INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR
CUSTOMER SERVICE
REPRESENTATIVE
[YOUR COMPANY NAME]
[DATE]
INTERVIEW GUIDE
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
Applicant :
Date :
Recruiter :
The goal of an interview is to determine whether an applicant has a good fit
for your particular job. This is best accomplished by asking questions about
job related competencies to determine whether the applicant has previous
experiences successfully using these competencies.
Introduction Phase
• Encourage some small talk to give the applicant time to get settled and
to help him/her ease into the conversational flow of the interview.
• Applicants usually feel more comfortable when they know what to
expect in an interview. Share your general format with the applicant.
• Tell the applicant that you may be writing during the interview and
explain why you will be doing this.
• Assure applicants that two-way questioning is allowed and
encouraged. Make it clear that the applicant will have an opportunity
to ask questions at the conclusion of the process
Interview Phase
Have your competency based questions ready for scoring. We recommend a 1 to 5 scoring grid;
a score of 1 would mean the applicant has demonstrated no experience using the competency and
a score of 5 indicating the applicant has a deep understanding of the competency and has used it
successfully in the past with good results.
• Probing: After asking a planned question, you may want to probe for
more information to support an applicant 's response. Probes are
usually unplanned; you use them when you want the applicant to
clarify or expand upon a point or when you want more insight into
his/her thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.("Please expand upon that."
"Describe how you .")
• Clarifying Inconsistencies: When an applicant appears to be caught
in a contradiction, it may be appropriate to bring the conflicting
information to the surface for clarification. ("You mentioned earlier
that you were involved in developing a distance education course. You
are now indicating that you have limited experience with distance
education and need to learn more about it. Please clarify your
experience with distance education.")
• Paraphrasing: When in doubt that you have fully understood an
applicant's response, restate what you think you heard in your own
words and ask the applicant for feedback. ("You are basically stating
that there are several ways to handle this situation depending upon the
way in which the client presents the problem. Is that what you
meant?")
• Silence or Pause: Silences or pauses are an effective technique for
encouraging the applicant to do the talking. When there is a silence or
pause, don't jump in with another question; allow the applicant time to
reflect and form a response. Look expectantly at him or her while you
wait.
• Repeating: When the applicant appears to be avoiding a question,
come back to it again. While the applicant may have reasons for trying
to evade it, she/he may simply have gotten sidetracked or may not
fully understand what you mean.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail includes the employee’s ability to identify and manage important details associated with
doing a good job. This includes things such as checking and rechecking work, setting up monitoring systems,
noticing missing details, accurately completing forms, following directions, and planning projects to the final
detail.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the kind of details that are
associated with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
What process do you use to keep track of many tasks happening at once ? Can you give me an example ?
1 2 3 4 5
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Dependability
Dependability involves the employee being reliable, on time, responsible, dependable, and consistently
fulfilling commitments. On the job the employees must do what they say and say what they do. A dependable
employee can be trusted to give straight answers, follow through, and complete assignments on time and
within budget. Their behaviour is predictable and seldom holds any surprises or unexpected reactions. They
can be counted on to be honest and upfront with co-workers regardless of the situation.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the kind of dependability
associated with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
How do you balance socialising with co-workers with accomplishing the job ? Can you give me some
examples? What were the results ?
1 2 3 4 5
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Self Control
The position requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding
aggressive behaviour even in very difficult situations. People who have self-control seldom let their
disappointment show and keep working even when exhausted. They demonstrate consistent performance from
day to day regardless of how they feel and rarely lose their temper with colleagues, customers, clients or
patients.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the degree of self-control
associated with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
Some people are not easy to get along with. Please give me some examples where you had to deal with
difficult people. What was the situation ? What did you do? What was the result ?
1 2 3 4 5
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Stress Tolerance
The position requires the employee to accept criticism and deal calmly and effectively with high-stress
situations over which they have little control. It includes maintaining effectiveness regardless of what
conditions arise. Stress tolerant people don’t easily get their feelings hurt and are willing to accept criticism.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the degree of stress-
tolerance associated with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
How much do you worry about someone criticising your work ? Please give me some examples. What
did you do?
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Concern for Others
Concern for others includes being sensitive to others' needs and feelings in order to be understanding and
helpful. A successful employee is concerned with co-workers and their well-being. In the case of a client,
customer or patient the employee must be willing to take time to empathise with them and understand their
concerns even though it might temporarily interfere with performing a task or duty.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the degree of concern associated
with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
How do you feel when people come to you with their personal problems ? What was the problem ? What
did you do? What was the result ?
