1. ARMY CAREER AS AN OFFICER-3
SERVICES SELECTION BOARD-
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
An Initiative of
Shivnandani Industries Pvt Ltd
&
Jagdamb Janaki Nawal Janaki Society
By
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
MTech,FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI

2. SSB Interview
 Purpose
 To choose few from many
 Existing from time immemorial
 Changed from arbitrary to quick-detailed-lengthy
 Army interview evolved from second world war
 To identify suitable officer material
 Potential candidate assessed for suitability with three
independent technique
 Mansa –Projective technique-By Psychologist
 Wacha- Interview –By Interviewing officer
 Karma-Group -By GTO(GroupTesting Officer)
 Basic purpose of testing is same i.e. Assessment of Officer
Like qualities(OLQ)

3. Objective of Interview
 “A personal meeting and conversation between two
or more person with a aim of getting information
about the person or persons taking part in the
meeting”
 Types of Interview
 Direct interview
 Tight control by employing direct question and answer
technique
 Indirect interview
 Interviewee allowed to talk without any control by interviewer
 Evaluation /patterned interview
 Preplanned approach is used to interviewer in the desired and
relevant direction .Combination of above two

4. Objective of Interview..
 In SSB third technique is employed with objective to
evaluate potential /OLQ with in limited time frame
 PIQ
 Basic Information
 Qualification
 Achievement
 Family background
 Does not contain
 Insight regarding candidates attitude towards life and work
 Whether likely to get along people
 Whether they can adapt themselves to service environment
 Problem areas
 Social activities
 Leadership potential

5. Interview Guide
 Rapport(Small talk)
 Work Experience
 Education and training
 Early Home background
 Spare time interests and hobbies
 Present social adjustment
 Self evaluation
 Closing of interview

6. Interview
 Led by IO to explore work experience(Serving
candidates)and made to proceed
chronologically through various assignment
including present
 Fresh Candidates –start with educational
background i.e. from middle school level to
college level. IO probes for “clues to
behavour” to get clear picture of
 Strength
 Shortcomings of candidates

7. Interview…
 Candidate gets centre stage and encouraged
to most of talking
 High rapport leads candidate to talk
spontaneously and provide clear picture of
what they are deep inside.
 IO speaks 15% and candidate rest
 Gives enough time to reflect and analyse
clues to behaviour from spontaneous remarks

8. Interview..
 Experience has shown that best way to
predict what he will do in future is on the
basis what he has done in past
 With effort few can improve long term behaviour
and long years of effect
 Hence if hard work earlier then hard work later
 If adapted well earlier then adapt well later in
service life

9. Function of IO is to assess
 Mental ability of candidate
 Appraise his
 personality
 Motivation
 Character
 Hence IO tech is subjective and depends on experience/ judgment /training
 Judgment should be based on factual evidence rather than on hunch
 IO assesses shortcomings and assets in terms of OLQ and judges to extent
assets outweigh liabilities or vicevesa
 IO has to be alert from the beginning to search unfavourable information. If
found favourable then look for clues to confirm impression
 Interview is indirect way to get information by adroit suggestion /comments
/questioning
 Resort to direct questioning if candidate fails to be spontaneous
 Ideally candidate confidence about interviewer develops interviewer and tells his
life story without any inhibition

10.  To get spontaneity candidate is put to ease so
that spontaneous information is likely to
reflect
 True feelings
 Needs
 Anxieties
 Clues to shortcoming

11. Building Rapport
 Begins with pleasantry &”pumping question ” which can not be answered
without fair amount of discussion. The candidate must speak for 2-3 mins.
These questions require preparation and not framed on spur of moment
 Calculated pause if candidate stops after 2-3 sentences
 Candidate feels silence demands fuller treatment of the topic
 IO should not break eye contact and to look expectant
 If candidate remains silent then IO to break with another question
 Non verbal supportive gesture to encourage candidate to speak without
apprehension.
 This comes from study of PIQ
 Particular interest
 Indicated achievements
 Hobby
 Physical mental activities
 Spl coaching camps etc
 Painting &drawings
 Living in some part of areas
 Sound of own voice in strange situation gives confidence, ease initial tension

12. Effect of facial expression
 Facially responsive
 Lifting eye brows Gives interviewer being
receptive candidate opens up
 Smiling slightly
 Expression like appreciation of achievement and
concern on unfortunate events also help open up

13. Effect of voice
 After expression voice is important
 Persuade candidate to reveal
qualification/characteristics/short comings/assets
 Voice effectiveness depends upon
 Talk not too loudly
 Candidate gets threatened
 Relegated from centre stage to minor role
 Use all range of voice
 Upper range for appreciation
 Motivation to give further clues to innermost thought
 Do not do over voice inflexion

14. Effect of lubrication &
Reinforcement
 Lubricating/stroking/pat on the back
 +ve comment through out the interview
maintains rapport and helps candidate keep
talking
 Verbal –”very impressive”, “you deserve a lot of
credit ”,” excellent”
 Makes candidate visibly warm ,increasingly expansive
and spontaneous
 Nonverbal –nodding of head ,”oh”/ah etc.
 Frequency depends on type of candidate City
born –less

15. Effect of playing down
unfavourable information
 To encourage candidate to speak about
negative aspect of background
 Bad in Mathematics-”You have done well in
other science subjects ”etc.
 Does not reduce individual problem but face
it which makes him better
 Sympathetic

16. Comprehensive introductory
Questions-1
 “During next 45 min or so we will talk more
about you, covering areas like your education
, family , spare time. interests etc.Though I
have gained some idea about them after
going through the PIQ, you may have filled at
the time of your arrival in SC, you may talk
freely about yourself and your activities in
greater details.”

