INTERVIEW Skills

1. INTERVIEW Skills

2. What is an Interview? A formal meeting in person, especially one arranged for the assessment of the qualifications of an applicant.

3. Types of interview • ONE to ONE Interview • PANEL JOB Interview

4. Preparation • Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much about the company and the position as you possibly can. • In today’s world of mass communication, there’s no excuse for lack of research search the web or go to the library. • Discuss about the position with concerned people, they should be able to provide that information for you.

5. The Interview Psych Technique • The night before the interview, spend some time with a friend or family member, have mock interview • Use correct words, sentences and paragraphs. • The purpose is to put you in the right frame of mind for the interview, so that you truly believe you are the best possible candidate for the job.

6. Your job is to sell me on you • Before you can possibly convince me as the interviewer that you are right for the job, you have tobelieve it yourself. • Remember, you are all alone once the interview starts. No one will sell you if you don’t sell yourself. • Once you have sold me on you, I will sell you on the position and the company, but not until then.So don’t expect the interviewer to tell you why you are right for the job. That is your job.

7. Interviews are always stressful • The best way to reduce the stress is tobe prepared • Take time to understand some of the ‘standards’ when it comes to interviewing questions. • Take the time to review the‘standard interview questions’you will most likely be asked.

8. Guidelines for the Interviewee • Be prepared for the interview • Just as the interviewer has to plan out the event in advance, so has the interviewee to be prepared for it. Be prepared for the unexpected. • Have a presentable appearance • Everybody appreciates a pleasant personality. • As in the case of a presentation, so in an interview, the concerned person’s appearance is a part of the message. • Show interest by making effective use of body language: • Eye contact with the interviewer shows , interviewee genuinely interested in the event and keen to participate in it. • Sit in a correct, confident posture, straight, balanced and not stiff in the chair offered. • Hands be neatly locked in lap or comfortably placed on the arms of the chair.

9. Guidelines for the Interviewee • All the questions must be correctly and completely answered • Since the primary aim of an interview is to exchange information it should be done effectively. • If the interviewee is not clear about a suitable answer to a question, there is no harm in admitting it: • One must never try to bluff. Be honest. • Be polite • Politeness is indispensable in every situation. • Avoid talking too much • Avoid making boastful statements. The interviewer is intelligent enough to find out the interviewee’s intelligence and suitability for the job.

10. Guidelines for the Interviewee • Avoid criticism: • Do not criticize the previous employer or anybody else • Negative statements are looked down upon. • Do not forget to thank the interviewers • For having spared time for you • Granting an interview is indeed a favour. • Do not hesitate to ask: • Any questions to seek clarification regarding the company profile, service conditions etc • It will not only satisfy your curiosity but also give the interviewer an idea of your confidence and interest in the organization. But only towards the end of the interview and when you feel you are likely to get the job.

12. 1- Tell me about yourself. • It seems like an easy interview question. It’s open ended. I can talk about whatever. Right? • Wrong. • What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two- to three-minute snapshot of who you are and why you’re the best candidate for this position. • Use an example or two to back it up. Always point back to an example when you have the opportunity. • “Tell me about yourself” does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what makes you the best.

13. 2- Why should I hire you? • The easy answer is that you are the best person for the job. And don’t be afraid to say so.But then back it up with what specifically differentiates you. • For example: “You should hire me because I’m the most suitable person for the job. I realize that there are other candidates who also have the ability to dothis job. Yet I bring an additional quality that makes me the best person for the job--my passion for excellence. I am passionately committed to producing truly world class results. For example………….” • Are you the best person for the job?Show it by your passionate examples.

14. 3- What is your long-range objective? • The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives. • For example: “Within five years, I would like to become the very best engineer your company has on staff. I want to work toward becoming the expert thatothers rely upon. And in doing so, I feel I’ll be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities which might be presented in the long term. For example, here is what I’m presently doing to prepare myself . . .” • Then go on to show by your examples what you are doing to reach your goals and objectives.

15. 4- How has your education prepared you for your career? • This is a broad question and you need to focus on the behavioral examples in your educational background which specifically align to the required competencies for the career. • For example: “My education has focused on not only the learning the fundamentals, but also on the practical application of the information learned within those classes. For example, I played a lead role in a class project where we gathered and analyzed best practice data from this industry. Let me tell you more about the results . . .” • Focus on behavioral examples supporting the key competencies for the career. Then ask if they would like to hear more examples.

16. 5- Are you a team player? • Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioral examples to back up your answer. • A sample answer: “Yes, I’m very much a team player. In fact, I’ve had opportunities in my project, school and college to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent project . . .” • Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be prepared.

