SAWs INTERVIEW RATING GUIDE - A&T
Select the description that best fits the evidence you have collected from the candidate. An Exceptional candidate must have all the skills shown for Very Strong/Strong candidates plus the additional
factors listed under Exceptional. A Very Strong candidate must have all the skills shown for Strong candidates plus the additional factors listed under Very Strong.

SAW Factors Exceptional Very Strong Strong Moderate Weak
Leadership
Leads others to achieve
something significant. Motivates
others to deliver results. Provides
constructive feedback.
Responsibly challenges barriers to
the work. Takes appropriate
action to solve the problem.
Prefers to take responsibility for
group projects. Inspires others to
follow new directions. Sets
demanding goals and a strategy
for meeting them.
Motivates others to achieve
stated objective. Provides helpful
suggestions and demonstrations
for improving results. Provides
encouragement and support of
correct behavior. Enjoys and is
generally assigned leadership
roles. Significantly influences
others through example. Sets
goals and establishes an action
plan for meeting them.
Promotes an established direction
and keeps others on target. Sets

an example for others. Provides
feedback by pointing out what
was incorrect as well as
constructive suggestions for
improvement. Identifies barriers
to work and seeks support for
ideas or initiatives. Prefers to
share the leadership role.
Has minimal leadership
experience. Takes minimal
action to influence others.
Accepts situations at face
value and prefers not to raise
the issue. Prefers not to take
the leadership role. Has little
influence on others. Depends
on others to set goals.
Has no real leadership
experience. Tends to be a
member of a group. Does not
take action to help or has no
affect on another's behavior.
Does not address problems or
barriers to work. Has no
impact or provides a negative
influence on others. Does not
set goals.
Solutions
Demonstrates the ability to learn
and apply complex skills. Works

quickly and accurately. Gathers
and integrates information from a
variety of sources to better
understand key issues.
Consistently makes good
decisions. Demonstrates ability
to learn from experiences.
Successfully handles difficult
problems or situations.
Anticipates problems and takes
action to solve them.
Takes advantage of available
resources to learn skill or work.
Seeks feedback to ensure skill has
been learned and applied
correctly. Needs minimal
assistance in handling difficult
problems or situations; generates
alternatives to issues and reasons
through pros and cons. Learns
from experience to better solve
problems in the future. Asks
appropriate questions to diagnose
a complex problem.
Able to learn and apply new
skills or work when required;
tries to learn and apply skills on
own. Makes solid, well-
informed decisions; Forms well-
reasoned conclusions regarding a

problem situation; provides a
couple of potential solutions to
the problem. Uses others to help
define a problem; recognizes a
developing problem and brings it
to the attention of others.
Has some difficulty or shows
minimal interest in learning
and applying new skills. Has
difficulty making decisions.
Does not try to figure things
out before asking for help.
Deals with relatively simple
problems that weren't
effectively solved. Has
difficulty correctly
diagnosing a problem or
anticipating problems on
his/her own.
Has difficulty learning and
applying new skills or work;
shows no interest in learning or
improving skills. Does not try
to solve problems or make
decisions. Defers to others or
takes no action. No logical
method of decision-making.
Was unable to correctly
diagnose a problem or has no
experience doing so; does not

anticipate problems on own.
RISK-
TAKING
Has a bias toward action and
demonstrates a sense of urgency.
Takes informed risks. Is
courageous in setting stretch
goals that are usually
unattainable. Approaches new
experiences with a “make a little,
sell a little, learn a lot” mentality.

Is assertive in making decisions
in the face of uncertainty. Seeks
to understand and reapply
learning quickly.
Sets specific goals which are
sometimes unattainable. Is
empowered to act.
Takes risks that lack
information.
Sets goals that are easily
attainable. Delays action. Not
comfortable with risk.

SAWs INTERVIEW RATING GUIDE - A&T
Select the description that best fits the evidence you have collected from the candidate. An Exceptional candidate must have all the skills shown for Very Strong/Strong candidates plus the additional
factors listed under Exceptional. A Very Strong candidate must have all the skills shown for Strong candidates plus the additional factors listed under Very Strong.

