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.
作為全球第二大石油公司和財富500強企業，殼牌公司在挑選人才方面極為嚴格。這個世界級大公司的面試過程非常全面、非常挑剔。整個過程是很耗費精力的(包括午飯大約需要6個小時)，你必須作好心理準備，爭取良好表現。
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.
整個安排是：你和其他幾個經過篩選的候選人一同受邀去當地的飯店／風景區／鄉村俱樂部過一天。面試評審團成員包括公司各部門高級經理。
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: 要注意一個前提：公司需要招募的是一個最后能晉升到部門經理的人選。冗長的面試過程具體如下：
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.
面試小組面試：首輪面試將包括對應聘者的個人資料、教育背景、職業目標、已有成就、社會活動經歷等的了解。面試人員是來自公司各部門的高級經理，面試問題多為前面章節的"面試常見問題"。
2. Panel Discussion. Candidates 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)
集體討論：和其他候選人一起進行集體討論。通常由人事部門人員主持，討論話題一般比較普通，關鍵是評判應聘者參與小組討論的能力，看他們如何脫離書本、抓住問題的核心、靈活進行思考。(保持沉默或不積極參與絕對是個下策)。
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.
和面試人員午餐：看似一頓輕松自由的午餐，其實是用來評估應聘者的社交禮儀和餐桌禮節。觀察他用餐時的舉止以及在餐桌上交談的禮節。
用餐時切記不可發出很大聲響或者吃得過飽。下午的面試回合要求會更高，吃得過飽會讓你反應遲鈍。
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.
向面試人員自我陳述：應聘者被要求對自選的題目做大約5分鐘的演講／陳述，之后接受面試評審團或其他面試者的提問。(其中大部分問題由面試官提出。)考察的是應聘者的陳述能力和風度。
5. In-Tray Exercise. Candidate is seated 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)
實際業務演練：要求應聘者瀏覽內容五花八門的會議記錄和電子郵件，涉及市場、銷售、財務、審計、管理和人事。應聘者必須作出回應，并告知評判人員理由。這是要求很高的測試。主要考察應聘者在不同環境下，如何處理問題、作出決策。面試官并不期望應聘者能夠完全理解自己面臨的問題，所以這也可以考驗應聘者在新的或者不熟悉的環境下如何背負壓力進行工作。(該測試考驗應聘者處于"懸空狀態"時的工作能力。看他是否成熟，是否具備成為一個優秀管理人才的素質。)
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.
雞尾酒會：在這一天即將結束時，高層管理人員會和面試人選一起參加雞尾酒會。雖然經過了緊張的一天，你需要放松一下，并加深彼此的了解，但別忘了這也是強化你個人優勢和資質的大好機會。而且你也可以借此機會，讓高層管理人員對你留下好印象，所以準備好合適的問題，適時發問。
以上案例分析只是針對經過篩選、已入圍的應聘者。殼牌石油公司希望通過如此精挑細選的面試，選拔出真正的佼佼者。通過這輪選拔的應聘者在被錄用之前還要進行更高要求的篩選。
(來源：中國英語學習網 英語點津 Annabel 編輯)
