Interviews

Identify an interview panel to hire support staff, professional staff and academic professional officers and management

• A panel of no more than four interviewers is recommended and should include the hiring manager, department personnel, a technical expert if appropriate and any other appropriate person (i.e. HR Partner). It is highly recommended for leadership positions that your HR Partner is included as a panel member.
  • Ensure diverse perspectives by having a panel of interviewers from different backgrounds. This helps prevent one-sided evaluations and provides a more comprehensive view of candidates.

Identify a selection committee for hiring academic staff and faculty

• For Academic Faculty hiring please follow the Academic Selection Procedure  when selecting your committee.
• We encourage you to assemble a selection committee to advise on the appointment of continuing and temporary appointments of eight months or longer.
• We recommend the committee consist of at least three individuals reflective of the demographic diversity of the university, inclusive of persons historically under-represented.

The following details need to be reviewed and finalized with the panel/committee:

• Review ground rules for the process (e.g. confidentiality, FOIPP, protected grounds).
• Review the principles of equity, diversity and inclusivity concepts of bias awareness and discrimination and the obligations under applicable university policies, in particular:
  • Discrimination, Harassment and Duty to Accommodate Policy
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Best Practices
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
  • Indigenous Strategic Plan
• Assign roles including the chair and designated note-taker.
  • What to document:
    • Relevant job skills.
    • Responses to questions.
    • Note observations regarding the candidate's alignment with the company culture. This can include their values, communication style and adaptability to the work environment.
    • Questions asked by the candidate.
  • What not to document:
    • Avoid documenting any personal information not relevant to the job, such as age, marital status, religion or any other protected grounds. This helps prevent bias.
    • Unrelated small talk
    • Avoid subjective impressions that are not based on the candidate's skills or experiences. Focus on observable behaviors and qualifications.
• Review short-list criteria, screening results and confirm the selection criteria.
  • Consider including phone pre-screens if your shortlisted candidate pool is too large. Phone pre-screens streamline the hiring process by efficiently assessing candidates' qualifications and motivations, ensuring a more focused and effective in-person interview stage. 
  • Faculties and units can request documentation of certifications or credentials that are required for the position. 
    • Examples include a current driving abstract, specific training, education credential or a vulnerable sector check as supported by policy. 
  • Contact your HR Partner  for support with any of the items above.
• Review and finalize the interview questions and plan.
• Determine approximate timeline for hiring decisions, reference checks, offer(s) and notice to unsuccessful candidates.

Develop a set of standardized interview questions relevant to the job requirements to ensure consistency and reduce the likelihood of asking biased or irrelevant questions. Consult your HR Partner  for guidance on developing the interview plan and discussing topics such as salary expectations.

Use the Interview Tool

The Interview Tool is designed to assist in making interview packages in less time with one easy-to-access application. Within the Interview Tool Guide you will find:

• The importance of strong and effective interview questions.
• Importance of selecting job-appropriate questions.
• Importance of probes and follow-up aids to assist in conducting better interviews.
• Suggestions on how to best select questions by identifying the position competencies.
• When possible it’s recommended to include questions around II & EDI to support the universities commitment and culture to II & EDI principles.

Use your CCID Login information to access the tool. Access is only for people leaders. If you cannot access it, please request to be added as a user by submitting a ticket to the Staff Service Centre.

Interview Tool

Human Rights considerations

• Avoid non-job related and personal questions regarding family, marital status, religion, or country of origin.
  • Human Rights and What Employers Can Ask
• Reframe questions relating to bona-fide occupational requirements, such as candidate availability or specific information. For example, instead of asking about family obligations, inquire about availability for non-regular hours or overtime work.

For targeted recruitment strategies with the intention to better represent historically underrepresented groups and ensure a diverse employee representation, please consult with your HR Partner .

Considerations when scheduling interviews

• Ideally, schedule the interviews within a week of the posting close date as job seekers may accept other opportunities if there are delays.
• Plan for a maximum of four to five interviews per day; allowing approximately one hour per interview with 15-30 minutes between interviews to debrief and record assessment information.
• Secure a confidential, professional interview location and ensure there are no interruptions.

As a result of remote work, hiring managers are encouraged to conduct interviews with a virtual meeting or phone call.

Virtual interviews

• The University of Alberta’s preferred video chat tools are Google Meet or Zoom. Google Meet is recommended whenever possible as it offers a dial-in line.
• Be mindful that not every candidate will be able to access virtual interview technology, and may need to have a phone interview, reschedule or determine an alternate method.
• Test your technology prior to the interview.
• Ensure you pre-establish expectations and housekeeping items. Before the interview begins, discuss the timing and format of the interview, establish confidentiality and agree to not record during the virtual meeting.
• Commence the interview with a land acknowledgement.
• Be mindful and accommodating of potential audio and/or video delays, and empathetic if a pet or child makes an unexpected appearance.

Phone interviews

• Call the candidate from your work phone number or block your personal number if possible.
• If hosting a group call, remind interview participants to mute their lines when not in use to ensure smooth communication and avoid interruptions.

Opening the interview

• Begin by introducing the panel/committee members and providing a brief description of the interview process, including the allotted time and evacuation procedures.
• Consider commencing the interview with a land acknowledgement.
  
• Acknowledge that both the interviewer and candidate may feel nervous.
  Engage in a few moments of small talk to help ease tension and establish rapport.
• Avoid filling silences with excessive talking, as the primary goal is to gather information from the candidate.

During the interview

• Use structured interview questions as the main focus of the interview.
• Pose probing or follow-up questions as needed for clarification or additional information.
• Avoid leading questions and actively listen to candidates' responses.
• Provide ample time for candidates to answer questions thoughtfully.
• Maintain control of the interview process to ensure it progresses smoothly.
• Encourage elaboration from candidates who provide brief responses and manage excessive talkers to stay on schedule.

Closing the interview

• Ask candidates if they have any questions.
• Provide a realistic overview of the day-to-day responsibilities to help candidates gauge suitability.
• Acknowledge that the interview process is a two-way evaluation process.
  • As a representative of the university, emphasize the benefits for the candidate should they choose to join our team.
• Discuss next steps, timelines and availability to start.
  • Salary expectations can also be discussed if you have consulted with your HR Partner prior to the interview to understand the appropriate application for the position.
  • Let the candidate know that if we move forward with a reference check, they will receive an email from our online reference check platform, Certn, where they will provide their references and electronically consent as per our standard consent form.
  • For leadership roles, if you prefer to conduct phone references yourself, you will need to:
    • Request a list of at least two professional references, ensuring they are relevant to the position (e.g. no personal references).
    • Have the candidate sign the Consent for Collection and Verification of Information.
• Each candidate should leave with a sense of being treated respectfully and having had the opportunity to give their best.

• Allocate 15–30 minutes after each interview for panel/committee debriefing.
• Focus on initial impressions, interview feedback and general candidate information.
• Use this time to share impressions, identify if further probing or follow up is required and determine specific reference questions.