Preparing For A Winning Interview E-Book

Bibhu Prasad Mishra

• Herausgeber: V&S Publishers
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 338

Beschreibung

Polishing inputs for a successful interview

Leseprobe

Bibhu Prasad Mishra

Preparing for aWinning Interview

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© Copyright: ISBN 978-935-05729-0-0Edition: April 2012

The Copyright of this book, as well as all matter contained herein (including illustrations) rests with the Publishers. No person shall copy the name of the book, its title design, matter and illustrations in any form and in any language, totally or partially or in any distorted form. Anybody doing so shall face legal action and will be responsible for damages.

Contents

Preface

PART-I: Interview Preparation

1. Researching About the Interviewer

2. Preparing for the First Interview

3. Interview Patterns

4. Common Pattern of Interview Questions

5. Significance of Rehearsing and Practising

6. Plan Your Interview Attire

7. Reaching On Time

8. Arriving At the Interview

9. First Impressions Last Long

10. Confidence and Enthusiasm

11. Handling Tricky Situations

12. Asking Questions

13. Closing the Interview

14. Thank-You and Follow-Up Communications 85

15. Subsequent Interviews

16. Handling Salary Negotiations

17. Asking for References

18. Job-Searching Etiquettes

19. Interview Etiquettes

20. Standing Out in an Interview

PART- II: Self Management

1. Essential Personal Skills

2. Develop Your Soft Skills

3. Improve Your Interpersonal Skills

4. Communication Skills

5. Boost Up Your Self-Confidence

6. Leadership Skills

7. Establishing a Successful Teamwork

8. Effective Influencing

9. Failing to Set Goals

10. Managing Your Time

11. Self Motivation

12. Basics of Conflict Management

13. Change Management

14. Solving Disputes at Workplace

15. Meeting Your Deadlines

16. Achieving Negotiation Skills

17. Self Esteem

18. Creativity and Innovation

19. Adaptability

20. Developing Good Attitude

21. Office Etiquettes

22. Behaving with Superiors in Your Office

23. Coping with Daily Distractions

24. Your Career Success Equation

Annexure: Must Read Popular Books

Preface

It gives me immense pleasure to present this book before you. The knowledge shared in this book primarily aims to prepare job-hunters to face the challenges of changing corporate environment, and learn the tricks and skills to excel at job front as well as in job interview process.

The title of this book “Preparing for a winning Interview” itself speaks about the theme of this book. It sends a message to the readers that to win over the race, one needs to understand and learn basic skills and traits to stand out among the crowd. So be prepared in advance, because it is important to survive in a competitive scenario where meeting deadlines will not leave you with sufficient time to focus on other aspects of job. Therefore, before work pressure and confusion throw you out of the race, be prepared and learn to survive.

Author

 

PART-I

Interview Preparation

1

Researching About the Interview

Interviewers describe lack of knowledge about the company as one of their main reasons to reject a candidate. So make a habit of doing your homework.

The employers expect you to know about their organisation and industry. It is quite likely that they will ask you questions designed to test how well you have done your homework. For example, you could be asked one or more of these questions to assess your knowledge of the company:

What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?

Do you enjoy doing independent research?

Do you have any plans for further education?

Why do you want to work in this industry ?

What do you know about our company?

Why are you interested in our company?

Collect Information

Well, the first thing to do is to examine the company’s website. Other external sources of information may also be tapped. But don’t stop here. Spend some time getting acquainted with the key industry that the company or division operates within. You can find all the resources you need by visiting company website or search about the company in the following:

Google search

Annual Reports or other printed materials of the company

People employed with the company whom you know as part of your network or alumni

Also spend time upgrading your interview skills and style. Do some research to determine the type of interview you should expect during your visit.

If possible, ask the company contact person or his assistant for a copy of the interview schedule and make sure you get the names of those who are interviewing you. Try to find out information about these people. The web is a great source for providing this type of information.

Make sure you know the exact post you are interviewing for so that you have an idea about your duties and responsibilities, as well as salary range. Determine the qualities so that you can develop the abilities to cope up with the position. Figure out as much as possible about the employer’s needs. Learn as much as you can about the company.

