In a recent job interview, a recently retired Air Force colonel used many acronyms to describe the work he had performed during his 25 years of active-duty service. Because the interviewers were not familiar with the military acronyms, they were not certain the applicant's experience aligned with the job description, and the applicant was not selected. Which of the following statements best describes what the applicant could have done better to communicate with the interviewers?
a. The applicant should have attempted to know his audience better and realized they would not relate to the military acronyms. b. The applicant should have been more understanding of the interviewers' opinions and more interested in what they had to say.
c. The applicant should have taken more time to make a good first impression instead of assuming his rank would impress the interviewers.
d. The applicant should have been more willing to listen to the interviewers and paid more attention to them. During a university orientation, several students in the same program got to know one another and started to hang out. One of the male students, attracted to a female student, started asking her inappropriate questions of a sexual nature, sometimes when 1 they were alone but also when they were with other students. One of the other students reported the comments to an advisor, who was required to report it to the university, and an investigation was opened by the university's Title IX Office. During the investigation, the female student was asked to document what happened and produced screenshots of texts and wrote down conversations that had occurred. Witnesses were also asked to provide written documentation of the inappropriate questions and the context in which they were asked. The investigation took several months, with the final decision requiring the male student to have no contact with the female student.
Why was it important for the student to provide written communication in this situation? a. Registering a complaint with the university in writing created a contract between the female student and the investigators. b. Because people's memories can be faulty over time, the written documentation helped the Title IX officials keep track of the facts. c. Writing down what happened was important in order so the female student could more widely distribute the information about how she was harassed. d. The written documentation enabled the female student to collaborate with the witnesses and make sure their stories were the same.
An employee was interviewing for a job with a manager at a plant site in another state. The interview was to take place via video conference, but the site was experiencing internet issues. Therefore, the interview was switched to a phone call, which meant the manager would now not be able to see the employee and read the nonverbal cues that would help him determine if the employee would be a good fit for the job. During preparation for the interview, the manager noted the employee's last name; it ended in -ian, which is of Armenian origin. At the beginning of the interview, the manager brought up his love of family history, which led to a voluntary and wonderful 10-minute conversation about how both sets of the employee's grandparents had immigrated from Armenia. The employee's voice relaxed, and he talked with enthusiasm about how his grandparents' legacy inspired him to take advantage of learning opportunities and to work hard. The rest of the interview went very well, and the employee answered questions with confidence. The rapport established through the phone interview allowed the manager to determine that the employee would be a good candidate for the position. Given the limits of a phone call, why was it important for the manager to evolve the way he communicated to put the employee at ease during the interview?
a. It was the manager's responsibility to speak clearly in order for the employee to understand what was being said and observe the manager's communication skills. b. It was important to remove distractions and find a quiet spot for the interview to be conducted so the manager to be more focused on the employee and his responses. c. The manager was responsible for compensating for the limits of the technology used for the interview, and he was able to deepen the exchange through a shared experience.
d. Setting the right tone for the interview by being professional and friendly allowed the manager to demonstrate that he was someone people got along with.