17. 6- Have you ever had a conflict with a senior or professor? How was it resolved? • Note that if you say no, most interviewers will keep drilling deeper to find a conflict. The key is how you behaviorally reacted to conflict and what you did to resolve it. • For example: “Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but there have been disagreements that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it helps to fully understand the other person’s perspective, so I take time to listen to their point of view, then I seek to work out a collaborative solution. For example . . .” • Focus your answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively.

18. 7- What is your greatest weakness? • Most career books tell you to select a strength and present it as a weakness. Such as: “I work too much. I just work and work and work.”. First of all, using a strength and presenting it as a weakness is deceiving. Second, it misses the point of the question. • You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example: “I have had trouble in the past with prioritization. However, I’m now taking steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner . . .” then explain them your planner and how you are using it. • Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.

19. 8-If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say? • This is a threat of reference check question. Do not wait for the interview to know the answer. Ask your professors in advance. And if they’re willing to provide a positive reference, ask them for a letter of recommendation. • Then you can answer the question like this: “I believe he/ she would say I'm a very energetic person, that I’m results oriented and one of the best people she has ever worked with. Actually, I know he/ she would say that, because those are his/ her very words. May I show you his/ her letter of recommendation?” • So be prepared in advance (with your letters of recommendation, if possible).

20. 9- What qualities do you feel a successful manager/engineer should have? • Focus on two words: leadership and vision. • Here is a sample of how to respond: “The key quality in a successful manager should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you about a person whom I consider to be a true leader . . .” • Then give an example of someone who has touched your life and how their impact has helped in your personal development.

21. 10- If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change? • Focus on a key turning point in your life or missed opportunity. Yet also tie it forward to what you are doing to still seek to make that change. • Stay focused on positive direction in your life and back it up with examples.

22. REMEMBER In reviewing these responses, PLEASE remember that they are only to be viewed samples. Please do not rehearse them verbatim. They are meant to stir your creative mind and get you thinking about how to properly answer the broader range of questions that you will face.

23. The Most Important Aspect of Interviewing • What can you do to set yourself apart in your interview ? • The most important aspect of successful interviewing is not your experience, your degree or your resume. That’s what got you the interview. • The key to successful interviewing can be summed up in one word: • PASSION. • It’s your passion for the job that will set you apart from the crowd.

24. How can you demonstrate your passion in the interview? • Though your enthusiasm for the job and behavioral examples of how your passion has had a positive impact on results. • If you can show me, in your words, actions and past behaviors, that you have true passion toward achieving excellence, you can and will be chosen over the superstar. Let your passion for the job show through in every aspect of your interview.

25. The Second Most Important Aspect of Interviewing • Another key element to successful interviewing is your attitude. • Attitude is everything. • If you want to rise above others with better experience, better grades, or better anything, you will need to work on developing a highly positive work attitude. • The way most employers differentiate at the entry level is by candidates’ attitude and passion toward the job. • Your attitude and passion is what recruiters remember when the dust has settled after they have reviewed ten, twenty, or even one hundred candidates—you were the one who was sincerely willing to put forth your very best effort.

26. You can show your winning attitude in the way you present yourself. Incorporate the actual words ‘positive attitude’ , ‘passion for excellence’ and ‘striving tobe my best’ into your interview language. • If you can show me, by words and examples, your ‘can do’ attitude, it is you I will hire

27. Interview Do’s • Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is never excusable. • Make your halo effect impressive. Remember that first impression is long lasting for the interviewing board. • Clarify questions. Be sure you answered the questions the employer really asked. • Give your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job.

28. Anticipate tough questions. Prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths. • Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact, don’t slouch and maintain composure. • Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one. • Listen. This is probably the most important "do" of all. By concentrating not only on the employer’s words, but also on the tone of voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on the employer’s style.

29. INTERVIEWS – DON’Ts • Do not lack self confidence or appear shaky. • Poor communication skills are an absolute put off. • Body language must not reflect negatively. • Do not lack the relevant subject knowledge. • There is a difference between self confidence and over confidence. • Do not hide background and family history.

30. Do not have inadequate knowledge about the company and the industry in which you have applied for the employment. • Do not be improperly dressed or display lack a sense of hygiene. • If the interview board is harsh, do not lose cool during the interview. • Do not reply unfocussed and out of context. Thus, answers should be as precise as possible.

31. Mental fear of the unknown is often what produces the physical symptoms of nervousness. In addition to preparing yourself physically, you need to prepare yourself mentally. • The best way to prepare mentally is to know what may be coming. • Fear of the unknown can only exist when there is an unknown.

32. Effective Public Speaking

33. Public Speaking – The preparation Cardinal Question Implied Questions 1 W What? What do I wish to communicate? 2 W Why? Why should the audience listen to me? 3 W When? Have I taken care of the timing of my speech? When are the listeners most likely to be interested? 4 W Where? Where have I to speak?? 5 W Who?Who am I going to speak to? An individual ,or several persons, or a large audience? What are the interests and expectations of the audience? H How? How can I best convey my message? Have I taken care to prepare my message in the most persuasive language? Do I need any audio visual aids to make my speech effective?