Step-by-Step Method to Conduct Research on Companies

One of the most essential skills a job-seeker can learn during a job-search is research skills. The quality of your research skills may make or break your job search. So, improve your research skills. You’ll find that research skills will not only help you in searching for a new job, but will come in handy in many other situations in the future.

Information is one of the most crucial aspects of job-search; the more you know the easier it is for you to find information; the more are your chances of success. Employers value job-seekers who possess key information about the company because that knowledge demonstrates your interest and enthusiasm for the company and for the job.

Let’s move on a short journey through the basic steps in conducting company research:

Step l: When to Start Research: For most job-seekers, there are three crucial times to conduct research.

The first is when you are just starting your job-search and looking to identify popular companies in your industry or even in a particular geographic location.

The second is when you are applying to an employer; it’s always best to relate yourself to the company and shape your cover letter and resume for each employer individually.

The third is when you have been invited to a job interview; you’ll want to display your knowledge of the company or industry.

The sooner you get started, the better result you will get.

Step2: Information You Need To Know: You have to gather two types of information.

The first type of information deals with general company information. The types of information you might gather here comprise of the following information:

Products and services

History and corporate culture

Organisational mission and goals

Key financial statistics

Organisational structure

Locations

The second type of information deals with the following:

Employment issues that include things as career paths and advancement opportunities

Benefits, diversity initiatives, and other human resources functions

Of course, you may also research the industry, key competitors, and countries where the company has offices.

Step 3: Where to Start From: If you really have no idea of what companies might be best for you, there are some good places to start. A number of media groups have already done the research for you - and have produced various ‘best’ lists like best employer of the year, best private companies, best employee-owned companies, companies ranking in Forbes 500 list, etc.

Step 4: How to Find Company Information: The single best resource of company information is the company’s Website. You can find the company site by typing the company name in your browser. For example, if you were trying to find information on Reliance, all you need to do is enter www.reliance.com. and company’s website will open. However, not all companies have such obvious web addresses, so the next easiest thing to do is go to your favourite search engine, such as Google.com, and type the company’s name in the search box. Then simply follow the link to the company’s website.

Sometimes the information you will find on a company’s website is limited. Although companies normally place adequate information on their sites, the private companies (not traded on any stock exchange) do not provide sensitive information. The next best solution in such a situation is to read external reviews and profiles of companies.

Another vast source of company information comes from articles and stories published in various media outlets. There are factually thousands of media outlets, from national news and business publications to specialised industry-oriented publications.

Primary Tools for Conducting Company Research

Log on to Google.com and find the company’s Website. Most public companies have a section of their Websites dedicated to investor relations and often have their annual reports online which can be downloaded easily.

Web-Based Secondary Sources can also be used for conducting company research. They include:

• Naukri.com - a website that displays large database of openings.

• Monsters.com - a job search website.

• Jobbala.com - provides a place for people to rate your jobs and to do research on reviews of potential employers from others. It is not designed to be a rant and rave place, but a place where you can anonymously express your feelings about your current and past employers.

• Timesjobs - it offers a vast array of opportunities to Indian job seekers. There are several ways to find jobs on this site. You can simply fill in the search form and take a look at the results. You may read lists such as Hot Employers and Featured Employers. You could submit your resume for free and stand a chance to have it seen by one of the 25,000 recruiters that visit the site everyday. Verifying the Job Fair calender is another good option. Career Services are available to job seekers who wish to have professionally written resumes seen by hundreds of placement consultants.

• CyberMedia Dice - CyberMedia Dice is a specialty job directory for professionals looking for technology related jobs. Employers can be found in listings like recent job postings, top employers, featured companies, city search and jobs from consultants. Alternatively, you can use the site’s search tool and just type the areas or companies you are interested in. Registered members can post their resume online and be sure that it will be seen by potential employers that are truly interested in tech-savvy workers. A useful set of Career resources can be found at CyberMedia Dice. It includes interviews with HR Managers and career planning advice.

• Latest Jobs India - it is a website that contains several articles for job seekers. These articles deal with a variety of professional areas, like telemarketing, the taxation sector, human resources, data entry, customer service, accounting and management, to name a few. Academic and scientific Jobs are also discussed and include topics such as biotech career, teaching and research jobs. But the site’s most useful resource is certainly the list of sample resumes. There are sample resumes for various types of workers, like quality control inspectors, travel agents, wholesale buyers, technical illustrators, surveyors, telecommunication consultants and technical writers, among others.

