- IF I ASKED YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS ARE YOU A SUCCESS, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE SUCCESS? …
- DESCRIBE THE PERFECT JOB. …
- RANK ORDER THE FOLLOWING IN IMPORTANCE. …
- WHAT WAS ONE THING THAT A PRIOR MANAGER DID MOST OFTEN TO.
In a slightly modified version of my recent post “How to Prepare for a Topgrading Interview” it drew quite a few comments but there was one in particular that I felt deserved some additional attention.
Member Mark Bregman shared his thoughts and I think they are valid concerns. Ill share my answers here but would welcome comments on this blog, over Twitter or on our Facebook page.
I really believe in the principles of Topgrading, and have cited it along with Brad Smart many times in my own writing, but the candidates I’ve seen subjected to CIDS interviews have NOT had wonderful or even fair experiences. I have three issues with CIDS:
1. It doesn’t apply context. The behaviors analyzed in a CIDS interview can be from 20 years ago, and don’t get asked in a way that aligns with the current goals for the position. I advocate performance objective based questions that elicit the specific skills and experience needed today from the candidate, in the context of the specific job, not in a vacuum.
2. CIDS provides too much ammunition by which to DESELECT a candidate. Not every behavior or lack of behavior from someone’s past is relevant to what is needed today.
3. CIDS interviewers are often inexperienced, and don’t know how to really use the tool to best advantage.
1. The behaviors analyzed in a CIDS interview may be from 20 years ago but its the interviewers fault if they allow the discussion to drift into conversations that dont necessarily align with the current position. On top of that, the basic questions that are used in every position are critical information that youd want to know about someone – regardless of if the experiences are 20 years old. Example: What was the #1 thing you regret about not accomplishing in that role?
2. At HireBetter this is a discussion that we have a lot. Recommending someone for hire takes courage. Its nearly always easier for a Hiring Manager or outside consultant suggest that inaction is better than action. Roosevelt nailed it in 1910 when he said [paraphrasing] “It is not the critic that counts. The true credit belongs to the man in the arena.” With that said, if a Hiring Manager has done their homework, theyre clear on what they need someone to do and they conduct a proper CIDS interview, theyre going to be more prepared to make a hiring decision than with any other kind of interview that Ive seen conducted.
3. It doesnt take much for someone to learn how to conduct a CIDS interview. However, as I shared in my response to #2, from what Ive witnessed a poorly conducted CIDS interview is still significantly better than an “on the fly” interview that doesnt have a structure, purpose or plan.
Bottom line: Mark brings up some good questions and CIDS interviews do have some shortcomings but, in my opinion, theres not much else out there that will give you a better understanding of if the person youre interviewing is right for the role youre looking to fill.
04 CIDS Interview CIDS Interview
6 Tips to a Successful CIDS Interview
You’re interviewing for a job? Fantastic.
And the company will interview you with the CIDS, or Chronological In-Depth Structured, Interview method.
Here’s why. A company that uses the CIDS Interview as part of its hiring process has committed to hire only A-players. The CIDS Interview will identify A-Players…quickly. And with a high percentage of success.
That implies the company sees you as a potential A-Player.
The CIDS Interview will allow you to show your consistent history of decision-making expertise, how you have learned and grown, your track-record of growing success and even how you have successfully handled setbacks or quirky bosses.
What is CIDS? CIDS or Chronological In-Depth Structured Interview is a systematic interview method. The goal of a CIDS Interview is a systematic, structured, review of the candidate’s behavior and decision-making patterns throughout their education and business career.
The advantage of a CIDS interview is its ability to discover and showcase those decision-making patterns as they were applied and as they have matured over the years. Those patterns are a key indicator of what is to be expected if that candidate is hired. Other benefits of a CIDS interview include avoiding interviewer blindspots, insuring the candidate is the primary speaker and superficial interviews.
Here’s how to prepare for this opportunity:
1. Relax. A. You’re an A-Player. B. A CIDS Interview should present ample opportunities to address your successes. And even the inevitable setbacks everyone has faced and how you grew from them.
2. Read the Smart Interviewer. The foundation for the CIDS Interview as well as the sequence of questions are included. This is not a cheat sheet for ‘acing’ the interview. A CIDS Interview includes calls to your former managers. However, you will see the patterns you have used over your career. That will allow you to answer for them. Remember: you’re an A-Player. This is your time to shine.
3. Tie the threads of your success. These are the threads that have woven your success. Tie them together in a complete understanding. Then you are prepared to present that understanding to your potential employer as an added asset for them.
4. Tie the threads of your failures. Everyone has a mistake or two or three. (I’ve lost count of mine.) But, you learned from each mistake. That makes you an A-Player. And you applied that new knowledge in the next opportunity. Tie that thread or those threads in the same way. Show your potential employer what you have learned. And that you have the ability to take responsibility, be accountable, and grow from your lessons. That’s the mark of a leader. A-Players are leaders. This is an opportunity for you to show in meaningful ways you are a leader.
5. Learn. Pay attention during the interview. CIDS Interviews are interviews you can conduct when you are a manager and leader at the company smart enough to hire you.
6. Celebrate. You will learn something about yourself during this process. That should reinforce you are an A-Player. Find a company smart enough to recognize you as one.
* Brad Smart spoke with me on my BlogTalk Radio show last year. You can listen on-demand at this link.
WARNING: Self-Promotion.
If you want to know more ways to engage with your employees as opposed to anonymous surveys, my book RECOGNIZE THEM: 52 Ways to Recognize Your Employees in Ways They Value offers 52 ways to recognize your employees, easy exercises to reinforce those habits and skills and inspirational quotes to keep you going.
My Book on Employee Recognition
Why did you decide for a career of a pilot?
Say them that you enjoy flying, and that you believe to be a responsible person. You can also say that you have all skills and strengths needed for this type of work. Alternatively you can refer to an experience that motivated you to pursue the career, such as meeting a pilot when you were young, or having passion for aircraft models since childhood.
The key is to convince them that you really want the job, and did not apply just because you’ve already spent a small fortune on your studies and training.
Chapter 1: Recognize THEM!
FAQ
What is a CIDS interview?
How should I prepare for Loreal interview?
- What have you done to prepare for this job? …
- Can you tell us about a complex crime that you had to analyze? …
- How would you react to a disagreement with a colleague or supervisor about a particular project? …
- Can you describe an effective approach to profiling criminals?
How do candidates prepare for TopGrading interviews?
- Practice: practice, practice, practice until your story flows. Use concrete examples to highlight your skills and your successes to promote yourself. …
- Questions we will ask will focus on… Leadership: there is no innovation without daring. …
- Research. …
- Stay calm. …
- Dress for success.
