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Ex. 13. A. Different methods may be used to recruit people. In groups, discuss the following.

Candidates may be asked to: tell a joke

take part in a team game with employees from the company make a five-minute speech

complete a probation period before being accepted Employers may

offer a job to the husband or wife of a good candidate prefer to recruit people from the families of employees ask candidates to complete a personality test

have candidates’ handwriting analysed (graphology)

B. Which methods do you think are acceptable / unacceptable? Why? Would it be possible to recruit like this in your country?

Ex. 14. Read the article about methods of personnel hiring. Are they possible in your country?

Fit for Hiring? It’s Mind over Matter

NEW YORK – Members of America’s professional and managerial classes have always left college confident of the least one thing: they had taken their last test. From here on, they could rely on charm, cunning and/or a record of accomplishment to propel them up the corporate ladder.

But that’s not necessarily true any longer. A growing number of companies, from General Motors Corp to American Express Co., are no longer satisfied with traditional job interviews. Instead, they are requiring applicants for many white-collar jobs – from top executives down – to submit to a series of paper-and-pencils tests, role-playing exercises, simulated decision-making exercisers and brainteasers. Others put candidates through a long series of interviews by psychologists or trained interviewers.

The tests are neither about mathematics or grammar, nor about any of basic technical skills for which many production, sales and clerical workers have long been tested. Rather, employers want to evaluate candidates on intangible qualities: Is she creative and entrepreneur? Can he lead and coach? Is he flexible and capable for learning? Does she have passion and a sense of urgency? How will he function under pressure? Most important, will the potential recruit fit the corporate culture?

Ten years ago, candidates could win a top job with the right look and the right answers to questions such as “Why do you want this job?” Now many have to face questions and exercises intended to learn how they got things done.

They may, for example, have to describe in great details not one career accomplishment but many – so that patterns of behavior emerge. They may face questions such as “Who is the best manager you have ever worked for and why?” or “What is your best friend like?” The answers, psychologists say, reveal much about the candidate’s management style and about himself or herself.

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The reason for the interrogations is clear: many hires work out badly. The cost of bringing the wrong person on board is sometimes huge. Searching and training can cost from $5000 for a lower-level manager to $25,000 for a top executive. Years of corporate downsizing, a trend that has slashed layers of management, has also increased the potential damage that one bad executive can do. With the pace of change accelerating in markets and technology, companies want to know how an executive will perform, not just how she or he has performed.

“Years ago, employers looked for experience – has a candidate done this before?” said Harold P. Weinstein, executive vise-president of Caliper, a personnel testing and consulting firm in Princeton, New Jersey. “But having experience in a job does not guarantee that you can do it in a different environment”.

At this point, most companies have not shifted to this practice. Some do not see the need or remain unconvinced that such testing is worth cost. Most employers hire people they like, rather than the most competent person. Research has shown that most decision makers make their hiring decisions in the first five minutes of an interview and spend the rest of the time rationalizing their choice.

Besides, with advice on how to land a better job about as common as a ten-dollar bill, many people are learning to play the interview game.

Even companies that have not started extensive testing have toughened their hiring practices. Many now do background checks, for example, looking for signs of drug use, violence or sexual harassment. But the more comprehensive testing aims to measure skills in communications, analysis and organization, attention to detail and management style; personality traits and motivations that behavioral scientists say predict performance.

Ex. 15. Give Russian equivalents to the words and word-combinations from the article.

To rely on charm and cunning, to propel smb. up, white-collar jobs, to submit to a series of paper-and-pencils tests, to simulate decision-making exercisers and brainteasers, to evaluate candidates, intangible qualities, career accomplishment, a hire, a recruit, to remain unconvinced, competent person, to play the interview game, to toughen, comprehensive testing, to measure skills, personality traits, to predict performance.

Ex. 16. Decide if the following statements about the article are true (T) or false (F). Prove your decision.

