Effective Interviewing

PARTICIPANT GUIDE

Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Participant Table of Contents

6 Step Interview Process

Page 1

Know What Youre Looking for

Page 1

Profile of A Successful Associate/Store Manager

Page 2

Step 1: Application / Resume Review

Page 3

Step 2: Informal Interview

Page 4

Step 3: Formal Interview Before You Start

Page 5

Step 3: Formal Interview Interview Questions

Page 6

Step 3: Formal Interview Lets Sit Down and Talk

Page 7

Step 3: Formal Interview After the Interview

Page 7

Step 4: Checking References

Page 8

Step 5: Supervisors Interview

Page 8

Step 6: Extending the Offer

Page 9

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

6-Step Interview Process

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Application / Resume review

Informal interview (face-to-face or phone screen)
Formal interview (face-to-face)
Checking the applicant references
Supervisors interview
Extending the Offer

Know What Youre Looking For - Sharks, Hippos and Lions Oh My!
The two primary things to consider with selling personalities are ____________________________ and
________________________________.
NOTE: The animal references below refer to behavior and personality types, and are in no way meant to
describe a persons physical attributes.

Shark
A shark is _____________________ driven, with no concern for building ____________________ or
looking out for the Customer. Sharks are focused on short term goals, they get the sales, but Customers
will not return. If a shark is promoted to management, they will surround themselves with other sharks.

Retriever
Opposite of the ________________, retrievers are only concerned with ___________________.
Dominant in retail, retrievers are fearful of rejection and being perceived as a shark; they will talk to a
Customer for hours without ever trying to sell anything.

Hippo
A hippo is not bothered by either ___________________ or __________________. This is the person
who ignores the Customers until they leave empty handed, and then cheerfully tells the Customer
goodbye because hippos are happy that the Customer is leaving. Hippos are unacceptable and must not
be tolerated.

Lion
Lions are the kings (or queens) of retail, understanding that ___________________ (relationships) and
_______________________ (results) compliment one another and that both are critical to success. This
is the target profile! In general, _______________________who overcome their fear can become lions.
____________________ types will always have that side of them that thirsts for the kill.
___________________are a lost cause because they dont care.

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Profile Of A Successful Associate/Store Manager!

A Successful Associate Profile:
is enthusiastic and outgoing
makes eye contact and smiles while he/she is talking with you
is well-spoken
loves movies
can offer products and services in a normal conversation with Customers
is honest
is goal-oriented and competitive
works well with others
is hard-working
is well groomed
A successful Store Manager profile (includes all of the qualities of a successful Associate and):
has experience managing small groups of people on a team
has counseled others
delegates well
pays attention to details

Interviewers Tip:
Having a clear picture of the person you are looking for helps you to focus on those items
during the interview process and not settle for the candidate who doesnt offer everything
that the position requires to be successful.

YOUR NOTES:

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 1: Application / Resume Review

What to look for on an application:
Is the application neat and filled out completely?
This indicates that the person who completed it pays attention to detail and is interested in
making a good impression.
18 or older?
Avoid liability by not hiring under age workers, especially in Stores that carry Adult product.
Worked for us before?
Great! Getting references should be easy. Are they eligible for re-hiring?
Availability?
Are they willing to work when YOU need them?
Qualifications?
What they write here provides more background information about the applicant.
Work History?
Are there reasons for leaving previous job explained and acceptable? Does the applicant have
experience working with the public or in retail? While this is not necessary, it is helpful.
Prior Felonies?
Be careful! You must get DM approval to hire this candidate.
Can they perform essential functions?
Be careful here also! If the applicant answers, No, and lists needed accommodations, stop and
call Human Resources before proceeding with an interview.
Did the candidate sign and date the application?
If the applicant failed to sign the application, ask him or her to come in and sign or date it. This
signature will allow you to call references listed on the application.
Potential Red Flags:
Employment gaps
If there is more than a 2 month gap in employment with no reasonable explanation. Reasonable
explanations include school, family emergencies, health of the applicant or relocation.
Leaving past jobs
Concerns for terminations would be terms for cause, theft, insubordination, cash shortage, no
reason, and disagreements with upper management. Acceptable reasons include family
emergencies, company closing, relocation, school and health.
Omissions on applications
Anything thats been left off is reason to question (dates of employment, fuzzy dates, illegible
information, reference information, etc.).
Job hopping
If the applicant seems to jump from job to job with no advancement/obvious reason.
Pay needed too high
This isnt always a reason to not consider an applicant. Just make sure that the applicant is clear
on the budgeted amount before you offer a formal interview.
Cannot contact current/previous employers
An acceptable reason an applicant might not want you to contact is if the applicant is still
employed by that company.
Reminders for handling applications:
Do not make notes or use symbols on the application to code the applicant.
Never staple or paperclip notes concerning the applicant to the application.
Applications should be retained for 1 year in the filing system.
The completed interview, phone screen and reference checks should be kept
with the applicants application.

