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Focus Group participants recommended that interviewers be very cautiobs about using <br />jokes or light humor when vying to put candidates at ease; Many jokes require "insider knowl- <br />edge" about a culture to snake sense. A person from a different culture may not understand -the <br />basis for the joke, or,even understand that a comment was intended as a joke. Jokes may be <br />especially difficult for persons who are non - native speakers of English because jokes are one of <br />the last things ached when learning a new language* <br />Experndal differences. number of Focus Group participants pointed out that a <br />candidate's experiences should not be devalued if they come from a non -work context or took <br />place in a country other than the United States. For example, a candidate may have worked as a <br />volunt r at a shelter for the homeless. This experience should be considered just as relevant as <br />one m whicb the candidate was doing paid work. S y# a ferrule candidate's experience <br />should not receive lower scores just because it is involves "women's work" such as caring for <br />children or a home. <br />Some candidates may describe experiences which occurred while living in a country that <br />is unpopular in the United States. Those experiences should be evaluated on the basis of the <br />experience,- not on the popularity of the country in which the experience occurred. <br />Focus group participants stressed that candidates should be encouraged to draw on. non- <br />.0 <br />work- experiences and/or experiences from a time when they lived outside the U.S. Interviewers <br />should be aware that if the candidate's responses exhibit job- relevant behavior, the actual con- <br />text of the situation doesn't natter. Interviewers should also be aware that persons who came <br />from other countries, especiy if they came to the T.S. as refugees, may be reluctant to talk <br />about their ex 'ences m the other country. Interviewers should make it clear that it is okay to <br />talk about such experiences, <br />One participant noted that candidates from rural areas may be less sophisticated than <br />candidates from urban areas. Candidates from rural areas may provide shorter, less complex <br />51 <br />