Application Case The Out-of-Control Interview panel interview, she was astonished when several days later the firm made her a job offer. Maria Fernandez is a bright, popular, and well-informed mechanical The offer forced her to consider several matters. From her point engineer who graduated with an engineering degree from State Uni- of view, the job itself was perfect. She liked what she would be doing, versity in June 2014. During the spring preceding her graduation, she the industry, and the firm's location. And in fact, the president had went out on many job interviews, most of which she thought were been quite courteous in subsequent discussions. She was left wonder conducted courteously and were reasonably useful in giving both her and the prospective employer a good impression of where each of them how she'd stand up under pressure, and, if so, why they would do ing whether the panel interview had been intentionally tense to see stood on matters of importance to both of them. It was, therefore, with such a thing. great anticipation that she looked forward to an interview with the one firm in which she most wanted to work: Apex Environmental. She had Questions always had a strong interest in the environment and believed that the 7-17. How would you explain the nature of the panel interview best use of her training and skills lay in working for a firm like Apex, Maria had to endure? Specifically, do you think it reflected where she thought she could have a successful career while making the a well-thought-out interviewing strategy on the part of the world a better place. firm or carelessness on the part of the firm's management? The interview, however, was a disaster. Maria walked into a room If it were carelessness, what would you do to improve the where five menthe president of the company, two vice presidents, interview process at Apex Environmental? the marketing director, and another engineerbegan throwing 7-18. Would you take the job offer if you were Maria? If you're not questions at her that she felt were aimed primarily at tripping her up sure, what additional information would help you make your rather than finding out what she could offer through her engineer- decision? ing skills. The questions ranged from being unnecessarily discourte- 7-19. The job of applications engineer for which Maria was ap- ous ("Why would you take a job as a waitress in college if you're plying requires (a) excellent technical skills with respect to such an intelligent person?") to being irrelevant and sexist ("Are you mechanical engineering, (b) a commitment to working in planning on starting a family anytime soon?"). Then, after the inter- the area of pollution control, (c) the ability to deal well and view, she met with two of the gentlemen individually (including the confidently with customers who have engineering problems, president), and the discussions focused on her technical expertise. (d) a willingness to travel worldwide, and (e) a very intelligent She thought that these later discussions went fairly well. However, and well-balanced personality. List 10 questions you would given the apparent aimlessness and even mean-spiritedness of the ask when interviewing applicants for the job