One Day Recruitment Process – what you need to know?

Consider the following scenario: you have recently lost your work (or are likely to lose it), your expenses are piling up, a family member urgently requires medicine or HMO coverage, and money is tight. You read the newspaper, went to an online job site, and discovered a few organizations that advertise the following:

1. Salary
2. Sign in Bonus
3. Weekend Rest Day
4. Day shift
5. One Day recruitment Process

It piques your curiosity, so you prepare your résumé and begin planning around what you’ve read, figuring that if it’s a one-day procedure, you’ll be able to obtain a job in a day or two, at worst, a week. So you apply, and as you wait for your interview, the minutes change to hours, and before you know it, your final interview is planned for a week or two later. ‘Whatever happened to the one-day process?’ Diba nakaka-inis?

What exactly is the One-Day Recruitment Process?

There are two things to consider:

1. It is a time-saving program that helps the recruitment department to handle as many prospects they can, as quickly as possible.
2. It’s a marketing ploy to attract more applicants who are keen to secure a job as soon as possible.

In terms of the procedure, recruiters must adhere to the recruitment flow, which is as follows:

1. Screening on paper or online

1. The first interview (phone or face to face)
2. Call Simulation and Testing
3. Job Offer Following the Final Interview

Some businesses set a time limit for each step. A phone or initial face-to-face interview, for example, should not last more than five minutes (some recruiters are so good they already decided to fail or pass you within 30 seconds). The duration of the test should be between 30 and 50 minutes. Finally, the final interview should take no more than 20 to 30 minutes, allowing the organization to adhere to the “one-day processing” policy.

Why does the processing time change?

The recruitment process, while planned, is not a flawless process. It is affected by many factors that can lengthen (or shorten) the processing time. What are some of these elements? The recruitment process, while planned, is not a flawless science. It is affected by many factors that can lengthen (or shorten) the processing time. What are some of these elements?

• You are blacklisted (shortens the time)
• One or two recruiters called in sick.
• There is an overflow of applicants (more than what the recruiters can handle, especially during the peak season – After the release of the 13^th-month pay, after graduation, or after the release of a major newspaper ad, during a very popular job fair)
• The recruiter wanted to fail you during the interview but saw that you are trainable and may endorse you for another interview (so you need to wait again).
• The recruitment department holds an urgent meeting (this happens a lot).
• You have an interview schedule. Unfortunately, the interviewer from operations is out of the country/in a meeting/has a death in the family/insert reason here, so you need to be re-scheduled.
• The account you are being evaluated or applying for has a far-off start date, is not hiring, or is just pooling for candidates.
• The waiting game is a part of the recruitment process.

As an applicant, there are several things we need to remember:

1. Do not expect to be processed in one day. Remember, expectation leads to frustration. Frustration shows your impatience. Recruiters see impatience.
2. Bring food (sandwiches, juice, chips, and gum to freshen your breath). If you need to find a restaurant for a full meal, tell your recruiter. Keep your breaks short during the waiting time – you do want to be there when the recruiter finally calls your name.
3. Do not plan to visit several companies in one day unless you have a succession of failures (in which case you need to ask yourself why).
4. Be patient every time, all the time. Remember that you are being watched – by the CCTV, the recruiters, other applicants, and the receptionist (she is a spy, you know).
5. If (and only if) you pass the initial interview, ask the recruiter what the next steps are and how long each step will be. Also, ask if there is a possibility that you will need to stay beyond 5 PM (this way, you can make plans for food, transportation, etc.)
6. Spend time chatting with other applicants who’ve already been through the process; this way, you can understand how easy (or hard) the rest of the steps are, and you can mentally and psychologically prepare for them.

It’s true that the line “one-day processing” can often be misleading. However, knowing how the process works and what factors to consider will arm us with more than enough patience as we go through the recruitment process. Finally, I have always believed that we need to keep our expectations in check. My experience has taught me that just because someone is not meeting my expectation doesn’t mean they are doing a poor job.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to message me.