• ClickJobs.com - ClickJobs.com is an Indian job-seeking portal. It currently offers more than 65,000 job opportunities in different fields. You can register for free at the site and post your resume online. As a member you will be able to save different resumes (each of them for a different area of expertise), apply for jobs via SMS and receive offers in your inbox. ClickJobs.com makes several channels available to its visitors about industries such as technology, marketing, engineering, travel and sales. By going through these channels you will stay informed about the latest news and job offers from top companies.

• Jobs Ahead - visit JobsAhead to have access to plenty of job offers. Highlighted categories include IT, call centre, HR, sales, finance, banking, pharmaceutical, retail and legal jobs. There are also eleven city-specific job listings and cities not covered by them are mentioned in a separate page. By becoming a member of the site, you will have your resume open to more than 10,000 employers and will be able to apply for all jobs online, besides receiving job alerts by email.

3. Web-Based Company Research Links like Yahoo! Business and Economy: Companies provide links to various company websites.

2

Preparing for the First Interview

As a fresher some people find it very difficult to find a job. There are different types of jobs available and if you have the confidence or if you know how to attend the interview, then you can easily get your dream job.

Here are some tips to follow while preparing for your first interview as a fresher:

• Wear clothes conservatively. Remember to dress in professional manner. Avoid using tattoos, facial piercing and unusual hair colour.

• Give a small introduction about yourself and inform the recruiter that you are thrilled regarding the opportunity of the employment and you are ready to take on responsibilities and challenges offered in the job.

• Offer them a firm handshake. A good handshake helps in forming a good impression about you.

• Talk to the potential recruiter with full confidence. Speak softly and clearly and do not murmur. Give a pleasant smile and stay focused on the discussion.

• Sit straight without crossing your hands and legs. Keep your head high and maintain eye contact with the recruiter through the interview.

• Complete the paperwork correctly and try to avoid making mistakes. Carry the entire necessary details with you, for instance your Identity card, driver’s license and work permits etc.

• After finishing your interview do not forget to convey a thank you message to each person you talked to throughout the interview. Declare that you enjoyed talking with them and reaffirm your confidence in your skills to carry out the work.

• If you do not get any reply from the recruiter within a week, follow up with the company by making a telephone call.

Conquering Interview Nervousness

While attending interviews, everyone becomes nervous and this is quite natural. Due to this nervousness or tension many of them can not attend the interview successfully. This mainly happens due to the lack of confidence and self-belief. People usually consider interview as a questioning section by a strange person who will evaluate them by their responses. They do not realise that the interviews are as advantageous for them as for the organisation.

In order to conquer these kinds of problems, first of all, you must prepare yourself mentally for attending the interview confidently. This can be done by boosting your confidence level thinking that this profession is for you alone. To eliminate your nervousness you must do some hard work prior to your interview like preparation for the possible questions that can be asked by the interviewer. Moreover you must be equipped with some information of the organisation such as its accomplishments, future plans, products etc. This is the kind of information that will be more helpful for you in order to prove that you are the right person for this organisation. Another important thing is that at the time of interview you must act confidently even though you are tense.

Before the interview you must be totally stress-free, as stress is one of the main reasons which diminish one’s presentation skill. If you cannot reduce stress, then do something that gives you more comfortable and pleasure. Smile has an important role in reducing stress. In fact, smiling is a natural remedy to stress as it discharges endorphins. Or else you can take deep breath. This also makes you fresh and more relaxed.

Go through your resume thoroughly two or three times and be ready to answer all kinds of questions related to your resume.

Helpful Tips to Follow during the Interview

You should be well prepared and should carry everything with you which are needed for the interview.

You should keep a good eye contact with the recruiter, as it exhibits your confidence.

Avoid showing your nervousness by being restless, fitting your tie or touching your dress repeatedly.

Try to be positive while speaking and use your hands to articulate yourself.

