Interview Skills

INTERVIEW SKILLS What is an Interview?

An interview is a face-to-face meeting, especially for the purpose of obtaining a statement for assessing the qualities of a candidate. It further, indicates a physical meeting of people with two possible objectives:
* To obtain a statement or opinion – as is done when film stars are interviewed to get their views on any particular role, or when the prime minister is interviewed to get statement on the result of his discussion with another political leader.
* To assess a person for selection – such as interviews for jobs, admission to educational institutions, etc.

Preparing for an Interview:

* One of the most fundamental factors that contributes to the success of an interview is the time and quality of preparation made by you.
* The degree of preparedness for an interview helps reduce the uncertainty and anxiety prior to the interview.
* The amount of effort you wish to put into preparation is directly proportional to the importance of the interview.

What all you need to do before Interview?

Learn about the organization
It is very important to know the background of the institute you apply to. Your interview process starts even before you go to meet your prospective employer. Start by preparing for the big day. Research the company/ organisation as well as you possibly can. Check their website, read whatever published literature you can find about the company, and if you know anyone who works there, talk to them. This will give you a better insight into the company and their work. It will also show initiative on your part. It is important for the following reasons.
* Selectors cannot comprehend why and how a person can say he is keen to join an institute about which he knows little or nothing.
* From the interviewer’s point of view the good applicant is one who has done some homework about the organization.

What you must know is:

* A brief history of the organization.
* It’s main features
* Location
* Any important issue of the organization that has been newsworthy.
* Key people in the organization.
Practice:
If you are very nervous about the interview, ask a friend to go through a dry run with you. Practice a mock interview at home, ask for feedback and try to iron out all wrinkles in your responses before you go for the interview.
Carry All Your Documents:
Always, always carry at least two or three copies of your resume, and all other documents that might be relevant to the job and/ or the interview. Arriving without relevant materials says that you are unprepared and not serious about the job.
Entering the Room:
• Prior to the entering the door, adjust your attire so that it falls well.
• Before entering enquire by saying, “May I come in sir/madam”.
• If the door was closed before you entered, make sure you shut the door behind you softly.
• Face the panel and confidently say ‘Good day sir/madam’.
• If the members of the interview board want to shake hands, then offer a firm grip first maintaining eye contact and a smile.
• Seek permission to sit down. If the interviewers are standing, wait for them to sit down first before sitting.
• An alert interviewee would diffuse the tense situation with light-hearted humour and immediately set rapport with the interviewers.

Enthusiasm:
• The interviewer normally pays more attention if you display an enthusiasm in whatever you say.
• This enthusiasm comes across in the energetic way you put forward your ideas.
• You should maintain a cheerful disposition throughout the interview, i.e. a pleasant countenance holds the interviewers interest.
Know Your Skill Set:
Are you great at developing processes but don't know how to use the latest software? Are you good at design but hate conceptualizing? Know what your strengths and weaknesses are, so that you can play up your strengths at the interview table. A common interview question often is: "What are your three greatest strengths?" Try to come up with an answer that can be backed with examples, numbers or concrete results.

Don't Back-Bite:
You will almost certainly be asked why you left your previous company. Be sure to give a professional reply and refrain from bad-mouthing your previous employer, no matter how bad the terms you left on were. Back-biting will only make you appear petulant and vengeful.

Watch Your Attitude:
Don't be cocky and overconfident, but don't be subservient and passive either. The organisation is most likely looking for someone who is confident, eager to learn, and a good worker.

Communicate Well:
Communication skills aren't a bonus in today's job market, they are a pre-requisite. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, make eye contact, and speak clearly and concisely. Don't ramble but make sure you get your point across. This will demonstrate your level of confidence and clarity of thought.

It's a Two-Way Street:
Remember, an interview is an interaction to determine how well you fit into the organisation's needs as well as how the company fits into your career plan. Ask questions, be involved and make suggestions. Your prospective employer will be pleased that you showed interest and were willing to learn more.

