TECHNIQUES

WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW ?

A JOB INTERVIEW is a form of oral communication, a BUSINESS MEETING in which an individual interacts with a panel of interviewers, for the purpose of securing a job with that company.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW
1. PANEL INTERVIEW: In this type of interview, candidates are interviewed by interviewers who form a Panel of Experts, who are expected to ask questions based on specific areas. 2. WALK-IN INTERVIEW: When a company urgently requires employees, it conducts a walk-in interview in a hotel of a big town, at short notice. Even those who meet the minimum requirement, are allowed to appear.

3. MOCK INTERVIEW: For prospective job-seekers, this type of interview is conducted in Business Schools, and Coaching Institutes, to prepare the students to face the real interviews, when companies visit the campus.

4. STRESS INTERVIEW: Organisations conduct

Stress Interview to put the candidate under a stressful situations to assess how he deals with such situations. The impression that the interviewers convey is, whatever you have said is illogical, whatever you have done so far is insignificant. One after another, they may shoot questions at you, cutting short your responses or pulling you down, till you reach a point of exhaustion, lack of vocabulary, limitation of knowledge, and finally you succumb to the pressure.
DO NOT GET DISHEARTENED and DO NOT BUCKLE UNDER PRESSURE!!

THE WHOLE INTERVIEW PROCESS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING THREE STEPS:

1. PRE-PLANNING 2. FACING THE INTERVIEW 3. NEGOTIATING Prior to the interview, plan carefully to boost your confidence and gear yourself up for the anticipated grilling. The stress is on the following: > You (Your Profile), > your adaptability and suitability for the job , > your knowledge of the subject, > Academics, and > Your achievements.

PRE-PLANNING
This involves the following aspects: 1. PERSONAL INFORMATION 2. PREPARING A CAREER STATEMENT 3. DRESS CODE 4. DETECTION PROCESS 5. TALKING IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR

1. PERSONAL INFORMATION
1. Your rsum is the first impression your interviewer has of you, so it needs to be topnotch. Never carry or send a hand-written rsum. 2. Be wellinformed about yourself, your statements should match the records presented before the interviewer in your rsum. .

PERSONAL INFORMATION (Contd.)

3. Acquire job-related information. If the interviewers raise questions on the organization, the candidate should have:

(a) Information about the financial standing of the company, and (b) Its current status in the market.

2. PREPARING A CAREER STATEMENT

The next step is to prepare Career Statement about yourself, dealing with questions of the following nature: Why do you want to join this organisation? What do you have in mind after joining it? What scope does your area of specialisation have in this organisation? How do you plot your career graph with us?

(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

3. APPEARANCE AND DRESS CODE

YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION!

Study show that most employers make-up their mind about a candidate, within the first thirty seconds. Dress and appearance is a powerful Non-Verbal Communication transmitted during an interview.
Contd. ...

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Wear fresh, clean and well-ironed clothes appropriate for the occasion. Clothes worn should fit well and are comfortable. Wear minimum of jewellery. Be sure to wear a watch. Have clean and well manicured fingernails. Have a haircut and style that fits the standard for the work. Wear a minimum amount of deodorant or perfume. Wear sober, clean and polished shoes.

Dress Code for Men

Essential Tips for Men

SUITS:
ALWAYS WEAR A TWO PIECE SUIT. The only acceptable colors are NAVY, CHARCOAL, LIGHT GREY, and BROWN OR BEIGE. Fabric should be conservative, NOT FLASHY. The darker the suit, the more authority it carries. Solid colors and pin stripes are acceptable, so long as the stripes are thin and narrow. A dark solid suit is the best option. SHIRTS: Rule # 1: Always wear a long sleeved shirt.

Rule # 2: Always wear a white or pale blue shirt.

Essential Tips for Men

Rule # 3: Never violate rule one or two. There is something about a white cotton shirt that conveys honesty, intelligence and stability Rule # 4. No monograms

Rule # 5: NO WASH AND WEAR. Always make sure the shirt is starched and the trousers are professionally pressed.

Rule # 5: NO WASH AND WEAR. Always make sure the shirt is starched and the trousers are professionally pressed.

ACCESSORIES
1. Ties should reach your belt

buckle. A cheap looking tie can ruin an expensive suit. The right tie should be pure silk. The knot should be small, the length to the belt, the width no more than 2 to 3 ". Do not wear polka dots, animal pictures or symbols such as golf clubs. 2. Socks should cover your shin, when sitting.

3. Socks should complement either trousers or shoes. 4. Black or brown shoes should be worn. 5. Polish your shoes people notice! 6. Quality accessories are important; a simple watch, briefcase, purse, umbrella, etcshould match with your outfit.

FACING AN INTERVIEW, WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Dress Code for Women

Use fragrances sparingly. Make-up and jewellery should be sober and simple. Hair should not fall on face. Avoid all clothing that is too revealing or too restrictive. Do not wear heels so high that you are unsteady (common height 2-3). Nails should not be more than in length.

