I’m not sure if you have heard of a recent instance involving a young lady, Olivia Bland, who was left in tears after an interview with an IT firm however it raises some very interesting points for discussion…

I’ve linked a Guardian article (here) so you can read more detail around the case, however in short: Olivia Bland was left in tears after an interviewer attempted to really intimidate her during an interview, leaving her feeling completely demoralised. Olivia then went on to find out after the interview that she was successful in securing the position, only for her to go back and say ‘thanks but no thanks’ for obvious reasons.

This case outlines the fact that interviewers at IT businesses are still really ‘grilling’ their candidates and using intimidating interview styles to secure the ‘right’ talent for their organisation… This leads to the question; “is this the best style to identify the best possible talent for YOUR business? Or is there a better way?”

• Have you had a similar experience to Olivia as an interviewee?
• As an interviewer, do you agree with the interview style? If not, how do you screen talent for you business?

I want to hear from you!

(T) calum@robertson-sumner.com (T) 01753 278000