How many potential candidates do you show to your boss in 2nd interview?
March 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under Job Interview
Eric Chua asked:
Interviewers: How many potential candidates after the first round of interviews do you show to your boss ?
for the 2nd interview
Best Answer:
This is how I remember it: with regard to hourly employees it used to be the HR director would review the application. The prospective employee would arrive for the appointment and the HR director would take them to meet the department head who needed the employee. If the department head liked the applicant they would immediately introduce them to the people they were to work with and show them where they would sit. The prospective employee was then told to return to the Human Resources Department, and there they would be given the date and time to start the job.
As I recall, for teamwork positions like BPO type here in the US. The applicant would fill in the application and be interviewed immediately, immediately be given something to read as though they were on the phone with a prospective customer and if they passed that test then they would be told the date and time to appear for training, and at the time of appearance they would be trained for 3 weeks or more. Usually there would be 10-20 in a training class and about half would make it thru the training (some would be bored, some couldn’t remember the rules or do what was expected, some decided they couldn’t attend the 8 or 7 hour workday or shifts so they dropped out). Those that made it thru were hired.
For a secretarial or administrative assistant type job (which would be hourly or salaried, depending on the position your prospective boss had) you’d apply with a resume, a picture, and an application. The application had a place on it that you would agree to allow them to check your credit which they did immediately. The application had a place on it that you would agree to allow them to call your references which they did immediately. You’d spend all day in the Human Resources Department waiting, and waiting. They would give you a typing test, math test, spelling test, data entry test, grammar test, and test with specific words (like if you were going to work for an attorney then they would give you a test on legal words, matching words, spelling and meanings). If you passed all that you’d be interviewed and it depended then on your clothing and manners and ability to do anything the job required, and if the rest of the staff liked you, that would determine if you’d get the job or not.
A career job if you had a degree you’d have to respond to a specific ad in say the Wall Street Journal, online ad, or thru a temp-to-perm agency to get a foot in the door. You’d usually have three interviews. You’d be interviewed usually by career people, like the person who heads the department, then maybe by his assistant (not a secretary), then maybe by the person you would be working with or assisting or maybe people from corporate, depending on what is expected of you, and then you’d be introduced to the people you would manage or supervise. Usually there are 1000 or more applicants, which then are whittled down to maybe 8, then to 2 or 3 and then the decision is made (Human Resources has no say in who gets hired).
In an MBA position there are fewer applicants because the job description is advertised and if you don’t meet all the requirements you know enough not to apply. Of course you provide a cover letter, your picture, your resume. Sometimes you’re asked to provide a hand written summary so your handwriting can determine your traits and if you fit the job, then of course your credit is checked and your references are contacted and asked questions about your suitability. Sometimes while you sit and wait in the conference room your actions are taped. Sometimes while you are asked questions several other people are either watching you thru a two-sided mirror or thru a phone conference-type call. You are given a type of psychological test to see if you can lead and how you would respond in different situations. You are scrutinized for any quirks, and for anything you hesitate to respond to, as well as on your leadership, your qualities, your loyalty, etc. etc. Then you’re asked a lot of open-ended questions. Your mannerisms, etiquette and dress code are important for the job you want to secure. Sometimes you are given business cards immediately that show your status, and sometimes they ask that you hand them out as your introduction to your clients. You would probably be fingerprinted and certainly your background would be checked for any criminal activity. You might even be issued a badge of sorts if the company is security conscious. In most cases the person you are to work under will either take you to a restaurant to see how you respond under more relaxed company, and sometimes they will invite you and your spouse to visit their home to meet their wife and children….or, they may do both. If you are in a high enough position be ready to own a home and invite the boss over for dinner.
- – all this with my compliments as a former employment agency owner – -