafjallajökull and the weather systems, unleashed her forces upon Northern Europe and ultimately the rest of the globe, as airports opened and closed in accordance with the rulings of the CAA, on advice from the Meteorological Office, aeroengine manufacturers, expert scientists and engineers.

Now that UK airspace has been declared open again, the recriminations have started.  Just like Eyjafjallajökull itself, there had been rumblings since the weekend from certain airlines about whether the “no fly” ruling was wholly necessary. Questions were being asked about the validity of predictions modelling ash cloud movements and whether the density of ash affecting UK airspace would really affect jet engine performance in the deadly and immediate manner given in several past examples.

An article published early yesterday” Pitt volcano expert criticizes resumption of Europe jet flights” on www.post-gazette.com, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, quotes Dr. Ian Skilling, a University of Pittsburgh volcanologist and expert on Icelandic volcanoes and their impact on climate change, as saying “Volcanology, unfortunately is a more inexact science than weather forecasting”.  Dr. Skilling, a British native, working at the University since 2002, will be returning to Iceland this summer, said, “there’s no shortage of molten rock and water that could let it (the eruption) go on for months or more than a year.”

Dr Ian Skilling advises, “When the magma stops interacting with the water, the plume will drop to below a few kilometres and it will then be just a local problem, not affecting the rest of the world.  But exactly when it might do that is anybody’s guess”.

Whilst Dr Skilling was quoted as saying he’d not fly to Europe under the present circumstances, it’s been decided by our CAA in consultation with expert and based on measurement and observation that there is a limit of ash density in which flight is possible without catastrophic in-flight failure.

Reading the statement of the CAA Chairwoman, Dame Deirdre Hutton, issued at 7.30am this morning it’s clear the international guidance remains that any flight through volcanic ash is to be avoided.  What has been established over the last few days, through an evidence-based approach, is a risk assessment of flight through low ash densities, which has resulted in a new Europe-wide standard.

”Our way forward is based on international data and evidence from previous volcanic ash incidents, new data collected from test flights and additional analysis from manufacturers over the past few days. It is a conservative model allowing a significant buffer on top of the level the experts feel may pose a risk.” (Dame Deirdre Hutton)

So, before blaming the authorities and accusing them of an about face, pause for a moment and reflect upon the immense amounts of work which have gone on behind the scenes, the collection of evidence, the diligent analysis, the objective reviews of the resulting evidence.  Above all the collaborative efforts of all those concerned, their clear thinking and cool headedness in the face of mounting commercial pressure.

Mother Nature has reminded us that we need to deploy collaborative thinking, unleash our creative powers and work together.  Meaningful risk assessments and contingency planning are often seen as expensive and unnecessary, and are sacrificed in the interests of so-called cost savings, improved efficiency and increased profitability.  Some, it would seem, would have taken to the skies earlier, because the danger appeared to have been over-stated and the evidence not immediately tangible.

Perhaps the one area of criticism, I would have for these diligent and careful authorities, is that they didn’t share enough invormation with the general public as to how they were tackling the problem.  We knew for instance that measurements were being taken but for what purpose?  Did we understand the strategy?  Did we appreciate the timescales and the work needed to achieve the potential outcome?

In the face of no information, our brains substitute “stories”.  We speculate and the spin doctors have immense fun at the expense of the right intentions, which can be as destructive as volcanic erruptions.

Sources

Pitt volcano expert criticizes resumption of Europe jet flights

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

By Sean D. Hamill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10110/1051857-82.stm#ixzz0ldxGj5R4 last accessed 20 April 2010

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7612522/Iceland-volcano-CAA-chiefs-statement-in-full.html last accessed 21 April 2010

 Feathers have been ruffled in engineering circles by an article in the Financial Times, which seeks to reduce the number of job types that can be called ‘engineering’ (BAE chief throws spanner in gas fitters’ work by Peter Marsh  Published: February 28 2010 22:56  Last updated: February 28 2010 22:56).

 BAE Systems Chairman Dick Olver suggests that the word ‘engineer’ is too widely applied and this is having a detrimental effect on the reputation of ‘real engineers’, making it more difficult to entice young people into the industry.   He advocates that professional engineers ‘need to take ownership of the brand and keep it for themselves.’

 Apart from the obvious fact that this is an attempt to denigrate the skills and contribution of the many thousands of people in UK who share this job description, it also goes against the grain of the new approaches to learning and life skills.

 Evidence suggests that one of the reasons engineering and manufacturing in the UK are at a low ebb is because of “closed” attitudes.  A startling example of this ‘closed’ approach came when Mr Olver announced that he would start trying to change people’s perceptions of the term “engineer” by talking to Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica, which employs 8,500 gas fitters at its British Gas subsidiary.

 Strangely enough Centrica was unimpressed!  In a company statement they said: “We plan to continue to use ‘engineer’ to describe our employees who fit and maintain central heating systems. The word underlines the fact that these people receive a lot of training and are well qualified.”