Se7en

When you are offered a job you don’t want…

I’ve received a lot of question related to them being evaluated for a post which is different from what they applied for. Case in point, James applied for a back office account but was evaluated and offered a job for an inbound customer service account. Another candidate, Amiel was applying for the email account but was endorsed to an outbound collections account. Why does this happen? What can you do to avoid it?

1. Remember that a recruiter is a match maker. He/she has several accounts he/she is evaluating you for and his/her priority is to put you in an account which he/she thinks best fits you based on the skills and competencies you have.

2. Remember to read about the company’s accounts/business units. You need to make the recruiter understand that you are applying for a VERY SPECIFIC position and that you should be evaluated for it. Make him/her aware that you know they have other accounts and that you are comfortable with the account/queue you are applying for. You need to say this in a friendly and professional way, that is, if you have the courage. Remember that  YOU ARE BEING EVALUATED, say this only if you are willing to waste time, money, effort, and opportunity and that your need for the job is not paramount. If you are the type who REALLY needs a job, then why be choosy?

3. Learn how to holistically evaluate a job offer. It’s not just about the basic salary, it’s about establishing a career so you can have the money you are aiming for. Keep an open mind when the recruiter tells you that you are qualified for a different queue and will be evaluated for such. When you pass and are being offered a job, take a look at the culture of the company, the opportunities for promotion or side-movement (growth is not just up you know), the job itself, the company mission and vision, the basic pay, the health and welfare package, employee engagement, etc. If you need a day to decide, tell the recruiter. Be professional enough to call the recruiter the following day to advise him/her of your decision.

There are several reasons why you are not being offered the job you are gunning for:

1. You are not qualified for it.

2. You are over-qualified.

3. Your asking is too high.

4. No more vacancy.

5. You are fit for another account.

Only accept a job that you think will be beneficial for you IN THE LONG RUN (not just because you need to get paid ASAP). When you take on a job, you goal is not just to get paid but to develop a career, to look at retirement, and if the job isn’t something you know too well you will not like, there is no point in accepting it. If you decide to accept a job because napipilitan ka at kailangan mo talaga, learn to love that job by removing the mindset that the job is temporary. It’s really all about mindset. It’s also about being able to discipline yourself to be loyal to the company you work for.

 

Hope this helps.

Se7en

Failed in 11 call center interviews…help!

Dear Seven,

I’ve been reading your posts from Pinoyexchange.com and I have to admit, you seem knowledgeable on the aspect of getting into the call center industry. Well, here goes. I just arrived from the province some two weeks ago and in that short period, I have been to 11 different call centers, and so far, I haven’t passed any. Out of 11, 6 “big” call centers failed me in the initial interview, and 5 companies dumped me during the final interview. I can’t seem to understand why I’m failing. The bad part about is I don’t get any feedback from the recruiters – they always seem to be so in a hurry to hand over the regret letter. It’s depressing me because I’m running out of options, money, and time. Any advice? Btw, I read in your blog that you are a Bicolano too. I am from  Tabaco, Albay.

Alex

Dear Alex,

Your desire to continue despite 11 rejections is genuinely admirable, I would have given up on the 5th attempt, but you just kept going.

First, you need to understand that the initial interview in a call center is nothing more than a measurement of your communication skills. Therefore, your failure is an indication that you need to check your comms.

Before joining the call center industry, I was a radio jock for 5 and a half years. Because my English-speaking ability is self-taught, I have to admit that I needed formal training; this is why my first three attempts in the call center industry were a complete failure. I had consistent problems with

• pronunciation: Th (soft and hard), p/F, b/V
• wrong accent on the wrong syllable
• diction
• Filipinoism (transliteration)
• Grammar

Tip: Call center recruiters train in listening for consistent problems in grammar, diction, pronunciation, accent, and intonation.

In the blog entitled Learning English The Hard Way, I shared that it took me six months to fix how I spoke (not so much with how I write, so please bear with the grammar problems here). I wanted to become a DJ, so I took it upon myself to learn English properly. Therefore, it was not difficult for me to determine what I needed to improve on. I wasn’t ready for the big call centers, but since I needed a job, I took on an outbound sales account in a small, humid boiler room call center in Mandaluyong. Aside from earning, I needed an opportunity to hone my speaking skills, this time, with proper direction. My American Team Leader noticed my strong desire to learn, so he coached me on the many aspects of American pronunciation, told me repeatedly to “listen to myself,” and fined me for every transliteration I committed. It was fun. Too, he invested time and effort in teaching me about the concepts of “customer service” in the call center setting.

