The interview process consisted of 2 engagements: an initial phone interview, and a more thorough in-person assessment at one of the company's offices.
The phone interview was brief an straightforward. I was contacted by one of the HR recruiters and was asked:
- To elaborate about my past work experience, specifically around people management
- To confirm that I understood the expectations of the role, specifically around the working hours and need for flexibility, overtime, etc.
- To confirm that I possessed legal working rights in the country where I was applying
Lastly, I was asked if I had any additional questions about the role or company. In total, the conversation lasted between 20-30 minutes.
Following the initial phone interview, I was then contacted by the same HR recruiter via. email and invited to attend the in-person assessment scheduled from 8:15 AM - 1:30 PM. There were 5 other applicants including myself (both internal & external). Upon arriving, the applicants were asked to gather in a meeting room and presented with an overview of the company.
The actual assessment portion consisted of 4 parts: an online English test, a group activity, an individual role play, and a 1-2-1 interview. The last part was only offered to applicants who successfully passed the first 2 parts.
Online English Test
- The applicant is asked to complete a short 5 minute online English test which assesses their English language ability. The questions are multiple choice and deal primarily with proper grammar and usage.
Group Activity
Attendees: 2 Customer Service Managers, 2 HR Recruiters, Applicants
- The group activity consisted of a fictional situation whereby the contact centre was experiencing a high level of staff attrition due to multiple business factors. The applicants were tasked to come up with a process to identify the causes of the issue and come up with solutions to the problem. The group was given approx. 20 mins to discuss and then present to the panel on a whiteboard.
- The key element here was in how the group interacted, and on an individual level, how the applicant communicates in a group setting. It seemed that the process by which the group arrives at a solution is more important that the solution itself.
Individual Role Play
Attendees: 1 Customer Service Manager, 1 HR Recruiter
- The applicant is asked to sit in a room and given 5 minutes to read a role play scenario, with fictional stats, where the Team Lead (applicant) is made to deal with an under performing member of his/her team. The Customer Service Manager acts as the employee and the HR Recruiter observes the interaction between the 2 parties. The discussion itself lasts approx. 10 minutes.
- The key element here is how effectively the applicant addresses the under performance issue of the employee. Proper documentation of the factors and proposed improvement plan is essential, as is dealing with the employee's demeanor.
1-2-1 Interview
Attendees: 1 Customer Service Manager, 1 HR Recruiter (may not be the same as in previous section)
- The applicant is asked to participate in a formal 1-2-1 interview in a meeting room and asked standard interview questions around their motivations for applying for the role, past examples of their management style and dealing with under performance, terminations, etc. Questions around their knowledge of the business KPIs are also raised.
- The key element here is relating examples of past experiences and how they can benefit the applicant in the role. Demonstrating the process by which the applicant addressed employee under performance and career development through proper documentation is essential.
- The interview lasts approx. 45 mins to 1 hour.
There are break times slotted in between each portion of the assessment to provide applicants time to relax and prepare for the next portion. Overall, it was a fair but lengthy process and by 12 PM you are feeling pretty hungry so ensure you get a good night's rest and a proper breakfast before going in!