Interview Preparation.

An invitation for an interview shows that, on paper, you are the right person required by the organisation for the vacant position. In fact, it is estimated that 80% of candidates are rejected at the application stage so you are really more than three quarters of the way towards getting the job!

Larger organisations will have interviewers who are often personnel professionals, or who are trained and experienced interviewers, so expect the interview to be very structured to obtain the maximum from you. In smaller firms you are more likely to be interviewed by a partner who may not be a trained interviewer. If you are confronted by a ‘bad’ interviewer you will have to work hard to use the questions as a means of conveying the points you wish to make. It can be a good idea to try to steer the conversation towards the topics you have particular strengths in, highlighting your good points.

There are several different types of interview/questioning techniques: -

• The straightforward chronological interview, where you are asked questions around your CV / Application form.
• Criterion referenced interviews, where you will be asked to give examples of how you meet their criteria e.g., examples of teamwork, negotiating, leadership
• The off-the-wall questions where you might be asked some bizarre questions. This is to see if you can think on the spot and how creative/logical you are.
• The pressurised interview where your views will be challenged (or even ridiculed) and you might feel like you are being goaded into an argument. If this happens to you do not lose your cool, it is to test how you react under extreme pressure and to see if you can hold your own without starting a fight or being reduced to tears.
  

Preparation is essential if you want to do well. Have a look at the checklist:
Stage 1 - Preparation

• Re-read your resume.
• Prepare questions to ask and to be asked.
• Work out clothes to wear.
• Rehearse interview.
• Anticipate the obvious questions during the interview.
• Work out a strategy for dealing with stress.
• Read vacancy details, employer’s literature - what they are and what they want.
• Know where the interview will take place

Stage 2 - First Impressions Count

• Arrive in good time.
• Make a good entrance.
• Body language - handshake, posture, eye contact.
• Smile.

Stage 3 - The Interview

• Be yourself
• Be honest
• Be prepared to talk - but not too much
• Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification
• Illustrate your answers with examples
• Be ready to sell yourself Be interesting

Stage 4 - The Final Stage

• Know when the interview is over - read employer’s body language
• Thank him/her for his/her time
• Learn from the experience - ask for feedback if necessary
  

Questions You May Wish To Ask
The Organisation

• Major current projects
• Future developments

Work

• What you would be doing
• How long for
• Typical projects/timescales
• Variety of work.

Training

• Training offered/possible
• Help with professional qualifications

Colleagues

• Who would you work with?

Location

• Where would you be based?
• How much travel/mobility

Prospects/Salary

• Likely progression
• Where are previous graduates

General Way of Life

• Accommodation, amenities, limits on free time etc
  

Questions You Can Prepare For:-

• Tell us about yourself
• Why did you choose your degree and what have you gained from it?
• What has been your most important achievement in life so far? Why?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why have you applied for this job?
• What do you have to offer us?
• What are the current issues in this sector of work?
• What experience do you have of working in a team and what role did you play in that team?
• Describe a project you have successfully completed.
• How would your friends describe you?
• Describe a situation you have found difficult. How did you overcome it?
• What questions would you like to ask us?
  

If you would like help with interviews come to the Careers Service to talk to an adviser. We have a video available called, “Why Ask Me That?” which shows you how to do well at interviews. We also have a range of books on interview techniques for you to look at.

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

Reference books - Health & Safety!!!!!!

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

Scared about Telephonic Interview.

How difficult did you find the last time you were on a telephonic interview for a long searched job? Did you make it???

Here is a little wrap up on the Do’s & Don’ts while on a telephonic interview…


1. Do give correct and detailed contact information so your interviewers can easily connect with you.


2. Do ensure that your family is aware that this telephonic conversation is important in your job search


3. Do know about the job and the company you are interviewing forDo practice. Modulate you tone. Check your speed and pronunciations. Take appropriate pauses.


4. Do make sure you are in a place where you can read notes, take notes, and concentrate. ensure that you can hear and are being clearly heard.


5. Do make synopsis to avoid fumbling. This will also make you more confident since you are prepared. Ask thoughtful questions to end the conversation intelligently.


6. Do also have your resume with you, so that you have all the necessary important information handy.


7. Don't get nervous between conversation breaks. If you've completed a response, but the interviewer hasn't asked his or her next question, don't start to fill in airtime.


8. Don't panic if you have special needs. If you are hearing-impaired, for example, phone interviews are still possible.


9. Don't snuffle, sneeze or cough. If you can't avoid these behaviors, say "excuse me." Don't eat or drink while speaking.


By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

Closing the Interview.

Knowing how to successfully close interview can make the difference between getting the job and being one of the unfortunate individuals who receives a rejection letter in the mail. While much attention is given to the matters of how to write a resume and cover letter as well as what to expect in regards to interview questions, far too many job seekers are unprepared when comes to knowing how to successfully close an interview. Keep in mind that this is perhaps your last opportunity to demonstrate why you are perfect for the job. Successfully closing an interview walks a fine line between being too aggressive and not being aggressive enough.

It's always a good idea to bring along some questions that you can ask the interviewer at the end of the interview. This shows that you have more than just a passing interest in the position and truly want the job. If you have taken the time to do your research on the company, this also demonstrates initiative and increases your chances of being hired.

Once all questions have been asked and answered, it is quite appropriate to ask the interviewer when they anticipate making a hiring decision as well as what the next step in the interviewing or hiring process will be. Make a point to ask the employer for a business card so that you can have readily available contact information for following up with the employer in the days to come. This will also make it much easier for you to mail the all important interview thank-you letter as soon as you return home.

