Cross Cultural Interviews

At this moment in time, the increase in cross border human traffic has meant that companies are no longer dealing with a homogenous native community from which they recruit their staff. Companies are now facing cross cultural challenges in how they recruit, manage and develop a multi-cultural staff. One area of note where HR and management are finding difficulties is in the interview room.

With companies recruiting from a pool of candidates from different nationalities, cultures and faiths the cross cultural interview is an area that must be analysed properly if recruiters wish to capitalize on the potential available to them. This is necessary to ensure that candidates in cross cultural interviews are not discriminated against through misperceptions and poor judgements.

Interviews could be described as being similar to a play. All actors know their lines, cues and the appropriate corresponding behaviours. Interviewers expect model answers, so questions are anticipated and revised for by interviewees. However, the play only makes sense, in terms of getting the best out of the interview, when the actors involved share a similar culture. When interviews take on a cross cultural element, differences in how to act can cause misunderstandings. Such misunderstandings will unfortunately lead to interviewers wrongly rejecting candidates.

All recruiters share a common goal in wanting to hire the best. However, when cross cultural misunderstandings occur in interviews, this hinders the process of recruiting the best staff for the company. Learning to work with cross cultural differences in interviews ensures you get the best out of a candidate and do not allow cross cultural misperceptions to impede judgement.

The basis of incorporating a cross cultural framework of understanding in interviews is in overcoming 'assumptions'. Assumptions refer to several inter-related elements. Interviewers assume what should or should not happen, what is normal and abnormal, and what is correct or wrong. Assumptions also refer to what someone's physical appearance says about them, what their body language says about their confidence, how people communicate and how they present themselves.

For example, a cross cultural interview is taking place between an English interviewer and a German interviewee. Fairly early on in the interview the interviewer starts to make assumptions regarding the person's character, personality and suitability for the post based on misperceptions of the German candidates appearance, behaviour and communication style. Although the interviewee is rather high-brow, blunt in conversation, formal and academic in demeanour this does not mean he/she is rigid, inflexible or reserved as the interviewer assumes. Rather, this is how the play is acted out in Germany. If the interviewer had been a bit more aware of German theatre (i.e. cross culturally aware), then possibly such assumptions would not have been made.

As we can see from the above example, assumptions can lead to interviewers making the wrong decision based on their culturally insensitive assumptions. In this case, they could have potentially lost a genuinely positive addition to their company.

In addition to the areas mentioned in the example above, interviewers must also be aware of culturally ingrained assumptions made about areas such as eye contact, tone of voice, gestures, posture, showing emotions, the giving out of information and the use of language to name but a few. All have a cross cultural element that needs to be understood properly.

Eye contact is a sign of confidence and trust in the UK and other European countries. However, if a Chinese individual is being interviewed and maintains no eye contact does this equal them hiding something or being unconfident? No, because in China it is considered rude to maintain eye contact.

Similarly, to speak loudly and clearly may be construed to be a positive trait in the UK, but in many other countries such as Malaysia they believe speaking softly is a good quality.

In the UK and other 'western' nations, we communicate explicitly, meaning we divulge information beyond the topic at hand based on the premise the listener is unaware of background or correlating issues. Implicit communicators, such as the Japanese, divulge little as they believe the listener will be aware of such issues. A Japanese interviewee therefore is not being purposefully vague, but on the contrary assumes you understand what he/she means to imply.

To 'name drop' in interviews may be considered inappropriate for many recruiters in Europe, however in countries where family and community ties play a greater role such as in Mediterranean countries, to mention your relationship with someone of influence is natural.

Although Latin Americans are very expressive and emotional, this does not equal them being excitable and unstable and therefore unsuitable for professional jobs.

Language also plays a crucial role in cross cultural interviews. Where the interviewee's English is not strong, the use of metaphors, proverbs and colloquialisms will confuse them. Similarly, technical terms are not valid across borders. Where lengthy pauses are made by interviewees rather than assume they are playing for time or do not know the answer, the interviewer should assume they are searching for a word, phrase or merely digesting the information contained within the question.