DETECTION PROCESS
In Detection Process the questions would be centered round the following issues to know whether the earlier made statements match the goals of the organisation: The real you Knowledge about yourself Consistency in approach Ability to withstand stress Ability to interact Ability to adjust in the organisation Knowledge about the company Knowledge about what is going on in concerned corporate sector

MIRROR , MIRROR ON THE WALL!! While practicing to face the interviewers, the mirror would be your best guide. If the mirror rejects you as being too mild and submissive or too loud and aggressive, just change your style of speaking!

FACING THE INTERVIEW

SUCCESS TECHNIQUES: Visit the interview site ,if possible ,a day earlier, as an insignificant observer. Observe the people and environment around you. Reach the interview site much ahead of time. Report your presence. Enter with confidence. Remember that Confidence is half battle won Shake hands only if the interviewer extends his hand out first. (A SLIDE PRESENTATION ON THE CORRECT WAY OF SHAKING HANDS TO BE SHOWN LATER)

FACING THE INTERVIEW

Take a seat only after being given permission to do so. Sit up erect in your chair ,do not slouch . Use proper space (PROXEMICS). Minimal occupation of space may communicate passiveness and weakness, whereas maximum occupation may annoy your interviewer, as you may be intruding into his domain.

(A SLIDE SHOW ON PROXEMICS TO BE SHOWN LATER)

FACING THE INTERVIEW(Contd.)

If you are carrying a folder or briefcase, put it in your lap ,not on the table. Do not fidget or play with a pen ,pencil or paper- weight ,which is within your reach. Keep your hands in your lap. Maintain a pleasant facial expression. Maintain proper eye contact ,but dont stare. At intervals glance at all other interviewers too. Allow the interviewer to go through your resume. Avoid a servile attitude. Do not use Sir, Mam frequently ,while answering.

FACING THE INTERVIEW (Contd.)

Never express anger or embarrassment at any enquiry during the interview. Never look at your watch. Last but not the least, if you dont know an answer to any question admit it gracefully, NEVER LIE !! Self Appraisal: immediately after the interview analyze and evaluate your performance.

NEGOTIATING

Your success at tackling and handling questions pertaining to your pay structure is termed as negotiation. What is your salary expectation? Keep the ball in your court. Always give a figure like somewhere between 10,000-12,000.

PROBABLE QUESTIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6.

7.

Give a brief profile about yourself? Why do you want to leave your current Job? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Given an opportunity, would you work on your strengths or weaknesses? Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself? What do you know about our Company?

PROBABLE QUESTIONS (Contd.)

7.

8. 9.

10. 11. 12.

What scope does your area of specialisation have in our organisation? Why should we hire you? Mention any past accomplishment that gave you satisfaction? What type of work environment do you like? Why do you want this Job? How do you handle stress and pressure? Tell us how you work effectively under pressure?

PROBABLE QUESTIONS (Contd.)

13.

14.

15. 16. 17.

What can be your contribution towards this organisation? As you have not done this sort of job before, how do you think you would succeed? How would you handle criticism? Do you have a Team Spirit? What motivates you?

PROBABLE QUESTIONS (Contd.)

18. 19.

20.

21. 22.

23.

Are you aggressive or assertive? Are your shoulders strong enough to take up added responsibilities? Do you mind working under supervisor who is younger than you or of the opposite gender? What are your career goals? Other than your career, do you have any ECAs? Are you prepared to relocate and travel?

PROBABLE QUESTIONS (Contd.)

24.

25.

Can you give us two references? What are your salary expectations?

ASK THE INTERVIEWER

An Interview is a two-way process. Once the company has decided on your suitability for the job, you would like to find out if the organisation, this position is suitable for you. Ask the following questions courteously to ensure that you have enough information the organisation:
1. 2.

3.
4. 5.

What will be my responsibilities? What level of performance do you expect from me? What will be my salary, benefits and bonuses? What shall be my career path in the organisation? How much time will I have with me to join?

GROUP DISCUSSION(G.D.)
G.D. is the process of gauging the mettle of candidates , prior to their entry into any organization . The communication skill of each candidate is tested ,vis-a -vis other equally academically competent candidates. Those who qualify at5 this level are further subjected to rigorous interview ,where under pressure, their responses are measured.

1. LEADERSHIP QUALITIES a) Taking initiative b) Ability to give direction to group c) Taking the group along d) Ability to listen to other members of group. e) Bringing into focus the main points.

QUALITIES A CANDIDATE MUST POSSESS

3. ANALYTICAL ABILITY A candidate should have the capacity not only to quote data but also to support its relevance to the topic. 4. CLARITY OF THOUGHT Sticking to only essentials, not digressing
5. CONVICTION & FLEXIBILITY

2. KNOWLEDGE OF SUBJECT
a)

Qualitative &Quantitative knowledge of subject

The strength with which the argument is posited The ability to respect & appreciate viewpoints of other participants.

ARGUMENTS: EXPRESSING YOURSELF

While participating in a G.D. you must allow other members of the group to speak and give your opinion by the use of the following phrasesOPINIONS In my opinion, Id rather.., Id prefer to put it this way, Im convinced that.., I honestly feel that , I strongly believe that., Without a doubt..