[Applause] so Paulo interview marathon recruiting
so Paulo interview marathon recruiting
so Paulo interview marathon recruiting for the next MBA class we hardly had a
for the next MBA class we hardly had a
for the next MBA class we hardly had a minute to breathe between one interview
minute to breathe between one interview
minute to breathe between one interview on the other suddenly my colleague comes
on the other suddenly my colleague comes
on the other suddenly my colleague comes into my office you can feel some sort of
into my office you can feel some sort of
into my office you can feel some sort of anxiety on her face and she says I
anxiety on her face and she says I
anxiety on her face and she says I cannot take the next interview I know
cannot take the next interview I know
cannot take the next interview I know the candidate very well I’ve had many
the candidate very well I’ve had many
the candidate very well I’ve had many interactions with him so in order to be
interactions with him so in order to be
interactions with him so in order to be neutral can we swap interviews his name
neutral can we swap interviews his name
neutral can we swap interviews his name is Daniel
is Daniel
is Daniel I said sure no problem
I said sure no problem
I said sure no problem I had to read his application quite
I had to read his application quite
I had to read his application quite quickly as the guy was already waiting
quickly as the guy was already waiting
quickly as the guy was already waiting for me at the lobby and then walked and
for me at the lobby and then walked and
for me at the lobby and then walked and went to greet him so after the usual
went to greet him so after the usual
went to greet him so after the usual chitchat before starting an interview I
chitchat before starting an interview I
chitchat before starting an interview I asked my first question who is Daniel he
asked my first question who is Daniel he
asked my first question who is Daniel he said I have no idea at that time I
said I have no idea at that time I
said I have no idea at that time I really didn’t know how to react usually
really didn’t know how to react usually
really didn’t know how to react usually when you have in front of you a
when you have in front of you a
when you have in front of you a candidate you know about him as much as
candidate you know about him as much as
candidate you know about him as much as his applications tells you but you know
his applications tells you but you know
his applications tells you but you know more or less who the other person is so
more or less who the other person is so
more or less who the other person is so I found really shocking that the guy
I found really shocking that the guy
I found really shocking that the guy that had put together his application
that had put together his application
that had put together his application didn’t know who he was so I said but how
didn’t know who he was so I said but how
didn’t know who he was so I said but how come you are Daniel and he said no I’m
come you are Daniel and he said no I’m
come you are Daniel and he said no I’m not I’m Peter
so at that time I started freaking out
so at that time I started freaking out I’ve been Admissions Director at ESA for
I’ve been Admissions Director at ESA for
I’ve been Admissions Director at ESA for six years interviewed more than 2,000
six years interviewed more than 2,000
six years interviewed more than 2,000 candidates from 64 different countries
candidates from 64 different countries
candidates from 64 different countries and never had a situation like this so
and never had a situation like this so
and never had a situation like this so my immediate reaction was to start
my immediate reaction was to start
my immediate reaction was to start looking at the corners of the office
looking at the corners of the office
looking at the corners of the office looking for a hidden camera as I thought
looking for a hidden camera as I thought
looking for a hidden camera as I thought somebody here is having a great time and
somebody here is having a great time and
somebody here is having a great time and it’s not me so to summarize the story
it’s not me so to summarize the story
it’s not me so to summarize the story what happened is that we had two
what happened is that we had two
what happened is that we had two candidates that were identical they
candidates that were identical they
candidates that were identical they could have been twins so when my
could have been twins so when my
could have been twins so when my colleague saw Peter at the lobby she
colleague saw Peter at the lobby she
colleague saw Peter at the lobby she confused him by Daniel which led me to
confused him by Daniel which led me to
confused him by Daniel which led me to reading the wrong file and being in
reading the wrong file and being in
reading the wrong file and being in front of a complete stranger so what is
front of a complete stranger so what is
front of a complete stranger so what is the point that I want to make why do I
the point that I want to make why do I
the point that I want to make why do I start my interviews asking who are you
start my interviews asking who are you
start my interviews asking who are you when you’re interviewing a candidate you
when you’re interviewing a candidate you
when you’re interviewing a candidate you are exposing yourself to the other you
are exposing yourself to the other you
are exposing yourself to the other you are in some way opening them the door
are in some way opening them the door
are in some way opening them the door into your life so it really doesn’t
into your life so it really doesn’t
into your life so it really doesn’t matter if you’re interviewing to hire
matter if you’re interviewing to hire
matter if you’re interviewing to hire somebody for your team or if you’re
somebody for your team or if you’re
somebody for your team or if you’re checking if a candidate is right for an
checking if a candidate is right for an
checking if a candidate is right for an mba program or if you’re hiring a
mba program or if you’re hiring a
mba program or if you’re hiring a babysitter in the end the underlying
babysitter in the end the underlying
babysitter in the end the underlying question is is that person eligible to
