Creating an effective interview process is an important component in helping ensure you hire the right individuals for the role of SRAE presenter. Below are guidelines on how to ask the right questions and evaluate candidates.
You can apply the guidelines in this document to this customizable, electronic/printable Interview Form for SRAE Presenter Candidates.
Ask the Right Questions
When hiring an SRAE presenter for program delivery, carefully designed questions can serve two important purposes:
- Help you assess if the candidate has the required qualities for the role
- Help the candidate self-assess whether the role is a good fit for him/her
Here are some examples of questions that serve these two purposes:
- Since the aim of the curriculum is to teach students how to make healthy life choices, how comfortable would you be with the scrutiny that may come to you personally in this regard?
- How would you describe your aptitude in resonating with diverse audiences?
- How comfortable would you be visiting an unfamiliar venue, surrounded by a group of people you do not know, and stepping into the role of instructor?
Questions like these can yield valuable input as well as convey expectations of the role to the interviewee to help him/her consider whether all aspects of the role are a good fit for him/her.
Evaluating Candidates
To obtain an objective perspective in your decision-making process, use a 0-5 rating system during the interview to rate the quality of the interviewee’s answer to each question. These ratings can help supplement your overall subjective evaluation of the interview and can provide clarity and promote effective recall when evaluating multiple interviewees.
Create an interview form (or tailor this Interview Form for SRAE Presenter Candidates) to record the interviewee’s responses as well as your rating of the quality of their response. You may also find it helpful to include plenty of extra space for notetaking and comments about their responses.
After the interviewee responds to a question, record your rating of their response before moving to the next question. This helps ensure you accurately capture your thoughts in the moment.
For example, consider the below hypothetical question and answer. An interviewer might rate the quality of the interviewee’s response in the example below a “4.”
QUESTION: What is your greatest strength?
ANSWER: My greatest strength is my empathy borne of experiences that are similar to those of the youth in this community.
When the interview is complete, add up the numbers you checked to get a total score. Use this score to supplement your overall subjective evaluation of the interview and to compare candidates.
Tips:
- Consider weighting important questions (For example: If availability is critical to the role, assign questions about that topic a greater weight than others).
- Have more than one person present for the interview process so notes and impressions can be discussed and compared immediately after the interview. Allow at least 30 minutes between interviews for this process.
RELATED RESOURCES:
Interview Form for SRAE Presenter Candidates
Tip Sheet: Qualities of a Successful SRAE Presenter
Tip Sheet: Sample Job Descriptions for SRAE Administrators and Presenters
More Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Implementation Tip Sheets:
Tip Sheet: How to Implement Effective SRAE Programming
Tip Sheet: Important Facts About SRAE
Tip Sheet: Creating a Healthy Organizational Culture to Support Your SRAE Program
Tip Sheet: Considerations for Implementing an SRAE Program at the Local Level
Tip Sheet: Cost Considerations of Implementing an SRAE Program
Tip Sheet: Choosing an SRAE Curriculum
Tip Sheet: Sample Job Descriptions for SRAE Administrators and Presenters
Tip Sheet: Qualities of a Successful SRAE Presenter
Tip Sheet: Finding Effective SRAE Presenters
Tip Sheet: Training and Retaining SRAE Presenters
Tip Sheet: Enhancing Your Relationship with the SRAE Program Host
Tip Sheet: Getting Your SRAE Program into Schools
Mosack, M., Pike, T., & Stout, S. (2021). How to Interview Candidates for the SRAE Facilitator Role. Public Strategies.
This document was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (www.acf.hhs.gov), Family and Youth Services Bureau under a contract with Public Strategies, Contract No. 75P00119R00417.