I have participated several times in focus group discussions as a candidate before, and the good thing is, I passed all of them, although some might be from a help of very good luck. There are many kinds and forms of focus group discussion for recruiting process, and it can be very different from one another. What I want to share here is only my first experience as a participant in focus group discussion, because that experience reassemble most complaints I have heard before, the least talking guy pass the test.

The discussion was very simple, the group consisted of 5 participants, we were given a case study and each of the participant had to set a priority list of 7 given solutions. Then all of the participants gathered and discussed to make one priority list as the group solution. Each of the participant had their scoring cards, the more similar their personal priority list with the group priority list, the bigger score they got. So as expected, each participant battled in, debating and persuading one another in order to get better score than the others.

After the discussion was over, we were all called back to wait in their lounge. 30 minutes later, their HR officer came up and called some name that passed the phase. It was a shock because from two people who passed that phase, one was a person who talked quite a lot and got the decent score and another was me, the person who talked least and got the lowest score.

I was very curious why I was selected, because the others who failed did well too and they had no less background. So on the next phase, an interview with HR supervisor, I dared myself to ask her why they chose me, not the highest scored person. She smiled and replied:

lets be fair, both of you were the best participants back there, and the only two that we believed qualified to be part of this organization. Both of you showed how to present opinions, how to give arguments in a proper manner, defended your argument well, and respect others.

You identified problems and tried to prevent unnecessary conflict. Both of you set your team goal above your individual goal, and willingly lost some credits just to make your team achieved the goal. The others might be good, but not as a team.

That explanation was very clear for me. Although I did not take the job there, her feedback was very helpful and I passed all the other focus group discussion ever since.

To answer that question properly, applicant must understand why interviewers give that question.  The 3 top reasons why it is given, based on my experience are:

• Breaking the ice. Some interviewers use this question as an ice breaker and some of them might even don’t care what kind of answers they will get. However a bad start might lead you up to some sharp critical killer questions.
• They want to know about you. Although you have put your information in your resume or curriculum vitae (CV), due to many interviewees, interviewers sometimes forget which one is the interviewee and need a quick reminder. Others don’t like reading resumes and CVs and prefer to collect information from direct interview.
• They want to know how you perceive yourself. Some interviewers just want to hear how the interviewees perceive and value themselves.

How should job applicants answer the question? Think as if you are the interviewers, what kind of answer or information that they want to get. The answer should be short and specific, more than 1 sentence and less than five minutes, and cover information which are related to the job application like these following points:

• Your background, education and experience.
• Aptitude, attitude, and strength
• Your achiements and goals
• Some arguments and persuasion why they should hire you

You don’t need to over brag or make things up, just be honest with your answer. There isn’t any normal organization which call job applicants if they are not interested with the applicants’ background. For example, this was one of the answers I got several months ago.

I am ___ currently work in ___ company as a ___. I have been working there as a ___ for 10 years since I gradute from high school, and  I believe that can be a reference for being a loyal, profesional and hard worker. I got my bachelor degree from night class last year and my current company’s management did not see that as an improvement so I decided it’s time for me to seek up new challenge to grow. Thats why I am  very interested in the position you have offered in the job ads, and I believe my resume has told a lot how I am fit with the requirement.

At the same day, an interviewee gave me the worst answer I have ever heard:

I am a family man, and I love fishing. Do you like fishing too?

That answer was a real good example how to make a big turn down. For freshgraduate applicant, maybe this example, which was my answer years ago could help:

I am Kenji, I graduated from ___ program this year. My undergradute program was ___, both degree I got from ___.  I am a hard worker, and like to take some challenge so its common for me to work underpreasurre and tight deadline. My achievement when I studied in ___ were ____ and ___ . I am interested in joining your organization because I believe both of my education degree support me for this position and this industry. I believe I am a good addition to your organization and we can grow together here.

And what about you, do you remember what kind of answer do you gave  when you were interviewed?