 It may have escaped Mr Olver, but the name of the game in education, learning and skills is now based on inclusivity, equality and diversity.  The old model of the Sieve – where those who didn’t fit the education mould were winnowed out of the system – has been replaced by the Ladder model (Petty G (2009):530-1).

 This inclusive and life-long approach to education gives everyone the chance to make the best use of their skills and talents by finding the courses, teachers and support that meets their particular needs.

 The Ladder allows you to ‘climb’ at your own pace and to take the stairways that work best for your individual goals and needs.  This should then create a better skilled and more enthusiastic workforce.

 The old paradigm of One Size Fits All is no longer good enough, nor is trying to raise your profile by dismissing the contributions of others.  I’m aware that I could be accused of Utopianism, but surely an education and skills environment where everyone is helped to achieve their highest potential is a far more beneficial approach.

 How much better we would surely be, if we recognised each other’s talents and skills and promoted team and collaborative working, instead of introducing barriers?

 Source material:

Financial Times link to original article: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/047d4d8a-24ba-11df-8be0-00144feab49a.html

Petty G (2009) Teaching Today: A Practical Guide Fourth Edition: Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes
]]> http://melarmstrong.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/engineering-a-byword-for-inclusivity-or-elitism/feed/ 0 melarmstrong http://melarmstrong.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/a-christmas-message/ http://melarmstrong.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/a-christmas-message/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:50:51 +0000 melarmstrong http://melarmstrong.wordpress.com/?p=47 ]]> Here we are with the Festive Season racing towards us!  Like death and taxes, it seems Chistmas is an inevitable process – we cannot cancel it, defer it to a more convenient moment, or wait for better weather.  Choose whether we like it or not, decide to participate or not, the Christmas festivities happen and happen on time. 

“Not ready… too many other things to do…”, I hear you mutter under your breath as you scurry off like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.  Or perhaps you’re sitting pretty with all your trimmings artistically in place, your Christmas cards and letters posted, presents purchased and wrapped and your catering arrangements neatly squared away, as if it’s just another day. 

Whichever one fits you, and my guess is that most of us fall in between these two extremes, occupying varying shades of grey, do you, like me, stop and wonder about this feeling of inevitable relentlessness, this “time and tide” approach of Christmas Day?

 Whilst this approach is relentless, right now it feels refreshing.  I almost hesitate in writing this, but we can be sure about the arrival of Christmas Day on December 25^th.  In this sea of uncertainty, reframing, moving the goal posts and spinning the messages, Christmas represents certainty.   It is a stake in the ground, something we can plan for, time and date in the diary.  Whether you’re a Christian or not, it’s  not going to be altered by government law, its essential message blurred by bureaucrat-speak, activities blunted by over enthusiastic and inappropriate health and safety or CRB checks.

 In this respect, Christmas represents hope for me and perhaps others too. Hope that we will come through this appalling recession stronger, having learned some important lessons which we put into practise.  Hope that our political leaders in the West will will stop spinning the message, and instead represent issues honestly, clearly and realistically so that we, the populace, can understand where we stand and what has to be done to resolve the situation.  I fervently hope that out of our recent economic crisis we can build a stronger, healthier and more open way of life, weaving  into our national governance, some of those “old-fashioned” looking values like trust, collaboration, self-determintion, community spirit and customer service which I see practised so effectively at grass roots level.

 So here’s wishing you and yours happy and restorative Christmas & New Year festivities, with time and opportunity to reflect and make merry alike, enabling you to enter 2010 with the hope and a vision for a better world for all.

Each day, I’m inundated, with requests for help with interview techniques, CV reconstruction, networking ideas etc as people wrestle with their basic need “giz a job”.

As you probably appreciate, fulfilling roles are in short supply, so my tip to all my readers is to invest in your CV, practise your interview skills and network with as many people as time and determination permits.

A polished CV and a skilfully crafted covering letter are stepping stones to a first meeting. Clever networking can add to your range of strategies, with both people and possibilities leading one to another. Once you’ve secured a meeting and you’re in front of the prospective employer, confident interview techniques can be deployed with ease. CV writing, interview techniques and networking skills need updating, practising and polishing well before they are required.

Should you believe that help from a market specialist would help you to generate an effective, eye-catching CV with networking and interview know-how included, I offer a face-to-face/telephone/Skype service for £200 + VAT with follow-up support tailored to suit your individual needs.

Drop me a line or call on the numbers below to discuss your situation or to make an appointment today!

Best regards

Melanie Armstrong
Director, Cardinal Talent Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1484 687 587
Mobile: +44 (0) 7831 476 818
Skype: melanie.armstrong
Home Office: +44 (0) 1484 688 486
Blog: http://melarmstrong.wordpress.com
Web: www.cardinaltalent.com
Suites 3 & 5, Victoria Court, 91 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 3JA.
Registered in England 3162635

Followme for breaking opportunities and news @ http://twitter.com/melcardinal

I’ve been indulging myself lately and reading some historical who-dunnits by C.J. Sansom. As well recommending the “shardlake
” series as good, honest relaxation, I have found these stories very thought-provoking. Reflecting (there’s that word again!) on how differently people behave and how behaviour has changed over time, I am not surprised that we adopt certain characteristics to varying degrees. Take openness for instance.