1.Traditionally, candidates for executive positions have been evaluated on their technical skills. ( )

2.The principal aim of testing is to find how candidates have performed in the past.( )

3.Today choosing the wrong person for a position can have more serious consequences than ten years ago. ( )

4.Most interviewer select candidates for their professional abilities. ( )

5.Candidates are now better prepared for interviews than they were in the past. ( )

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Ex. 17. Here are some common questions you are likely to be asked at an employment interview. Look through the sample answer to some of them and write your own version of a good answer to each of the questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.

Give a brief answer: no more than a minute. Tell something about yourself that relates to the job.

2. Why do you want to work for us?

We suggest a sincere answer: “My personal goals and the company goals and values are the same, and I want to be a part of it.”

3. What would you do for us?

Don’t presume to tell the interviewer exactly what you would do because you don’t know their problems. It’s better to know enough about the organization to relate an experience of yours which represents successful decision making.

4. What are your strong points?

It’s a good idea to relate your good points to the company when possible.

5. What is your biggest weakness? (A look-for-the-reaction type question.)

When you are asked such a provoking question, you have to appear mortal! The good idea here would be to give a weakness, which from the point of view isn’t much of a weakness. “Well, I really don’t feel I have a weakness which affects my working ability. I think at times I have a tendency to be impatient and push people too hard to get a job done. Patience isn’t my strongest point.”

6. Tell me about one of your working achievements.

It’s time to take a pride in your major accomplishment at previous work. But be careful. Don’t boast!

7. What did you like least about your previous job?

Here you should be very careful. Be reserved and polite when speaking about your previous job.

8. Why did you leave your last job?

The reason should be positive. Don’t be negative not to be looked like a quarrelsome person.

9.How long will it take you to make a contribution to our firm?

Don’t promise exactly as you do not know the future environment.

10.What salary would you desire?

You should be realistic but have a right opinion of yourself.

11.Do you have any objections to a psychological evaluation?

Be sincere: “Why? I have nothing to keep from you!”

12.Do you have any questions?

This is a good time to ask when a hiring decision will be made: “When might I be hearing from you?... If I miss your call, I would like to call you.” Remember to ask for their business card, thank them for the interview.

Mind that your answers depend on many factors: the type of a company, its corporate culture, the position you are trying to obtain etc. Don’t rely on ready answers you picked out of books. Prepare for the particular interview well.

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Ex. 18. Here are some tips to prepare for the interview in the best way.

Before the interview:

Find out what you can about the company, read the company literature. Make sure that you know what the job involves.

Find out the interviewer’s name, phone number.

Seek advice of what to wear to the interview.

Attend to such details of your appearance as nails, shoes, etc. Be sure of your references, CV and the letter of application. Know why you want to work for the company.

Just before:

Go to the interview alone.

Arrive early, allow some extra time for slow traffic. Phone if you are held up. Remain calm until you are asked to enter.

Forget to smoke.

Overcome nervousness or shortness of breath.

Take two copies of CV/resume: one for you, one for the interviewer. Check your appearance.

At the interview:

Approach the employer(s) with dignity.

Don’t panic, even if you are faced more than one person.

Be positive in your attitude – smile! Be polite and enthusiastic.

State your qualifications and interests.

Indicate your flexibility and readiness to learn the new job. Talk and think about the future rather than the past.

Think before answering: it’s all right to pause and reflect on the response.

Be yourself, but be professional.

Final task. Role play.

Ex. 19. Work in pairs (Student A and Student B).

Student A:

You are a Personnel Manager of the company. You are going to interview Student B who is applying for the post in your company. First read the Student’s B CV and letter of application and prepare questions you would like to ask. Then conduct the interview and complete evaluation sheet for Student B. Would you employ him/her? Why? Why not?

Student B:

You are applying for the post in Student’s A company. First give your CV and application letter to Student A. Then prepare for the interview: think about the questions you are likely to be asked and plan your replies and questions you would like to ask about the position.

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EVALUATION SHEET

Position:_______________________________________________________

Name of candidate:_______________________________________________

CONCLUSION

Suitability of the candidate:________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Action to be taken:_______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Exchange the results with all the rest of your group. Analyse if you have been successful at the interview. Discuss your strengths and weaknesses.