question is is that person eligible to
question is is that person eligible to be part of my life do I want to go to
be part of my life do I want to go to
be part of my life do I want to go to work every day and talk to this person
work every day and talk to this person
work every day and talk to this person do I want this candidate to be part of
do I want this candidate to be part of
do I want this candidate to be part of my alumni network do I want this
my alumni network do I want this
my alumni network do I want this university student to have the keys of
university student to have the keys of
university student to have the keys of my home and take care of my children so
my home and take care of my children so
my home and take care of my children so when you tackle an interview from this
when you tackle an interview from this
when you tackle an interview from this point of view things change completely
point of view things change completely
point of view things change completely and it really doesn’t matter if you are
and it really doesn’t matter if you are
and it really doesn’t matter if you are the interviewer or the interviewee
the interviewer or the interviewee
the interviewer or the interviewee because the interview process does not
because the interview process does not
because the interview process does not become a competition of who is the
become a competition of who is the
become a competition of who is the smartest or who has achieved the most
smartest or who has achieved the most
smartest or who has achieved the most things but who is the one that can build
things but who is the one that can build
things but who is the one that can build more trust so in the end who is a
more trust so in the end who is a
more trust so in the end who is a legible to be part of your life so back
legible to be part of your life so back
legible to be part of your life so back to the question who are you why do I
to the question who are you why do I
to the question who are you why do I think this is important if you don’t
think this is important if you don’t
think this is important if you don’t know who you are how are we going to
know who you are how are we going to
know who you are how are we going to start building that trust how will you
start building that trust how will you
start building that trust how will you know where you want to go what you want
know where you want to go what you want
know where you want to go what you want to achieve and what’s more important how
to achieve and what’s more important how
to achieve and what’s more important how are you going to achieve it so very
are you going to achieve it so very
are you going to achieve it so very often when I’m asking this question the
often when I’m asking this question the
often when I’m asking this question the type of answer that I get is hi I’m
type of answer that I get is hi I’m
type of answer that I get is hi I’m Katherine I’m 29 I studied engineering I
Katherine I’m 29 I studied engineering I
Katherine I’m 29 I studied engineering I started working for this company then I
started working for this company then I
started working for this company then I moved to this other company where I got
moved to this other company where I got
moved to this other company where I got promoted twice then I changed then I’ve
promoted twice then I changed then I’ve
promoted twice then I changed then I’ve earned so many awards and then the list
earned so many awards and then the list
earned so many awards and then the list of achievements goes on and on and on
of achievements goes on and on and on
of achievements goes on and on and on and on and many times I have to stop
and on and many times I have to stop
and on and many times I have to stop them and say hold on is that really who
them and say hold on is that really who
them and say hold on is that really who you are let me rephrase the question
you are let me rephrase the question
you are let me rephrase the question if I ask your mother who you are what
if I ask your mother who you are what
if I ask your mother who you are what would she say and then the answer
would she say and then the answer
would she say and then the answer changes completely they become more
changes completely they become more
changes completely they become more personal they start telling you how
personal they start telling you how
personal they start telling you how ambitious they are also that they have
ambitious they are also that they have
ambitious they are also that they have some challenges and then they have some
some challenges and then they have some
some challenges and then they have some areas of improvement that’s the time
areas of improvement that’s the time
areas of improvement that’s the time even when they start sharing their
even when they start sharing their
even when they start sharing their dreams and then it’s when the
dreams and then it’s when the
dreams and then it’s when the conversation becomes interesting Iraq
conversation becomes interesting Iraq
conversation becomes interesting Iraq leaders want set day by day what you
leaders want set day by day what you
leaders want set day by day what you choose what you think and what you do is
choose what you think and what you do is
choose what you think and what you do is what you become I really like the fact
what you become I really like the fact
what you become I really like the fact that he says what we do last because we
that he says what we do last because we
that he says what we do last because we tend to think that we are our
tend to think that we are our
tend to think that we are our achievements and we
achievements and we
achievements and we much more than that we are also our
much more than that we are also our
much more than that we are also our thoughts and our choices so remember we
thoughts and our choices so remember we
thoughts and our choices so remember we are one third our thoughts one third our
are one third our thoughts one third our
are one third our thoughts one third our achievements and one third our choices
achievements and one third our choices
achievements and one third our choices which leads me to my next point very
which leads me to my next point very
which leads me to my next point very often in an interview we just want to
