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Interview Tips
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What is an Interview?
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An interview is a face-to-face meeting, for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of a candidate for jobs or admission to educational institutions or for the purpose of obtaining statement or opinion of any respected person.
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Nowadays, several success formulas have come out to see your victory during these stressful moments of an interview. But they would fail if you do not prepare yourself beforehand and practice. These are not any difficult tasks. They will require just 30 minutes of your 24 hours.
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Here are some Highlights –
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Why are you here?! (never say ’’to attend this interview!’’. Say something like ’’I’m here to seek the position of.....in......’’)
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Tell me something about yourself (always asked. Never say what’s already mentioned in your CV. You may talk about your birthplace, your family and your personal interests. Keep the entire answer to 5 or 6 lines maximum).
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What are your strength and weaknesses? |
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What is your work objective? |
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In one sentence, tell me something about your personality. |
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When do you get angry? |
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How quickly do you react to a decision? |
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Tell me something about your earlier company, your role in it, place you did your training internship?
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What, according to you, is the most important requisite for this job position?
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Why do you want to work in our company? |
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Why should we employ you? |
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What do you know about our company? |
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What will you do if you’re not selected for this job?
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It’s always better to be prepared. Regularly practice mock-interviews before the mirror. You’ll be able to notice your flaws and correct them instantly.
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More questions....
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Expect some questions that are regularly repeated in many interviews. These questions form a base for the interviewer so that he can form a chain of questions from the answer you give. Let us list such questions, which we call Base Questions.
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Tell me about yourself |
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What are your strengths and weaknesses? |
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Why Should We Employ You? |
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Why do you want to join our organization / institute? |
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What are your future plans? |
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Who is your role model and why? |
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What Salary Are You Expecting? |
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What do you know about our company? |
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| These questions form the base for further questions. Let’s take an example scene. |
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Him: What are your strengths?
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You: I am honest, hardworking and reliable.
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Him: What makes you think you are honest?
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| You: I have never cheated with any person or never have lied to anyone. |
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Him: If suppose, you have to do a wrong stuff for the good of someone, then would you do it?
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You: If it benefits someone then I won’t mind doing it.
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Him: So this means you can break your honesty!
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You: If only it benefits someone. Helping someone is a virtue and not a crime.
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So, you see that the first question formed the base for the other questions that came up. The interviewer derives these questions from your answer. So think and talk. Never fall in the trap where the interviewer surrounds you with blames. This usually happens in a Stress Interview. So, prepare thoroughly for these questions and expect them coming towards you in an interview.
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Dressing up
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Sometimes, your dressing style can get you a job. However, this seldom works. But your outer appearance does make the first impact, which can make the interviewer have a preconceived notion that you are the one for the job. You cannot neglect neat dressing. Many Organizations like Jet Airways, Tata, Reliance, Wipro, etc. pay huge emphasis on your dressing. They prefer their candidates to come in formals. Dressing does help and it gives the first impression about you to the interviewer.
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Your conduct during an interview
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Before entering the cabin, ask for permission. Like, "May I come in Sir?"
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After entering do not directly seat. It is bad manners. Let the interviewer ask you to seat. If he doesn’t then keep standing until he says the relieving words, "Please have a seat".
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When you are seated, your legs should be firmly pressed on the ground. Your hands should not be on the table, and not folded. Have them on your laps. Sit erect and not bend. Keeps a smile going throughout the interview. This gives a suggestion to the interviewer that you are confident. The smile also reduces your stress and you feel comfortable. Try it if you want.
Never play with your hands or your pen or your tie. Be seated like a statue. Avoid clapping of hands. This is a sign of nervousness. The interviewer will quickly pick up your body language. And if he or she does not find you confident enough, they will just ask you to leave. So, never show sign of nervousness.
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Do not stammer while speaking. Be fluent. The interviewer wants to see your chain of thoughts. They should keep coming one by one and in a continuous manner. Your voice should not be very loud, or very light. Speak as you speak regularly. Just be yourself. Do not enact anyone else and throw away your inferiority complex. You too are good like anyone else in the room. Have faith in yourself and God.
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The Most Important Document
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Your resume or bio-data or curriculum vitae is the most important document. It should reflect your abilities, and should be true to very of its words.
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It should start with your name, date of birth, address, phone number, E-mail address. Nationality and Marital Status can follow. Some company would like to know your height and weight. Give your height in Centimeters and weight in Kilograms. Then give your language capabilities. Then comes education. List all of them starting from SSC and ending up with the latest one. Write down the computer knowledge or any other professional education you had. Then comes experience. Give complete details of them by giving the duration, name of the company, location of the company, name of your designation, job description, salary last drawn and reason for leaving.
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You can also state your expected salary. Feel free to write your figure. Then comes the reference. Give at least two. Then you can put in your interests, hobbies and achievements. Put in a photograph of yours. Add your signature at the end to ensure the authenticity of your resume. A complete and comprehensive resume is a very handy tool.
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At the end of the interview, the interviewer may ask if you have any questions. You can ask questions like:
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What kind of training and learning can I expect in your company? |
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Describe the work culture and the management style of your company? |
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Expect the unexpected
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Once you forward your resume to a company, short listing happens within the company. There may be group discussions or a listening comprehension test, or an aptitude test prior to an interview.
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The choice of question topics can be varied. The only advantage with these topics is that you can speak anything you want; if you can prove your stand. There is no right or wrong in these topics. So, expect the unexpected every time you step in for an interview.
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| Some words of wisdom |
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Usually, interviews are conducted in English. Never use any second language. Enjoy the moment, instead of getting stressed out. Be yourself. Be natural and normal. Show pleasing and graceful manners, sufficient politeness and verve. Speak more. Do not complete your answer in a sentence. Increase the quantity of your answers. This will impress the interviewer and he will think that you really know.
