SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1985
MORE TO VIE FOR CUSTOMS INSPECTOR POSTS
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A TOTAL OF 2 400 MEN AND WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 19 AND 28 HAVE APPLIED FOR INSPECTORS WITH THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT, YET ONLY 23 OF THEM WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE RESPONSE TO THE LATEST RECRUITMENT EXERCISE, WHICH BEGAN ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, WAS ENCOURAGING.
+BUT WITH JUST 23 POSTS ON OFFER, SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE CANDIDATES IS NO EASY TASK FOR THE DEPARTMENT,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
TO HELP SELECT THE BEST PERSONS FOR THE JOB, THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT HAS INTRODUCED A SYSTEM OF EXTENDED INTERVIEWS INTO THE BASIC RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME.
APART FROM THE USUAL PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS, CANDIDATES WILL HAVE TO TAKE PART IN A TWO-DAY PROGRAMME DURING WHICH THEY WILL GO THROUGH A SERIES OF TESTS.
THE PROGRAMME IS SPECIALLY DEVISED TO GIVE A MORE RELIABLE ASSESSMENT OF A CANDIDATE'S INTELLIGENCE. HIS APTITUDE FOR A CAREER IN A DISCIPLINE SERVICE, AND HIS POTENTIAL AS A LEADER - QUALITIES THAT ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO GAUGE FROM JUST A SHORT INTERVIEW.
THERE ARE ALTOGETHER EIGHT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS INCLUDING TESTS ON ENGLISH, BASIC FOOT DRILL, LEADERSHIP EXERCISES, DELIVERING SHORT LECTURES, WRITTEN TEST ON CUSTOMS AND EXCISÉ WORK AS WELL AS A GENERAL KNOWLEDGE TEST.
DURING THE RECENTLY COMPLETED SERIES OF EXTENDED INTERVIEWS, APPLICANTS WENT THROUGH THE IR TESTS AT THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING SCHOOL IN TAI LAM, NEW TERRITORIES.
THE COMMANDANT OF THE TRAINING SCHOOL, MR WU KWAI-HUNG, SAID: +ALTHOUGH IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE USED EXTENDED INTERVIEWS IN OUR RECRUITMENT EXERCISE, WE HAVE BEEN VERY SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS.
+THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE TWO DAYS TO OBSERVE
A CANDIDATE IN A VARIETY OF TEST SITUATIONS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE BASIS OF A SHORT INTERVIEW, AS WAS THE CASE IN THE PAST, IS OBVIOUSLY A GREAT HELP TO US IN FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB.
+FROM THE CANDIDATES' POINT OF VIEW IT IS ALSO FAIRER AND IT GIVES THEM AN IDEA OF WHETHER THEY FIT THE JOB.+
OUT OF THE 2 400 INITIAL APPLICANTS, 1 712 WERE INVITED FOR PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS AND OF THESE, 72 OF THE MOST PROMISING WERE CHOSEN FOR THE TWO-DAY EXTENDED INTERVIEWS.