34. Effective Speaking Techniques • Be clear and organized: • Answer 5 X Ws and H, the speech will automatically turn out to be clear and effective. • Clarity is the very life of all speech and writing. • No listener / reader likes to be caught up in a jumble of confused thinking. • Mental training and logical thinking that come from all good education. • Especially in the world of business, clarity of thought is the greatest asset. • All powerful speakers religiously stick to the principle - ’Be clear’. • Be simple: • From clarity of thought emerges simplicity. • Simpler the language the greater is the appeal. • A really effective speaker • is one who can explain the most difficult or complex matter in the simplest language to a layman. • No audience likes to listen to jargon. They can be patient only with the simplest language.

35. Effective Speaking Techniques • Furnish Concrete Details • Many speakers spoil their speeches by talking in abstractions. • Make speech vivid by furnishing details and actual experiences to capture the attention of the audience. • Such attention to speech makes it ‘full of life’ which is the literal meaning of the word ‘vivid’. • Make his speech lively and brilliant with eye-catching details, humorous anecdotes, relevant examples and enthusiastic eye-to­eye contact with the audience.

36. Effective Speaking Techniques • Cultivate Effortless Grace and Naturalness: • “Many things - smiling, going to sleep or behaving unaffectedly are done worst when we try hardest to do them”. • A cultured person moves and speaks with grace and sounds natural. • When face-to-face with a large, selected audience, it is quite natural to be conscious, perhaps over conscious, and, for the moment, to find it difficult to be natural. • Devise own ways to look, move and speak with grace. • Practicing to speak in front of a mirror. • Find a popular anchor / personality and emulate his / her style.

37. Effective Speaking Techniques • Enrich Mental Equipment: • Be a learned / well informed person. • As the old Greek proverb says, “Out of nothing, nothing comes”. • So, we must remember that for every occasion, and for every kind of speech, the best armament is a well stocked mind—a mind stocked / equipped with all kinds of information / facts/ figures / general awareness / readings in literature and philosophy, current affairs, economic and political developments, new advancements in science and technology, emergence of new business organizations and so on. • Having the right kind of information for the right moment.

38. Effective Speaking Techniques • Be Brief: • Excessive information does not mean that one can go on rambling or going into unnecessary details. • Quantity of information and quality of speech. • All that is superfluous must be cut out in order to make the speech concise. • Every word we speak is valuable, and there are no words to waste. • Be informal; Informality creates nearness. • The occasion may be formal but the speaker must strive to give his speech a personal touch. Establish rapport with the audience. • Create an impression that will last.

39. Effective Speaking Techniques • Be Enthusiastic: • Making an effective speech is not just a matter of doing a duty performing a ritual. • One has to get into the spirit of the occasion with enthusiasm and keen interest. • No one likes to listen to a dull or monotonous speaker. But an enthusiastic speaker gets an immediate response. • Enthusiasm is contagious. • Mind Non-verbal Language: • Effective use of gestures is a necessary component of a speech whether prepared or impromptu. • Eye contact is indispensable. Anybody aspiring to be a good speaker, also, keeps training himself in voice modulation, use of proper word stress and gestures.

40. Effective Speaking Techniques • Facts and Figures are not enough: • If facts and figures had been enough there would have been no speeches. • Anybody can have access to facts and figures. • They can just be circulated or blandly stated. • They are just like a skeleton. It is the imaginative and effective use of language in a speech / writing that breathes life into that skeleton and supplies it with flesh and blood. • Many great entrepreneurs, chairpersons, statesmen and scholars are known for their oratory that stems from their command over language.

41. Effective Speaking Techniques • Control Emotions, but make an Emotional Speech • What comes from the heart goes to the heart. • Every human being is full of emotions. But an effective speaker cannot afford to be carried away by his own emotions. • On the other hand, while exercising poise and maintaining composure, he can stir up his audience to action. • His job is not just to inform but also to convince and influence his audience. That is how many speeches become memorable. • Share Significant Experiences / Expertise with Audience: • This will not only give a personal touch to the speech, but also confidence to the speaker and comfort to the listeners. • It will make the audience feel important to the speaker.

42. All the best

43. Q & A FOR INTERVIEW • No one can predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, but you can rehearse yourCV & get a good idea of a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask.

44. Ten Tough Interview Qs & Ten As • Some of the difficult questions you will face in the course of your job interviews. • The answers are provided to give you a new perspective on how to answer tough interview questions. • They are provided for you to use as the basic structure for formulating your own answers. • While the specifics of each reply may not apply to you, try to follow the basic structure of the answer from the perspective of the interviewer. • Answer the questions behaviorally, with specific examples that show that clear evidence backs up what you are saying about yourself.