INTERVIEW BLUES

Does the thought of going for an interview, make you break into a cold sweat? Most people do badly at job interviews not because they are incompetent but simply because they are just plain nervous.
Job interviews usually have two parts --
technical and HR.
While the technical interview deals with your knowledge in the field, HR tests your personality and presence of mind. Here are a few tips on how to make a good impression at your job interview:
Confidence is the most important aspect. You should appear confident, keep your wits about you and listen to every word of the question. Often, prospective employees usually don't even hear the question properly in their nervousness. Fumbling and stammering (if not a medical problem) will not work in your favour.
While confidence is good, never appear over-confident. This presents you as a pompous and bossy person, definitely not the qualities of a team player.
Never panic. If you don't know the answer to a question, try this old trick -- ask the interviewer to repeat the question. It lets you hear the question again, gives you time to think and eliminates any embarrassing pauses.
Thinking on your feet is very important. In a situation where three or four pairs of eyes are staring at you, it is easy to get intimidated. Practice thinking on your feet by having mock interviews with friends. Quick-wittedness is not something you can learn but mock interviews help you think faster than you otherwise would.
Dinesh Samtani, Divya Pinge and Srilaxmi Pai have only recently started working and are fresh on the job market. Here are some tips they had on how tackle difficult interview questions:

Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: This is possibly the most common question asked; it is the answer to this question that gives your prospective employer the supremely important first impression. Most people tend to talk about their family -- what their parents do for a living and what their siblings are doing at the moment. This is NOT what the interviewer is interested in. Talk mostly about yourself -- your education, previous jobs, achievements, interests and strong points of your personality. Once you're done, give a very brief description of your family.

Q: What are your weaknesses? Or what would you like to change about yourself?
A: Although being honest is always better, make sure that your answer does not project you in a bad light. Saying things like "bad at decision making" or "not punctual" go against you. Always say things that can be converted into a positive. For instance: "I am forgetful but I am now trying to get over my weakness by keeping reminders on my phone and writing what I might forget"; You could even say: "I used to be disorganised but now I carry an electronic organiser to keep my phone numbers, deadlines etc". Never say things like "I don't see any weakness in myself", you might just end up annoying the interviewer.

Q: What are your strengths?
A: Some people might get carried away here and end up boasting. The interviewer is looking for skills that will benefit the company, so base your answer on what the company might want. Being a good team player, leadership qualities, analytical skills are among common virtues employers are looking for. Never lie about your virtues, it will catch up with you sooner or later. As always, honesty is the best policy.

Q: What is the one thing you would like to change about your college/ previous office?
A: Always say things that are not too negative. Complaining about your prior bosses or professors shows you in a bad light. Talk of things that are small but not inconsequential. Srilaxmi, for instance, said that she wanted the library timings to be extended.

Q: What would your prior boss/ professor have to say about you?
A: It is good to be prepared for this question. Ask your professor or boss to write a recommendation letter for you if possible. This is useful to present to the interviewer. State what the person would say and then present the letter as proof. This gives the impression of a well-prepared and confident person.

Q: What do you know about our company?
A: Make sure you do your homework before you appear for an interview. Read up on the company's history, progress report and statistics. A small margin is permissible while stating figures but it is best avoided.

Q: Why should I hire you?
A: It's a safe bet to say that you are the best person for the job. But don't sound boastful or pompous. Base your claims with solid results, tell the interviewer why you stand out among all the others and give examples of your expertise.

Q: Name one thing you want to change about yourself.
A: Here, the interviewer will tempt you to sound negative. Never say that you are perfect but at the same time, touch upon you weaknesses in such a way that they seem insignificant. Name an incident in the past that you faltered in, then show that you have now improved.

Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
A: It's good to talk of your progress with respect to the company. The interviewer needs to understand that you are not just job-hopping. Things like you see yourself at a much higher post that the one you are applying for, will work in your favour. Tell them that you hope that this job will make you a better professional than you already are and you will also help the company to improve in the department you are going to be working. Then go on to show by your examples what you are doing to reach your goals and objectives.

