Case study-The Shell Oil Company Interview Experience
The second largest global oil giant and a Fortune 500 company, Shell is known for its stringent selection criteria when it comes to executive hiring. The interview process of this world-class company is very thorough and demands a lot out of a candidate. The whole experience is exhausting (it lasts approximately 6 hours including lunch) and one has to be very well prepared mentally to perform well.
The setting is as such: The candidate, along with 5-6 other short-listed candidates, is invited to a local hotel/resort/country club for a day. The panel that will be interviewing you consists of senior managers from different divisions of the company.
One point to note for perspective: Through this thorough interview process, the company seeks to employ candidates who can eventually proGREss to a General Management position in one of the company’s numerous divisions. The various stages of the long process include:
1. Panel Interview. Candidates are first put through an interview regarding one''s personal and education background, career objectives, achievements, extra curricular activities, etc. The panel usually consists of senior management from different divisions of the company. Some of the questions asked featured in the “Frequently Asked Questions?section above.
2. Panel Discussion Cadidates discuss with the rest of the short listed candidates. The Human Resource personnel will normally chair this session. Topics are typically general in nature and the key here is to assess how each candidate engages in the discussion process, how nimble is their thought process and their grasp of current issues outside of the normal textbook environment. (Keeping silent and not engaging in the process would be an absolute disaster)
3. Lunch with the Interviewers. Though a free lunch, it comes with a purpose. This session is used to gauge the social and dinning etiquette of a candidate. How he behaves, conducts conversions over lunch, and the obvious table manners. Try not to slurp loudly and stuff yourself too full, as the afternoon sessions are even more demanding and a full stomach will only dull your thought process.
4. Presentation to Interviewers and rest of Candidates. One is asked to give a short 5 minutes speech/presentation on a topic of one’s choice, and to take some questions following that. (there will definitely be some from the interviewers). The purpose of this is to test your presentation skills and presence.
5. In-Tray Exercise. Candidate is sited behind a desk and asked to review various memos, e-mails that are in his in-tray. Issues cut across the various functions, marketing, sales, finance, audit, control and human resource. The candidates were asked how they would act and why in every one of the highlighted issues. It is a vigorous and demanding exercise. They focus on how you react under the different circumstances, the decisions made on every issue and your thought process when arriving at the decision. They do not expect the candidates to have full understanding of the various operations, thus it is also a test of how one copes under pressure and in new/unfamiliar situations. (this exercise displays the “helicopter”qualities of the person, whether he has the maturity and qualities to make a good manager)
6. Cocktails. Top management would typically join the candidates and the interviewers for cocktails at the end of the day. Though it is a time to finally relax and get to know each one better, it is also an excellent opportunity to reinforce one''s strengths and qualities. This is the best opportunity to make an impression on top management, thus prepare the right questions and be ready to engage.
Given that only the most highly qualified graduates are short listed for Shell’s job interviews, the company, by carrying out the above intensive interview process, aims to select the candidates who clearly stand out amongst the group. Candidates who are further short-listed after this process will still have to go through more interviews before being hired.
案例分析——壳牌石油公司面试经历
壳牌石油公司以其人事评估方法著称，该方法成功地为其在全世界的机构选拔了大量优秀人才。它的方法和评估标准已经被全世界很多政府机构采用，以选择奖学金得主和政府官员。尽管它不属于金融机构，但以下案例是本书作者之一的亲身经历，相信对参加金融机构应聘的人士，也是有所裨益的。
作为全球第二大石油公司和财富500强企业，壳牌公司在挑选人才方面极为严格。这个世界级大公司的面试过程非常全面、非常挑剔。整个过程是很耗费精力的(包括午饭大约需要6个小时)，你必须作好心理准备，争取良好表现。
整个“布景”是：你和其他几个经过筛选的候选人一同受邀去当地的饭店／风景区／乡村俱乐部过一天。即将面试你们的面试评审团成员包括公司各部门高级经理。
要注意一个前提：公司需要招募的是一个最后能晋升到部门经理的人选。冗长的面试过程具体如下：
1. 面试小组面试：首轮面试将包括对应聘者的个人资料、教育背景、职业目标、已有成就、社会活动经历等的了解。面试人员是来自公司各部门的高级经理，面试问题多为前面章节的“面试常见问题”。
2. 集体讨论：和其他侯选人一起进行集体讨论。通常由人事部门人员主持，讨论话题一般比较普通，关键是评判应聘者参与小组讨论的能力，看他们如何脱离书本、抓住问题的核心、灵活进行思考。(保持沉默或不积极参与绝对是个下策)。
3. 和面试人员午餐：看似一顿轻松自由的午餐，其实是用来评估应聘者的社交礼仪和餐桌礼节。观察他用餐时的举止以及在餐桌上交谈的礼节。 用餐时切记不可发出很大声响或者吃得过饱。下午的面试回合要求会更高，吃得过饱会让你反应迟钝。
4. 向面试人员自我陈述：应聘者被要求对自选的题目做大约5分钟的演讲／陈述，之后接受面试评审团或其他面试者的提问。(其中大部分问题由面试官提出。)考察的是应聘者的陈述能力和风度。
5. 实际业务演练：要求应聘者浏览内容五花八门的会议记录和电子邮件，涉及市场、销售、财务、审计、管理和人事。应聘者必须作出回应，并告知评判人员理由。这是要求很高的测试。主要考察应聘者在不同环境下，如何处理问题、作出决策。面试官并不期望应聘者能够完全理解自己面临的问题，所以这也可以考验应聘者在新的或者不熟悉的环境下如何背负压力进行工作。(该测试考验应聘者处于“悬空状态”时的工作能力。看他是否成熟，是否具备成为一个优秀管理人才的素质。)
6. 鸡尾酒会：在这一天即将结束时，高层管理人员会和面试人选一起参加鸡尾酒会。虽然经过了紧张的一天，你需要放松一下，并加深彼此的了解，但别忘了这也是强化你个人优势和资质的大好机会。而且你也可以借此机会，让高层管理人员对你留下好印象，所以准备好合适的问题，适时发问。
以上案例分析只是针对经过筛选、已入围的应聘者。壳牌石油公司希望通过如此精挑细选的面试，选拔出真正的佼佼者。通过这轮选拔的应聘者在被录用之前还要进行更高要求的筛选。
