Activity 15

Improving interviews

Objective
Use this activity to assess a recorded interview and identify areas for
improvement.

Case study
Read the following dialogue from an interview.

The fifth interview

'Ah come in Mr, em, Mathews. Oh sorry it's Mr James. Sorry we're
all a bit shell-shocked at present. You're the fifth one we've seen
today you know. Bit of a mammoth task this. Sorry to have kept
you waiting so long. Got a bit behind. Sorry. Now where's your
application?' (Interviewer shuffles papers, while one of the other
four people on the panel stifles a yawn.) 'Got them. Right. Raj,
would you like to start the questions this time?'
'Right Mr James, my name is Raj Patel. I'll be your line manager,
should you be selected for this post. I'd like to begin by asking...'
(Raj asks a series of open and probing questions that produce very
pertinent answers from the candidate. However, they are
interrupted twice by mobile phones going off.)

'Thank you, Mr James. I'll pass the questioning to Mrs Brown, who
is the operations director.'
'Thanks Raj. I hope you don't mind me asking, but Isee you have a
young family. How would they feel about relocating to Swindon?
Any family commitments in Carlisle?' (Mr James answers but Mrs
Brown doesn't really listen to the answer. She sits back in her chair
and folds her arms.)

(The interview continues for some time - with the candidate

being asked questions in a seemingly random fashion.)

'Thank you Mr James. Do you have any questions of your own?'

'No, Idon't.'
'Well what happens now is we compare each of you against the
criteria for the job and make our final decision. You will hear
within five days. One final point. If we were to offer you this job,
subject to references, would you take it?'

'To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't work here if it was the last

place on earth. As far as Isee it, you are the weakest link.
Goodbye.'

Task
1 What are the good points about this interview?
2 What lessons can be learned from the things that went wrong during
the interview?