Q: Do you think your qualifications make you eligible for this job? What has the course taught you?
A: The interviewer probably knows all about your course pattern and has probably studied it himself/ herself. There is no point in discussing it academically; use a more behavioural approach. Your education has made your basics are clear, you have a strong foundation on which to build a career, it has not only taught you the technical aspects of the job you are about to take up but also made you a better professional are all good responses.

Q: Would you call yourself a team player?
A: The obvious answer to this answer is yes. But the way you support this answer is what makes all the difference. Always keep a few instances of when you showed team spirit in mind. It helps to display your ability. Another way in which this question can be asked is by giving you an actual case. The interviewer puts you in a situation and asks what you will do. It is important to think quick and come up with answers showing that you can bring out the best in others and yourself, believe in organisation, communication and delegation of tasks etc.
The following questions test not your character but your presence of mind. It is important to be alert when faced with these questions, don't take too long to answer:

Q: What part of your body would you hide if you were on the street completely naked?
A: My face, obviously, so no one would know it's me.

Q: What is the colour of the wall behind you?
A: The same as the colour of the wall in front of me. Never turn back and answer this! There is a possibility that the colour might be different but most rooms are painted the same colour. Looking at the interiors of the room you can gauge whether it has a feature (differently coloured) wall or not.
Q: Suppose you have a brother. You go home and open the door and there he is totally naked in front of you. What would u do?
A: I'd pick him up and go put his nappies on him. No one told you your brother's age!

Q: Why are manhole covers round and not square?
A: Because the square cOVEer can fall down if kept vertically along the diagonal.

Q: What is the fastest thing on earth? Why?
A: The mind is the fastest thing. It can be at two places at once and can travel continents in a matter of seconds.

Q: If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
A: The last thing you want to do here is say any random colour that comes to your head and then give a justification. Think about your best quality, and then associate it with an appropriate colour. For example: "I think I would be blue because I'm very calm and composed at all times. I can keep my head cool in the most stressful situation and take difficult decisions."
These questions are tough but are not really a deciding factor in the interview. Your overall personality and disposition can always convince the interviewer to consider you for the post despite whatever happens in the interview. Calm your nerves and think clearly. Honesty and clarity can impress the employer but a know-it-all attitude is career suicide. Keep these simple tips in mind and you should sail through those nerve-racking interviews!

RESUME TIPS

In today's competitive job market, a well-written resume is the single most important factor in getting your foot in the door and on your way to landing the perfect position.
The researches proved that "A WELL WRITTEN RESUME GET 30% MORE SALARY". Remember that a well foundation job will lead you to a high rocket career or mediocre career and all this starts with a foundation stone - A WELL WRITTEN RESUME.

TIPS

1. Overall appearance...makes an immediately favorable impressionis inviting to readis easy to readlooks professional

2. Contact information...is clearly presented at the top.includes address information; permanent and temporaryincludes telephone number(s) where you can be reached day and night

3. Objective (optional; use if yours is specific)...includes type and level of position soughtincludes type and size of organization soughtemphasizes strongest qualifications and skills pertinent to desired job

4. Organization...highlights strongest qualifications or credentialsuses headings to help establish common ground with employeris brief - usually one page unless you have 5-10 years experience

5. Content...demonstrates ability to do the job and speaks to employer's needssupports and substantiates objectivestresses transferable professional skills, accomplishments, and resultscontains only that personal data relevant to the jobomits racial, religious, or political affiliations
6. Education section includes...most recent degree list of other degrees or relevant trainingname and location of university, college, or training institutionmajor, minor, and/or area(s) of concentration or interestrelevant coursework, skills, or knowledge GPA, honors, and awardspercentage of educational expenses earned

7.Extracurricular activities section (optional) includes...list of most impressive offices held, including title and organizationleadership roles and transferable skillspertinent professional memberships

8. Language...is expressed in succinct manneruses action verbs to begin phraseshas short action-oriented phrases instead of complete sentencesis free from grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errorsis in active rather than passive voiceuses vocabulary of the field for which you are applying

9. Layout and space utilization...is crisp and cleanseparates sections and incorporates enough blank space for easy readingcenters text with adequate margins