We understand that openness encourages others to get to know us more easily, helping to build trust quickly. We also know that being too open, to the point of naivety, can be damaging or even dangerous. So, it’s a balancing act, and in today’s UK society, I see the scales as being fairly evenly balanced. Contrast with Shardlake’s time, during the reign of “good” King Henry V111th, where an honest and openly expressed opinion about religious belief or the King himself, could cost your liberty and your life if overheard in the wrong quarters.

So, imagine if you will, being a descendant of someone who was put to death for holding out against the decreed religious view. How might that affect your thinking, persuading you to be careful about with whom and where you shared your innermost thoughts, beliefs and feelings? Consider how you might influence your descendents, especially if these oppressive conditions prevail? If others are affected similarly, either directly or by observation, before long you have generations of people who habitually keep things to themselves!

Being open with strangers and those we don’t know too well, may feel like a risky business. We may not understand why this is, until we peel back the generations of thinking and habitual reasoning. I’d like to ask you how against the grain does it feel to bare all and have a blog, to appear on FaceBook or LikedIn or Twitter when all your formative years, you were taught to “keep it under your hat”…?

We hope you are keeping well, making progress and celebrating your achievements!

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive,  reports “October has seen this year’s biggest monthly increase in registrations with the successful scrappage scheme accounting for over 20% of them,” .  Whilst Mr Everitt was the bearer of encouraging news, “additional demand has been created by the extension of the scheme and customers wanting to avoid the VAT increase planned for January. Encouragingly, there has also been an increase in demand in the fleet and business sectors, which will be critical in sustaining recovery next year” he sounded a note of caution on BBC Radio 4′s “Today”, saying the trends are based on very low initial numbers and that recovery will be slow and lengthy.

New car registrations were up 31.6% in October to 168,942 units, whilst year-to-date registrations , down 12.3% at 1,685,981.

October is the fourth month of growth sustained by the Scrappage Incentive Scheme (SIS), with private demand up 86% in the month, further supporting positive impact of SIS.

Good news, especially if you belong in the category of most sought- after  employees.  I sincerely hope the survey data is heralding better times to come for us all.  It would be great, with the onset of autumnal gales and rain and the darker evenings, that we had some cheery news to warm our hearts and offer encouragement.

Talking to candidates, as I do on a regular basis, there seem to be just as many out of employment, or coming out of employment in the period approaching Christmas, as there were 12 months ago.  Those who are available for work are finding it hard to get in front of prospective employers. Many complain that they never receive a reply in response to their application, so are almost speechless, at first, when they find me or my colleagues on the other end of the telephone wanting to find out more about their skills and aspirations.

So for all those hopeful candidates out there, keep reviewing and polishing your CV and making job applications.  Explore ways of keeping your skills fresh and your mind in gear so that when that phonecall comes and you’re invited to interview, you’re sharp and ready to go!  Maybe as the Report on Jobs claims, the road to recovery lies ahead, and we can win the opportunity to work ourselves back to prosperity?

My enthusiasm and interest lies in developing self awareness in business leaders and in manufacturing and business improvement. I’m very concerned about the huge numbers of highly skilled people who have come out of work in the last 12 months and are finding it tough to get back into employment. Whilst I believe that those affected can capitalise on these enforced career breaks to change direction or update their skills, ultimately, as a nation we need to generate stimulating and fulfilling occupations for people, rewarding qualification and capability fairly.

My professional work involves me with both individuals and businesses alike providing business support through coaching and training in leadership development, recruitment, outplacement, psychometric assessment and career development. This year I was greatly honoured to receive the Fellow of the Year Award from the Association of Manufacturing Managers, an organisation I have been a member of since 1987 and which me and my team have worked with in the past providing administrative, statutory and organisational support.

Away from the business scene, and yet not so far really, I have developed and followed an interest in holistic healing, specialising in reflexology and relaxation techniques such as meditation. My observation is that given sufficient and regular time and space to self-reflect and relax an individual will be able to recharge their regenerative powers, strengthening self esteem and promoting physical and mental healing.

Good health and happiness to you all and look forward to staying in touch,

Best regards

Melanie Armstrong

Leadership Development, Recruitment & Coaching

Cardinal Talent Ltd

Tel: +44 (0) 1484 687 587

Mobile: +44 (0) 7831 476 818

Skype: melanie.armstrong

Home Office: +44 (0) 1484 688 486

Web: www.cardinaltalent.com

Suites 3 & 5, Victoria Court, 91 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 3JA.

Registered in England 3162635