Wednesday, May 29, 2019

🧠 Structured vs Unstructured Interviews: What Every HR Team Should Know

By Thameem Ansari | Compass Clock Consultancy

In today’s fast-paced recruitment landscape, conducting interviews isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about asking the right questions in the right way. For HR professionals, understanding the difference between structured and unstructured interviews can dramatically improve the quality of hires, reduce bias, and ensure long-term retention.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

🍲 The Salt and Pepper Test: A Lunch Interview That Said Everything

During the final round of interviews for a senior operations manager role at a reputed automobile manufacturing firm, the hiring director invited one top candidate out for a casual lunch interview. The atmosphere was relaxed, the conversation engaging, and the menu sophisticated.

As the waiter brought their soup, the director leaned back to observe a subtle moment—something that had nothing to do with resumes, degrees, or years of experience.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Human Persona - 🧠 Dream Hire: A Fun, Powerful Game to Transform Your Hiring Mindset

 

In today’s evolving workplace, hiring the right person isn’t just about resumes or degrees. It’s about alignment, attitude, and real-world impact.

To help HR professionals refine their understanding of the “ideal candidate,” we introduced a powerful activity called Dream Hire in our Interview Skills Workshop.

Here’s how it works—and why you should try it with your HR or hiring teams.


🎯 What is the Dream Hire Game?

Dream Hire is an interactive team-based game that encourages participants to think deeply about what truly makes a candidate ideal for a specific role—beyond technical qualifications.

The game gets participants thinking like talent architects: designing roles, defining must-haves, spotting red flags, and crafting impact profiles. It’s brainstorming with a purpose—and a lot of laughs.


🧩 Objectives of the Game

  • ✅ Deepen role clarity for critical positions

  • ✅ Differentiate between skills, traits, and cultural fit

  • ✅ Encourage collaborative hiring strategies

  • ✅ Set the stage for structured interviews and fair evaluation

  • ✅ Make HR training fun and memorable


🧰 Requirements

You’ll need the following:

  • 3–5 small teams of 3–5 people each

  • Printouts of the Dream Hire Worksheet (or digital forms)

  • Pen & paper, sticky notes, or laptops

  • A facilitator to guide the discussion

  • Optional: Timer, projector, and music for a high-energy vibe!


📋 How to Play the Dream Hire Game

⏱ Total Time: 15–30 minutes

🪜 Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Divide & Assign Roles

    • Divide participants into teams.

    • Assign each team a role commonly hired in your industry. (Examples: Production Engineer, R&D Executive, Plant Manager, QA Officer)

  2. Distribute Worksheets

    • Give each team the Dream Hire Worksheet which includes:

      • Key Responsibilities

      • Essential Skills

      • Preferred Qualifications

      • Ideal Personality Traits

      • Deal Breakers (Red Flags)

      • Expected Impact

  3. Brainstorm & Collaborate (15 minutes)

    • Teams discuss and fill in the worksheet.

    • Encourage open brainstorming and critical thinking.

  4. Present to the Group (2–3 minutes per team)

    • Each team presents their “Dream Hire” profile.

    • Encourage fun, creative presentations!

  5. Facilitator Debrief (5–10 minutes)

    • Highlight common themes and interesting differences.

    • Discuss how these ideas translate into better interviews and JD clarity.


💡 Tips for a Great Game Experience

  • 🎭 Encourage storytelling—ask, “What does this person do on Day 1?”

  • 🎨 Use whiteboards, colors, and visuals for added energy

  • 🗣 Give bonus points for creativity, collaboration, or practical insights

  • 📸 Take photos—this activity makes for great social media or internal newsletter content!


📥 Download the Free Dream Hire Game Pack

Want to try this with your team?
👉 Download the full printable game pack here
It includes:

  • Game instructions

  • Blank worksheets

  • Debrief guide

  • Sample responses for reference






👏 Final Thoughts

The Dream Hire Game reminds us that hiring isn't just a process—it's a craft. When HR professionals learn to visualize the ideal candidate collaboratively, it leads to stronger hiring decisions, richer conversations, and better culture fit.

Next time your HR team needs a spark, ditch the slides—and play Dream Hire instead.


🗨️ Have you tried any hiring-related games or simulations? Let us know in the comments!
📩 Want us to facilitate a session for your team? Reach out at  training@compassclock.in / +917845050100