Page 62 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models

The job application interview 51

• Whom will I be working with?
• What are the labour conditions (training opportunities, holiday arrangements, etc.)?

If you have come to the conclusion during the interview that you are not interested in the
position, for whatever reason, then you may choose to say this straightaway. You can
also choose to sleep on it for a night and inform the committee later of your negative
decision. In the ending phase the selection committee may want to know some
practicalities. Questions you may prepare for include:

• When would you be able to start?
• Are you currently applying for other jobs?
• Do you object to research into your antecedents?
With these questions you would do best to answer truthfully. If you have other interviews
running, you can easily say that as well. This ensures clarity and in some cases might
even enhance the interest of the selection committee.
The result of the interview is hardly ever revealed immediately. The chairman will
explain the remaining procedures (if this has not been done already) and tell you whether
you should expect a written answer or a phone call. Usually the chairman will also
announce when this should be expected. If the procedure remains unclear, ask about it
yourself. It is always nice to know when to expect an answer. When the conversation has
ended, thank the members of the selection committee for the interview and say goodbye.
Figure 6.1 gives an overview of the job application interview.