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I've had four face to face interviews this year and this is a first for me. I received the email below-interview is an hour with two people. Not sure what to think. Have you ever received an invite like this?
Interview Details:
We conduct behavioral based interviews, so please come prepared to share examples of past experiences related to the position for which you are applying. We use the SAR method for conducting these interviews:
While I have never seen this listed in such a way for an interview invite, it is a very common interview technique, and one I use myself.
Come prepared to tell as out situations you have faced in the past. Prepare a few different ones. I would suggest one situation where you saw a need/lack/opportunity in your company, how you developed a plan to address that need, resources and contacts you used to make it happen, and the results of the project.
A second situation should involve a conflict with a coworker (or vendor, or customer) and how that played out.
A third should be more of an as hoc response on your part. Talk about a surprise, emergency or something similar that you could not prepare for. Describe your reactions and the results.
In all cases, prepare for followup questions that ask for more detail. You should also be able to say what you would do differently when faced with the same situation again, providing some proof that you analyze results, learn from them, and constantly improve.
I told a friend of mine I should walk in the interview room and say, "Why don't we forget this whole SARS interview and jsut have a conversation so we can get to know each other, because I want to find out if I want to work here just like you want to find out if you want me".
I told a friend of mine I should walk in the interview room and say, "Why don't we forget this whole SARS interview and jsut have a conversation so we can get to know each other, because I want to find out if I want to work here just like you want to find out if you want me".
Any reasonable interview will also have a conversational give and take portion. The SAR portion is to verify your competence and truthfulness.
Any reasonable interview will also have a conversational give and take portion. The SAR portion is to verify your competence and truthfulness.
Describe a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how you handled it?
I screamed, swore, and pitched a big Erlenmeyer flask at him.
Do HR bimbos really think Mr./Mrs. sociopath is going to show up and tell you about the time he/she stole others lunches, sabatoged others, mobbed another worker into quitting...
I've had more than a few interviews that were like some cross between a police interrogation and a really degrading psychology session.
BTW all this emphasis on personality interviewing has done absolutely nothing to reduce the number of nasty people being hired. It just selects for good talkers.
Describe a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how you handled it?
I screamed, swore, and pitched a big Erlenmeyer flask at him.
People do say the most amazing things. People admit to getting into physical fights. I had one person say that if they got into a conflict with another employee they would simply call the police, because that would give them a good case for a union grievance. That is what they had done at their two previous jobs.
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Do HR bimbos really think Mr./Mrs. sociopath is going to show up and tell you about the time he/she stole others lunches, sabatoged others, mobbed another worker into quitting...
I am not sure why you have to use a charged term such as bimbo, but yes, people do say such things. For the record, in my experience it is not HR that leads questions, it is entirely up to the hiring manager. Most of the nuance is found with follow up questions. Few people admit to crazy behaviour with an initial question, but follow-up questions often reveal more.
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I've had more than a few interviews that were like some cross between a police interrogation and a really degrading psychology session.
Perhaps. I cannot speak to you personal experience.
[/quote]BTW all this emphasis on personality interviewing has done absolutely nothing to reduce the number of nasty people being hired. It just selects for good talkers.[/quote]
In part it does. It also reveals some falsehoods. Simply scanning resumes for experience and credentials as you advocate would cause a tremendous number of problems as well, in addition to being completely unworkable.
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