For employers: Evaluation grids |
The evaluation grid is a sheet used at the interview detailing measures of a candidate's matches to specific job criteria. It's a simple method, but it has to be constructed appropriately, and allow good definition of each applicant's demonstrated skills.
|
|
The evaluation grid can greatly simplify the selection process, because there will be standout applicants. However, it can also cause problems if you have multiple selection possibilities.
|
Structuring an evaluation grid
The grid is derived from the list of questions. It's broken up into headings and related job criteria. Each category of job criteria is given a heading, and subheadings of component questions
Headings will look like this:
- Communications
- Qualifications
- Technical skills
- Experience
- Workplace relationships
Subheadings appear as follows:
Communications
- Demonstrated communications skills
- Communication methods
Qualifications
- Degrees
- Diplomas
- Trade certificates
- Licenses
Technical skills (Note: These are job specific skills)
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Experience
Problem solving
Prior work experience
Years of experience
Performance indicators ( with subheadings for each indicator)
Workplace relationships
Interpersonal
Teamwork
Leadership (if applicable)
Evaluation measures
|
Depending on your preferences, evaluation measures can be descriptive, like 'Goodor Poor', or on a scale measurement, a Pass or Fail criteria, or a mix of these.
|
|
The risk here is creating a mess. The evaluation measures used must be effective. Because most people have patchy interviews, allowances must be made for adding information to explain measurements.
So you add a space for notes on the evaluation grid. This is supposed to be a catchall, permitting interviewers to define any issues.
The example above, therefore, would look like this:
Communications Pass/Fail Notes
Demonstrated communications skills
Communication methods
Advanced evaluation grids
This is a very simple example. Evaluation grids can be far more complex. The provision for notes may still be used, but the Communications headings are now structured like this:
COMMUNICATIONS
Demonstrated communications skills
- Expression quality
- Clarity
- Information content
- Technical accuracy
- Originality
- Notes
Notes are made at the end of the assessment, to allow for additional information.
This method allows for detailed evaluation of important elements of the interviewee's answers, and is a fair method of assessment when using comparative results.
Comparison of evaluation grids will show discrepancies in evaluation. This is a very useful function, because it pins down issues in the selection process. Skill levels have to be more closely evaluated.
Individual evaluation for interview panel members
Each panel member can, if preferred, do separate evaluations of categories. This is sometimes necessary when evaluating specialist skills. One of the panel members will be an expert, who's really only dealing with one category, usually the technical skills.
Conveners note: It's sometimes appropriate to delegate evaluations according to the job criteria. Some parts of the interview are relevant to particular panel members who are well placed to make these assessments. Workplace relationships, for example, could be delegated to the job's supervisor, if on the panel.
Evaluation grids overview
|
|
Evaluation grids should be tailored to the needs of the interview and the job criteria. They need to be practical, and allow for accurate evaluations.
|
Complexity isn't a good idea. You can wind up with more information than you need, for someone who isn't under consideration for selection. The only real use of this information is to explain why that candidate didn't get the job. That can be done with pretty basic information.
The most important factor is clarity.
Evaluation grids must be designed to provide useful information in easily accessible formats.
