It often happens that a number of applicants with almost identical qualifications and experience all apply for the same position. In his (1)______ educational background, special skills and work experience, there is much, (2)______ if anything, to choose between half a dozen candidates. How then does the employer make a choice Usually on the basis of an interview. There are many arguments for and against the interview as a selection procedure. The main argument against it is that it results in a whole subjective (3)______ decision. As often as not, employers do not choose best candidates, they (4)______ choose the candidate who makes a good first impression with them. Some (5)______ employers, of course, reply to this argument by saying that they have become so experienced in interviewing staff so that they are able to make a sound (6)______ assessment of each candidate’s likely performance. The main argument in favor of the interview-is that an employer is concerned not only with a candidate’s ability, but about the suitability of (7)______ his or her personality for the particular work situation. Many employers, for example, will overlook occasional efficiencies from their secretary (8)______ provided that she has a pleasant personality. It is perhaps true to say, therefore, that the real purpose of an interview is not to assess the assessable aspects of each candidate but to make a guess at the more tangible things, such as personality, character and social ability. (9)______ Fortunately, both for the employers and applicants for jobs, there are many (10)______ people of great ability who simply do not interview well.