We ask job applicants if they engage in OFFICE POLITICS?

Question

We are currently looking for a number of administrative and executive assistants at my employer. I work as a Human Resources Manager and coordinate the panel interviews for the jobs. All finalists are brought into a panel interview and need to talk to a half dozen people at once. We ask some tough questions.

The first question we ask is this, "do you expect to participate in office politics in this job"? Almost everyone says no, or they are not familar with the term Office Politics. We did have a few very sharp candidates who said Yes. Of course this was the right answer.
EVERY PERSON WHO WORKS CLOSELY WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND NEED THEIR COOPERATION AND SUPPORT MUST PLAY OFFICE POLITICS.

Very few jobs work in isolation and we need to understand office politics and play it well if we expect to get ahead. Agree or disagree?

We are not talking about teamwork, that is a given. We are more interested in if they are involved in the more negative sides of office politics as well. I do not see a successful executive assistant who does not.

Answer 1

Your trick question has probably excluded a number of people you should have hired.

I would probably have asked you to clarify the question, or even written you off as too devious to work for if the rest of the interview was similar.

Answer 2

I absolutely disagree, this seriously affects the leadership at your company by not supporting the good honest workers who generally don't have the disposition for working in such an enviroment. Also office politics greatly increases the amount of time the manager spends defending and attacking others while hiring new guys and production takes the back burner the business itself loses money and integrity and becomes unpleasant. Also businesses that are failing in retrospect have a high turnover rate so that is something else to keep note of here I'm sure you've heard the phrase we walked him out the door from others not in management.
That means the manager has an out of control office drama and might not be taking responsibility as well.

Answer 3

Disagree

Again, the term office politics has negative conotations. It implies moving behind the scenes to get ahead to the cost of others, and does not have any place in a meritocratic organisation.

Unfortunately every job has it's politics but asking at an interview if you get involved in them and then dismissing those who don't, when in fact this is the logical answer, undermines your position as an HR Executive and unfortunately gives your profession the reputation it needs to shed.

And thus by definition In fact anyone who says 'Yes' to that question, obviously has not got ahead not beacuse they were good at their job but they knew how to manipulate those to support their actions.

Beweildering!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

What a great question. Of course anyone who gets ahead plays office politics. Even if it is in a defensive mode. I do not play offense in office politics but have to understand and play office politics all the time in a defensive mode. Maybe that would be the best answer to the question. Tell them you need to play defensive office politics to maintain your position at work.

Answer 5

a matter of terminology is in play here. Playing "office politics' has a negative connotation, implying behind the scenes maneuvering, secret alliances, manipulation of individuals and the corporate environment, etc. ...

"teamwork" has the same meaning as what you describe, but has more positive connotations

Try asking "do you prefer to work as part of a team, or do you do your best work on your own?" and you will get the answer you want.

Answer 6

I completely agree.

You are involved with office politics whether you like it or not. Most jobs are not done in isolation but involve working cooperatively with team members and supervisors.

Office politics is a dynamic element of any job, and it is important to be engaged in it.

Answer 7

Do you mean you expect your employees to gossip and make putdown remarks about their colleagues?? Thats what office politics is to me. Teamwork is teamwork.

I once was asked in an interview "if you see someone struggling to do their job well, what do you do".
I said, "I would help them if they asked, but it was better for them to ask the supervisor." which turned out to be the right answer.

Answer 8

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