17. Comprehensive introductory Questions-
Education and training
 ‘Suppose you tell me about your education starting
from middle class level say vii std onwards working
up to your present level of education. I would
interested in the subjects you liked best, those you
did not care so much about , grades achieved in
examinations and effort put in extracurricular /co-
curricular activities which were available in school
and events you took part in ,any special
achievements in the field, about your friends circle
you have move with at school. I would also like to
know about your close friends and why you consider
them so.Teachers you liked most and about those
who did not impress you much ,how is your
education financed and things like that.”

18. Comprehensive introductory Questions-
Family background of candidate
 That give me good idea about your education and related
activities. Now I would be interested to know about your
family. Suppose you tell me about your parents i.e. about
your father and mother their occupation ,how do you spend
time together ,your activities at home , about other
members of your family like brothers ,sisters , grand
parents .Whom do you approach for help when you have
problems and you want to confide. Normally what are the
activities in which you get personally involved with your
family. How do you meet monetary requirements ,i.e.
how much pocket money do you get and how do you spend
it.Who are your friends in neighborhoods and what social
,cultural or other activities you have undertaken in their
company”

19. Comprehensive introductory Questions-
spare time interest and hobbies
 Suppose you now tell me how you spend spare time.What
are your hobbies ,sports games you have taken part both in
your days in school/ college, with family members or
neighbour hood friends ,your daily routine both on working
days and holiday ,about your reading habits etc.
 Probe
 Social effectiveness
 Mental & physical stamina
 Follow up question on general awareness
 To check maturity
 Understanding of environment
 Follow up practical problems
 Check reaction & ability to tackle problems

20. Final Question
 That was very interesting interacting with you.
Now you tell me what are your strong points or
assets in your personality and what would like to
improve further
 Acts as tension breaker
 Insight of candidate to
 Take advantage of strength
 Effort to improve upon weakness
 No notes are generally taken to avoid
 breaking of eye contact
 Making him conscious

21. Probing more deeply
 Comments like ‘very interesting’ interspersed
with question add variety and make interview
more interesting
 Leading comments and questions are
avoided
 Question should be open ended

22. Methods of probing
 Laundry Questions
 Stimulate thinking by variety of responses o help candidate thought
together
 Act as confirmation of clues during interview
 Clarity of question
 Seeking specific response rather than general
 Two step probing for "why”
 Evidence of analytical and critical thinking
 Step1
 IO moves from general to specific
 “What subjects from many subjects from option you decided to choose”
 Step2
 ’AndWhy?”-Puts pressure on the candidate ,hence used sparingly
 Reveals
 Judgment
 Motivation
 Other factors in personality structure

23. Methods of probing..
 Double edged questions
 Make easy for the candidate to admit shortcoming and help him greater self insight
 “What about tact. Do you have as much you like”
 “Is there something you like to improve”
 Methods used in softening Direct questions
 Avoid direct blunt questions. If unavoidable it may be softened
 “Is it possible that..”
 “How did it happen..”
 Use must/perhaps/some what//little bit/to some extent
 NotTaking-Take note after departure of candidate
 Technique of control
 Adequte coverage of each area
 Penetration in candidate’s previous experience By
 Sticking to interview guide
 Interrupting when going off
 Interruption
 Irrelevant details be controlled by interruption
 Timing and lubrication
 Timing-at the end of sentence
 Lubrication-like ”very interesting”

24. Common Errors
 Error of leniency
 Higher if candidate is known
 Error of contrast
 Compare candidate’s traits with own thusrate them lower
 Error of central tendency
 When IO is not confident he rates candidate on threshold
 Halo effect/horn effect
 Initial general impression of good or bad
 Logical error
 Problem in related trait
 Contiguous bias
 Personal likes and dislikes ,preferences/prejuidice may affect
rating

25. Closing Interview
 Never leave candidate hurt, disconcerted and
discouraged. He must leave with good feeling
 ‘That was very good interaction I had with
you .You have given a lot of useful
information about yourself. So far I was
asking you question. Is theer anything you
would like to ask me or tell me”

26. Interview guide
 Rapport and small talk
 Work History (For working people)
 Duties
 Likes
 Achievement
 Dislikes
 Things done less well
 Working condition
 Level of earning
 Reason for changing job
 Any leadership experience
 Number of previous jobs
 Factors of job satisfaction
 Total job accomplishment

27. Interview guide…
 Education and training
 Best and poorest subject
 Grades/divisions/percentages overall and subject wise
 How much effort
 Relationship with teachers
 Extra curricular activities
 Special achievement
 Trading beyond school level
 How was education financed
 Total school achievement