Role play

Detroit

pmduk wrote: »

To me, it'd show you have no real interest in the job applied for.

Not to mention being a slow reader!

Takeaway_Addict

Detroit wrote: »

Not to mention being a slow reader!

And clearly not very good under pressure...

Sanne

A role play can test many things; I hate them too as interviewee but have used it once as an interviewer (not for a sales or customer service role).

Unfortunately in most cases one or two interviews is all you have and you have to make a pretty important decision afterwards, not only for your company but also the individuals involved.

When I did the role play, I didn’t want to see a perfect result. I wanted to see communication skills. I wanted to see how someone was thinking on their feet. I wanted to see how they’d approach things. I really didn’t care if the end result (a flow chart) was correct or not. Though I was shocked when a couple of apparently very experienced people couldn’t draw one but that’s another story.

Considering they gave you time to prepare they probably wanted to see how you retain information, if you do your prep work etc.
You’d be surprised how many people in Senior positions I’ve seen and worked with who most definitely were nowhere near Senior level with their skills so that’s absolutely nothing to go by for me.

The company also does not care if you have multiple interviews; they want to know you want to work for them and aren’t just after any job so absolutely reasonable (yes, I know that in reality most people will apply for multiple jobs and it’s the JD that’s attractive at first rather than a particular company - but I need to know the applicant wants to work for us and is interested in what we’re doing).

TELLIT01

bugslet wrote: »

Unfortunately, westbridgfordguy has nailed it.

Personally I don't think they really are the best way to get staff. I know I'd be rubbish at it, I don't act and pretend scenarios would just feel silly to me. I might be able to do the job in real life though.

Last person I interviewed was in a bar, worked for both of us.:D

That's exactly how I feel about it too. I've always hated these make believe situations. I wouldn't even take part in nativity plays at primary school because it thought they were stupid! I was forced into a role play situation on one training course (nothing to do with sales) so simply ignored everything our instructor said I should do. When he wasn't happy and I told him that I was acting it out in the way I would do things in real life he just didn't get it.
There's a massive difference between role play and handling the situation in the real world.

bugslet

Well put TELLIT.

A role play isn't the job, it's how well you can at. If the job isn't acting, then I just don't get it.

I honestly think half the hoops interviewers put people through are totally irrelevant - and looking at some of the results of the interviews, they may as well have saved time and money and sat down for a chat!

comeandgo

Oh my, am I the only one who likes to role play? We do it quite a bit with training or how to deal with conflict etc. Never had to do it for an interview but I would not shy away from it.

NeilCr

comeandgo wrote: »

Oh my, am I the only one who likes to role play? We do it quite a bit with training or how to deal with conflict etc. Never had to do it for an interview but I would not shy away from it.

No. You're not. I enjoy it too although used to hate it.

I tend to agree with the view that it's not the best way to get staff but over my years I've seen all
kinds of methods of recruitment. And, has been said, if you want a job you have to play the game. Think the OP could have made more effort.

I've done it a number of times both at work and, more especially, with volunteering. When I was a Samaritan (this was a long time ago) there were role play phone calls before you got into the "real thing". It did give you some idea of what it was going to be like and the trainer a sense of how you would fare. Same with face to face training at CAB

While sympathising with Tellit's views , as a former trainer I did find that sort of thing quite frustrating!

bugslet

I think the Samaritans in a training scenario then it's vital to go through how someone would handle examples of the situations that could arise.

Well done on the volunteering - I just couldn't.

TELLIT01

bugslet wrote: »

I think the Samaritans in a training scenario then it's vital to go through how someone would handle examples of the situations that could arise.

I agree with that, but even so it's a totally artificial situation. Role play and the real thing are totally different. In role play there is no actual pressure other than trying to 'get it right' and please the person assessing the actions and no real consequence.
I would have no problem in sitting with somebody to discuss scenarios and the best course of action, but that is very different to role play.
If you are going to be forced into a roleplay what is the value of acting it out in a way you wouldn't act in real life?
My loathing of role play has nothing to do with not being comfortable 'performing' in front of other people. I've actually spoken in front of several hundred people, working without notes, on numerous occasions.

NeilCr

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I agree with that, but even so it's a totally artificial situation. Role play and the real thing are totally different. In role play there is no actual pressure other than trying to 'get it right' and please the person assessing the actions and no real consequence.
I would have no problem in sitting with somebody to discuss scenarios and the best course of action, but that is very different to role play.
If you are going to be forced into a roleplay what is the value of acting it out in a way you wouldn't act in real life?
My loathing of role play has nothing to do with not being comfortable 'performing' in front of other people. I've actually spoken in front of several hundred people, working without notes, on numerous occasions.

Of course, it is artificial but, actually, at the Samaritans it was quite realistic. The "callers" were experienced volunteers who had listened to many difficult and distressing situations and were very good at coming over as upset, angry, whatever. It does, at least, give you a sense of what it is going to be like. Indeed, on my course, one or two trainees left because they realised that they wouldn't be able to handle the real life situation.

When I was working I quite often role played being an interviewee for interview training. That was okay, too. They made sure you didn't know any of the trainees. Obviously, you were more relaxed then in real life but the trainees got used to the process, how to ask questions and were videoed (hate that) so they could look at things like body language

Again, I don't think it's the best way to select employees but I do believe it has it's uses in some forms of training. It shouldn't be dismissed out of hand