10. Highlighting and emphasis...uses bold type, underlining, different type styles and sizesis well balanced

11. Printing and reproduction...paper is high quality; heavy weight bondpaper is off-white, ivory, light tan, light gray, or other conventional colorreproduction is clear, clean and professionalprint is letter quality, never photocopied

BE4& DURINGTHE D D-DAY-INTERVIEW

What you should do Before the interview:

a. Research the company.Research the company with whom you are interviewing. Nothing impresses an interviewer more than a candidate that knows about the company. It shows that you have initiative.

b. Be punctual. Get there on time. The importance of punctuality can not be stressed enough. Plan to arrive about 15 minutes early. It shows your regard for the interviewer's time. If you have to wait, use the time to go over your notes.

c. Dress Professionally. It shows that you cared enough about the interviewer and the company to present yourself in a professional manner. In today's work place, most companies do not have a strict code. So if you are one who hates pantyhose or a shirt and tie, relax. This may be the only time you have to do so.

d. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice makes perfect. All the information that you would have obtained about successful interviewing would be wasted if you do not practice. You can know all the questions the interviewer will ask but if you do not practice, it would be as if you di d not. Have a friend go over the questions with you until you are able to answer them promptly without stuttering.

What you should do During the interview:

a. Give the interviewer a firm handshake. Give the interviewer a firm handshake, even if the interviewer is a woman and you are man. Nobody likes a limp handshake but by the same token do not take the person's hand off either. While shaking, introduce yourself keeping eye contact at all times .

b. Smile. Nothing is worse than an interviewee who looks depressed or indifferent. Would you want to work with someone who is always depressed?

c. Maintain Eye Contact at all times. You are confident about yourself and your capabilities. Relay that. Do not stare out of the window or fiddle with your pencil. The interviewer is talking to you or you to him. Be attentive.

d. Speak Clearly. Do not mumble your words. It portrays a lack of confidence.

e. Respond to your interviewer. If he makes a joke, smile to acknowledge that he made one, even if it was not funny.

f. Listen before you answer questions. Make sure you have understood the question. If you do not, ask him to clarify it. Take a second, then answer.

g. Give brief answers. Answer promptly and intelligently. However, when asked yes or no questions, elaborate.

h. Complete the application thoroughly. For salary requirements put negotiable, unless specified not to do so. Then put the salary range for your profession with your experience.

i. Ask the interviewer questions. Even if he does not ask you "Do you have any questions," ask him anyway.

j. Thank the interviewer. Be sure to thank the interviewer for his time.

What you should not do at all:

It may be obvious to some, that most of the things you should not do are the opposite of what you should. However, some people need reinforcing.

a. Be dishonest. If an employer asks "Do you know about ....? and you do not, say No. If you say yes, the next question is almost always "Tell me about it."

b. Chew gum during the interview. It's tacky and inappropriate. I would recommend that you do not before the interview either. You may forget to remove it.

c. Smoke. Do not smoke, even if the interviewer does and offers you a cigarette.

d. Refuse a job offer in the interview. Don't ever refuse a job offer until you have had the time to think about it. It may be the only one you get.

e. Ramble. Make sure your answers are short and to the point.

