DW: Hi there.
MB: Good morning Daniel!
DW: Dan, please...
MB: I’m Marcia Boardman – we spoke on the phone – and this is Philip Hart, our CEO.
PH: Hello!
DW: Nice to meet you both.
PH: So it says here on your CV that you’re interested in rock climbing...
DW: Yeah...love it!
PH: Great – so do I! When did you last go climbing?
DW: Oh, er, well, it was a while ago now...
PH: Anywhere interesting?
DW: Yeah. I walked up the hill behind my house. Took me about thirty minutes!
PH: Oh.
MB: Ok, erm, Daniel, can you tell us a little bit about your current position?
DW: Certainly – as it says in the CV, I’m part of the European Sales team at Networld. We’re the world’s leading supplier of IT hardware.
PH: Why do you want to move on?
DW: Well, they’re too small for me.
MB: Networld!? Networld are too small for you?
DW: Oh yeah. I’m looking for something much bigger.
PH: Well, we’re not a big company by any means, but we are looking to grow! What first attracted you to WebWare in particular?
DW: Well, I see WebWare as kind of like a stepping stone...
MB: Sorry?
DW: Yeah, start here gain the necessary experience, then move onto something bigger.
PH: Ok...well, I do admire your ambition!
DW: Thanks – I’ve got lots of it!
MB: Let’s move on to managing people. Can you give an example of a time when you had to deal with a particularly difficult managee?
DW: Sure – well I think that’s one of my strong points actually. A couple of years ago, I was working with a guy, he wasn’t pulling his weight, basically being lazy – so I told him to get out.
MB: Oh, you didn’t give him a performance review, or a warning, or perhaps try to help develop his motivation?
DW: No,no, no. None of that rubbish. If someone’s not working hard enough, then they’re out! That’s the way I work. I’m a hard man.
MB: I see.
PH: How would you handle a rapidly changing market?
DW: Basically not change anything at all! Just continue on as normal regardless!
MB: According to your CV you are fluent in Mandarin...
DW: Well, I wouldn’t say ‘fluent’ exactly...but, I like Chinese food a lot – so I can read the menu!
PH: So you can’t actually speak the language?
DW: Erm, no.
MB: Can you tell us about a time you had to close a particularly challenging deal.
DW: I haven’t had one. They’re all easy for me. I close deals all the time!
MB: Ok – well do you have any questions for us?
DW: No.
PH: Oh. Ok. Erm. Thanks.
MB: Let’s move on to the presentation...