What you need to know

When an applicant receives an invitation call, that applicant need to get, remember and if necessary to write down some important information. Don’t get so happy and forget everythings instantly nor get chocked up. We need to get information that can be considered important such as:

• Who is calling – some people apply many vacancies at the same time, and then when they get called, they forget which one it is. You need to know what is name, don’t get mix up with other companies.
• What position is offered – asked the caller what position it is. Usually people in between job apply various similar positions in several companies. Make sure you know well what you apply for, and sometime companies call applicants for different position that they have applied for.
• What kind of interview section it is – You need to know whether it is a direct interview with the Human Resource (HR) people or users (people who are going to supervise the position). It can be a  group discussion, or just a aptitude and phycological test. Just remember, an applicant need to know what it is, not just come in without any preparation.
• Where and when – Remember well where and when the appointment takes place and starts.
• Things you need to prepare – Don’t forget to ask the caller whether you need to prepare or bring in something, from pen, pencil, calculator, your current photo, original certificate or anything that they or you might need.
• Contact persons – I found several cases where applicants came to a test and interviews but forgot to whom they have to meet. Some interviews run pararel with several interviewers. So don’t get failed just because you forget whom you have to meet.

Those are the most important things any applicant has to know after getting an interview invitation call. Do you have any feedback for this one? or perhaps you have any interesting experience to share about this.

….I wish to apply for any position that suit me in your company…

….I would like to apply for a job related with my background…

…I wish to apply for any available position that suits my qualification…

or perhaps like this:

….I am interested to join in your organization. I have…

and many others with similar problem. They d0 not  put in what position they want to apply for. Most of them usually are fresh graduates or entry level applicants,  although some experienced people often do that too.

I’m saying that it is a problem because, most of the applicants who do it, no matter where they are applying for, can almost be guaranteed to be rejected. Why do they fail?

1. Limited of Time

This is the main reason. Organization will assign a person or a team, which usually Human Resource people,  to do the hiring and recruitment process. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only task they have in their “to do list”. They have a pile of other things to get done too.

Here is for example, the applications I got on the first day after my organization put a job vacancy ads. The number of the applications kept increasing until the end of the second week. And that was just the applications we received by mail only. There were plenty of applicants applying through email as well. I believe that most organizations today are experiencing the same thing, perhaps even more.

With hundreds, maybe even thousands of applications, just for one position, entering the process, it will be very hard for any recruiter to spare some extra time to search, match, or do any extra activities. They just don’t have the time to do that. So instantly those kind applications will be rejected or fail the administration selection phase.

2. Who Needs Whom

When we are applying for a job, we need to realize that we need that job. It means that we are the one who need it, not the company/organization that needs us. Things would be different if a headhunter approaches us first. But that is not the case here.

So do not think that if your background is good or better than average people, or your background might qualify a position that you don’t know what it is, the HR personnel will be interested, start looking up for a vacant position and then call you to fill in that empty position that is suitable for you.

3. Lower Value

Maybe some of them are desperately looking for a job and will do anything for it. But lowering yourself that way won’t make your application suddenly become more attractive than the rest of the applicants to the recruiter. As an employer, they won’t be lowering themselves to meet an applicant that doesn’t even know how to value themselves.

Don’t apply a job as if you are selling some cheap stuff in the market. If you want act as if a Department Store put in a “massive discount rate” and visitor come crowding that stand, there are some ways to do that in applying job  but put in “looking for any available position” in your letter is not the right one.

Take a walk around in your office, see your friend’s desk, and you will get a clue about their works have been done.

If you find a mess up table like that, which one of these will be the first one that come up in your mind:

1. the person who works on that desk hasn’t done anything yet
2. the person who works on that desk has too many works and he can’t finish them up
3. the person who works on that desk is stupid enough to not be able to do the work

In that picture, that’s my desk and that picture was taken about 2 years ago. That time my boss got really angry and asked me to tide up my desk but I refused to do that. So I think you now my answer, although most people I believe will reassemble the third choice.