Now, let’s talk about customer service. Many accounts in the call center industry are tedious. You can ask anyone who has handled a telco, financial, or tech support account. They will not hesitate to tell you that the only way they survived is to understand customer service (theory or practice) thoroughly. I suspect that you may have ventured into the call centers whose accounts require a heavy background in customer service, hence, the failure.

Please understand that recruiters are matchmakers. Their company, client, or account has a specific demand for what type CSR can best serve them and only those who match the said profile will get the job offer. For this reason, my constant advocacy is to always prepare for an interview. You need to read and understand the job requirement, research the company, find out their business and customer base, prepare answers to interview questions, and let someone knowledgeable evaluate your responses for you.

This preparation is also accurate for the final interview; you fail because you are unprepared for the questions. Therefore, the secret to winning this battle is to jot down possible questions and prepare responses for them. List down possible questions; this way, you will not be surprised when they come out, and you have a ready answer for it. It’s never really about memorizing the answers; it’s about understanding them and mixing and matching them depending on the question asked.

Here are  a few tips when you are preparing your responses to these interview questions:

1. Every open-ended question is an opportunity to sell your skills and competencies, so do not fall short of mentioning them.
2. Flaunt accomplishments that are related to the post you are applying for.
3. Help the recruiter see that your experiences match the job requirements; if this is not the case, then exhibit the skills and competencies you have learned that can be useful for the said post.

The Final Interview is where everything becomes tricky. Recruiters use what they call “Targeted Selection,” it is an interview method that determines your past behaviors, and the fundamental precept here is what you are in the past is what you will be in the future. Most of the questions are open-ended and would start with something like “Tell me about the time when…” or “Can you tell me about an experience when you…” My suggestion here is to Google these types of questions and prepare an answer for each of them.

Again, remember two things: recruiters are matchmakers; they are trying to determine if you have the skills and competencies required by the post. Therefore, if you say, “I’m sorry I have no experience in that aspect,” in a Behavioral Interview, you tell the recruiter that you are not qualified for the posts and deserve to receive the reg. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.

I hope this helps. Btw, I am from Daraga, Albay.

Se7en

Top 10 Interview Question and How To Answer Them

If there is one thing I have learned about job interviews, it is that they are competency-based. They develop interview questions to assess if an applicant is a good fit for the job by comparing his responses (together with his work experience) to the skills and competencies required for the position.

If you have read my previous blogs, you will know that I strongly encourage preparation (read: research), which includes determining what competencies are required for the post, attempting to decide what questions given during the interview, AND preparing responses that the candidate must know and understand (but not memorize) and mixing and matching is based on the questions asked.

What are the standard interview questions, and how best to answer them?

1. Tell me something about yourself.

This is not an invitation to talk about yourself aimlessly; instead, the question assesses your work attitude and behavior. You MAY talk about some personal matters. However, it would be beneficial if you had some direction; that is, your goal should be to discuss your distinctive qualities as an employee or student, such as honesty, integrity, professionalism, and even your philosophy.

2. Why do you want to work here?

This is a question that needs thorough research. Before the interview, study the company’s history, business type, mission and vision, accounts (if accessible), and culture on their website. Knowing about the company makes you appear interested, as though you did your homework and are eager to acquire the job.

3. What do you know about the call center industry/agent’s work?

You are not a professional (yet). As a result, the recruiter/employer does not expect you to know everything, but a basic understanding of the business or the task involved is required. Naturally, failing to achieve that expectation fails.

4. Why should I hire you?/Why should I not hire you?/What sets you apart from all the other candidates outside?

This question determines a good fit for the job based on the abilities and competencies listed in the job description. The second question is deceptive due to the word “not,” yet the answer remains the same. The question is, how can you ensure that you can provide a satisfactory answer to this question?

