JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain
Assignment 1

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This
course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWI 521 Assignment 1 (1236) Page 1 of 5

Assignment 1: Assembling the Team
Weight: 15%
Due: Sunday, Midnight of Week 3

INTRODUCTION

Hiring is one of the most critical aspects of being a leader. In order to have an effective hiring process,
there is some important preparation that needs to be done before the candidate search, shortlist
selection, and interview processes even begin. This assignment is designed to allow you to practice the
preparation phase of the hiring process.

You are the VP of Talent at your company, and you are preparing to interview candidates for an open
position. Based on the job description, you will identify key competencies for the position, and develop a
set of questions that enables the hiring team to interview candidates for those competencies. All
applicants for the position are interviewed with the same set of questions, thus enabling you to compare
candidates effectively.

INSTRUCTIONS

For this assignment, you will create a Hiring Sheet, based on a job description for a position at your
current organization. The Hiring Sheet will include ten interview questions based on the competencies
needed for that role. To complete this assignment, you will test out two of your interview questions by
writing sample answers from imaginary candidates.

To get started, find a current job description for a position at your organization. Follow the steps below to
create a Hiring Sheet for this position:

Step 1: Identify Key Competencies
o Select five key competencies for the position. Select three competencies from the

Sample Professional Competencies list below. Create two more competencies of your
own that you believe to be relevant for the job to be filled.

Step 2: Rank the Competencies
o Rank the competencies you selected in order, from the most important (1) to the least

important (5).
o Explain your rationale for the ranking.

Step 3: Create Interview Questions
o For each competency you selected, develop two questions for use when interviewing

candidates. In each case, one question should be behavioral and one question should be
situational.

o Your final list of questions for the position will contain ten questions.

JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain
Assignment 1

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This
course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWI 521 Assignment 1 (1236) Page 2 of 5

Note: Your completed Hiring Sheet will include:

o Five Key Competencies ranked from most important (1) to least important (5).

o Your Rationale for the ranking and order of importance of the competencies.

o Two Interview Questions to assess each competency, for a total of ten questions.

Sample Professional Competencies

INTELLECTUAL

Intelligence

Analysis Skills

Conceptual Ability

Strategic Skills

PERSONAL

Integrity

Organization/Planning

Self-Awareness

Adaptability

INTERPERSONAL

Listening

Team Player

Communications—Oral

Communications—Written

MANAGEMENT

Selecting A Players

Coaching

Empowerment

Accountability

LEADERSHIP

Vision

Change Leadership

Conflict Management

MOTIVATIONAL

Energy

Passion

Tenacity

JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain
Assignment 1

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This
course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 521 Assignment 1 (1236) Page 3 of 5

Now that your Hiring Sheet is complete, follow the instructions for Step 4 below. In this final step, you will
complete the simulated hiring activity by writing sample answers to two questions from your list, to
illustrate how the competencies are demonstrated through this well-structured hiring process.

Step 4: Write Two Sample Answers
o Select two questions from your list of ten questions: one behavioral question and one

situational question.
o For each question you selected, write an imaginary answer from a candidate that

demonstrates the competency you are seeking via that question.

ORGANIZING YOUR MATERIALS
Submit your assignment as one Word document, organized into three sections, as follows:

o Section 1: A copy of the Job Description for a position at your organization

o Section 2: Your Hiring Sheet

o Section 3: Two Sample Candidate Answers

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

Your assignment should follow these formatting requirements:

• Uses a double-spaced, professional font (Times New Roman or Arial), 10-12 font size, with one-
inch margins on all sides

• Includes a Cover Page with the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name,
course title, and date

• Headings are used to identify the three sections of the assignment

• Paragraphs are separated by a single space

• The assignment is written in a formal manner, with correct spelling and grammar

• References are included and provide appropriate information that enables the reader to locate the
original source

• Citations and references must follow the formatting instructions found in the JWMI Writing
Standards Guide. Check with your professor for any additional instructions

JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain
Assignment 1

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This
course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 521 Assignment 1 (1236) Page 4 of 5

RUBRIC – Assignment 1: Assembling the Team

CRITERIA Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory

1. Find a job
description for a
position in your
organization.
Select and rank
five competencies
for the position.

Weight: 20%

Develops or
provides an
excellent job
description.
Selects and ranks
five competencies
for the position,
with evidence of
excellent analysis.

Develops or
provides a good
job description,
Selects and ranks
five competencies
for the position,
with evidence of
careful analysis.

Satisfactorily
develops or
provides a job
description.
Selects and ranks
five competencies
for each position.

Partially
develops or
provides a job
description.
Partially selects
and ranks five
competencies
for each
position.

Does not develop
or provide a job
description. Does
not select and
rank five
competencies for
the position.

2. Explain your
rationale for the
competency
rankings.

Weight: 20%

Excellent and
thoughtful
rationale for all the
competency
rankings is
provided.

Good, logical
rationale for all the
competency
rankings is
provided.

Brief but adequate
rationale for all the
competency
rankings is
provided.

Poor rationale
for the
competency
rankings, or the
rationales are
missing for
some
competencies.

No rationale is
provided for the
competency
rankings.

3. Create 2
interview
questions for each
competency. In
each case, one
question must be
behavioral and
one question must
be situational.

Weight: 25%

Creates two
interview
questions for each
competency and
follows the
instructions.
Questions show
excellent analysis
and relate
extremely well to
the competencies.

Creates two
interview
questions for each
competency and
follows the
instructions.
Questions show
good analysis and
relate well to the
competencies.

Satisfactorily
creates two
interview
questions for each
competency and
follows the
instructions.
Questions relate
logically to the
competencies.

Partially creates
two interview
questions for
each
competency,
and follows the
instructions.

Does not create
two interview
questions for
each
competency.

4. Write 2 sample
answers, one for a
behavioral
question and one
for a situational
question. Answers
must demonstrate
that the candidate
has the required
competency.

Weight: 25%

Writes 2 excellent
sample answers,
with content that
demonstrates the
required
competencies
extremely well.

Writes 2 good,
detailed sample
answers, with
content that clearly
and fully
demonstrates the
required
competencies.

Satisfactorily
writes 2 sample
answers with
content that
adequately
demonstrates the
required
competencies.

Partially writes
2 sample
answers, or
partially
demonstrates
the required
competencies.

Does not write 2
sample answers,
or the answers do
not demonstrate
the required
competencies.

JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain
Assignment 1

© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information and may not be
copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed, in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University. This
course guide is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

JWMI 521 Assignment 1 (1236) Page 5 of 5

CRITERIA Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory

5. Clarity, Writing
Mechanics,
Grammar, and
Formatting.

Weight: 10 %

Minimal minor
mechanical errors;
student follows
formatting
instructions.

Few mechanical
errors; student
follows formatting
instructions.

Some mechanical
errors; student
follows formatting
instructions.

Mechanical
errors; student
does not fully
follow
formatting
instructions.

Mechanical
errors; student
fails to follow
formatting
instructions.