Seeing how the applicant reacts to the vast space of a warehouse, the busy nature of a supermarket filled with customers eager to check out with their purchases, or how he or she interacts with people in general is best assessed face-to-face rather than over the phone or on paper. If desired, the applicant could also be asked to 'try out' some of the basic tasks of the job -- for example, can a stockroom man or woman lift the heavier boxes, as required by the job, or could the new bakery employee maneuver him or herself around the cramped area of this area of the store. This would also be an excellent time to assess the motivation of a candidate -- is the candidate not only capable, but interested in actively listening as to how to do and then try out some of these occupational tasks? However, for a medical office manager, the selection criteria for applicants would likely be quite different. First of all, rather than a paper application, or in addition to a paper application, the candidate would have to be asked to submit a resume. The question of when and how the applicant would be able to begin employment would obviously be relevant, but less so than in a supermarket -- it might be necessary to wait a month, to hire the right candidate, for example, if the selected manager had to finish his or her tenure at a current job. Previous experience, ideally in a medical office with a busy atmosphere or in a specialty similar to the office for which the position was being sought would be of great significance to the candidate's ability to do the work immediately, or within certain hours.

Educational history would also be relevant, such as a background in management and/or health care administration. References that would be rigorously checked would also be required. However, an interview process would also be necessary, to assess that the candidate had the necessary personality needed to fulfill the job. Is the candidate able to work under pressure? Is...

This requires the human resource manager to return to the paper application, and to consult the provided references for the candidate. Presumably, these are persons who know the candidate well, and can vouch for his or her reliability; else the candidate would not have chosen to list them. These people should be contacted. Also, rather than merely asking if the candidate was a good employee, they should be asked specific questions as to the skills necessary to fulfill the position, such as working well with others and the ability to be organized and lead other people.
Thus, in both occupations, a face-to-face interview and a paper application would be required. But the nature of the interview and application would be vastly difference, given the different demands of the jobs.

Questions to ask during the preferred interview method of a face-to-face interview might include:

This job requires a great deal of multitasking. How will you cope with the demands of the office?

Tell me about how you handle inter-office conflicts? (Litvin, 1996)

What motivates you?

How would you define a good leader?

How would you define an ideal employee?

What changes did you make in your last place of employment? (Litvin, 1996)

Works Cited

Litvin, Janice Schooler. (11 Nov 1996). "Tough Interview Questions and the Answers

Managers Want." Retrieved 10 Jan 2007 at http://www.microsearchsf.com/intrvucw.htm

Synthetic Validity': Selection Tool Could Revolutionize Hiring, Online Dating." (Mar 2006). Science Daily. Retrieved 10 Jan 2007 at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060308085903.htm