1. Research the required skills and competencies for the position.
2. Make a list of your skills and competencies. Compare it to the requirements.
3. Study the interview question. Make a planned answer. The bottom line of your response should be that you possess the necessary competencies and skills.

Because they lack work experience, it is often difficult for recent graduates to provide a straightforward answer to this issue. I propose the following:

1. Research the necessary abilities and competencies.
2. Think about your experiences while you were still in school: organizations you joined, meetings you attended, honors you received, advocacies you held, and so on. Prepare a list.
3. Compare your list to the job’s required abilities and competencies.

Then, write a response to the interview question to demonstrate that you are qualified for the position because, even as a student, you showed the necessary abilities and skills.

The preparation described above will enable you to respond to the question with total confidence and ease.

5. Why do you want to work in a call center/as a call center agent?

DO NOT answer this question with “because of the compensation,” no matter how honest you are. Remember, your goal is to “sell yourself” and pass the interview. Discuss how well this position matches your skills, competencies, and experiences. If you lack experience (as a recent graduate or newcomer), discuss how close it is to your professional and personal goals and beliefs and how you envision yourself succeeding in this field. The goal is to convince the interviewer that YOU ARE PERFECT FOR THIS JOB.

6. Why did you resign from your previous company?

This question has multiple answers, and the only tricky part is if your reason for leaving is negative (disagreement with the boss, predicting termination, going on AWOL, etc.), regardless of the reason, BE POSITIVE. The truth is that it doesn’t matter if your stint was short or lengthy (as long as it wasn’t a series of short-term employment that gave the appearance that you were a job hopper). Tell the recruiter what you realized while working at that position, what you (positively) acquired by quitting, and that you are ready to move on. One example of good response is the employee’s previous firm achievements. He is now prepared to take on a more substantial, more challenging assignment and achieve more accomplishments.

7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Responding to these questions is a bit difficult. We Filipinos try to avoid boasting; on the other hand, we don’t want our flaws exposed for fear of being judged unfairly.

Remember what position you are applying for; if it is a call center position, emphasize communication, customer service/focus, friendliness, attention to detail, and so on. As for the weakness, choose one of your strengths and make it appear as a problem – for example, “I am so devoted to my work that I become frustrated when I don’t meet my objectives.”

8. What is your expected salary?

Remember, this isn’t the bargaining stage yet. The key here is to understand the industry standard. You don’t want to give too much, which will make the interviewer think the company can’t afford you, but you also don’t want to give too little, which will leave you with no space for bargaining. Find out what the going rate is for the position, then say it. When you say the amount, be confident; don’t be shy, and don’t be too proud. Being enthusiastic about your predicted wage indicates that you are aware of yourself, your experience, as well as your self-worth, talents, and competencies.

9. Can you work on weekends? Shifting schedules? Do overtime work? Graveyard shifts?

The recruiter expects that you know the industry you are applying for; therefore, the BEST answer here is a VERY CONFIDENT YES. Do not sound doubtful. Remember, you are  the one job hunting. (If the work schedule is not acceptable to you, why did you submit your resume in the first place?)

10. How do you see yourself five or ten years from now?

It is tempting to respond, “I envision myself getting married, having kids, two cars, and a house on a hill,” but this is not the appropriate response for this question. You’re in an interview; concentrate on the job you want. The answer must be work-related; for example, developing an exceptional performance basis for promotion, being promoted, and so on. The more explicit the plan/vision, the better; this indicates that you have the right direction in your life, plans for your profession, and aim to stay for the long haul.

While being interviewed can be nerve-racking, if you are well-prepared, you will react to questions with confidence and ease. Again, read and comprehend the competencies required for the position for which you are seeking. Google interview questions and write down your sample replies; if you’re still hesitant, have someone look at it; know and comprehend the responses you prepared but don’t memorize them. Prepare to mix and match your prepared answers depending on the recruiter’s questions.

Would you mind leaving a comment if you have any other questions that you found challenging or have any suggestions for responses to the interview questions listed above?

I failed the (behavioral) final interview…why?

I lifted this from www.pinoyexchange.com’s Call Center Forum, from Code_Red16.

