The second largest global oil giant and a Fortune 500 company, Shell is known for its stringent1 selection criteria2 when it comes to executive hiring. The interview process of this world-class company is very thorough and demands a lot out of a candidate. The whole experience is exhausting and one has to be very well prepared mentally to perform well. The setting is as such: The candidate, along with 5-6 other short-listed candidates, is invited to a local hotel/resort/country club for a day. The panel that will be interviewing you consists of senior managers from different pisions of the company. One point to note for perspective: Through this thorough interview process, the company seeks to employ candidates who can eventually progress to a General Management position in one of the company's numerous pisions. The various stages of the long process include:
作为全球第二大石油公司和财富500强企业，壳牌公司在挑选人才方面极为严格。这个世界级大企业的面试过程很全方位、很挑剔。整个过程是非常耗费精力的，你需要作好心理筹备，争取好表现。整个布景是：你和其他几个经过筛选的候选人一同受邀去当地的餐馆／风景区／乡村会所过一天。马上面试你们的面试评审团成员包含公司各部门高级经理。应该注意一个首要条件：公司需要招募的是一个最后能晋升到部门经理的人选。冗长的面试过程具体如下：
Panel Interview. Candidates are first put through an interview regarding one's personal and education background, career objectives, achievements, extra curricular activities, etc. The panel usually consists of senior management from different pisions of the company. Some of the questions asked featured in the Frequently Asked Questions?
面试小组面试：首轮面试将包含对面试者的个人资料、教育背景、职业目的、已有收获、社会活动历程等的认知。面试职员是来自公司各部门的高级经理，面试问题多为前面章节的面试容易见到问题。
Panel Discussion Candidates discuss with the rest of the short listed candidates. The Human Resource personnel will normally chair this session. Topics are typically general in nature and the key here is to assess how each candidate engages in the discussion process, how nimble is their thought process and their grasp of current issues outside of the normal textbook environment.
集体讨论：和其他候选人一块进行集体讨论。一般由人事部门职员主持，讨论话题一般比较普通，重点是评判面试者参与小组讨论的能力，看他们怎么样脱离书本、抓住问题的核心、灵活进行考虑。。
Lunch with the Interviewers. Though a free lunch, it comes with a purpose. This session is used to gauge3 the social and dinning4 etiquette5 of a candidate. How he behaves, conducts conversions6 over lunch, and the obvious table manners. Try not to slurp7 loudly and stuff yourself too full, as the afternoon sessions are even more demanding and a full stomach will only dull your thought process.
和面试职员午餐：看上去一顿轻松自由的午餐，其实是用来评估面试者的社交礼仪和餐桌礼节。察看他用餐时的举止与在餐桌上交谈的礼节。 用餐时切记不可发出非常大声响或者吃得过饱。下午的面试回合需要会更高，吃得过饱会叫你反应迟钝。
Presentation to Interviewers and rest of Candidates. One is asked to give a short 5 minutes speech/presentation on a TOPic of one's choice, and to take some questions following that. . The purpose of this is to test your presentation skills and presence.
向面试职员自我陈述：面试者被需要对自选的题目做大约5分钟的演讲／陈述，之后同意面试评审团或其他面试者的提问。考察的是面试者的陈述能力和风度。
In-Tray Exercise. Candidate is sited behind a desk and asked to review various memos8, e-mails that are in his in-tray. Issues cut across the various functions, marketing9, sales, finance, audit10, control and human resource. The candidates were asked how they would act and why in every one of the highlighted issues. It is a vigorous and demanding exercise. They focus on how you react under the different circumstances, the decisions made on every issue and your thought process when arriving at the decision. They do not expect the candidates to have full understanding of the various operations, thus it is also a test of how one copes under pressure and in new/unfamiliar situations.
实质业务演练：需要面试者浏览内容五花八门的会议记录和邮件，涉及市场、销售、财务、审计、管理和人事。面试者需要作出回话，并告知评判职员理由。这是需要非常高的测试。主要考察面试者在不同环境下，怎么样处置问题、作出决策。面试官并不期望面试者可以完全理解自己面临的问题，所以这也可以考验面试者在新的或者不熟知的环境下怎么样背负重压进行工作。
Cocktails12. Top management would typically join the candidates and the interviewers for cocktails at the end of the day. Though it is a time to finally relax and get to know each one better, it is also an excellent opportunity to reinforce one's strengths and qualities. This is the best opportunity to make an impression on TOP management, thus prepare the right questions and be ready to engage.
鸡尾酒会：在这一天马上结束时，高层管理职员会和面试人选一块参加鸡尾酒会。虽然经过了紧张的一天，你需要轻松一下，并加深彼此的认知，但别忘了这也是强化你个人优势和资质的大好机会。而且你也可以借此机会，让高层管理职员对你留下好印象，所以筹备好适合的问题，当令发问。
Given that only the most highly qualified13 graduates are short listed for Shell's job interviews, the company, by carrying out the above intensive interview process, aims to select the candidates who clearly stand out amongst the group. Candidates who are further short-listed after this process will still have to go through more interviews before being hired.
以上案例剖析只不过针对经过筛选、已入围的面试者。壳牌石油公司期望通过这样精挑细选的面试，选拔出真的的佼佼者。通过这轮选拔的面试者在被录用之前还要进行更高需要的筛选。