Top Five Values Employers Look for in Employees

1. Work Ethics: Employers value employees who understand and possess a willingness to work hard. In addition to working hard it is also important to work smart. This means learning the most efficient way to complete tasks and finding ways to save time while completing daily assignments. It is also important to care about your job and complete all projects while maintaining a positive attitude. Doing more than what is expected on the job is a good way to show management that you utilise good time management skills and don’t waste valuable company time attending to personal issues not related to the job. Downsizing in today’s job market is quite common so it is important to recognise the personal values and attributes in order to improve your chances of job security as a layoff may occur in the company later during your tenure.

2. Responsible: Employers value employees who come to work on time; are there when they are suppose to be; and are responsible for their actions and behaviour. It is important to keep supervisors abreast of changes in your schedule or if you are going to be late for any reason. This also means keeping your supervisor informed on your progress in all the projects you have been assigned. Being dependable and responsible as an employee shows your employer that you value your job.

3. Positive Attitude: Employers seek employees who take the initiative and have the motivation to get the job done in a set time frame. A positive attitude gets the work done and motivates others to do the same without dwelling on the challenges that inevitably come up in any job. It is the enthusiastic employee who creates an environment of goodwill and who provides a positive role model for others. A positive attitude is something that is most valued by supervisors and co-workers and that also makes the job more pleasant.

4. Adaptability: Employers seek employees who are adaptable and maintain flexibility in completing tasks in an ever changing work environment. Being open to change and improvements provides an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more efficient manner while offering additional benefits to the corporation, the customer, and even the employee. While employees sometimes complain that changes in the workplace don’t make sense or makes their work harder, mostly these complaints are due to a lack of flexibility.

Adaptability also means adapting to the personality and work habits of co-workers and supervisors. Everyone has individual strengths and weaknesses and adapting personal behaviours to accommodate others is part of what it takes to work effectively as a team. By viewing change as an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more efficient manner, adapting to change can be a positive experience. New strategies, ideas, priorities and work habits can foster a belief among workers that management and staff are both committed to the same cause.

5. Honesty and Integrity: Employers value employees who maintain a sense of honesty and integrity above all. Good relationships are built on trust. Successful businesses work to gain the trust of customers and maintain the attitude that ‘the customer is always right’. It is the responsibility of each person to use their own individual sense of moral and ethical behaviour when working with others and serving them within the scope of their job.

Six Useful Tips on Making Good Impression During an Interview

Collect some information regarding the company and the job post for which you have applied. Your knowledge about the company and its ideologies will make a good impression on the person interviewing you.

Ensure you look the part. If you are interviewing for an administrative post it may be a bad plan to wear jeans and a T-shirt. Conversely, if you are interviewing for a post as a salesman at the shop, you may not need to wear suit and tie. Get ready to play your part accordingly.

When the recruiters introduce themselves, you must stand up, look them directly in the eye, introduce yourself and offer them a firm handshake. Throughout the interview look the interviewers directly in the eye but avoid staring at them. While they are speaking, focus and look directly at them. This gives them an impression that you are listening and are really involved in whatever they are speaking to you.

Take notes. It gives the interviewer an idea that you are really interested in this job. Moreover it will help you to note queries if there happens to be a next interview.

Be respectful and smile at them. Keep in mind that the person performing the interview is a human being. It is acceptable to laugh while they crack some jokes.

Do not hunch. Sit straight and concentrate on what they are saying. Moreover, remember never to curse. It is also a good idea to never speak roughly about your present or previous employers.

Handy Skills

What if you don’t possess all the skills required for the job? That’s where handy skills come in. These are the skills you have got your hands on during any activity in your life like jobs, classes, projects, parenting, hobbies, sports, almost anything. These skills are handy and applicable to what you want to do in your next job. During the interview, be ready to point out your handy skills to the interviewers.

Career Portfolio

A career portfolio is a job-searching tool that you develop. It gives employers a complete picture of who you are, your experience, your education, your accomplishments, your skill sets and what you could be. It is much more than just a cover letter and resume. You can use your career portfolio in job interviews to display a point or to explain the depth of your skills and experience.

Your major time might be spent on development of your portfolio, but once you have developed it, keeping it up-to-date should be quite easy. While developing your portfolio, you must determine the format and organisation of the portfolio. Most experts agree that the portfolio should be kept in a ring binder or zipper. You should add a table of contents and use some kind of system - such as tabs or dividers - to separate the various parts of the portfolio.

Apart from the usual portfolio, if you have access to a job-search web site, you may consider developing an online web-based portfolio.

