Plan for Interviewing Candidates Including How Interviews Are to Be Managed, and Spell out the Criteria to Determine the Best Candidate

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The first thing to be done by management is determine who will be conducting the interviews. Ideally, the person chosen will be someone with a significant amount of recruitment experience, a strong understanding of what the assignment entails, and realistic sense of the associated difficulties. This way, they are prepared to present an accurate picture of the job, as well as address any concerns a candidate might have. If no single person is available, a board interview might be appropriate, so that there are multiple perspectives (Grove & Hallowell, 1998). Next, the individual(s) conducting the interview need to decide upon the structure and appropriate questions. It is also recommended that a “cross-cultural personality assessment be combined with behavioral interviews to form a more complete picture of individual competencies, weaknesses and strengths” (Van Der Boon, 2001).

Prior to the interview, a formal yet comfortable environment should be designated to the purpose, so that the interview starts off with the correct tone. A nonstructured interview would be most appropriate, since the open-ended questions will give the candidates opportunities to give long, detailed responses. This kind of detail on personality, qualifications, and experiences is needed to accurately gauge if the person would make a good fit. During the interview, there should be distinct opening, question, and closing phase (Hamilton, 1990). In the opening phase, the interviewer should take time to make the candidate comfortable through rapport. This can include a bit of small talk or relaxed conversation. The interviewee should then be introduced to the position in the orientation stage. Here, the interviewer(s) should identify their own qualifications as well of the expectations of the job. This step is especially critical in such an assignment since the selected candidate needs to know exactly what they are signing up for.

The question phase will include the meat of the interview. For this type of high-level assignment, where personality is weighted so heavily, the questions should be mostly open and hypothetical. These types of questions will allow the candidate to show their personality as well as their thought process when presented with obstacles. However, a few closed questions are appropriate. Questions could include:

- Do you speak Spanish?

- How would you handle communicating with subordinates of a totally different cultural background?

- Explain what made you apply for this position.

- What do you believe is your greatest strength? How will that help you in this position?

- What do you believe is your greatest area of opportunity? What are you doing to improve?

The interviewers should look for responses that indicate adaptability, problem solving skills, open-mindedness, and motivation. A candidate who displays these qualities will be more likely to succeed in challenging, unfamiliar situations (Clawson, 2014). During the closing phase of the interview, the interviewer(s) should be sure to address any questions that the candidate may have. This will highlight the communication skill of the candidate, and allow for any needed clarification.

Conclusion

A long-term international assignment is likely to be one of the most challenging career moves the chosen candidate will make. If an unqualified or unprepared candidate is chosen, it can jeopardize the health of the Sonora factory and the individual. However, if the correct candidate is chosen, it can prove to be one of the best career moves the chose candidate will ever make. Though difficult, an opportunity like this can enrich one’s professional and personal life through offering a unique set of challenges and experiences. Careful planning, thoughtful decision-making, and deliberate execution of plans can help to ensure success for the company and the individual in the transition.

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References

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