| Something that really irritates me in the corporate | | | | Instead of dancing around the issue, and using amateur |
| world today is how companies interview candidates | | | | psychological techniques, why don't they just ask for a |
| for a job. Instead of having you describe who you are, | | | | psychological profile of the candidate instead, as |
| what you've done in your professional life, and what | | | | prepared by accredited professionals? Somehow the |
| skills you know, Human Resource types today ask | | | | interviewing questions asked today remind me of the |
| questions like: | | | | neurotic Personnel Manager, Granville Sawyer, in the |
| "Where do you want to be five years from now?" | | | | movie classic "Miracle on 34th Street." |
| "How do you handle pressure?" | | | | Another interviewing phenomenon I have trouble with is |
| "How do you deal with conflict?" | | | | what is now called "speed interviewing," which I'm told |
| "Tell me something nobody knows about you." | | | | is derived from "speed dating," whereby a number of |
| "Did you notice the receptionist outside had six | | | | people are interviewed briefly in a rotational format. It |
| fingers?" | | | | kind of reminds me of how people audition for |
| "What is your favorite color?" | | | | "American Idol" and some of the other entertainment |
| "If you were an animal, what would you be?" | | | | contests. It might be nice for a first blush, but hardly a |
| Instead of getting to the meat and potatoes of what | | | | way of honestly getting to know someone. |
| the person knows, interviewers are asking | | | | The last thing I think is lacking in interviewing is |
| pseudo-psychological questions aimed at examining the | | | | professional courtesy. It used to be if you sent in a job |
| personality of the candidate. It kind of reminds me of | | | | application, you would get a written note |
| the asinine question Barbara Walters asked of movie | | | | acknowledging the company received it and what they |
| stars years ago, "If you were a tree, what kind would | | | | intended do with it, which perhaps was nothing. Further, |
| you be?" | | | | after an interview, the candidate would be sent a letter |
| These questions are aimed at determining what your | | | | thanking him/her for their time and let them know what |
| personality type is (such as A, B, C, D) and how you | | | | their status was. But you don't see such letters |
| present yourself, e.g., how articulate you can present | | | | anymore, not even in this age of e-mail. To me, this |
| an argument, and how well you can fit in with the | | | | says a lot about the professionalism of the employer, |
| corporate culture. | | | | which is probably not very good. |