Once the improvement is complete, you then have to gather, write, copy, and assemble the material that goes in the portfolio. This process will not only result in a professional portfolio, but should help you to be better prepared in your job search.

Portfolio Design

Here are some fundamental categories. Don’t think you need to use the exact ones for your portfolio. As you consider these items remember that you want to site reasons for the employer to hire you. For this you may need to display your education, work experience, evidence of your work, skills and accomplishments.

Career synopsis and Goals: A description of what you stand for such as work ethic, organisational interests, management philosophy, etc and where you see yourself down the line three to five years.

Professional Attitude / Mission Statement: A short description of the guiding principles that drive you and give you purpose.

Customary Resume: A summary of your education, achievements and work experience, using a chronological or functional format.

Scannable Text-Based Resume: A text-only version of your resume should also be included.

Skills, Abilities and Marketable Qualities: A detailed assessment of your skills and experience. This section should include the name of the skill area; the performance or behaviour; knowledge or personal traits that contribute to your success in that skill area; your background and work experiences that demonstrate your application of the skill.

List of Accomplishments: A detailed listing that highlights the major accomplishments in your career to date. These are one of the most vital elements of any good job-search.

Illustration of Your Work: A sampling of your best work including reports, papers, studies, brochures, projects, presentations, etc. Besides print samples, you can also include CD-ROMs, videos and other multimedia formats.

Research, Publications, Reports: A way to showcase multiple skills, including your written communication abilities. Include any published papers and conference proceedings.

Testimonials and Letters of Recommendations : A collection of written appreciation you have received from customers, clients, colleagues, past employers, professors, etc. Some experts even suggest including copies of favourable employer evaluations and reviews.

Awards and Honours: A collection of any certificates of awards, honours and scholarships.

Conference and Workshops: A list of conferences, seminars and workshops you have participated in and/or attended.

Degrees, Licenses and Certifications : A description of relevant courses, degrees, licenses, and certifications.

Professional Development Activities: A listing of professional associations and conferences attended and any other professional development activities.

Volunteering / Community Service: A portrayal of any community service activities, volunteer or work you have done especially if it relates to your career.

References List: A reference list comprises of two to five people including their names, titles, addresses, phone and email etc, who are willing to speak about your strengths, abilities and experience. At least one reference should be a former employer.

Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume

To convince a potential employer that you deserve an interview, you probably have about 60 seconds in your hand. So your resume should precisely summarise your accomplishments, your education, your work experience and should reflect your strengths.

A standard chronological resume comprises of: Your Contact Address: It is essential that a potential employer can reach you easily. This section should include your name, address, phone number(s), e-mail address and a permanent home address. Job Objective: A job objective is optional and should only be included for new college pass outs and those changing careers. Otherwise use your cover letter to show your career interests and job objective.

If you do use an objective, make sure your objective explains the kind of work you want to do and keep it short with no more than two to five lines.

Accomplishments: The career experts suggest adding a section that highlights your key accomplishments and achievements. Think of this section as an essential summary of your resume in order to identify key accomplishments that will grab the attention of an employer.

This section can also be tided as Professional Profile/ Key Skills/ Summary of Qualifications/ Qualifications Summary/ Qualifications. Education: For fresh college pass outs, this should be your next entry. There is emerging a growing trend of employers wanting your GPA or GRADE in this section. If you decide to do so, make sure to use the GPA or GRADE that puts you in the best form. This section should also include school(s) attended (including years of passing), degrees and honours and awards received.

For others with full-time work experience, this section should follow your experience section.

Professional Experience: This section can also be labeled “Experience”, “Work History” or “Employment”. We like using the term Experience, especially for new college pass-outs, because experience is broader than work history, allowing you to include major school projects that display your skills and abilities.

This section should include company name, your job title, dates of employment and major accomplishments. List experiences in turn around chronological order, starting with your most recent experience.

List your accomplishments in bullet format rather than paragraph format. Avoid discussing job duties or responsibilities.

If you don’t have a lot of career-related job experience, consider using handy skills to highlight your work experience better.

Finally make sure to make use of action verbs when describing your accomplishments.

References: This section signals the end of your resume. This section should only include a statement saying references are available if asked upon. Do not include the names of your references on your resume.