SAWs Factor Exceptional Very Strong Strong Moderate Weak

Collaboration
Plays important role in team
achievement. Achieves positive
results even in difficult situations.
Opens issues to discussion by
voicing concerns. Proactively
brings together the right people
with the right information at the
right time. Recognizes the
advantages of working with
others with diverse backgrounds
and consistently works well with
diverse coworkers.
Participates fully as a team
member and actively involved in
identifying and implementing
solutions. Supports a climate
where problems, ideas, and
information are readily shared.
Seeks to understand others'
perspectives. Forms productive
relationships which move people
toward a common goal.
Consistently works well with
diverse coworkers.
Understands importance of
teamwork & contributes ideas or
suggestions to team. Works with
others to achieve positive results.
Conveys questions and criticism

of others' ideas without being
antagonistic. Allows others to
express their points of view.
Seeks first to understand then to
be understood. Able to work
well with diverse coworkers.
Plays a limited role in
achieving team results.
Limited contribution of ideas.
Is not collaborative and
pushes own ideas without
seeking others' points of view.
Goes along with decisions
regardless of personal beliefs.
Avoids conflict. Does not
recognize the advantages of
working with diverse
coworkers.
Does not play an active role in
achieving team results. Tends
to work alone even when
involving others would get
better results. No evidence of
contributing to positive
outcomes when working with
others in difficult situations.
Actions and words add to
conflicts. Has difficulty
working with others from
diverse backgrounds.

Innovation
Unconventional thinker who
finds the new ideas others
overlook. Likes to know "how
things really work." Integrates
knowledge and experience from
seemingly unrelated areas to get
breakthrough results.
Champions and contributes to
ideas which result in system
improvements. Consistently
finds new ways to get results in
difficult situations. Achieves
superior results by redefining
problems using logic and
intuition.
Contributes and supports ideas to
system improvements. Takes a
broad view. Translates new
ideas into workable solutions.
Goes beyond accepted ideas to
generate new ways to get better
results. Searches out and
reapplies proven ideas. Uses
logic and intuition.
Often links problem
definitions and solutions to
past successes. Follows
precedent rather than finding
solutions that fit the situation.

Doesn't translate creativity
into practical solutions.
Tends to think with a narrow
view. Not comfortable with
risk. Fear of mistakes prevents
action.
CAPACITY
Has extraordinary capacity to
take on new things and get them
done. Volume, depth, and
breadth of activities, interests and
knowledge are comparable to
best employees. Achieves
unprecedented levels of
performance. Wisely applies the
80-for-the-20 principle.

Gets going and follows through
on complex priorities.
Overcomes difficult obstacles.
Exceeds goals. Accepts respon-
sibility for improving results.
Values diverse skills and
experiences. Encourages others
in the development of their skills.
Gets going and follows through
on priorities. Overcomes
obstacles. Sets and meets goals.
Finds improved ways to get
results. Pursues learning and

self-development. Respects and
works effectively with diverse
people. Enables all to contribute
their best.

Has trouble starting new
things. Usually behind on
trends. Often stays within the
scope of things he/she knows.
Has lower level of drive.
Activities limited to narrow
field. Avoids dealing with
complexity.
Rarely seeks to improve own
skills. Avoids ambiguous
situations. Is uncomfortable
working in areas different than
their experiences. Is
comfortable with the status quo
even if inefficient.
Mastery
Demonstrates advanced
knowledge or skill with
computers. Shows strong ability
and desire to develop skills in
technical areas important to the
work. Has experience using
complex information presented in
tables, charts, or graphs.
Demonstrates advanced training

or experience in analyzing
numerical information. Valuable
resource for doing fairly complex
mathematical calculations.
Experience with handling daily
office activities or data entry.
Consistently produces documents
that are proofed and edited
accurately. Shows very strong
ability to learn new technology.
Takes advantage of available
resources to learn the skill or
work. Demonstrates ability to
use data to solve or identify
potential problems.
Demonstrates ability to regularly
produce documents that are
proofed and edited accurately.
Has experience with handling
daily office activities or data
entry. Shows ability and
willingness to learn new
technology important to the
work. Has some experience
using basic information presented
in tables, charts, or graphs.
Generally produces
documents with typos and
other editing errors. Shows
minimal ability and interest in

developing technical skills
and knowledge. Has minimal
experience with tables, charts,
or graphs. Has minimal
training or experience in
analyzing numerical
information.
Demonstrates basic or weak
ability with computers and has
no experience with handling
daily office activities or data
entry. Does not try and is
unwilling to learn technical
skills required for the work.
Has no experience with tables,
charts, or graphs. Unable to do
basic numerical calculations.