Be calm and polite during the interview

It is quite normal for the candidate to be interviewed by more than one person. The interviewers would then compare notes before deciding which candidate to ap­point.

The candidates may be given a test, in which the candidate's potential to perform the necessary activities are measured. An aptitude test will cover areas such as:

• mental abilities, e.g. powers of reasoning

• physical qualities, e.g. co-ordination

• arithmetical abilities, e.g. addition and multiplication.

An intelligence test may be used to find out the can­didate's general powers of reasoning. The test will nor­mally be a written one, made up of numerical, diagrammatical and verbal questions, such as identifying one or more shapes, which have common features. Or writing down the next number in a series. Or comparing a series of words to see which have similar meanings. Usually a certain time limit is given for the testee. Once the test is completed, it is marked and a score is obtained.

The company may also insist on a medical examina­tion before the job offer is confirmed. This will give a clear indication as to whether the applicant is physically suitable for the post.

Once an applicant has accepted a post, a letter is sent, confirming the appointment. In the same letter the conditions of service will often be included. This sets out the employee's statutory legal rights and obligations. The terms and conditions will cover areas such as:

name and address of the employer and employee

date employment begins

job title and job description

level of pay and whether it will be received weekly or monthly

holiday entitlement

hours of work

conditions relating to sickness pay

conditions relating to the pension scheme

amount of notice the employee has to give the firm if he/she is leaving

notice of any disciplinary procedure used by the company.

Interviews

Dialogue 1

Here is an interview at an American company:

A: Thank you for coming, Mr. Oliveira. My name is Alan Green. I am in charge of Human Resources.

B: How do you do?

A: Do have a seat. Now then. I see you are working for the Medilab at the moment. How long have you been there?

В: Since 1992. It's a very interesting post, but I'm looking for something with more responsibility.

A: So you are ready for a change?

B: Yes. I feel I have come as far as I can at Medilab and I think it is time to do something different.

A: And can your family move with you easily?

B: Our children are small, so it's no problem for them to change schools. My wife is a nurse, so she can find work in another part of the country, or even in another country.

A: What kind of salary are you looking for?

B: At the moment, I earn $75,000 plus a car so I would like $90,000 plus a car if possible.

A: That should be fine. Have you worked abroad?

B: Yes. I worked in Argentine for two years. I'd like to have a chance to go abroad again.

A: You also worked in Peru, I see.

B: Oh yes. That's true. It was about five years ago. We set up a vaccination programme in villages in Peru.

A: Really? And what languages can you speak?

B: Portuguese is my mother tongue. I can also speak Eng­lish, Spanish and a little Italian.

A: I'm impressed! Some of our contracts are with Japanese companies. Can you speak Japanese?

B: No, I can't, but I can always learn.

A: Never mind! I'm now going to introduce you to our Sales and Marketing Directors for the more technical ques­tions. I'll see you later for some aptitude and language tests.

Dialogue 2

INTERVIEWING A JOB APPLICANT

Interviewer: Well Miss Bingham, I see you've alreadyhad quite a lot of experience in the airline industry —with two airlines in fact, Volair and Fleet Air. Could you tell me something about your time with Volair?

Candidate: Yes. I worked with them for 2years, just after leaving school.

Interviewer: Mmm, hmm.

Candidate: I was a check-in agent at Manchester.

Interviewer: Yes.

Candidate: It was quite a good company to work for. I enjoyed my time with them.

Interviewer: You liked the work.

Candidate: Yes, the work itself wasn't very demanding and the people I worked with were a great crowd.

Interviewer: But they wouldn't have had many check-in staff. I mean, they're quite a small outfit.

Candidate: No, in fact there were only four of us — and only three flights a week.

Interviewer: So you weren't exactly overworked.

Candidate: No... ahh... ah... well, of course, we had other work to do. In fact I spent about as much time doing secretarial work for the cargo people as I spentat check-in.

Interviewer: How did you feel about that? It wasn't what you joined them to do.

Candidate: No, it was not. Anyway it gave me a chance to keep up my typing... and I knew that would be useful when check-in became computerised.

Interviewer: So you were thinking ahead?

Candidate: Well, yes, I suppose so, but really it was more a case of not wanting to sit around doing nothing.

