D. Lynn Meyers has been producing artistic director of the nationally renowned Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (ETC) since 1995. The nonprofit ETC recently celebrating its 25th anniversary and is dedicated to the production and development of new plays and of works new to the region

Question

Lynn values the opinions of each member of her small staff when hiring. She usually interviews four or five people for a staff position and conducts two interviews. After the preliminary interview determines that an applicant is suitable, she says, “We invite the person back to meet the staff they would have contact with on a daily basis.” She has passed on qualified applicants who did not interact well with their prospective coworkers or who did not convince her that they had a strong desire for the job.
Lynn researches job applicants online and on social media sites. “Frankly, if we find unprofessional behavior, we take that into consideration,” she says. “We always check references—after we meet the applicant—so we know what to ask the person offering the reference.”
When faced with two equally qualified candidates, Lynn chooses the person who demonstrates a long-term commitment to be with ETC and a desire to be part of the team. “If we’re impressed by someone we can’t hire, we keep their application on ?le. More than once we’ve called someone back when we added a job opening or needed to replace someone who didn’t meet our expectations,” says Lynn. She suggests that applicants “should want the job, know why they want it, and be prepared to answer serious questions about their long-term goals.”

Lynn passes on applicants who do not demonstrate a strong desire for the job. How can a job applicant show that he or she is very interested in the job?

How does Lynn choose between two equally qualified candidates?

What does Lynn tell applicants to bring to the job interview?

Answer 1

Research the industry, company, and job before the interview; prepare thoughtful questions; project a professional, positive, confident image; use positive body language; show interest in the job duties and responsibilities; and, based on what the interviewer says, give examples of past experience and accomplishments that show the applicant understands the job requirements and has the knowledge and skills to become productive quickly.

She hires the applicant who demonstrates a long-term commitment to work at the theater and a desire to be part of the team.

A good resume and good references.