REQUIRED TRAITS

Here are some of the most important personality traits that a candidate should possess to do well at a GD:
1. Team Player Corporates lay great emphasis on this parameter because it is essential for engineers to be team players. The reason: engineer always work in teams. At the beginning of his career, a engineer works as a team member. And, later, as a team leader. Engineering aspirants who lack team skills cannot be good managers.
2. Reasoning Ability Reasoning ability plays an important role while expressing your opinions or ideas at a GD. For example, an opinion like 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will affect quality' can be better stated by demonstrating your reasoning ability and completing the missing links between fees and quality as: 'Reduction in IIMs' fees will result in less funds being invested on study material, student exchange programmes, research, student development activities, etc. 'Moreover, it costs money to attract good faculty, create good infrastructure and upgrade technology. 'With reduction in fees, less money will be available to perform these ,activities which will lead to deterioration in the quality of IIMs.'
3. Leadership There are three types of situations that can arise in a GD: A GD where participants are unable to establish a proper rapport and do not speak much. A GD where participants get emotionally charged and the GD gets chaotic. A GD where participants discuss the topic assertively by touching on all its nuances and try to reach the objective. Here, a leader would be someone who facilitates the third situation at a GD. A leader would have the following qualities: S/he shows direction to the group whenever group moves away from the topic. S/he coordinates the effort of the different team members in the GD. S/he contributes to the GD at regular intervals with valuable insights. S/he also inspires and motivates team members to express their views. Caution : Being a mere coordinator in a GD does not help, because it is a secondary role. Contribute to the GD with your ideas and opinions, but also try and steer the conversation towards a goal.
4. Flexibility You must be open to other ideas as well as to the evaluation of your ideas: That is what flexibility is all about. But first, remember: Never ever start your GD with a stand or a conclusion. Say the topic of a GD is, 'Should India go to war with Pakistan ?' Some participants tend to get emotionally attached to the topic and take a stand either in favour or against the topic, ie 'Yes, India should', or, 'No, India should not'. By taking a stand, you have already given your decision without discussing the topic at hand or listening to the views of your team members. Also, if you encounter an opposition with a very strong point at the 11th hour, you end up in a typical catch-22 situation: If you change your stand, you are seen as a fickle-minded or a whimsical person. If you do not change your stand, you are seen as an inflexible, stubborn and obstinate person.
5. Assertiveness You must put forth your point to the group in a very emphatic, positive and confident manner. Participants often confuse assertiveness with aggressiveness. Aggressiveness is all about forcing your point on the other person, and can be a threat to the group. An aggressive person can also demonstrate negative body language, whereas an assertive person displays positive body language.
6. Initiative A general trend amongst students is to start a GD and get the initial kitty of points earmarked for the initiator. But that is a high risk-high return strategy. Initiate a GD only if you are well versed with the topic. If you start and fail to contribute at regular intervals, it gives the impression that you started the GD just for the sake of the initial points. Also, if you fumble, stammer or misquote facts, it may work against you. Remember: You never ever get a second chance to create a first impression.
7. Creativity/ Out of the box thinking An idea or a perspective which opens new horizons for discussion on the GD topic is always highly appreciated. When you put across a new idea convincingly, such that it is discussed at length by the group, it can only be positive. You will find yourself in the good books of the examiner.
8. Inspiring ability A good group discussion should incorporate views of all the team members. If some team members want to express their ideas but are not getting the opportunity to do so, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas or opinions will be seen as a positive trait. Caution : If a participant is not willing to speak, you need not necessarily go out of the way to ask him to express his views. This may insult him and hamper the flow of the GD.
9. Listening Always try and strike a proper balance between expressing your ideas and imbibing ideas.
10. Awareness You must be well versed with both the micro and macro environment. Your awareness about your environment helps a lot in your GD content, which carries maximum weightage. Caution : The content or awareness generally constitutes 40 to 50 percent marks of your GD. Apart from these qualities, communication skills, confidence and the ability to think on one's feet are also very important.

GD TIPS

A group discussion can be categorically divided into three different phases:

i . Initiation/ Introduction

ii . Body of the group discussion

iii . Summarisation/ Conclusion

Let's stress on the initiation and summarisation: Initiation Techniques Initiating a GD is a high profit-high loss strategy. When you initiate a GD, you not only grab the opportunity to speak, you also grab the attention of the examiner and your fellow candidates. If you can make a favourable first impression with your content and communication skills after you initiate a GD, it will help you sail through the discussion. But if you initiate a GD and stammer/ stutter/ quote wrong facts and figures, the damage might be irreparable. If you initiate a GD impeccably but don't speak much after that, it gives the impression that you started the GD for the sake of starting it or getting those initial kitty of points earmarked for an initiator! When you start a GD, you are responsible for putting it into the right perspective or framework. So initiate one only if you have indepth knowledge about the topic at hand. There are different techniques to initiate a GD and make a good first impression:

i . Quotes

ii . Definition

iii . Question

iv . Shock statement

v . Facts, figures and statistics

vi . Short story

vii . General statement

Quotes

Quotes are an effective way of initiating a GD. If the topic of a GD is: Should the Censor Board be abolished?, you could start with a quote like, 'Hidden apples are always sweet'. For a GD topic like, Customer is King, you could quote Sam (Wal-mart) Walton's famous saying, 'There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company -- from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.'