Also don't forget to shake hands with the employer and summarize how your skills and experience, as well as ambition and desire, make you the perfect candidate for the position. If you're really confident and don't mind taking risks, you might ask "So, is there anything stopping you from offering me the job right now?" This ploy should only be used if you feel the interview has gone well, however. Otherwise you might be setting yourself, as well as the interviewer, up for an embarrassing response.

A much milder version of this tactic would be, "Is there anything else I can answer for you to make a hiring decision?" If you really aren't sure how well the interview went and don't want to waste your time waiting for a call that may never come, you could simply ask, "Have I done well enough to advance to the next level of the hiring process?"

This puts all the cards on the table and an employer who appreciates honesty and frankness will reciprocate by letting you know where you stand. If for some reason, you were not the candidate the employer was looking for this may give you a golden opportunity to clear up something that might make you the ideal candidate. Otherwise, at the very least, you won't be spending the next two weeks waiting by the phone and you can begin concentrating on other employment prospects.

In the event that the employer does not offer you a firm commitment and seems to be a bit hesitant about when a firm decision will be made, don't take it as a personal affront. There could be any number of reasons why the employer is reluctant to hire you on the spot-the least of which could be the need to consult with superiors. It's important that even if you are disappointed about not receiving a job offer on the spot that you remain positive, up beat and confident. Finally, take the time to thank the employer for meeting with you. Above all, remember to always be professional no matter what happens.

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

How I blew up my change to bag a great job!

A Truly Smart Job Seeker, before a long awaited interview is intricate about details like formal attire, information about the company and the job he is applying for. But not everyone is so smart! Here are some mind boggling incidences on how some "not-so-smart" Job Seekers blew up their chance to get the job they were trying very very hard for.

You can't misbehave.Hold Your Moods!!

You must be there on time and put your best foot forward! Be graceful and well behaved. Don't keep checking the time in your wrist watch as if you were bored of the process. "One applicant asked the hiring manager to speed things up so he could catch a bus." But the weirdest story came from a hiring manager who said, "One applicant said the company had a black aura and left." Now this kind of an attitude will not get you a job ever!

BE Professional PLEASE.

Your first impression can make or break your chance to get the job- but "not-so-smart" applicants don't understand the concept of formal attire. These ultra-cool candidates arrived at their interviews in T-shirts and jeans, but the worse is to come. One job hopeful arrived at his interview displaying a hairy chest, medallion, strong cologne and a wad of gum in his mouth. And which is worse: the applicant who wore a housecoat and slippers or the one who wore his slippers with a bathing suit and T-shirt?

But even the "so-called-smart" and impeccably dressed candidates can appear very unprofessional. Singing the national anthem, trying to sell the interviewer a car, doing yoga at the interview and showing off your new gadget will have similar effects!

Nervous breakdown's in the making..

Some degree of anxiety is normal - even beneficial - at an interview, but hiring managers report some candidates take nervousness to the extreme. Applicants fumbled, giggled, babbled, and even did not remember the job they were applying for - but they were the lucky ones. Other, "not-so-smooth" job seekers wet themselves, and one applicant fainted in the reception lobby.

Being acquisitive is fine.but don't look greedy!

Employee benefits are important to you and to every job seeker but asking the benefits in the initial contact is not recommended. "Not-so-smart" job seekers are very impatient to know about salary, time off, vacations - even a raise before they are offered the job. Other, more audacious candidates complained about the working hours, and one even asked, "How soon can I have your office?"

Stop acting Frantic!

YES!! You want the job, but wowing the interviewer with your skills and qualifications is much more effective than outright bribery. Some candidates just went across and offered interviewer gifts, money and far more for a job offer!

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)

Be-ware of the common ones!

No way can you foresee each n every question you might be asked in an interview but you can be smart by preparing sturdy, crisp responses to usually asked questions. Nearly all interviewers ask analogous questions to get acquainted with candidate's abilities & experience and evaluate his capability to do justice with the job.

1. Introduce yourself.

This is over and over again the first question in an interview. It's the most complicated one if you're not all set. Keep in mind, the interviewer does not want to hear about your hobbies. Its time for one-minute gist of your years of experience and skills in the context to the job you are looking forward to get. Sell your professional self.

2. Why should we hire you?

Most people answer generally, so you need something substantial to stand out. Give genuine examples that demonstrate you as the best-suited for the position. Highlight your achievements and undertakings that are relevant to get the job.

3. Why do you want this job?

Use this occasion to demonstrate how much you know about the company and, most prominently, how you fit best. Concentrate on challenges in the job and organization to show your comprehensive knowledge. Spot out things you have done in past job to take care of the similar issues.

4. What are your weaknesses?

Answer this question to your benefit. "I would turn my weaknesses into strengths," For example, if my weakness is lack of tolerance I would counter it by saying; I have learned particular measures to make sure I remain composed and considerate." Don't pretend that you do not have a weakness.

5. Why did you quit your previous job?

Never evaluate your previous company, the boss, or colleagues. You should have a fine perceptive of the job you're applying to twist this question. You may say that, you really enjoyed various aspects of your previous job and spotlight on how this new job will give you the chance to contribute meticulously on areas that are essential for the current position.

6. Where would you be five years from today?

Don't get swayed away by your five-year plan. You are expected to speak about goals related to the job. This will reveal that you know the industry, the organization and you are looking forward to grow here.

Remember the interviewer is trying to find if you can play a positive role in the organization!

By POST A RESUME (www.postaresume.co.in)