Line managers not fully equipped to interview effectively, SHL research finds

- Almost half of all line managers are not involved in interviewing
- 60%) of line managers would like more involvement
- Line managers need more support to interview effectively

Research by SHL, the world-leaders in providing talent assessment solutions, has found that line managers are not sufficiently involved in the interview process. This is despite HR professionals agreeing that this is important to ensure candidates have a good fit with the job requirements and culture of the company.

However, over a third of HR professionals said that when line managers were involved in interviewing, they were not as effective as they could be, mainly due to a lack of training and preparation.

According to the research, only 30% of line managers have been provided with any interview training, making it unsurprising that 20% feel nervous beforehand, with some saying they actually dread it. However, the majority of line managers said they would like to be more involved, to ensure the candidate has the right skills and experience, and fits with the team and company culture. So, employers would be wise to invest more in supporting them during the process.

Reassuringly, this opinion is shared by HR managers and directors, with a resounding 90% of them expressing a positive attitude towards line manager involvement in the interview process, as this would free up HR time to dedicate to more strategic activities.

On the topic of psychometric testing, which can help identify the most suitable candidate and ensure objectivity during the interview process, the research has found that 35% of line managers donít see the results. This suggests many donít have all the information available to make an informed recruitment decision, and of those who do see assessment results, only half say they fully understand them, with some admitting a complete lack of understanding.

Claire Little, VP Training at SHL, commented: ìIt is crucial that line managers meet and assess prospective members of their team, in order to ensure that they have the correct competencies and personal fit for the role. However, our research has shown that this isnít happening enough and when it does, managers have rarely had any training or guidance on interviewing effectively.

ìSHL has introduced ëMy SHLí, an online portal, which provides line managers with e-learning business tools to help them use and understand the outputs of psychometric testing. In addition, it provides an automated interview planner, which gives managers access to a competency profiling tool and a databank of interview questions. Managers can use these tools to create focused interview plans based on the essential requirements for the job. Being well prepared for an interview raises the interviewerís confidence and is more likely to result in a successful recruitment process,î concludes Claire.