Definition

Start a GD by defining the topic or an important term in the topic. For example, if the topic of the GD is Advertising is a Diplomatic Way of Telling a Lie, why not start the GD by defining advertising as, 'Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media like newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor'? For a topic like The Malthusian Economic Prophecy is no longer relevant, you could start by explaining the definition of the Malthusian Economic Prophecy.

Question

Asking a question is an impactful way of starting a GD. It does not signify asking a question to any of the candidates in a GD so as to hamper the flow. It implies asking a question, and answering it yourself. Any question that might hamper the flow of a GD or insult a participant or play devil's advocate must be discouraged.
Questions that promote a flow of ideas are always appreciated. For a topic like, Should India go to war with Pakistan , you could start by asking, 'What does war bring to the people of a nation? We have had four clashes with Pakistan . The pertinent question is: what have we achieved?'

Shock statement

Initiating a GD with a shocking statement is the best way to grab immediate attention and put forth your point. If a GD topic is, The Impact of Population on the Indian Economy, you could start with, 'At the centre of the Indian capital stands a population clock that ticks away relentlessly. It tracks 33 births a minute, 2,000 an hour, 48,000 a day. Which calculates to about 12 million every year. That is roughly the size of Australia . As a current political slogan puts it, 'Nothing's impossible when 1 billion Indians work together'.'

Facts, figures and statistics

If you decide to initiate your GD with facts, figure and statistics, make sure to quote them accurately. Approximation is allowed in macro level figures, but micro level figures need to be correct and accurate. For example, you can say, approximately 70 per cent of the Indian population stays in rural areas (macro figures, approximation allowed). But you cannot say 30 states of India instead of 28 (micro figures, no approximations). Stating wrong facts works to your disadvantage. For a GD topic like, China, a Rising Tiger, you could start with, 'In 1983, when China was still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only stood at $636 million. China actually utilised $60 billion of FDI in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its 1983 statistics."

Short storY

Use a short story in a GD topic like, Attitude is Everything. This can be initiated with, 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled balloons, whether a blue-coloured balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-coloured balloon. The balloon vendor told the child, it is not the colour of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.' General statement Use a general statement to put the GD in proper perspective. For example, if the topic is, Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India ?, you could start by saying, 'Before jumping to conclusions like, 'Yes, Sonia Gandhi should be', or 'No, Sonia Gandhi should not be', let's first find out the qualities one needs to be a a good prime minister of India . Then we can compare these qualities with those that Mrs Gandhi possesses. This will help us reach the conclusion in a more objective and effective manner.' Summarisation Techniques Most GDs do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favour or against the topic. But every GD is summarised. You can summarise what the group has discussed in the GD in a nutshell. Keep the following points in mind while summarising a discussion: Avoid raising new points. Avoid stating only your viewpoint. Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD. Keep it brief and concise. It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the GD. If the examiner asks you to summarise a GD, it means the GD has come to an end. Do not add anything once the GD has been summarised.

Ur journey to ur dream job begins with a thought

# Your attitude determines your altitude (unknown)
# If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right! (Henry Ford)
# The name we give to something shapes our attitude towards it(Katherine Paterson)# For success, attitude is equally important as ability (Harry Banks)
# If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude (Maya Angelou)
# There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes (William Bennett)
# Only if we have the right attitude towards ourselves can we have the right attitude towards others (Wilfred Peterson)
# Our attitude towards life determines life’s attitude towards us(Earl Nightingale)
# We awaken in others the same attitude of mind we hold towards them(Elbert Hubbard)
# Ability is what you’re capable of, motivation determines what you do, attitude determines how well you do it. (Lou Holtz)
# Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude (Thomas Jefferson)
# Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure (Norman Vincent Peale)
# A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug. (Patricia Neal)
# Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." Brian Tracy
# Success is 80% attitude and 20% aptitude (Funmj Wale-Adegbite)
#Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people. --Unknown