The key point is that assumptions must be overcome if recruiters are to do their job effectively. All the above examples of misperceptions are based upon cultural assumptions as to what things mean. It is therefore critical that recruitment staff start to assess, analyse and overcome cultural assumptions through greater cross cultural awareness if they wish to do the best for their companies.

In today's globalised reality, organisations and companies need the creative and dynamic input from a culturally diverse staff. The only way to achieve this is to ensure that such staff are not being improperly discounted for positions due to cross cultural misperceptions. Once this is taken on board and acted upon, the play will again start to make sense to all involved.

Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwintessential Ltd. Visit their website at http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/ cross-cultural/training.html

---

Importance Of Your Job Search

So that you can decide just how critical your job... Read More

Four Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer; Do You Really Want to Work for This Person?

Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are... Read More

Working In Iraq: Is It For You?

The US Army Corp of Engineers and numerous private companies... Read More

Workplace Melodrama--A Flair For The Dramatic

A flair for the dramatic is a theatrical term used... Read More

Background Checks: How They Can Determine Whether You Get Hired or Not!

Background checks are utilized by companies today to decide whether... Read More

Find Passion for Your Work

Most people spend approximately 25% to over 67% of their... Read More

Career Change: From Suits & Sales to Boots & Rails

Peter Humleker had it made. As the general manager of... Read More

?How to Look Your Best in a Down Economy?

As you know too well ~ many jobs have been... Read More

Finding Freelance Writing Jobs - Join Us On The Job Search

Finding freelance writing jobs require great skill, dedication and lots... Read More

How To Find Writing Work

Are you looking for new writing work? It can be... Read More

Advantages of Mobile Oil Changes; A Potential Small Business for You?

Mobile oil change and mobile lubes are great for fleet... Read More

Job Interviews: Six Steps to Acing a Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews are becoming more popular these days. Whether that's... Read More

Day Trading ? The Ultimate Work-From-Home Job?

Ever dreamt of giving up the daily grind? Want to... Read More

Stacking The Deck In Your Favor

Many people do not bother to look at their own... Read More

Dealing With How Would You...? Questions

I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If... Read More

Writing Resumes

Use a resume as a foot in the doorWhen you... Read More

So, Your Made A Mistake

Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put those you... Read More

Is Your Job Search Guided by the Controller or the Controllee?

I'll define what I mean by these terms. "The Controller"... Read More

Bullseye Interviewing

An interview is much like a blind date. You have... Read More

Job Search - 6 Tips to Boost Your Campaign

Does your job search feel like a big weight on... Read More

When the Teacher Becomes the Student

A relationship expert once said that during an argument, there's... Read More

In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success

No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted,... Read More

How Well Do You Manage Your Boss?

Are you in this situation? You and your boss just... Read More

Petite Modeling: is There a Career for You?

PEtite modeling is a tough industry to break into. Especially... Read More

Medical Billing Businesses Are Growing Fast And Providing A Needed Service For Doctors

You've seen the commercials and web sites about starting medical... Read More

Leave Your Dead End Job?For Good!

So here you are?stuck in a dead end job. Are... Read More

Reading the Want Ads--Not for Jobs--For Information

What? Want ads are where job announcements are, not information!Wait!... Read More

Could You Write Performance Reviews For Money?

Writing performance reviews can be an excellent way to earn... Read More

What Students and Parents MUST Know about Student Loans

A student loan helps you get through college. Then you... Read More

Reinvent Your Career In Five Simple Steps

The phrase "reinventing yourself" seems to be popping up all... Read More

Common Résumé Mistakes

Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use... Read More

The 5 Essential Telecommute Résumé Components

1. An attractive layout that is easy to read and... Read More

Making Yourself More Relevant To The New Workplace

Being a current job seeker can be quite a challenging... Read More