Had an interview a week ago. But the interviewer’s question still bugging me. Here: (we’re like talking for half an hour already then she skipped to the final interview, so the behavioral questions started and since I’m a fresh grad, she couldn’t ask me something about my work experience. so for the 1st question she asked me *something like this* instead)

“Tell me a time in your college days when you had a mistake that resulted to a failure for the whole group.”

-I told her several things, like when we didn’t meet the deadline for a project because of me. When we were scolded because of me…pretty usual for her i guess, coz she rejected it all.
-I said that’s all i could think of and the question’s vague and tell her to give me an example. *in the politest way i can*
– Then she said she can’t ask further questions because I couldn’t answer. That means i failed and i can re-apply after a month.

I was like, WTH! What mistake should I have been fabricated for her to be satisfied?! Oh well, the hell i care! I’m still upset tho, knowing that i might encounter the same question again. Help!

My reply: I’m not sure what preparations you made before the interview, but your experience is a classic example of “an unprepared applicant.” Unfortunately, your response, even to me, was unacceptable and will result in an automatic failure. A behavioral interview is a method used to develop a more thorough understanding of an applicant.  It relies on a combination of open-ended questions and detailed scenarios to evaluate an applicant’s honesty, reliability, discretion, and maturity. These aspects are considered necessary in the workplace setting where confidentiality is essential. The goal is to determine whether or not an applicant could be trusted to handle confidential information honestly. “This is why I keep repeating (in my blog) that an applicant needs to prepare before the interview, especially for the behavioral part where the core competencies are effectively measured. I had had trouble answering behavioral questions when I was a newbie applicant, so I hunkered down and took the questions seriously, studied the items measured, and wrote answers for them. (Please visit my blog, I wrote an entry there, and it can help you.) Please search the internet for these behavioral questions and prepare responses for them – think of situations, tell the story. And remember the PAR format (someone already commented on it here). Remember, too, that you cannot skip a behavioral interview question; you have to answer it even if you have no such experience; again, use the PAR format if you don’t want your response to sound pointless. I hope this helps.

How to evaluate a job offer

Seven,

I’m a fresh graduate and a first time applicant in the call center industry and I’m trying to decide between the four job offers given to me. I was not allowed to bring the document home, but I was able to take note of the details. Thing is, I am very confused now. I am unable to decide which offer is best. It would help me a lot if you can give me a personal insight on what to consider when given a job offer. Thanks in advance.

Jason

Dear Jason,

Thank you for sending me an email and for visiting my blog.

I’ll tell you up front that I’m quite meticulous when it comes to deciding whether or not to accept a job offer. I spend a significant amount of time conducting research and comparing the results to a precise set of boundaries and expectations. If the outcome is satisfactory, I will accept the offer.

You are fortunate to have received four separate offers as a beginner; others receive none. When I originally applied to work in the call center industry 15 years ago, I had multiple failed efforts. This encouraged me to continually improve my customer service, language skills, and professional maturity. When the last company I worked for went bankrupt more than a year ago, I embarked on a job-hunting spree. As a result, I was presented with ten different job offers. I was perplexed, too, given how close and juicy the offers were. As a researcher, the desire to make the greatest decision led me to find the Ben Franklin decision-making technique. I strongly advise you to follow the link and read the complete essay.

Now to your question.

I mentioned that when I am given a choice, I set my own limits, which become the basis of my expectations. What are these limits, work-wise:

