Interviewing an Applicant for a Job

Application: Interviewing an Applicant

Kim James Smith

Thibodaux University

April 29, 2011

Abstract

This report will briefly describe the position in Thibodaux's Final Project Organization for which I am seeking and selecting an applicant, along with the essential duties of the position. I will then set the stage for the interview process I would like to follow. Finally, I will list ten (10) interview questions that I would ask, and justify my reasoning.

Application: Interviewing an Applicant

Description of Position (Community Support Specialist)

In describing the position I chose for this assignment, I am trying not to borrow too heavily from my response to this week's discussion question. However, of necessity, I have to explain again that I chose FIRST SOURCE COMMUNITY SERVICES Corporation, which is a nonprofit organization operating in Conecha, Geneva, Pike, Green, and Bedford countyes in Alabama. FIRST SOURCE COMMUNITY SERVICES Corporation focuses on providing mental health services to persons who have mental health issues. (Non sourced, 2011)

Since the goal of this assignment is to not only have interview questions, but to be specific on why I am submitting these ten questions, I will once again take the job description for the Community Support Specialist "directly from the FIRST SOURCE COMMUNITY SERVICES Corporation website" (Non sourced, 2011)with emphasis on the requirements.

Community Support Specialist (20 positions available)

Description: The available Community Support Specialist positions will

Provide direct services within a team working with a cross-disability population in the Permanent Supportive Housing Program and will be housed in our Geneva County Office.

Requirements of Position (Community Support Specialist)

I. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in a human-service related field such as social work, human services, rehabilitation counseling or counseling, psychiatric rehabilitation, psychology, criminal justice plus one year of paid work experience providing community based direct care services.

A. For people with a Bachelor's level degree in a field other than helping profession listed above, a minimum of 2 years working in a community based direct care health setting under the supervision of a licensed professional. (http://www.FIRST SOURCE COMMUNITY SERVICES.org)

II. In an email from the current personnel director at FIRST SOURCE COMMUNITY SERVICES Corporation, the following briefing of essential duties of the position was given to me to use in this report:

A. To expedite needed housing, transportation, financial resources, emergency assistance and all other forms of assistance to the Community Support consumers.

B. To oversee the implementation and provision of the services identified in each individual's Individual Service Plan (ISP) so that each individual progresses toward his/her optimum level of development and independence.

C. To establish and maintain good communication and teamwork with individuals served, staff, relatives, administration, volunteers and other professionals so that optimum services are available to individuals served.

D. To assist in the assessment of ongoing strengths and needs of the people who receive Community Support Services.

E. To assist in the development of generic community services and supports.

F. To assure proper documentation of services and supports.

G. To participate in the twenty-four hour on-call rotation.

H. To participate in at least 10 hours of on-going training or special in-services per year, including the maintenance of CPR and First Aid Training, and annual update on Blood borne Pathogens, in compliance with OSHA standards.

I. To supervise and designate duties to staff.

J. To follow the Code of Ethics in fulfillment of duties. (S. S. Guilliot, personal communication, April 28, 2011)

Setting the Stage

After the applicant went through the interest inventories and interview panel I had set up prior thanks to reading the material assigned this week, (Pynes, 2009) I would be ready for the interview. After studying the essential duties, I then began to prepare my questions for the job interview. However, in a previous job, I worked as a Director of Recruitment. I learned from that experience that it is most important to put the candidate at ease as much as possible, and to