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 2: Informal Interview

Face-to-Face Informal Interview
You can take time to talk to the applicant interview when he or she drops the application off.
Phone Screen Interview
If the applicant is not present, call and introduce yourself. Explain that you received their application and
would like to take a few minutes to discuss the position(s) available and their application.
Handout: Phone Screen Form

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Trust Your Instincts
If the applicant understands and can meet all the requirements during the informal interview, you will
schedule a formal face-to-face interview.
If you do not feel comfortable with their answer, thank them for applying and let them know you will
keep their application on file.

YOUR NOTES:

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 3: Formal Interview Before You Start

Preparation is important. The following steps must be taken to help ensure a good interview:
INVEST THE TIME TO INTERVIEW IT WILL PAY OFF LATER! Schedule a time (about 45
minutes to 1 hour) that you can be assured of no interruptions.
Make sure that your office and desk are free from clutter and distractions.
Turn off ringers on cell phones and office phones.
Print a copy of the Job Description for the position that the applicant has applied.
Read over the applicants information.
Review the interview questions and understand what you are looking for in a candidate.
Review the list of which questions are legal and illegal to ask a job applicant.
Prepare to explain the E4 Program and the expectations of each Associates performance.

Handout: What Not to Ask!!!

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Positive & Negative Cues
Interviewers Tip:
Make notes of any negative cues that you picked up from the applicant as well as any
positive cues that stood out.
This will help you to remember what the applicant had to say and how he or she said it and
will help you to make a better evaluation after each has been interviewed.

YOUR NOTES:

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 3: Formal Interview Interview Questions

The most important part of the interview is clearly the interview questions. We have pre-selected
interview questions that should be asked during the interview based on the applicants position. These
questions are designed to determine if the applicant is the right one.
It is important before you start your interview that you are familiar with the questions that you are going
to ask. This will allow you to be more natural when you are asking the questions.
Reminders for Interview Questions:
In order to be fair and impartial, you should ask the same questions to each applicant.
If your Store has tanning or adult product be sure to ask those applicable questions.

Handout: Interview Questions Notes

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 3: Formal Interview Lets Sit Down and Talk

Guidelines to help your interview go smoothly for you and the applicant:
At the start of the interview, let the applicant know that you will be taking notes throughout the
interview.
Start the interview by getting the applicant talking about him or herself. A good way to start the
applicant talking is to have them paraphrase their work history, even though you have already
fully reviewed their application / resume.
Be natural when asking questions during the interview. It is important to not seem as if you are
reading off the paper (this is not natural).
Do not try to fill the silences during the interview. Give the applicant sufficient time to think and
reflect on the question.

Step 3: Formal Interview After the Interview

Congratulations This Applicant May be the One!
The applicant should sign the Background Screening Release Form and you should proceed to the next
step of the process.
Note: SM/SMIT applicants only
If the applicant meets the requirements you should administer the RMAI and have the applicant sign the
Background Screen Release Form. Once the applicant leaves, fax the Background Screen Release Form
to LP Support and score the RMAI.

Knowing When to Foldem

Declining Script:
Thank you for your interest in Movie Gallery. At this time, we are
exploring other candidates that meet the qualifications of the position.
We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

YOUR NOTES:

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 4: Checking References

Why is it important to call the applicants references?

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When calling the applicants references who should you talk to?

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When conducting a reference check, you should do the following:
Verify data learned in the interview including length and dates of employment. Red flag if the
information in the reference check is inconsistent with that on the application.
Check professional references. They are more important than personal references because they
provide more accurate and relevant information regarding work performance. More recent ones
are better than those in the distant past.
Determine reasons for leaving past jobs. Find out if they terminated employment voluntarily or
involuntarily.
Find out if theyre eligible for re-hire at their previous jobs. This helps to confirm if there are any
concerns with the applicant leaving past jobs. If theyre not eligible for rehire for a previous job,
ask why.
Handout: Reference Check Questions

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Step 5: Supervisors Interview

After calling the candidates references (and if everything checks out), your supervisor will interview the
candidate.
The object of this interview is to ensure that the best candidate is being considered for employment
that the qualities that one interviewer sees are evident to others. This interview will, more than likely,
take place over the phone.

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Effective Interviewing Participant Guide

Step 6: Extending the Offer

Before extending an offer, you should contact your District Manager for rate of
pay, position, start date, and to verify the candidate receiving the offer and the
candidates not receiving the offer.

After the offer has been extended and accepted, you should contact the other applicants that you
interviewed and let them know that the job has been filled.

Giving the Bad News to Other Applicants

Declining Script:
Thank you for your interest in Movie Gallery. We have selected a
candidate that best meets the requirements for the position. We
wish you the best in your future endeavors.

YOUR NOTES:

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