• Salary – is it competitive? Is it better than my earlier salary? What about appraisals? When and how often?
• Health and Welfare– Who is the HMO provider? What is the feedback on this HMO? What is the Maximum Benefit Limit? Pre Existing Condition Limit/coverage? How many dependents are covered? When is it given (Start of employment? Six months later?)
• Allowances and Night differential– Is the ND competitive?
• Vacation/Sick/Emergency Leaves available– How many VLs/SLs? When are they available? How are they filed? What is the notice period before claiming a leave? Are there days we are not allowed to file for a VL?
• Work schedule – What time is the shift? When are the rest days? Is it on the weekend? Is it a split RD?
• Workload – What type of account? Concerns within the account? Account attrition? Number of calls taken per day? Will there be selling/up-selling? Is it a pioneer account? If not, what batch do I belong to?
• Training – How long is the training? Schedule? Does it have a certification? What is the pass/fail rate for the certification?
• Scorecard – What are the KPI’s?
• Career Development – What kind? How is it implemented? How many have been promoted? To which positions?
• Management and Leadership – What is the culture and style of the leaders?
• Tenureship and attrition rate of the account (if info is available) – Will I belong to a new batch/team, or will it be to re-fill the empty posts? (an indication of high attrition?) Why did they resign?
• Retention program? – is there any? (details are typically withheld by recruiters)
• The image, stability, and culture of the company– Is it environment friendly? Always business-like? Pro-employee? Pro-management? Is the company viable? Stable? Did it change its name in the past? Declared insolvency? Is it a call center? A BPO? A captive site? A Fortune 500? A nobody?
• The facilities and amenities – Do they have vending machines? Concessionaire? Smoking area? Gaming and internet kiosks? Sleeping quarters?
• Security – Is my travel to and from the office safe?
• Proximity to my residence – Will I be spending more than what I will earn? Is there free and safe parking? Do they provide parking and transit allowance?
• Friends – Do I have any friends or relatives working there?

It may appear to be a lot, but each of these criteria is equally important because they will make or break my tenure and career advancement in that company. More importantly, I’ve moved on from making my decision solely on the basic salary; after all, there’s more to job than just money. In my experience, I’ve made poor decisions based only on the money offered. I end up resigning because I am unhappy with the work, the company, and so on.

I strongly advise you to look beyond the perks and consider your medium and long-term goals. Consider whether you will be happy in this company if you give it your all. Can you picture yourself rising through the ranks? What are your life’s priorities? Again, using the Ben Franklin decision-making approach, the answers to these questions will help you decide.

I wish you the best of luck in this new chapter of your life; I’m confident you’ll enjoy it. Remember that the decision you make about the job offer is simply the beginning of your journey; what you do with yourself in the meantime will determine your success or failure.

Hope this helps.

Seven

Funny Lines from Applicants

When I was still a newbie recruiter, my boss asked me to collate responses from applicants, not to be laughed at, but to be used as a sample for a training material – something that belongs to: WHAT NOT TO SAY and HOW NOT TO SAY IT during an interview.

Btw, the reactions/comments insterted are not mine.

Here is what I collected:
1. I am a flexible and I am perseverance person (when asked to describe her personality)

2. I want to learn more English words. (when asked why he wanted to work in a call center). [Damn! Read the dictionary!]

3. Do you have any extra ordinary positions that I can take for granted (Roughly Translated: Meron po ba kayong ibang position na pwede ko’ng apply-an?)

4. “Ten” (When asked to count from 1 to 40 to measure her articulation)

5. “Kelan Po?” (When asked to count from 1 to 40 to measure her articulation)

6. “I would choose IRATE CALLERS, Sir.” (Answer to the question: If you will change the COLOR of the world, what would it be and why?)

7. “I want to entertain and satisfy customers” (hmmm….interesting concept…so…what are you wearing right now?)

8. “I want to expose myself to the customers.” (Answer to why he wants to work in a call center”) – Flasher ITO!

9. “Is there an opening for a call center?” (Oh so you want to become a call center now huh?)

10. “Hi. Good afternoon, my name is _____, and I’M a call center from the Philippines.” (solohin ba)

11. Chocolates, boys with tongue pierce.” (An applicants answer to the question: What are your weaknesses?”

12. “I think Grade 3 and 4 students are very childish!” (Answer to the question: What do you think is the most difficult part of teaching Grade 3 and 4 students?)

13. “Haller???!!!??? (knocks on the table) THE SALARY!” (Answer to Why do you want to work in a call center?)

14. “I’m a married person, I have 2 children, the same boy”

15. “It’s a colorful world.” (Describe the shirt you’re wearing.)

16. “It’s a boomed industry.” (So all agents are now dead, I guess)

17. “I like to explore other people” (ay sus…maniac ka ano?)

18. “I want to explore myself more.” (Answer to why do you want to work in a call center. bagay sila ni #17…)

19. “Hu u? How did you get my #? Text me back, huri. Send me load.” (Text from an applicant who failed to accept my call. The audacity of an applicant can sometimes appall you.)