Highlight Oher Achievements:
Sometimes, what takes you that extra mile need not be professional experience. It could be something you did on your own time that shows you in a better light to a prospective employer. For instance, if you have volunteer work on your resume, play it up. This shows a socially responsible bent of mind. If you are well-travelled, mention it. Not only does it say that you have had various kinds of exposure, it also implies you are adaptable to different cultures -- this might be useful if the job requires you to travel.

Humour:
• A little humour or wit thrown in the discussion occasionally enables the interviewers to look at the pleasant side of your personality, If it does not come naturally do not contrive it.
• By injecting humour in the situation doesn’t mean that you should keep telling jokes. It means to make a passing comment that, perhaps, makes the interviewer smile.
Eye Contact:
• You must maintain eye contact with the panel, right through the interview. This shows your self-confidence and honesty.
• Many interviewees while answering tend to look away. This conveys you are concealing your own anxiety, fear and lack of confidence.
• Maintaining an eye contact is a difficult process. As the circumstances in an interview are different, the value of eye contact is tremendous in making a personal impact.
Be Natural:
• Many interviewees adopt a stance which is not their natural self.
• It is amusing for interviewers when a candidate launches into an accent which he or she cannot sustain consistently through the interview or adopt mannerisms that are inconsistent with his/her personality.
• Interviewers appreciate a natural person rather than an actor.
• It is best for you to talk in natural manner because then you appear genuine.

Say Thank You:
The day after the interview, send out a crisp thank you e-mail. However, be careful you don't make it a long saga, brevity is key when it comes to thank you notes.
Fifty Standard Interview Questions:
You need to be prepared for the full spectrum of questions that may be presented. For further practice, make sure you go through the required mock interview and for further review; look at some of the following questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you want to do with your life?
3. Do you have any actual work experience?
4. How would you describe your ideal job?
5. Why did you choose this career?
6. When did you decide on this career?
7. What goals do you have in your career?
8. How do you plan to achieve these goals?
9. How do you evaluate success?
10. Describe a situation in which you were successful.
11. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
12. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction in your life?
13. If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?
14. Would your rather work with information or with people?
15. Are you a team player?
16. What motivates you?
17. Why should I hire you?
18. Are you a goal-oriented person?
19. Tell me about some of your recent goals and what you did to achieve them.
20. What are your short-term goals?
21. What is your long-range objective?
22. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
23. Where do you want to be ten years from now?
24. Do you handle conflict well?
25. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How did you resolve it?
26. What major problem have you had to deal with recently?
27. Do you handle pressure well?
28. What is your greatest strength?
29. What is your greatest weakness?
30. If I were to ask one of your professors to describe you, what would he or she say?
31. Why did you choose to attend your college?
32. What changes would you make at your college?
33. How has your education prepared you for your career?
34. What were your favorite classes? Why?
35. Do you enjoy doing independent research?
36. Who were your favorite professors? Why?
37. Where do you see yourself after 5 years down the line?
38. Do you have any plans for further education?
39. How much training do you think you'll need to become a productive employee?
40. What qualities do you feel a successful person should have?
41. Why do you want to work in the _____ industry?
42. What do you know about our company?
43. Why are you interested in our company?
44. Do you have any location preferences?
45. How familiar are you with the community that we're located in?
46. Will you relocate? In the future?
47. Are you willing to travel? How much?
48. Is money important to you?
49. How much money do you need to make to be happy?
50. What kind of salary are you looking for?
Don't just read these questions--practice and rehearse the answers. Don't let the company interview be the first time you have actually formulated an answer in spoken words. It is not enough to think about them in your head--practice! Sit down with a friend, a significant other, or your roommate (an especially effective critic, given the amount of preparation to date) and go through all of the questions. Make the most of every single interview opportunity by being fully prepared!
Top Ten Critical Success Factors:

With all the different questions being referenced, you may wonder what exactly the employer is looking for. And I will tell you. Following is the list of the top ten critical success factors that nearly every employer is seeking:
1. Positive attitude toward work
2. Proficiency in field of study
3. Communication skills (oral and written)
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Confidence
6. Critical thinking and problem solving skills
7. Flexibility
8. Self-motivation
9. Leadership
10. Teamwork
Show your competence in as many of the above critical success factors as possible and you will rise above the competition.
All The Very Best !!!