EPISODE 1

: You what? What do you mean?

You’ve lost the DollarMart contract? Oh Brian, tell me you’re joking! That’s our biggest contract!, And
you’ve lost it!

Ok...ok...yes, I know you’ve had some personal problems recently...yes, sure...yes, I know our
competitors have improved their offer...but, really Brian, these are just excuses... Oh Brian, come on –
you failed to meet agreed targets for the entire last quarter. We talked about this at your last
performance review and I told you then it had to improve and to be quite honest – it hasn’t. Losing the
DollarMart contract is the last straw... No, I’m sorry Brian that’s it, that’s your last chance. I’m going to
have to let you go.

Let you go. Yes. That’s what it means Brian. You’re fired.

Hi Jess, can you put me through to Marcia in HR please?

Hi Marcia. It’s Philip here. Listen, I’ve had to let Brian go. He lost us the DollarMart account.

Yeah, but it had been going on for a while, he just wasn’t pulling his weight anymore. He’d been warned
– his last performance review was really bad. He knew it was coming...

So - we’ll be looking for someone new and we’ll need to decide on who that is...

Who are we looking for? Good question...I was hoping you might be able to help me with that!

Here’s what I’m thinking and let me know if you agree.

Well, obviously, they’ll need to have a first degree, doesn’t matter what subject, and then a masters or
an MBA, I’d say.

Experience? At least five years relevant experience, in an international company – I want somebody with
a proven track record. Oh they have to be a team player – Brian never was – so strong interpersonal
skills. Oh and I want someone with vision...yes, “vision” – I know it’s difficult to define, but what I mean
is, someone who knows we’re in a rapidly changing market, and they can use it to our advantage.

Experience with online sales, perhaps – but yes, I’d be interested in that. Oh, language skills – I can’t
emphasise that enough – not necessarily a native speaker, but they must be very good at English, and
another language as well, Spanish,

or Mandarin is best.

Does that sound ok to you? Great! Ok can you get an ad out on the website as soon as possible, and the
trade press, as well? Ok great thanks Marcia I want a new sales director by the

end of the month!

EPISODE 2
Philip Hart: So, how many applications did we get, Marcia?
Marcia Boardman: Well...overall we’ve got over two hundred...

PH: That many!?

MB: Yes, but...most of which we can discard right away...people who don’t have the right experience,
qualifications that kind of thing...

PH: Of course...

MB: ...and then we get the people who submit ten-page-long CVs, or CVs in comic book font, or green
ink, or they attach a photo of themselves disco dancing...you know the kind of thing!

MB: So, I whittled down the serious candidates to a shortlist of twelve people.

PH: And we’ll interview all of them?

MB: I think we should – but obviously I’ll let you have a look first.

PH: Great...so, who have we got then?

MB: Well, I think we’ve got some pretty strong candidates, two in particular...

PH: They have the right kind of profile?

MB: I’d certainly say so – a strong educational background, experience in multinational sales, language
skills...

PH: Good, I look forward to meeting them.

MB: So I’d say we do the standard interview format..

PH: Sure..

MB: A few general questions, then onto specifics...

PH: Yes, exactly – I want to hear specific details of when they’ve solved problems...

MB: Yes and then something about “vision”, as you put it...

PH: Yes...what do you think about a brief presentation?

MB: I think that’s a good idea – we could ask them to give a short presentation on where they see the
company going – and how they see themselves taking us there.

PH: Great! You know something? I’m really looking forward to this!

EPISODE 3
MB: Hi, I'm Marcia Boardman, I'm calling from WebWare.
DW: Oh hi, Marcia. Great to hear from you.
MB: You'll have already been told you've been shortlisted for interview...
ST: Oh... yes... great... hello? Can you hear me?
MB: Yes... Is it OK if I call you now? Would you like me to call you back
later?
ST: Erm, no, no, no, that's OK...
MB: Good - well we're very excited about meeting you. OK, I just want to talk you through the
procedure for the day. Someone will meet you when you arrive, reimburse you for any travel expenses
you may have, and then bring you up to meet myself and Philip Hart, the CEO.
DW: OK, sounds good. So will you be the only members of the interview panel there then?
MB: Yes, it'll be just me and Philip who will talk to you. The interview will be in three parts - first of all
we'll ask you some general questions about yourself and your educational and professional background,
then we'll move on to specifics.
ST: Oh, er, specifics? Well er, what kind of questions will you be asking?
MB: Well, it'll be very similar to the personal statement you submitted with your CV - we'll be expecting
you to to give actual examples of problems you've faced and solved, and of what you feel are the major
successes in your career so far.
DW: OK, well yeah, that sounds great - can't wait!
MB: Then there'll be a chance for you to ask us any questions - about the job itself, or WebWare in
General...
ST: Oh, erm, OK... I'll think of something!
MB: After that, we'd like you to give a short presentation on how you see WebWare as a company
progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there.
DW: OK so will I be expected to give like a formal style presentation?
MB: It can be as formal or informal as you like. There'll be a flipchart and a data projector there
available. If you need anything else, just let us know.
ST: Oh, erm OK, a presentation! I'll think of something. I haven't done one of those in a while...
MB: Is that all clear? Great, so, Daniel, I'll see you at 11am, a week tomorrow.
DW: OK, great, I look forward to meeting you! Thanks, bye.
MB: OK, so, Sarah, we'll be seeing you at 1pm, a week tomorrow. Best of luck!
ST: Oh, thanks... I'll need it...