Interviewer: Was there anything else that you gotinvolved in... apart from your regular duties?

Candidate: Ahmm, mmm,... mainly things related to secreta­rial work... I worked on their stand at the airshow. I enjoyed that.

Interviewer: Did you? What did you like about it?

Candidate: Well, it was fun. All sorts of people came and looked around and asked questions... some amazing questions.

Interviewer: Could you answer them all?

Candidate: Well I did my best. They all got an answer of some kind.

Interviewer: Weren't you afraid of misinforming them?

Candidate: Of course I didn't treat everyone like that. Potential clients — we were emphasizing our cargo services — anyone who looked like a potential client I tried to assist. But there were those who just wandered along out of... out of general interest. -I decided the best thing to do with them was just to be friendly.

Interviewer: Why would you say you were chosen to work on the stand?

Candidate: It certainly wasn't for my knowledge of the business side of things. I suppose they wanted someone friendly, who could chat to people easily.

Interviewer: You mentioned earlier that you liked the people you worked with. What was it about them that you liked?

Candidate: They were a fairly normal bunch of people. Most of them were older than me. I think it was the way they treated me as an adult. I was only 18 when I joined.

Interviewer: It seems to have been a pleasant place to work. I'm surprised you left.

Candidate: Well, I have been there for 2 years, but there wasn't really any future.

Interviewer: Because they were too small?

Candidate: Well, not just that. They were overstaffed—really, for the amount of work that had to be done, and oil prices were going up.

Interviewer: Sorry?

Candidate: I beg your pardon?

Interviewer: Sorry, I didn't catch what you said, about something going up.

Candidate: Ah-.oil prices. That was the time oil prices started to go up.

Interviewer: Ah, I see...and?

Candidate: Well, I could see them having to cut back on staff.

Interviewer: And you thought you would be one of the ones to go.

Candidate: Yes,I was the most junior.

Interviewer: So you went to Fleet Air. Why did you go there?

Candidate: They were a larger organisation, and they seemed more professional — they also operate out of Manchester.

Interviewer: How did you like them? Itmust have beenquite a change from Volair.

Candidate: It was. It was a big change.

Interviewer: In what way?

Candidate: Well, the work was much more demanding though I didn't mind that, but their attitude was different.

Interviewer: In what way?

Candidate: Well...ah...everyone was...ah...most of the staff seemed more concerned about being at work on time, completing reports accurately, following the rules exactly, not accepting passengers less than 20 minutes before departure time, no matter how urgent it was for the passenger to board the flight.

Interviewer: But aren't these things important?

Candidate: Of course they are. Obviously rules have to be followed, but staff there seemed too concerned about not breaking the rules. They were afraid to do anything that involved departing from the usual procedure.

Interviewer: Why do you think that was?

Candidate: Well, I think it was...frankly, I think it was because of the supervisor's attitude,

Interviewer: How?

Candidate: Well, that was how she assessed staff, on things like that. And she was quite strict. So people were afraid to do anything they couldn't defend by pointing to the rules.

Interviewer: But you stayed on?

Candidate: Yes. I did my best for the first 6 months to fit in with her ways of doing things. Then I couldn't take it anymore. I had a row with her. She reported me to the manager and I told him exactly what I thought.

Interviewer: And what happened?

Candidate: Not much at the time. He smoothed things over. Then a couple of months later she was appointed administrative assistant to the station manager. A new supervisor was appointed and shortly after­wards I was promoted to lead agent.

Interviewer: And 6 months later to supervisor?

Candidate: Yes, that's right.

1. Answer the following Interview Questions:

• What motivates you?

• What are your goals for the next 5 years, 10 years, etc.

• Do you consider yourself to be an extrovert or introvert and why?

• Describe a time you had to be creative or resourceful to solve a problem?

• What are your strengths? Weaknesses?

• What skills do you bring to (company) that will help you do the job?

• What is the most important event in the last 100 years?

• What is the riskiest thing you have ever done?

• If you didn't have to work/ what would you do?

• What is your favourite quote/ why is it meaningful to you?

• What is your most significant accomplishment and. why?

• What do you do for fun?

• What is your least favourite class? Why?

• What did you like about your old boss? Dislike?

— 2. Act out an interview with an applicant for a new job using Dialogue 1 and Dialogue 2 as a model.

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