KATHMANDU, April 15: Just when you emerge out of a job interview and anticipating an acceptance call, thinking whether you managed to impress the person on the other side of the table or made a complete fool out of yourself instead, makes you go restless and unsure.
An ideal resume is not all that counts. Requirements like educational qualifications and work experiences aside, Human Resource (HR) Managers go through a great deal to understand the character and personality of their prospective employees.[break]
“The candidates are prepared with answers to certain questions they know will be asked during the interview. With attitude and skill test tools, we catch them off guard, asking questions that have nothing to do with the interview,” says Prajana Waiba Pradhan, Senior HR Officer at WWF Nepal, adding, “It shows how well the person can deal with adversity. You can figure out a person just by talking to them, from their body language, tone of voice and attitude.”
Per Oyvind Hansen, HR Director at Ncell, says, “The most important variable to investigate is work experience and performance - what has the candidate delivered? However, one will not avoid looking at personal qualifications. These qualifications can be investigated in a job interview or during reference checks. In an interview, a recruiting manager would, for example, look for personal qualifications such as future plans, communication skills, and relationship skills and, not to forget, leadership skills.”
Some applicants, while trying hard to look confident during job interviews, end up giving the impression that they’re over-confident. They should keep in mind that employers don’t hire those they think will disrupt the workplace dynamics which is already in place.
Although WWF Nepal is just planning to start a full-fledged internship program, they hire interns for three-months when the workload is high. Interns are guided by people from their respective departments under learning and work plans. Pradhan conducts a one-day workshop for new employees, briefing them on the history and working culture of WWF Nepal after which they are handed over to their respective units.
At Ncell, a manager, employing a regular employee or an intern, has the same responsibility - to set goals, to follow up and finally evaluate the performance together with the intern. The intern’s manager is responsible for orienting the intern about relevant issues contributing to successful performance. If it fits in with orientation programs offered for newly employed employees, interns are invited as well.
While some firms believe that persistence from the applicants’ side regarding their application shows their interest, Pradhan believes persistence is not necessary. “Overall persistence does show the person’s drive, but if you’re talking about it in terms of their application, it is rather annoying.”
Hansen, on the other hand, says, “We select employees based on our values as well. They are - show respect, add value and make it happen. Obviously, one inborn criteria of ‘make it happen’ is persistence. The value rewards behavior that drives change, involves good planning and speedy implementation, a strong flavor of business-mindedness which evidently results in delivery and high performance.”
The procedure for hiring a new employee at Ncell begins with announcement of vacancy, evaluation of cover letter and CV and short listing which is followed by the first, second and third interviews and reference checks, if necessary. In addition, a relevant and practical exercise is also administered to the applicant and in some recruitment; personality tests are also conducted. The final interview is done by the HR and the ultimate decision is taken in discussion with the recruiting manager.
At WWF Nepal, the vacancy advertisement is circulated online, through the HR network of Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN). “The assessment is carried out through objective marking system of the selection panel. Rating sheets are handed out to the panel during interviews and presentations and the decision is, more often than not, undisputed,” says Pradhan.
For her, the one thing that makes the most difference on a resume is whether or not an individual is a consistent performer. “We look for somebody who has at least worked in an organization for two years or more because that shows some amount of commitment,” she says, “We also look for someone who’s passionate about conservation. People who don’t believe in the organization’s mission and are only working for money, won’t last long.”
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