20. “I was scheduled for an exam this morning….I wasn’t able to make it…because I WAS TONSILITIS.”

21. “Hi Maam, do you have an opening.” (Lokong to ah!)

22. “I want to adventure into the graveyard…” (Langya, mahiilig ka sa patay!)

23. “I would like to be a part of the graveyard…” (isa ka pa…thriller… thriller night)

24. “Gd pm sir, im realy Sri Wen u call me I cnt hears clearly coz d a raindrop of d rain is vry noisy. Rgrdng of *** u want 2 knw y u call me?” (A text message from an applicant)

25. “Do you accept walking applicants?” (No, we prefer flying ones)

26. Interviewer: So you’re an undergrad. What year are you in right now? Applicant: Oh I’m just here in the house. Interviewer: No, I asked you what year you’re in. Applicant: Year? I’m 25 years old! ( Nagkakaintindihan tayo pare….)

27. Applicant: Agency ba to? Interviewer: No sir, head hunting firm. Applicant (turning to friend, laughing): Egg-hunting daw pare! (He later apologized thinking that it was a prank call from a friend!)

28. “In the middle of my study at Adamson, my father fortunately passed away.” (FORTUNATELY? ??!!!)

29. “Hello, I just want to inquire about the application resume that I planted in the computer…” (Planted?)

30. “May inaantay ako na trabaho kaya gusto ko lang na may mapag LILIBINGAN.” (Answer to the question “Why do you prefer a part-time job?” Tagalog na yun ha! Mahilig talaga kayo sa patay!)

The Final/Behavioral Interview

I once read a thread in which one applicant complained about how difficult and exhausting the final interview was for him. I became intrigued since “tough” is not the ideal term to characterize this process; it will be lengthy, certainly, but it will not be difficult.

Interview questions used to be relatively straightforward: “Why do you want to work here?” and “Tell me about your skills and weaknesses.” and “How can you help this company?” are just a few instances.

Employers nowadays are more interested in how you handled an issue or scenario in the past rather than what you would do in the future. An interviewer will want you to be more precise here, which means that ambiguous replies, running about, or talking your way out of a scenario will not suffice. The interviewer will ask follow-up questions to uncover how your actions that led to the outcome you claimed.

A behavioral interview would typically start with something like “tell me about the time when…”, “Give me an example of when…”, or “give me an example of how you have….”

Here are a few examples:

Tell me about when your manager asked you to do something that conflicted with how you felt.

Give me an example of what you did when you found out that two of your colleagues are not on good terms.

Describe a situation in which you could use persuasion to convince someone to see things your way successfully.

Give me an example of when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.

Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete

How do you prepare for a behavioral interview?

The first thing you should look at is the job description; it will include a list of specific abilities or competences that the employer is looking for; the behavioral questions will most likely be derived from the job description.

Examine your previous work experience in relation to the job description, and then jot down concrete scenarios that correspond to the company’s desired competency/skill. You will be expected to explain how you solved a problem and what happened as a result.

Remember PAR. State the PROBLEM you faced. Outline the ACTION you took to resolve the problem. And then explain the RESULTS you have achieved.

An unprepared applicant for a behavioral interview will almost always fail. I must admit that I did. I could talk my way into a job since I was confident and well-known for doing so. The recruiter was aware that I was looking for scenarios. My attempt to be consistent with what I was “trying” to offer resulted in me shooting myself in the foot; my lack of preparation made me sound inconsistent, unrealistic, and generally foolish. I can only guess what the recruiter wrote on that evaluation form.

Do you remember how you felt after the interview? When you’re wondering if you done a good job or not? One piece of advice if you want to get rid of that feeling: plan ahead of time.

Preparing for an interview is like to going to battle completely prepared. It removes the sensation of doubt; barring unanticipated events (such as the interviewer’s attitude and behavior), it gives you a sense of control and confidence that you will be able to answer questions without fumbling for words or thoughts.

Good luck with your final interview.

Would you mind sharing your stories, comments, suggestions on the comment section?