Wisdom » Reflections

Recruiter Stories #5: Repetition - The Art of Rhetoric

A job interview. I ask questions, listen, observe, make notes, ask questions again, listen, observe, make notes. I gradually begin to notice that I am developing a habit of involuntarily identifying identical phrases or words which the candidate repeats several times during the interview, while talking about themselves, their work, their strengths or weaknesses.

In my notes, the notation "communication" gradually appears, then "communication" again, then another "communication" - 3 times; "specifically", "specifically", "specifically", "specifically", "specifically" - 5 times; "however, I believe", "however, I", "whereas I" (I think to myself - ah, so that's what they do, but I) - 3 times.

In rhetoric, repetition is used as a means of emphasising a thought, reinforcing an idea in the listeners' consciousness, a kind of anchoring of information. The orator plays with words, juggles, repeats, emphasises, plants ideas in the listeners' minds. Hmm - for the candidate it comes across as a conscious or unconscious anchoring of the recruiter. A good topic for practice before a job interview.

N.B. All stories are based on real events. The names of the characters in the stories are not mentioned or have been changed to preserve anonymity.