OK..this might be a silly topic..but still. Have to bring it up.

Pokerface..since when did it become such a common thing? Why have it? Maintain it?

I understand the pokerface that comes from a place where the person wants to protect themselves, but what about other situations? Pride, stubbornness and other similar emotions will be the reason behind it, but unless necessary..I don’t get it.

It was yesterday that I thought of it. I was talking to B and I realized that it’s so unnecessary and kinda stupid really.

An example and a common situation is when you attend a job interview. It’s so common that the representatives conducting the interview will do everything in their power to have a pokerface. Leaving you absolutely clueless about their reactions and how you’re doing so far.

Why?

I realized that I really find it strange. I mean, does it hurt to show the natural reactions? If the candidate is telling something interesting/impressive/important, does it really hurt to actually react positive to it?

By doing that, no promises are being made, it doesn’t mean that the power has changed, in fact, it stays the same; the company is still able to choose between the candidates.

Some might think it’s to check if the candidate can handle pressure, not to give out hints about what they’re looking for so that you can’t fake it or pretend.

But really, those are kinda lame excuses. Pressure is a very wide thing so just because the pokerfaces are attacking..well to me, there are more effective ways to find out. (E.g. create a part of the recruitment a practical test to see more clear (if it’s a high priority), scenarios etc.). To not give hints to the candidate, doesn’t it tell more about the interviewers that they can’t even tell if a person is pretending or not? Maybe that person isn’t that suitable for conducting interviews if the sense of people and people skills are that weak?

I just find it kinda annoying how more and more excuses to be cold/arrogant/inhuman appears. Seems like we have to train away our natural urges to be polite, nice and considerate to each others?

I guess the roles of power plays a big part to. Power is so important that people just want to flaunt and push it on people to feel recognized.

During the weekend I went to an interview here in Singapore. It was super casual (lunch interview) and so different from my previous experience. Although it was casual (we were eating and drinking) and we were chatting, laughing and joking away. It was still very clear that it was an interview. The questions were just asked in a more friendly manner, it was a group interview (which allowed more people to see you in a more natural behavior, at least the one they’d see if you’d get the job). I mean, doesn’t an interview like that actually tell more about the candidate?

Eg.

- Determine level of people and social skill

- See how well the candidate gets along with the other team mates (if it’s a group interview)

- See more of the personality, how they carry themselves

- while eating and drinking, how adaptive, flexible and even open-minded the person is

All that, while being able to find out what you normally would want to know from the candidate. It was just a more pleasant time for everyone to have it in this manner.

Also, what we forget is that even if the candidate is the part looking for a job and the company has the power. Whatever standards that the company claims to have and want their candidates to have (and that’s what they’re trying to lurk out), the interviewers (unless it’s outsourced) are as much of representatives and should be showing those values as well. Like a role model. I always get a strange feeling in my gut if the interviewer (which often at some stage will be your closest supervisor/manager) doesn’t show the core values of the company and in extreme cases asking the candidates to have everything that they are not. Tells me that it lacks consistency, cohesiveness and real grounding/branding of the company. Is it a place I want to work then?

Anyway..didn’t mean for this post to be this long and I’m probably not expressing myself well enough, but i hope you get my point.

Just be nicer to each other..it really doesn’t hurt..

<3