MANAKULA VINAYAGAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

K.T.Kuppam, Puducherry-605 107.

GENERAL PROFICIENCY-I
ASSIGNMENT NO-1 (PAPER PRESENTATION)

Submitted by U.Kavitha, III Year - CSE-A, MIT.

Submitted to Mr.A.Kandhan, Lecturer, MIT. Date: 26-06-2012

TIPS FOR FACING INTERVIEWS INTERVIEW:

An interview is a conversation between two people (the interviewer and the interviewee) where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.

AIM OF INTERVIEWER:
An interviewer has 3 aims: 1)To learn if you are the right person for the job. 2) To assess your potential for promotion 3) To decide whether you will fit into the company environment

KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW:

The key to a successful job interview is in preparation Be prepared: For the types of interview questions you will be asked To ask questions yourself To research the company To look the part To turn up on time

MAJOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERING TECHNIQUES:

1. How would you describe yourself? Should describe attributes that will enhance your suitability for the position. Have some ready in advance. 2. What are your long-term goals? These should be career orientated. Make sure you have goals to discuss. 3. Why do you want this job?
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Answer should be: more responsibility or better opportunity or similar. Not: because it is closer to home or the gym. 4. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Strength should highlight accomplishments and experiences that relate to the position for which you are applying. Also, give examples of situations where your strengths have been demonstrated. Weakness should not be a list of deficiencies. Dont mention anything that could make the interviewer question your ability to do the job, for example I am always late for everything. Instead, discuss a weakness that could also be a strength such as I am a workaholic!

QUESTIONS TO THE INTERVIEWER:

Many companies will give us the option to discuss about the company to the interviewer. Such Questions should be reasonable . Example questions relating to the position What are the main responsibilities of the job? What are the most difficult aspects of the job? How did the vacancy arise? What is the career path relating to this position? How will my work be assessed? Example questions relating to the company What is the company hoping to achieve in the next 12 months? What new products are the company planning to introduce in the future? Are any major changes planned for the department/company? Who are your biggest competitors?

PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW:

Travel : Arrive 15 minutes early.Make sure you have the correct address and know how you will get there
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Parking? Public transport access?Do a dummy run if you are not sure. Make sure you have a mobile phone and a telephone number so that you can ring ahead if circumstances beyond your control are making you late. Be polite to everyone you speak to, it could be the Managing Directors cousin! Have a copy of your CV with you Prepare and arrange your folder properly: Before going to attend the interview you have to check properly and arrange all your certificates and testimonials properly in your folder. Also go through the call letter for interview to know the exact documents you have to carry with you while going to attend the interview. Remove the irrelevant documents from your folder while arranging the folder for the purpose of the interview. Dress properly: Never try to dress yourself like a hero while appearing for the interview before the interview board. Always wear formal dress to woo the interviewer and ensure that your dress is clean and ironed properly. Also polish your shoes and make them shining at the time of reaching the venue of interview. Dont be nervous: The most talented people fail in the interviews due to having no control over their nervousness. Nervousness freezes your mental energy which is most required during the interview. While preparing for the interview, prepare properly with full concentration and without shifting your focus to any other topic. Speak correctly: To clear an interview successfully the candidate must have good command over language, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. You should always try to answer a questing elaborately and avoid giving brief answers. Dont try to be clever: You have to keep in mind that every organization requires employees who are sincere and hard-working. Be clear and polite while speaking to the interview board and avoid criticizing someone while speaking. Always leave the room after completing the interview by saying the board thanking you very much irrespective of your good or bad performance in the interview.

PRESENTING THE BEST BODY LANGUAGE:

1. Eye Contact: Indicate that you are showing interest in what they are saying and also giving respect to their opinion. keep eye contact more than 60% of the time when you are in company with the person. 2. Posture: If you get your posture right, you will feel better instantly. Also your sitting or standing position has some effect on your mood and feelings. So ensure that you are using the proper posture when you are talking with some other person. 3. Head, Arms, and Legs Positions: You can feel confident and self-assured by keeping your head level horizontally and vertically. Just like your head, the posture of your arms indicates your openness and receptiveness of the person you are meeting. Dont cross your hands at front as it is considered as a sign of disagreement. 4. Body Angles: The angle of your body in relation to others indicates your attitude and feelings towards them. 5. Hand Gestures: It is always better to offer an upright and vertical handshake as it is considered as sign of equality. 6. Distance from the Other Person: Ensure that you have not moved too closer to someone that he has to back away indicating that you have overstepped the mark and entered into his personal space.

DO's & DON'Ts IN AN INTERVIEW Interview DOs:

Treat other people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their opinions of you might be solicited during hiring decisions. Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer. Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer's name and the correct pronunciation. Even when your interviewer gives you a first and last name, address your interviewer by title (Ms., Mr., Dr.) and last name, until invited to do otherwise. Maintain good eye contact during the interview. Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching
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Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with specific examples whenever possible. Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question. Be thorough in your responses, while being concise in your wording. Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential coworker. Behave like someone you would want to work with. Be honest and be yourself your best professional self. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for firing. You want a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be unhappy.

Interview DONTs:
Don't make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions. Don't make negative comments about previous employers or professors (or others). Don't falsify application materials or answers to interview questions. Don't give the impression that you are only interested in an organization because of its geographic location. Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary; don't ask about salary and benefits issues until the subject is brought up by your interviewer. Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment. Don't make the interviewer guess what type of work you are interested in; it is not the interviewer's job to act as a career advisor to you. Don't be unprepared for typical interview questions. You may not be asked all of them in every interview, but being unprepared will not help you. Don't allow your cell phone to sound during the interview. (If it does, apologize quickly and ignore it.) Don't take a cell phone call. Don't look at a text message. Don't take your parents, your pet (an assistance animal is not a pet in this circumstance), spouse, fiance, friends or enemies to an interview. If you are not grown up and independent enough to attend an interview alone, you're insufficiently grown up and independent for a job. (They can certainly visit your new city, at their own expense, but cannot attend your interview.)

CONCLUSION:
Interviews are completed by the interviewer based on what the interviewee says.Interviews are a far more personal form of research than questionnaires.In the personal interview, the interviewer works directly with the interviewee.Unlike with mail surveys, the interviewer has the opportunity to probe or ask follow up questions.Interviews are generally easier for the interviewee, especially if what is sought are opinions and/or impressions.Interviews are time consuming and they are resource intensive.The interviewer is considered a part of the measurement instrument and interviewer has to be well trained in how to respond to any contingency. An interview is a conversation between two people (the interviewer and the interviewee) where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.

REFERENCES:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_interview http://archive.org/details/explanationofinterview http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/interview http://www.thefreedictionary.com/interview http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interview