Page 137 - You're Hired! Interview Answers

PeoPLe-BaSed QueStionS examPLe inteRview anSweRS Superficially this looks like a very people-based answer, but there are some
real risks with the ‘I am a very nice person’ approach. In most interviews,
particularly at managerial level, the interviewer will be looking for evidence of
balance in your managerial style. Earlier we mentioned the value of showing
that you can flex your style to meet the needs of the situation, and this is not
apparent in the answer above. The interviewer is going to have to ask a lot
more questions to see if this person has anything other than a laissez-faire
management style.

interviewer: So how do you check that people know what
they need to do?

7 Poor answer:

“It’s mostly a matter of having an open door so that people can check things
with me; anything they are unsure about, I make sure I am available.”

interviewer: So what about when you have to be more
directive, can you give me an example of how you handle
this?

7 Poor answer:

“I suppose there are situations when the requirement is non-negotiable

and obviously then I let people know what they have to do by when. I can
remember times when it looked as if we were going to miss a deadline or
where there was an urgent request for information, and in this kind of situation

I can give clear instructions if I have to.”

Eventually we get to some reference to a more directive style of management,
but it still falls far short of being a concrete example and the whole sequence
will leave the interviewer doubtful about this person’s ability to behave in a
more directive way when the situation requires it.

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