Insight Interview Redesign and Validation
FCC Services recently undertook a project to validate and redesign seven interviews utilized throughout Farm Credit to support associations’ hiring decisions, working with SelectionLink, a vendor partner that delivers talent assessment, recruitment and development services including the standardized Insight Interviews being validated. The in-depth validation process included participation and support from 16 Farm Credit organizations including GreenStone Farm Credit Services.
“We rely strongly on the Insight Interview tool, so it was important for us to help update and improve the interviews for these key positions,” says Jonna Meyers, Senior Human Resources Business Partner with GreenStone. “The tool helps us select candidates that are a strong fit for the position, and these particular interviews hadn’t been validated for several years.”
The six-month validation process included seven interviews: Relationship Manager, Credit Analyst, Appraiser, Manager, Information Technology, Support and Staff. Some of the interviews are used for multiple positions: for example, the Support interview is used for positions like administrative assistant, accounting clerk, loan processor, receptionist and others.
For each of these interviews, updating and validating the interview questions employed a comprehensive analysis to identify the abilities, talents and characteristics demonstrated by top performers in Farm Credit. SelectionLink used three methods of analysis in the research phase of the project: interviews with key stakeholders, focus groups of high performing job incumbents and a closed‐ended, structured job analysis survey. From this qualitative research, SelectionLink developed a talent profile that defines the innate themes apparent among the best performers throughout Farm Credit, and then created the seven in‐depth interviews that measure the most important attributes of outstanding performers.
“The nature of some of these jobs has changed and the interviews still had questions about some duties that aren’t done anymore, so we were seeing interview scores trend down,” says Jonna. “Now the questions are more aligned with the current job responsibilities and expectations.”
The Insight Interviews are currently conducted by FCC Services on behalf of Farm Credit clients to assess candidates’ potential for performance excellence. FCC Services can also train other recruiters to conduct the interviews for their organizations. The Insight Interview is, of course, only one step in any recruitment process, but it provides objective insight into each candidate’s suitability.
“The SelectionLink interviews have been proven to help identify strong candidates to continue in the interview process,” says Beth Oliphant, FCC Services Recruitment and Selection Specialist who has been with Farm Credit for 30 years. “We have a lot of people in the System long-term because these interviews work, but keeping them current is essential. Working with SelectionLink on this validation process was critical to that goal.”
For more information about SelectionLink or FCC Services Assessment and Recruiting and Selection services, contact Beth Oliphant at 316.733.4431 or beth.oliphant@fccservices.com. Attendees at the FCC Services’ Forum for Ag Lending in September will also have the opportunity to talk with SelectionLink representatives and Beth about utilizing Insight Interviews.
