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Really, really weird interview...

Teresa

I've just had a second interview with a local medium-sized company for the role of HR manager. First interview was standard with several 'Give an example of when you...' and 'What would you do if...' questions. So far, so good.

I was one of two asked back for a second interview. The second interview, which with the same two interviewers as before but also the CEO, was an hour of 'If you were an animal, what would it be', 'Who would you most like to have round for dinner', 'Where's your ideal holiday', and 'What's your perfect weekend'. 

Eh??? Did I miss the CIPD's briefing on new questioning regime?

Were they just trying to see if I'd fit in (which is what I was told) or were there ulterior motives behind each of the questions. Because I said 'hedgehog' to the animal question does this mean I'm prickly and hide from conflict; should I have said something more aggressive like Rottweiler or polecat? As 'Italy' was my ideal holiday does that mean I'm unadventurous and conventional; should I have gone backpacking in the Andes or building schools in Malawi? By the end of the hour I was absolutely drained. 

Joking aside, it was actually a surreal experience and made me wonder what I was getting myself into. Luckily, I didn't get the job. Anyone else had - or conducted - an interview like this?

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  • I wonder what would happen if one of the candidates challenged the result and wanted to see the scores to ensure they weren't discriminated against during the recruitment process. How on earth would the company have been able to prove that "a hedgehog" is a worse answer than "a polecat" and therefore the latter candidate got the job. Recruiting based on such nonsense shows extreme lack of understanding of fair recruitment, but also opens the company up for a tribunal case and potential fines.

    P.S. I used to work with a lady who would have said "a hedgehog" in answer to that question, and I am still in touch with her after almost 5 years of leaving the job, because she is amazing!
  • in reply to Kätlin
    HI Katlin

    Just to point out that being discriminated against in this manner may well not be 'fair recruitment' but in itself it doesn't risk Tribunal action because affinity with particular wild animals isn't a 'protected characteristic' and therefore it wouldn't be *unlawful* discrimination if an employer discriminated against eg a hedgehog person and instead preferred eg someone with polecat or ferret or skunk or whatever identification. (And - being even more pedantic, but it's a similar important aspect of employment law - Tribunals don't have any powers at all to fine anyone appearing before them - they only have powers to order them to pay in full or part compensation claims directly to claimants according to the legal rules applying to each particular claim.)
  • in reply to David
    David, I think Miss Tiggywinkle and Toad of Toad Hall would have something to say about that... ;)
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