We have delivered interview skills training to several different FRS’s. What made this project unique was that the training was delivered to a small group of local councillors and senior internal personnel who were going to be involved in Brigade Manager Appointments. The PQA based interview was one part of a broader process.

The training:

  • We described the usefulness of a more structured approach to interviewing, and the benefits of having clear criteria.

  • We presented the concept behind PQAs/ competencies and discussed their relevance.

  • We discussed potential sources of bias and how to avoid them.

  • We practised using standardised approaches to interviewing to draw detailed answers from candidates.

  • We used the scoring criteria to assess mock candidates – using evidence based valuations.

 

Result:

The council participants found the training informative and worthwhile. It helped them clarify what they needed from the candidates’ performance, gain an understanding of the benefits of a standardised approach and commit to generating transparent and evidence-based evaluations.

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