often in an interview we just want to
often in an interview we just want to show the best of ourselves and this is
show the best of ourselves and this is
show the best of ourselves and this is very natural don’t get me wrong but also
very natural don’t get me wrong but also
very natural don’t get me wrong but also as an interviewer what I want to see is
as an interviewer what I want to see is
as an interviewer what I want to see is if I have in front of me
if I have in front of me
if I have in front of me a real human being and guess what humans
a real human being and guess what humans
a real human being and guess what humans make mistakes I know this notion can be
make mistakes I know this notion can be
make mistakes I know this notion can be uncomfortable but it’s part of how we
uncomfortable but it’s part of how we
uncomfortable but it’s part of how we mature life is made of choices sometimes
mature life is made of choices sometimes
mature life is made of choices sometimes we are right but sometimes we are not
we are right but sometimes we are not
we are right but sometimes we are not but it’s not how many times you fail but
but it’s not how many times you fail but
but it’s not how many times you fail but also how quickly you stand up and start
also how quickly you stand up and start
also how quickly you stand up and start fighting again so quite often in an
fighting again so quite often in an
fighting again so quite often in an interview we just want to portray this
interview we just want to portray this
interview we just want to portray this magnificent tree so we only want to show
magnificent tree so we only want to show
magnificent tree so we only want to show how green our leaves are or even how
how green our leaves are or even how
how green our leaves are or even how strong our trunk is but we forget about
strong our trunk is but we forget about
strong our trunk is but we forget about what’s underneath what’s below the
what’s underneath what’s below the
what’s underneath what’s below the surface and that’s as an interviewer is
surface and that’s as an interviewer is
surface and that’s as an interviewer is what I need to know to start building
what I need to know to start building
what I need to know to start building that trust I want to learn about your
that trust I want to learn about your
that trust I want to learn about your roots about your value system about your
roots about your value system about your
roots about your value system about your achievements but also about your
achievements but also about your
achievements but also about your failures because all of these is in the
failures because all of these is in the
failures because all of these is in the end what makes us who we are
end what makes us who we are
end what makes us who we are Peter Drucker once said the better a man
Peter Drucker once said the better a man
Peter Drucker once said the better a man is the more mistakes will he make for
is the more mistakes will he make for
is the more mistakes will he make for the more new things he will try a while
the more new things he will try a while
the more new things he will try a while ago one candidate share with me this
ago one candidate share with me this
ago one candidate share with me this experience he had to trade with some
experience he had to trade with some
experience he had to trade with some commodities and he made a human mistake
commodities and he made a human mistake
commodities and he made a human mistake which would have happened to any of us
which would have happened to any of us
which would have happened to any of us but that mistake led him to lose
but that mistake led him to lose
but that mistake led him to lose two million dollars two million dollars
two million dollars two million dollars
two million dollars two million dollars that’s a lot of money so he embrace his
that’s a lot of money so he embrace his
that’s a lot of money so he embrace his mistake he went to talk to his boss and
mistake he went to talk to his boss and
mistake he went to talk to his boss and told him the situation so he’s both
told him the situation so he’s both
told him the situation so he’s both getting 24 hours to fix that problem and
getting 24 hours to fix that problem and
getting 24 hours to fix that problem and recover the money and he did but when he
recover the money and he did but when he
recover the money and he did but when he was sharing with me that example I could
was sharing with me that example I could
was sharing with me that example I could really sense how much he suffered how
really sense how much he suffered how
really sense how much he suffered how much he struggled but also how much he
much he struggled but also how much he
much he struggled but also how much he learned and I’m sure that if that
learned and I’m sure that if that
learned and I’m sure that if that situation comes again he will never make
situation comes again he will never make
situation comes again he will never make that mistake again so when you’re having
that mistake again so when you’re having
that mistake again so when you’re having this type of conversations what you have
this type of conversations what you have
this type of conversations what you have in front of you is a much more mature
in front of you is a much more mature
in front of you is a much more mature person and it’s only then when you
person and it’s only then when you
person and it’s only then when you connect so remember an interview is
connect so remember an interview is
connect so remember an interview is about building trust and that’s the role
about building trust and that’s the role
about building trust and that’s the role for both the interviewer and the
for both the interviewer and the
for both the interviewer and the interviewee because it becomes a game of
interviewee because it becomes a game of
interviewee because it becomes a game of give and take so we want to learn your
give and take so we want to learn your
give and take so we want to learn your stories what you felt how you reacted
stories what you felt how you reacted
stories what you felt how you reacted but it’s not so much what you say but
but it’s not so much what you say but
but it’s not so much what you say but also how you say it quite often I ask
