Moroccan culture

Does anyone know anything about their culture?

I'm not sure if I've done the right thing.


I had phone screened this woman, I'll call her A. for a job.

As is my norm, I chatted with her for a bit, before discussing the job. Helps to put people at their ease.
I had found her to be intelligent, and after a bit, readily answered my questions, volunteering information, etc.
So, I set her up up come in today for a group interview.

Beforehand, I did a little research as to the business culture there, as well as some everyday things. It was no surprise to read that family is of utmost importance, as well as honor, and keeping face. I already knew that hospitality was very important.
One thing I didn't know was that in dealings when other peope are around, they may say they are making a commitment, but with no intention of following through. This is a matter of keeping face. It's accepted nothing is a done deal on the first pass, and they will always be deliberations and negotiations.
I made a note to address this last bit to the intervew team, as that is obviously not the way something would stand up here.

So, today A. comes in. She dressed very well, was friendly, polite, organized. In fact, anyone would call her beautiful. I offered her water, tea, whatever, as I do with anyone coming in to interview, which she accepted.
I took her back to an unused office, where the company required all applicants for this particular position to take an online assessment. While walking back there I said. "So, you're from Morroco? I've always wanted to visit there" She immediately replied "ok, when I go on vacation, I'll bring you as my guest" and laughed. Obviously, she felt she connected with me. We spoke a minute or 2 more about how she came to move here, how Morrocan women want to be modern, etc....then I left her to her test.

By the time she was done, the interview team had shown up (all people I know very well, and are warm, intelligent people. I had already briefed them on how she had done thus far. I went in with her and introduced her around, then went to pull up her test results.

They were excellent. No distortion in her scores, which occurs when people try to "fake good", she tested as consciencious, enjoying working with others, and with high integrity, etc.

I was on the phone not too many minutes later, and I heard her come out and leave. I thought "that wasn't long enough". I went in, and the 4 people there were just staring at me.
It turns out A. just literally sat there, giving either one word answers, or not even answering a question at all. She sat hunched over the whole while, and there was no talking to her.
Of course they believed she was different with me, and where shocked when we went over the testing.
One person volunteered that she had passed A. out in the hallway, on her way to the rest room, and A. had been speaking in another language on her phone, very quickly, and perhaps upset. All we could think was that she had gotten a distressing call, but was not going to tell us about it. As it looked on the surface, there would have been no sense refering her to the next level in the hiring process. I said I would call her later and try to find out what happened.

When I called, I asked her if everything was all right, and she said yes. I let her know that the interview team wasn't able to make any decisions, based on what happened. I asked her if she was just nervous, and that if she was, there wasn't any need to be, because I knew them well, and they were lovely people.

Here's where I thought it got interesting. She said to me "It's very hard for me to talk about myself in front of strangers. How do they know I'm not lying?"
I'd never heard anyone say something like that, and asked her to explain. She said "When I'm working with someone, they see who I am"

wow....

In other words, don't go by what I say, go by what I do.

That, is really great.

That's when I think I grasped a little better what I'd read about how they may not follow through on what they might say, not because they are lying, but, words are just words.

ok, thinking about what I'd read about relationships, I went for broke...I said, "A. even though we've only known each other a little while, I think of you....well....as a new friend. I'm not just saying this, but you did remarkably well on that test you took, and also from our talking....it showed that you are someone with a lot of honor, and I know that is true. Unfortunatley, you're going to need to show these people, so we can move you on to talking to the person you would actually be working for. How about if I ask the woman who was sitting to your left, the head of the group, to meet with you one on one over where her office is? You could just go over there, and have a cup of coffee with her, and talk." I was thinking that another person on the group interview team works at the same place, and after talking to one, the 3 of them could then talk, and they could take her out on the clinical floor to see how she interacts with patients (btw, this is the work she did in her homeland). It seemed that, in absence of family, her coming to know someone individually would be an open door for her to interact with others freely.....If you are my friends friend, you are my friend also. you know?

A. told me a couple of times how grateful she was to me. Not like I was going to set things up, but I think because I seemed to understand.

Now I'm wondering....was her saying this to me more of the "don't expect me to commit even though I'm saying it to you", or is this the real A. speaking?

What do you think?