Use Action Verbs in Your Resume

Action verbs are the spice to your resume. Without them, your future employer would not know what it was that you were so amazing at doing. Action words help to clarify what tasks, accomplishments and assignments you have done in the past. Never resort to just saying “worked at” or “made sure” or “did this”. The lists that you will read below are all presented in past tense, since in your resume if you have completed a task, it should be presented in past tense. If you are still in the process of doing something, write it in the present tense.

You want to captivate your audience and this can be done with less words. Show them the experience and knowledge you have already gained through simply picking appropriate words from the various categories given below:

For Management and Business: Most corporate jobs entail many different roles and responsibilities.Positive action words especially establish the kind of work you have done at your previous job. In the case of business jobs, keeping your language professional and varied is the key to a stellar resume.

For Communication and Public Relations: If you are just out of a communications program from post-secondary education, or your job involved a lot of work with other people, action verbs can show that you’ve done more than just talking. The importance here is that you show just how well you can communicate and elaborate on your past experiences.

For Technical and Research: It is hard to describe tasks that have jargon and other words that relate to the field in which you are applying without using good action verbs. In the technical jobs you may feel that you should describe the tasks that can purely be labeled as “worked on”. But don’t fall into this trap!

For Education and Training: As they say, “if you can read this, thank a teacher!” Why not thank a teacher by showing your vocabulary! There are many different ways to show that you have “taught”. This is a very good indicator to employers that you are able to lead others and be patient with them. This is a great quality to have if you are thinking of either going into teaching or a job that requires lots of teamwork.

For Teamwork and Collaboration: Remember that you are not supposed to say “we” in your resume. But a lot of times, there are projects, assignments and jobs in general where you are constantly working with others. It would not be fair to just say you have done all the work, so use some good adjectives to show that you have worked in a team but still contributed to their positive successes.

Highlight Your Accomplishments

It might have happened that you have been instructed to list your career accomplishments and you can’t think of any. Or you are asked in a job interview, “What accomplishments are you most proud of?” and you can’t name even one. You know you have had accomplishments, but you are unable to recollect them instantly.

The inability to come up with accomplishments happens to lots of jobseekers. Accomplishments are the points that really help sell you to an employer - much more so than everyday job duties and you can pull your accomplishments for job-search success at all stages of the process: resume, cover letter, interview, and more. Career counselors stress that “employers are seeking success stories.” It has been observed that resumes are now focusing not only on ‘regular’ job descriptions, but also include actual, calculable accomplishments.

A resume should be accomplishment-oriented, not responsibility-driven. Such a resume does not grab anybody’s attention. People aren’t interested in your responsibilities. They already know the general responsibilities of a position so they don’t want to know what you do from day-to-day. They want to know that you’re a mover and a shaker. They want to learn as to how you contribute to the organisation; how you show initiative; and that you can be a key player. That’s what they want to see.

Candidates often write about what their positions entailed and not what they actually did. So they tell employers their job was to do ABC. Employers say…. we need to know what accomplishments you made in your role. This makes you different than another candidate.

Employers would like to know the scope of your responsibilities, size of budget, geographic territory, number of team members you led or were a part of, product lines, and reporting relationship relevant to each of your roles in the previous years.

To a large extent, if a job activity cannot be portrayed as an accomplishment, it may not be worthy of mention in your resume, cover letter, application or even in an interview.

So remember, an awareness of the importance of accomplishments does no good if you haven’t been keeping track of all your wonderful achievements.

Lesson One: The minute you start a new job, start keeping track of your accomplishments. Keep a log in a little notebook, in index cards, in a computer database, on a little tape recorder or on your palm device.

But what about all the jobs that have gone by in which you haven’t recorded your accomplishments?

Lesson Two: Use the following prompts to brainstorm all those terrific things you did.

Always list some accomplishments that make your stand different from other candidates.

In each job, what special things did you do to set yourself apart?

How did you do the job better than anyone else?

What did you do to make each job your own?

How did you take the initiative?

How did you go above and beyond what was asked of you in your job description?

What special things did you do to impress your boss so that you might be promoted?

Why were you promoted? Rapid and frequent promotions can be especially noteworthy.

How did you leave your employers better off than before you worked for them?

Did you win any awards, such as “Employee of the Month” honours?