Always keep in mind that the person who will be taking your interview is a human being just like you. He is not going to eat you up. So maintain a calm head.
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Wish you all best of luck for whatever interview you were going for. Just stay calm and focused.
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After the interview
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Sit down and jot down the highlights of your interview on a piece of paper. Categorize them into positive and negative. Try to recollect if you went wrong anywhere. A good post-mortem report will aid in ironing out any deficiencies and ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistakes next time.
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Before leaving the room, flash your best smile and say an audible “Thank you” to the panel.
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Don’t start calling up the HR department for the results the moment you reach home. Processing and compiling the results takes some time. Be patient for about a week and then give a call asking for the status of the interview. In case they are not ready, politely ask how much more time the processing is likely to take. Here again, most companies do not inform candidates who do not clear the interview while a few do respond to all candidates.
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An interview is a two-way process. The prospective employer and you. Both evaluate each other from different perspectives. In the short amount of time that you spend with the potential employer, you will either be accepted or rejected. Therefore, project yourself in a positive and enthusiastic manner that subtly convinces the employer that you are the right person for the job on hand.
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Seven Ways to Impress
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Be a good listener. Let your interviewer know that you're listening attentively by nodding; using facial expressions that make you look interested, leaning towards the interviewer, picking up on key words they've used and asking them to expand on subjects that genuinely interest you. Never interrupt your interviewer.
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Be honest. . If you don't understand a question, ask for an explanation. If you're faced with something you really can't deal with, be truthful about it - it's more impressive than pretending to have the answer to everything.
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Be consistent. Many interviewers ask the same things in different ways as a means of checking you out. Listen to yourself as well as to them. If you feel you've made a mistake, put things right by saying, 'going back to what I said earlier about...what I really meant was...'
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Avoid the temptation to talk too much. If there are awkward silences when you've finished saying what you want, don't fill them with nervous chatter. Some interviewers use silence to see how you'll react. Pass the lead back to them by pleasantly saying: 'Does that answer your question?' Also, stick to providing the answer requested - don't inundate the interviewer with information they don't need.
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Be aware of your body language. Stillness is reassuring and fidgeting is a distraction. Looking your interviewer in the eye is essential, but don't overdo it - take your cues from the interviewer. A smile sets everyone at ease, but a constant grin is unnerving. Try to sit up straight. Leaning forward makes you appear attentive and enthusiastic - being slumped conveys boredom.
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Be positive. Even if your last job was the pits, if asked for your reasons for leaving, don't let a negative word pass your lips. Never say anything unfavorable about your colleagues, boss or job - it'll just make you look bad. Instead, say: 'I genuinely enjoyed my last job, but I'm eager to move onto a different challenge and use the skills I've gained'. Then, impress them even more by stating how those skills match the job you're after.
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If you are not asked about something that you feel is important, raise the subject yourself. This is your one chance to sell yourself, so don't waste the opportunity.
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| Basic Things |
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In addition to doing research and practicing your answers to common interview questions, you should be aware of general interview etiquette. Remember the following points when preparing for an interview:
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Review your resume
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Arrive at the interview ten minutes early to give yourself an opportunity to collect your thoughts and relax.
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Dress appropriately for the position that you are applying to. Try to dress like the people who work there would dress if they were representing their organization at some function.
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Make sure that you are clean, neat, and well-groomed. Interviewers do notice your appearance, and first impressions are critical in an interview situation.
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Take a copy of your resume, transcript, references and perhaps a portfolio or work samples with you. Also take a pen and paper, as you may wan to record some important information.
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| TEN THINGS THAT AN INTERVIEWER LOOKS IN YOU! |
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Family Background |
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Education |
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Experience
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Stability |
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Initiative
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General Ability |
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Interpersonal Skills |
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Confidence |
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Aptitude |
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Pleasant Looks |
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Common Interview Mistakes
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| Tip # 1: Don't discuss salary too early |
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Questions about salary in the first interview always bothers the interviewer. Unless the subject comes up, don't wade into the issue of the pay in the first interview. You can talk about it after you impress the employer enough for a second interview.
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| Tip # 2: Talk tech to techies only |
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Feel free to discuss what you know, but remember: If you are talking to a non technical manager or human resources representative, you are not going to impress them with talk about life in the trenches.
Answer questions briefly and keep the technical comments to a minimum until you know the history of the company and the people involved in the hiring process. If you have questions about the technology in use at the site, keep your questions specific and relevant to the position for which you are applying
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| Tip # 3: Keep your philosophy to yourself |
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Talking excessively about your technology philosophy can ruin your chances at the position.
If you are asked about how you feel about a product, be honest, but don't preach. The interviewer probably just wants to see how you respond to such questions.
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| Tip # 4: Don't climb the advancement ladder in the interview |
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Do not ask about opportunities for advancement until the second or third interview. Learn to accept and adapt and, above all, be happy you have a job.
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| Tip # 5: Avoid the dreaded electronic interruption |
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Cellular phone etiquette might seem a trivial thing to those that are hooked up, but you can kiss any job opportunity goodbye if you interrupt an interview to take a telephone call.
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| Tip # 6: Remember to say thank you |
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Beyond thanking your interviewers for their time as you leave, it's vital that you follow up in written form. If the competition for a position is tight, a follow-up thank you note can mean a lot. If the manager is slow to hire, the arrival of a thank-you note can serve as a reminder about the candidate who's awaiting the manager's next move.
Just after you've completed the interview, take note of anything specific you discussed and make a point of referencing it in your thank you letter. Even a nice greeting card is better than nothing.
It may seem like a small detail, but the experts will tell you that this tried-and-true tactic really makes an impact
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Interview Tips
