RATING CRITERIA

Structured Employment Interview (SEI) systems include standard rating criteria for each question. The rating criteria include a numeric rating scale (from 1 to 5) and behavioral descriptors to help interviewers accurately evaluate interview responses.

Sample rating criteria are provided below.

Rating Criteria for Question 1A - Developing Customer Rapport
Exceeds Expectations	5	Clearly understood why the customer was upset Remained calm and polite, letting the customer fully explain his or her situation Calmly acknowledged the customer's situation and clearly explained the actions being taken to address the customer's concerns Encouraged the customer to ask questions to ensure the customer understood what was being done to resolve their concerns Asked if the customer was satisfied with the actions take Turned a negative situation into a positive one, strengthening the customer relationship
	4
Fully Meets Expectations	3	Understood why the customer was upset Remained calm throughout the encounter Explained to the customer the actions that would be taken to resolve the issue Did not let the incident negatively affect the rest of their day and their approach to other customers.
	2
Below Expectations	1	Did not understand why the customer was upset Expressed frustration toward the customer or blamed the customer for the situation Did not explain the actions being taken to resolve the issue Cut the customer off or offered no resolution to the situation Remained angry and let their anger affect interactions with other customers

Rating Criteria for Question 1B - Developing Customer Rapport
Exceeds Expectations	5	Understood the customer's perspective and the sensitivity of the situation Based interactions on the customer's unique needs and concerns Took steps to ensure the confidentiality of the discussion Picked up on customer cues and effectively eased any tension or discomfort Built customer loyalty by demonstrating sincere empathy and suggesting realistic and helpful alternatives
	4
Fully Meets Expectations	3	Understood the customer's perspective Tried to ensure the confidentiality of the discussion Responded professionally to the customer's spoken concerns and kept the interaction positive Maintained customer relationship by showing concern and suggesting possible alternatives
	2
Below Expectations	1	Explained the information bluntly, without acknowledging the person's unique needs or concerns Did not ensure the confidentiality of the discussion Offended the customer by demonstrating a lack of empathy and concern Damaged customer relationship by focusing solely on the policy rather than on the customer; offered few if any alternatives