What are you most proud of in each job?

Is there material you can use from your annual performance reviews?

Did you consistently receive high ratings?

Any glowing quotes you can use from former employers?

Have you received any complimentary memos or letters from employers or customers?

What tangible evidence do you have of accomplishments or publications you’ve produced, products you’ve developed, software applications you have written?

Think of the “PEP Formula” - Profitability, Efficiency and Productivity. How did you contribute to profitability, such as through sales increase percentages?

How did you contribute to efficiency, such as through cost reduction percentages?

How did you contribute to productivity, such as through successfully motivating your team?

Speak of figures. Employers love numbers. For Example:

Increased sales by 60 per cent over the previous year.

Produced total meal sales 30 per cent higher than those of the other servers in the restaurant.

Supervised staff of 27.

Served a customer base of 170, the largest on firm’s customer-service team.

Here are some more prompts:

How did you make your company more competitive?

How did you build relationships or image with internal or external constituencies?

How did you attract new customers or retain existing ones?

How did you expand the business?

How did you contribute to the firm’s Return on Investment (ROI)?

How did you help the organisation fulfill its mission statement?

Finally, a word of caution! Resist the temptation to blow your accomplishments out of ratio. Accomplishments should be calculable whenever possible and always provable. Don’t risk having a prospective employer call a former supervisor and ask, “Did he really save the company from bankruptcy?” and have your ex-boss say, “Who is he?”

3

Interview Patterns

There are various types of interviews. You need to learn how to get prepared for them separately.

Telephonic Interview

Nowadays most of the companies are conducting interviews over telephone. As an initial stage in a selection process the employers are increasingly using phone interviews as a cost saving screening device, mainly to cut down on travel expenses to bring in candidates from far-off locations. Many of the same principles of interviewing apply to phone interviews, but some aspects are quite different.

Attending Telephone Interviews: Unlike an interview where the date, time, and location are planned beforehand, there is no permanent system for a telephone interview. Some interviewers may tell you in advance when they are likely to call but some may simply decide to lift the receiver and make a call to you presuming that you will be available. At the same time, even you can not be sure as to the person calling is from the HR or any other person from consultancy.

So be well prepared to attend a telephonic interview, if you have sent any application for a job. If they inform you the date and time for the telephone interview then it will be easier for you to get prepared.

Be confident and cool during the telephone interview so you can enhance your performance.

The chief concern of the interviewer, throughout a telephone interview is to assess you by means of your communication skills. Some features that are evaluated during a telephone interview are:

How better do you speak on the telephone, where you are unable to see your recruiter?

Do you feel uneasiness if you can not view the recruiter’s responds?

Do you feel confident, skilled, fascinated and excited in spite of the absence of non verbal signs from the other end?

Are you left stuttering and groping for words, distressed by irregular uncomfortable silences throughout the telephone call?

These are main things that you need to remember while attending the telephone interview. Enhancing the manner in which you speak on telephone is not just how you talk. It is important that you speak relevant things. You can certainly make some positive changes in the way you answer through a smart preparation.

Your preparation must involve thinking through certain queries that you could be inquired with reference to your resume, and how you can attend those answers. But this does not imply that you must learn the answers by heart. It is just that you should prepare a list of expected queries and understand how you will answer them. You can write down points for every answer or just note down some words to explain your ideas.

This kind of preparation will ultimately facilitate you in the real telephone interview by:

deducting the time utilised for answering the question;

will make sure that the answers are concise and short;

will decrease needless break and silence at your conclusion;

will also point out to the recruiter that you are a thinking individual with proper career strategy and are gravely attracted in the job opening at the company.

If you get caught off-guard as you had not thought through a list of predictable queries your answers are likely to be lengthy, missing attention and you would come out as a puzzled person, which is absolutely not what you wish the recruiter to think.

Therefore, remember the entire points we have discussed here and practice well for your interview. Practice makes you perfect. The more you practice the more successful you become so practice, practice and practice.

Course of Action for Successful Phone Interviews:

If the interviewer has missed you when calling to schedule the interview, be sure you have a professional-sounding outgoing greeting on your voicemail or answering machine. If you have others in your family, ensure that anyone who answers the phone can professionally take a message.

Request a friend or family member to conduct a mock phone interview with you for practice.