also how you say it quite often I ask
also how you say it quite often I ask this question to candidates and I say
this question to candidates and I say
this question to candidates and I say tell me what is your main trait and the
tell me what is your main trait and the
tell me what is your main trait and the answer sometimes is I’m a highly
answer sometimes is I’m a highly
answer sometimes is I’m a highly motivated individual so come on many
motivated individual so come on many
motivated individual so come on many times I’m tempted to say really and
times I’m tempted to say really and
times I’m tempted to say really and highly motivated I don’t believe that
highly motivated I don’t believe that
highly motivated I don’t believe that but once I ask a candidate to share with
but once I ask a candidate to share with
but once I ask a candidate to share with me an experience where she had to
me an experience where she had to
me an experience where she had to communicate bad news she was a
communicate bad news she was a
communicate bad news she was a consultant so in my mind I thought that
consultant so in my mind I thought that
consultant so in my mind I thought that she was going to share with me a
she was going to share with me a
she was going to share with me a situation where maybe she had to tell
situation where maybe she had to tell
situation where maybe she had to tell the client that there was going to be a
the client that there was going to be a
the client that there was going to be a major delay in the project or maybe that
major delay in the project or maybe that
major delay in the project or maybe that it had to restructure much more than
it had to restructure much more than
it had to restructure much more than what was previously scoped but then her
what was previously scoped but then her
what was previously scoped but then her facial
facial
facial rushon change completely I could really
rushon change completely I could really
rushon change completely I could really tell that she was having a very hard
tell that she was having a very hard
tell that she was having a very hard time sharing with me that experience and
time sharing with me that experience and
time sharing with me that experience and she was also on the verge of tears so
she was also on the verge of tears so
she was also on the verge of tears so what happened is that her boyfriend had
what happened is that her boyfriend had
what happened is that her boyfriend had had a car accident a few weeks back and
had a car accident a few weeks back and
had a car accident a few weeks back and she was the one having to break the news
she was the one having to break the news
she was the one having to break the news to his parents Wow it took me a while to
to his parents Wow it took me a while to
to his parents Wow it took me a while to recover from this so quite often as an
recover from this so quite often as an
recover from this so quite often as an interviewer I need to keep reminding
interviewer I need to keep reminding
interviewer I need to keep reminding myself that I’m dealing with people with
myself that I’m dealing with people with
myself that I’m dealing with people with their lives when your job is to make
their lives when your job is to make
their lives when your job is to make hundreds of interviews every year it’s
hundreds of interviews every year it’s
hundreds of interviews every year it’s very easy to get into interview mode
very easy to get into interview mode
very easy to get into interview mode press play and go through the same set
press play and go through the same set
press play and go through the same set of questions over and over again and
of questions over and over again and
of questions over and over again and that’s very dangerous because you lose
that’s very dangerous because you lose
that’s very dangerous because you lose connection but you also miss a great
connection but you also miss a great
connection but you also miss a great opportunity to be amazed by people and
opportunity to be amazed by people and
opportunity to be amazed by people and learn from them and many times during
learn from them and many times during
learn from them and many times during interviews you also need to be ready to
interviews you also need to be ready to
interviews you also need to be ready to expect the unexpected
expect the unexpected
expect the unexpected a few weeks back I asked the candidate
a few weeks back I asked the candidate
a few weeks back I asked the candidate what would you like me to take away from
what would you like me to take away from
what would you like me to take away from this interview the candidate said my
this interview the candidate said my
this interview the candidate said my telephone number actually is not what
telephone number actually is not what
telephone number actually is not what you’re thinking she came from a
you’re thinking she came from a
you’re thinking she came from a completely different background and also
completely different background and also
completely different background and also culture than mine and she explained I’ve
culture than mine and she explained I’ve
culture than mine and she explained I’ve really enjoyed this conversation and
really enjoyed this conversation and
really enjoyed this conversation and despite the outcome I would love to stay
despite the outcome I would love to stay
despite the outcome I would love to stay in touch so in the end this is what it’s
in touch so in the end this is what it’s
in touch so in the end this is what it’s all about not just doing interviews but
all about not just doing interviews but
all about not just doing interviews but having great conversations conversations
having great conversations conversations
having great conversations conversations that lead you to connect with the other
that lead you to connect with the other
that lead you to connect with the other to get to know who they really are and
to get to know who they really are and
to get to know who they really are and in the end open them the door into your
in the end open them the door into your
in the end open them the door into your life
life
life thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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