Joe Smith is a new job coach at Advantage Employment Services (AES). Part of his training at AES is to spend at least two weeks conducting informational interviews with different employers throughout the community. He worked with the AES marketing person to identify several employers. He selected a local greeting card store to visit and sent them an introductory letter explaining who he was and what his agency does for employers. He made a follow-up phone call with the store manager to set up a time to meet for the interview.

QUESTION

Unit 7: Assignment 2

Read the following case study and critique Joe’s business interview form and the quality/helpfulness of the information he gathered. Identify any missing information and explain why it is important. Assess the form’s strengths and weaknesses.

Case Study

Joe Smith is a new job coach at Advantage Employment Services (AES). Part of his training at AES is to spend at least two weeks conducting informational interviews with different employers throughout the community. He worked with the AES marketing person to identify several employers. He selected a local greeting card store to visit and sent them an introductory letter explaining who he was and what his agency does for employers. He made a follow-up phone call with the store manager to set up a time to meet for the interview.

Prior to the meeting, Joe developed several questions to ask the manager. Realizing that he wanted to get a lot of information in a short period of time, he wanted to use his time wisely. Because he also wanted to encourage discussion, his questions began with one of the following words: who, what, where, when, why and how. Questions developed for his interview were:

1. What types of job duties are performed at this store?
2. When are your busy seasons and how long do they last?
3. How do you recruit employees?
4. What has been your experience with these employees you have hired?
5. What performance expectations do you have for an employee?
6. What services would you expect from me?

Upon entering the card shop, Joe met the manager, Ms. Thomas. He initiated the meeting by remarking on the attractive nature of the showcase and the large selection of cards and gifts. Small talk, similar to what Joe was doing with Ms. Thomas, is important because it encourages conversations by both parties and begins to establish a friendly rapport. During the entire interview, Joe kept eye contact with Ms. Thomas and smiled and nodded when she was talking. (By paying attention to non-verbal communication, you can gather additional information from the store setting and other personnel.)

Some job coaches or employment specialists use their own forms to complete profile information on the employer and conduct job analyses, others just jot down notes to keep when they are talking with the manager. Joe keeps a digital voice recorder in his car and when he returns from the interview, he turns it on and begins to talk about his experiences and to add additional observations. This keeps all the information that he gathered fresh and accurate and allows for him to expand on his jotted notes. When Joe returned to his office, he completed a Business Interview Form for his files:’

ANSWER

Critique of Joe’s Business Interview Form and Quality of Information Gathered

Joe’s effort to conduct informational interviews with employers is commendable as it allows him to gather valuable insights and information for his job coaching role. However, upon reviewing Joe’s Business Interview Form, there are some areas where improvements can be made to enhance the quality and helpfulness of the information gathered. 

Strengths of the Form

 Focus on key areas: Joe’s questions cover important aspects such as job duties, busy seasons, recruitment, employee experience, performance expectations, and expected services (Birt, 2023). These questions provide a good starting point for understanding the employer’s needs and expectations.

Weaknesses and Missing Information

Lack of open-ended questions: While Joe’s questions begin with words like “what, when, how,” they still have the potential to elicit closed-ended responses. Open-ended questions that encourage the store manager to provide detailed and descriptive answers would be more beneficial for gathering comprehensive information.

Absence of inquiries about company culture: Understanding the company’s values, work environment, and culture is crucial for a job coach to effectively match job seekers with suitable employers. Joe’s form does not include questions related to these aspects, which could be important factors for job seekers.

Missing questions about employee turnover: Employee turnover can significantly impact a job seeker’s experience and the overall success of the coaching process (Hubbard, 2023). Inquiring about turnover rates and reasons for employee departures would provide valuable insights into the store’s work environment and management practices.

No questions on training and development: Assessing the store’s commitment to employee training and development is essential. It helps determine if there are opportunities for skill enhancement and career growth, which can greatly influence job seekers’ decisions.

Absence of questions about diversity and inclusion: In today’s diverse workforce, understanding an employer’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is vital. Inquiring about their efforts to promote equal opportunities and foster an inclusive workplace would ensure that job coaches align job seekers with organizations that share these values.

Improvements to the Form

Incorporate open-ended questions: Revise the existing questions to encourage more detailed and descriptive responses from the store manager. For example, instead of asking about job duties, Joe can ask, “Can you describe the range of job duties performed by employees in different roles?”

Add questions about company culture: Include inquiries about the company’s values, work environment, and employee relations. For instance, Joe can ask, “How would you describe the company culture and what values do you prioritize in your workplace?”

 Inquire about employee turnover: Include questions about turnover rates, average tenure, and reasons for employee departures. For instance, Joe can ask, “What has been the average tenure of your employees, and what factors contribute to turnover?”

 Include questions on training and development: Inquire about the store’s training programs, opportunities for skill enhancement, and career development (Importance of Training and Development for Employees, 2022). For example, Joe can ask, “What training and development programs do you offer to help employees improve their skills and advance their careers?”

Incorporate questions about diversity and inclusion: Inquire about the store’s efforts to promote diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities. For instance, Joe can ask, “How does your store ensure diversity and inclusion in hiring and create an environment that values and respects employees from various backgrounds?”

By incorporating these improvements, Joe’s Business Interview Form will gather more comprehensive and helpful information about the store and its suitability for job seekers. These additions will allow Joe to better match job seekers with employers who align with their needs, values, and aspirations.

References

Birt, J. (2023). Interview Question: “What Are Your Job Expectations?” www.indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/interview-question-what-are-your-job-expectations 

Hubbard, C. (2023, June 15). Employee Turnover: Causes, Effects, and Strategies. HR Profiling Solutions. https://www.hrprofilingsolutions.com.au/blogs/aus-blog/employee-turnover-causes-effects-strategies/ 

Importance of Training and Development for Employees. (2022, December 15). Maryville Online. https://online.maryville.edu/blog/importance-of-training-and-development/