Successful campus and on-site interviews occur when the interviewer does up-front work and prepares an interview plan. This first step is key in the interview process in order to match the best people to the ‘right’ jobs.

This section will provide some steps and references to assist you in making your selections:

Pre-Interview Steps:

1. Before leaving on a recruitment trip, familiarize yourself with your Center’s hiring process by meeting with the Center Office of Human Resources Recruiting Manager.
2. Review position descriptions of the positions to be filled. If you are not the manager filling the position, meet with the appropriate supervisor for more information on the position, organization, and what skills are needed to perform the job, etc.
3. Review candidates’ resumes and identify areas to explore during the interview. Look for knowledge, experience and interests that match the selection criteria of the job.
4. Prepare a list of job-related interview questions to ask all the candidates for the position. It is very important for all the candidates to be evaluated against the same criteria.
5. Set the proper interview environment: Privacy, no visitors, no phone calls, stay on schedule, etc.

Interview Steps:

1. Introduction: Put the candidate at ease by using rapport building comments and questions. Talk some about yourself, NASA, your Center and, of course, the position. Please remember the 80/20 rule in interviewing...the interviewer should only talk 20% of the time; the candidate 80%. Take notes (gain the permission of the candidate first).
   
2. Conducting the interview: State your pre-planned interview questions as open-ended questions in order to extract information on how the candidate handled either a school or work specific responsibility or resolved a work-related problem. Some examples of open-ended questions:

   - ‘Can you describe your experience as a co-op at ___________________?’
   - ‘How has that experience helped you prepare for a career at NASA?’
   - ‘What are your career goals for the next 5-years, 10-years?’
   - ‘Describe an accomplishment that you are very proud of?’
   - ‘Think about a time you had to deal with a difficult co-worker. How did you handle it?’

   Reassure the candidate that they can think about the question before answering. Silence is okay! More open-ended questions can be found in the NASA Staffing Course.
   
   Closed questions require a simple yes or no answer and provide no background information. Some examples are:

- ‘You graduated last June?’

- ‘Did you like your last co-op position?’

Avoid asking closed questions. Instead ask questions that get the candidate to open up and provide you with job-related information.

Questions NOT to ask: Federal laws prohibit us from asking questions that have nothing to do with an individual’s qualifications for the position. You cannot ask questions regarding age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, sexual preference, religion, or disabilities.

Providing Information to the Candidate: Ask the candidate if there are any questions. Answer the questions. Candidates normally want information on the job responsibilities, advancement opportunities, salary/benefits, career development opportunities, the next step in the hiring process, and information on the community if they are not from the area.

Closing the Interview: If the interview occurs at your Center and time allows, provide a short tour of the Center. Thank the candidate for his/her interest in NASA and explain the next step in the hiring process
You may offer encouragement to the candidate, but remember all official job offers must be made by the Center’s Office of Human Resources.

Reference Sites:

Contact your Center’s Training Office and Learning Center for books and videos on interviewing. Here are some that may be available at your Center:

• Interviewing: More than a Gut Feeling, by Richard S. Deems, Ph.D.; Book and 20-minute video.
• Interview and Hire the Right People, by Stephen Carline (produced by CareerTrack, 1992); Course contents: 3 videos and workbook, 3 hrs., 30-minutes in length.