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'What Recruiters Want'

Workmaze Ltd




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Agenda
CVs and Cover Letters
The selection process
Fit Interviews
Behavioural competency interviews
Case study interviews and 'Guesstimate' questions
Assessment Centres
nsights from a recruiter's perspective
Preparation

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CV survey
Whitehead Mann
Boyden
UBS Warburg
Korn Ferry
Heidrick & Struggles
AT Kearney
Normanbroadbent

Motorola
Accenture
PWC Consulting
Oracle
Prism (consulting recruitment
company)
GE Capital

Recruiters who work or who have worked for these
companies were involved in our research:

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Be factual avoid subjective claims
Use the past tense
Tailor your CV for each application
Use bullet points
One page for specific MBA applications
2 pages preferred, 3 pages max
CVs
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When is a profile appropriate?
Changing industry? no jargon
Changing function? be careful using a
functional CV. Pick out your cross-transferable skills

CVs
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Covering letters - the 'Mirror' technique
Over 5 years' experience in the
health sector
Six years' experience as a project
manager for Pfizer Plc
Full project lifecycle experience Responsible for projects over 1mil
from inception through to completion
Good communication skills Frequently presented progress
reports to senior management team
Man-management skills Led teams of up to 20 consultants
and had three direct management
reports
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How to prepare for interview
The selection process
Fit Interviews
Behavioural competency interviews
Case study interviews and 'Guesstimate' questions
Assessment Centres
nsights from a recruiter's perspective
Preparation

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The Selection Process
Candidate
Pool
Effective
Workforce
Interviewer Tools /
Methodologies
Criteria
Prediction
Criteria
Technical Skills
Behavioural Competencies
Motivation and 'Fit'
Potential to develop in the organisation
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Leadership motivating and developing others
Co-operation and Teamwork
Initiative / Creativity
Problem Solving
Flexibility / handling ambiguity
Delivery / Achievement
Analysing and Decision-making
Communication
Entrepreneurial spirit



Criteria - Behavioural
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Types of interviews and tools which are used in a selection
process:
Screening / fit interviews*
Behavioural competency interviews*
Technical interviews
Case studies*
Presentations
Internship assessments
Assessment Centres: group exercises, psychometric testing, in-tray
exercises*
Tools / Methodologies
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Tell me about yourself
Why did you decide to study for an EMBA / MBA / MA?
Why Vlerick?
What are your three key strengths / weaknesses?
What is the most useful feedback you have ever received?
Who do you most admire in business?
Why should we take you for this role?
How would your friends describe you?
Where do you want to be in 5 years' time
Have you got any questions?



Screening or "Fit" Interviews
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Tell me about yourself.
What are your 3 USPs?
The two minute pitch

Preparing for 'fit' interviews - the pitch
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Past behaviour is the best
indicator of future performance
Behavioural Competency Interviews
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Structuring answers
S
T
R A
R
Situation What was the context?

Task What was the task?

Action What did you do?

Relationships Who was involved?

Results What was the outcome?
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Please describe an example of a difficult decision
which you have had to make
Example of a behavioural competency
questions
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Behavioural Indicators
1 2 3 4 5
Gathers information in an unstructured
way using a mix of intuition and gut
feeling

Structures information gathering.
Attentive to detail. Identifies and uses
various sources of evidence

Systematically gathers information,
effectively dealing with missing data and
ambiguity. Involves others to ensure
comprehensive information is gathered
Fails to breaks down problems into even
a simple list of tasks or activities
Analyses relationships between
several parts of a problem or situation.
Identifies several likely causes of
events
Systematically breaks multidimensional
problems or processes into component
parts; identifies several solutions and
weighs the value of each
Shows little ability to make decisions
and take the lead. Likes to be the
follower and not the decision maker
Prepared to make a decision and
avoids over analysing situations
before making decisions

Makes difficult decisions and assumes
responsibility and accountability for these.
Checks validity of decision

Uses no abstract concepts. Thinks very
concretely
Applies knowledge of past
discrepancies, trends and
relationships to look at different
situations



Simplifies complexity. Pulls together
ideas, issues and observations into a
single concept or a clear presentation.
Identifies key issues in a complex
situation
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Please give an example of a difficult
decision which you have had to make
Situation write down no more than TWO sentences to describe the
situation
Task write down no more than TWO sentences to explain the task
(include specific goals and targets)
Action write down at least FIVE bullet points of action which you
took which were critical to you making a good decision
Relationships write down at least FOUR other key stakeholders
involved in making the decision
Results write down THREE bullet points to summarise the outcome

Communication
What are the behaviours you would expect to see
in someone who is an effective communicator?
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How much money is spent on haircuts in Belgium each
year?
Case study and 'guesstimate' questions
Answering 'Guesstimate' questions
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DO
Think out loud
Consider the size of the market
Use round numbers
Exclude extraneous numbers
Do a gut check (probably in billions)
DON'T
Blurt out an estimate
Ask for a calculator
Google an answer
Usually 3-5 minutes (don't take 20!)


Assessment Centres
Group exercises
In-tray exercises
Psychometric tests
Work-sample exercises
Role plays
Interviews
Personality questionnaires
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Interviewers
Be on time!
Dress appropriately
Bring a copy of your CV with you
Be aware of your handshake
Keep eye contact
Be sensitive to an interviewer managing the time
Don't talk over the interviewer
Offer your business card
Smile!

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The candidate doesn't have the reIevant experience upon which
to draw or experiences / behaviours aren't aIigned with the company's
requirements
The candidate does have the relevant experience but chooses
the wrong example
Doesn't listen to the questions (often has own agenda)
Hasn't considered WHY the question is being asked or thought through
the example
The candidate has the relevant experience and selects a good
example but cannot externalise the information
Talks too much / uses irrelevant information
Demonstrates arrogance

Insights from a recruiter's perspective
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Where do candidates go wrong?
Turn up late to an interview
Not using the opportunities presented to 'sell' themselves
Not listening to the question
Being vague and non-specific
Providing too much, irrelevant information
Selecting inappropriate examples
Not taking the time to think before answering
Using 'we' when the interviewer has asked for personal
contribution
LACK OF PREPARATION

Preparing for interview
Check the instructions time, location and format
Research company, industry and interviewers
Prepare behavioural competency examples
Practice psychometric tests, if appropriate
Read up on latest technical developments
Prepare questions to ask
Relax and enjoy the selection process!


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Your School Log in details for
career Resources are:
www.workmaze.com
Log in: vlerick
Password: vlerick

www.eurograduate.com

Any questions?