Posted By Fan Jilin Hi all, I'm an EHS engineer now. Next Tuesday I'll go to a job interview for EHS manager. What I worried is that I've never been a manager, I don't know what kind of questions will the interviewer ask. Could you be kind to give me some suggestions on interview skill and what kind of competence should a manager have? Many thanks!! Fan Jilin

Posted By Fan Jilin Hi Richard, That company produce tissue and other paper product. I just know the process of the production. I think the general hazard such as electric/elevation operation/confined space etc. is similar to other industry. Maybe they have special paper reuse technique and use different chemicals. Fire/exposure prevention is emphases. I'm not sure if it's correct because I'm now working in an electrical plant. Could you please give me some more idea? I know you are the expert. In our annual personal performance appraisal, I got high rating in communication skill---for people skill I'm confident. (And the plant manager wrote in comments column: 'Fan is hardworking with a leader potential, she should be trained as a manager ") I was asked in another company's interview about the reaction when confronted with conflict. I just answer in case of production conflicting with EHS requirement, communication is important, to analyze and solve the problem with a baseline of company and legal requirement. If you were me, could you tell me your answer? In my present company, we made an overall hazard identification and risk assessment last year, I'm the leader, so I think I have the experience. Another problem, as I'm a women, I'm used to keep smile when I speak to other. So it's difficult to give other a "power" feeling----I'm worried the interviewer would think I'm not suitable to be a manager. Language problem-----I'm working in Beijing and I'm a Chinese, so my English is not so fluency. But the interviewer is an American, so this is a challenge. So far as I know, they have no assessment center. Thanks again for your reply and looking forward your more guidance. Best Regards, Fan

Posted By Julian Hunter You are going for a role to MANAGE, so need to look at the management issues -policies, strategies, trends, direction the company is going in, what threats are coming up, what laws are coming up that require change. how can you influence the EHS team, improve their performance in supporting line management. Been there, got the T shirt & still learining !

Posted By Mark Talbot Dear Fan, As an employer, I would be looking at your technical skills for maybe the first five minutes - just to confirm your ability and to make you feel comfortable - starting with what you know, and what you have done makes you feel a little more relaxed so I can get a better interview from you in areas you are not so comfortable with. Then I would move toward what other experience you have in your life [not just work] of managing people or things - do you help with a club or society, do you have a large family, do you lead a project team at work... Then I would look at your philosophy. A manager is usually there to protect and develop something - a financial manager protects money and makes sure it is there when it is needed and available for profits to the owners. A human resources manager protects the workforce so that they are available daily to do the work, they develop them so that new skills are available to the compnay when it needs them. An EHS manager protects the workforce, the company, the product quality and the environment [so the company reputation] ... all this by managing the approach to a task, the approach to people, the approach to product and services. A good manager sees what they have, what is available, and makes the best from it. I never worry about 'power' that comes from a reasoned philosophy - understand what the other person wants, and what you want, and see how to make win-win. It is usual to hear a conflict question - a good answer [it works for me] is to try to understand the imperative [what the other person treasures most - usually time, effort or money] and explore how the propsal can benefit them. In a tissue factory you may find a common imperative is keeping the production line moving - so how can your proposal help achieve that? Almost every employer I have worked for thinks that safety is a additional cost, not a benefit. Our job as managers is to show them how we can help them keep things [and people] moving to make their tissues etc. If they are looking for a manager they should be happy to get someone who can think about EHS in a way that they don't - otherwise they would do the job themselves.