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Integrity
Integrity is something all employees are expected to demonstrate; however, integrity becomes more critical
when the job includes temptations such as handling financial transactions, handling sensitive personal or health
records, or working with valuable property and materials. People with high integrity follow the rules and
regulations associated with the job and are uncomfortable when they are violated.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the kind of integrity associated
with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
Some people are willing to break a few rules to get ahead while others refuse. Give me some examples
from your experience that show your preferences.
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Cooperation
Cooperation requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative work
attitude. This trait differs from concern for others in that it not only includes the willingness to empathise but
includes volunteering to actively share their work-load or help resolve their problems. Specific employee
activities include listening to what another person is saying, empathising with their situation, asking questions
to clarify issues, explaining how the problem affects them both, and jointly developing a plan of action.
Before you ask this question, best practise suggests that you know beforehand the level of cooperation
associated with both satisfactory and unsatisfactory job performance.
Would you say you were more focused on achieving goals or maintaining relationships ? Please
provide some examples. What were the results ?
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Conclusion Phase
During this phase, you are shifting the emphasis to the applicant's need for information so
that she/he is able to reflect upon the position and decide if it is personally suitable. Both
you and the applicant are evaluating one another in the interview. This is your
opportunity to present a positive, attractive image of the position and you the employer.
• Describe the position and your company to the applicant. You
will probably want to discuss the position in more detail by
clarifying the performance expectations, reviewing critical
responsibilities and describing the work environment. You
might also wish to talk about the support and training that may
be provided and career development opportunities.
• Encourage the applicant to ask questions. Applicant s should
feel that you respect their questions and that your responses
provide the information they need to make a decision.
Applicants often have questions about salary and benefits, and
you should be prepared to outline the main facts and features
during the initial interviews. If you are asked a question to
which you do not know the answer, let the applicant know that
you will research the question and report back to them. Record
the questions asked and the responses that you gave.
• Outline the timelines for the final selection decision. Let the
applicant know the general steps ahead and who to contact
should the applicant e want to follow up.
• Thank the applicant and close on a positive note.
Seven Cautionary Notes
Although interviews are an excellent way of assessing how well applicant s measure up
to your job requirements, they are subject to many influences that may reduce the
effectiveness of the interviewer's judgment. Interviewers should be aware of these pitfalls
and avoid them. Following are seven of the most common interviewing hazards.
• Halo Effect: This happens when an interviewer forms a global,
positive impression of an applicant based on a characteristic or
other information that biases the interviewer's assessment of
the applicant 's qualifications.
• Stereotyping: Stereotyping is a generalisation based on
personal or physical characteristics (e.g., racial/ethnic
background, social status) that have nothing to do with the
factor being assessed. It affects an applicant's rating if it elicits
a negative or positive reaction in the interviewer. Restricting
candidacy based on gender, race, or religion is one of the
biggest mistakes companies make when hiring.
• Order Effect: The order in which applicants are interviewed
can result in inaccurate ratings. A good applicant who is
interviewed after an outstanding applicant may be given a
lower evaluation than is merited because of the overshadowing
effect of the superior applicant. The time of day may also
influence an assessment. A tired committee is not as attentive
or accurate as it would be earlier in the day.
• Early Judgments/Impressions: Interviewers should avoid
making snap or early judgments (positive or negative) based on
factors not related to the position such as appearance, voice, or
handshake.
• Rating Tendencies: Leniency and strictness errors occur when
interviewers gravitate to either extreme on the rating scale and
are consistently too generous or too rigid in their scoring.
Errors also occur when interviewers rate all applicants as
average. Rating tendencies reduce the effectiveness of the
assessment process by making it hard to draw clear distinctions
among applicants.
• Inadvertently Influencing the Applicant's Response: The
more you talk, the more you influence an applicant's response.
At the beginning and in the middle phases, say as little as
possible about the position and get back to questioning and
listening. Body language and tone of voice will also influence
an applicant, so be aware of the signals you may
unintentionally be communicating.
• Losing Control of the Interview: As the chair, it is up to you
to ensure that you control the interview, not the applicant. Use
the communication techniques described above to take control
of a chatty or rambling applicant, to refocus the conversation
when it gets off track, to signal other committee members to
ask their questions as required, and to monitor the time.
