Warnings and Issues

I think it responsible to review some of the potential pitfalls and problematics of creative interview processes.

This newspaper piece, Job Interviews Going Too Far?, illustrates:

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22763087-5012424,00.html

It is clear that some managers or business owners are developing ideas with good intentions however, with poor insight and lack of attendance to contemporary equity legislative requirements, their creations are, at times, insulting and demeaning.

In my view it is not reasonable to ask a male or female job applicant to strip down to their underwear unless the job position they are applying for calls for that. I think the following sort of rationale inadequate: "I wanted to see who were truly ok with themselves".

Applicants deserve dignity apart from anything else.

As you consider the creative interview technique you are thinking of using, have a checklist you run through as you analyse your proposal. Check potentials for sexism, ageism, discrimination, bias, ignorance of mobility issues and so on. Check OH&S issues. Some workplace activities require closed toed shoes for example. Some religions preclude a female holding on to an unknown male. Consider these.

You also need to be able to arrive at potential last minute adaptions of creative activities for individual circumstances.

I also believe it fair to ask short listed applicants to wear certain types of clothes e.g. pants and not a skirt or dress as a preference, on the basis that activities may transpire. This is your time to intelligently work through any issues with your candidates.

In Justin Hemmes case, (see article), with his desire to create a strong fantasy atmosphere at his hotel, I think his decision to run the theatre appropriate however a similar less complex selection process could have been created and may have been more appropriate in terms of reflecting the real world of Ivy.

I believe Justin could be also be served by having a mix of theatre trained and hospitality trained staff. Perhaps that is what he wound up with!