How to Prepare and Face an Interview

chillibreeze writer  —  Sanjeevni Gangwani

An interview can be defined as a face to face oral communication between the interviewer and the
interviewee in order to assess the views, attitudes and ideas of the interviewee. However the interview
process also enables the interviewee and observers to assess the skill and ability of the interviewer.
Thus, an interview is a test of both the communicants and parties engaged in the interaction.
Intelligence, knowledge, personal qualities and character are revealed and both parties are required to
be well prepared. The process allows everyone involved to make some important decisions. The
candidate decides whether he should accept the position and the interviewer decides whether the
candidate should be appointed; this decision may affect the organizational interests.

The following suggestions are advisable when faced with an interview:

1) Dress appropriately – A well dressed and groomed appearance can do wonders for that first
impression. Now is not exactly the time to make a fashion statement so a tastefully chosen
professional outfit, with suitable accessories like a hand-bag or brief case should be fine.

2) Posture and Carriage - The way in which the candidate carries himself while walking and sitting
tells the interviewer about your confidence. Good “carriage” and posture have to be developed over a
period of time and are essential in distinguishing a shoddy and careless attitude from a sharp and alert
one.

3) Be confident - Self confidence, or the lack of it, is observed through your behavior, right from the
way you sit to how you speak. Good manners and proper behavior are obviously necessary. Suitable
greetings for the time of the day and other formalities must be known to the interviewee; for
example, sit down only after being told to; elbows must not be put on the table; the brief case or bag
should be kept on the floor beside the chair and do not play with any of your accessories or clothes.
Nervous movements betray show a lack of confidence and concentration.

4) Mental Preparation - The candidate should be well informed about current events, domestic and
international, and topics of general interest. Regular reading of newspapers, listening to radio and TV
discussions, participating in group discussions and general reading habits are helpful activities in
developing the required mental status for an interview.

Information about the organization, its directors, turnover, share capital and other relevant
information which are available in its annual report, is expected of candidates by public limited
companies. A candidate must know as much as possible about the prospective employer company.

5) Go back to the books - The candidate should also possess adequate knowledge in the subjects
studied during graduation and professional examinations. A reasonable revision of the subjects can
solve the purpose. Several general questions and biographical questions are usually asked by the
interviewers and candidates should be well prepared to answer them.
 6) No guessing games - In situations where the candidate does not know the answer to a question it
is always better to state ones inability to answer than to make a guess. No one is expected to know
everything; admitting that one does not know the answer reflects honesty.

7) Be clear - A candidate must have clarity of purpose and determination enough to want to know his
prospects in the organization. He/she must be able to ask questions about the nature of duties,
employee benefits, future prospects and other things which he may want to know about the
organization before taking any decision.

8) Know your own worth - It is advisable to talk about salary without appearing to be bargaining
and without being driven or defeated. This requires careful prior thinking; if possible this topic should
be discussed with the family and with experienced elders or friends. It is useful to assess ones
training, experience, proved ability, as well as needs, in order to quantify ones worth. It is, of course,
necessary to know the payments made for similar positions or work in other companies.

9) At the end, candidate’s are usually not sure when to leave. If the interviewers indicate that the
interview is over, collect your bag, wish them and thank them for their friendly attitude and leave.
Some candidates, due to nervousness, seem to be in a hurry to leave and forget to wish or thank the
interviewers. Always remember that your parting movements are also closely observed so hurried and
frantic movements may betray an earlier composed attitude.

In order to succeed in an interview each individual must make an honest self-assessment and find out
one’s areas of strength and weakness. Knowledge of one’s deficiencies is useful in overcoming
weaknesses and unconscious bad habits of posture or speech can be improved by effort. Shortcomings
which cannot be overcome can be accepted and acknowledged so that they do not lead to depression
and embarrassment when others notice them. Therefore, coming to terms with oneself and knowing
how to deal with one’s faults, and how to make the best use of one’s knowledge and skills, is another
vital element in preparing for an interview.

Tips For Facing a Job Interview

 Posted by Raj in Career Guidance
 2 Comment
We might have seen our friends struggling with job interviews even though they are the most
experienced or best qualified candidate for that particular job. To motivate and alleviate the fear of a
job interview, let’s discuss in this post on how to prepare for a job interview and how to perform at
the time of interview etc., in brief.

What is an interview?
In an interview for a job, an employer evaluates a potential candidate to establish how suitable he/she
is to serve the organization. Such an interview always takes place in some form or the other before
the employer makes a decision to hire. Before an interview, the employer scans the resumes sent by
various aspirants to shortlist the candidates whose aptitude matches the requirements. So when an
aspirant is invited to an interview, it means that the hiring manager believes the candidate might be a
good match for the job opening, and he wants to confirm that. The interview is used to determine
whether the candidate is qualified for the position. An aspirant who can answer questions in a way it is
acceptable, but not necessarily right, to the interviewer, someone who knows well about the potential
employer’s business and the post they hope to fill, easily cakewalks through the interview. These are
essentially the basics to be a successful candidate though there are other aspects that employers may
look for in relation to specific posts with their own ideas, ideologies and aspects related to the job and
to the company’s preference with respect to the employees. Interviewing as a method for selecting an
ideal candidate is itself an inherently flawed process. This is because it is almost impossible to judge a
candidate’s true aptitude and experience in an interview spanning just a few minutes. A well-
structured interview process takes place at multiple levels. A telephonic screening round will usually
precede an actual face-to-face interview. This allows the hiring manager to assess the candidate’s
overall capabilities and motivation. If a candidate passes this round, he/she may attend a personal
interview with the hiring manager. The candidate may face a single interviewer/HR person or an
interviewing board comprising multiple representatives. They will question the candidate on various
different aspects of his/her professional life, aspiration and overall skills/ability.
The gravity, complexity and difficulty of a job interview depend largely on the job for which the
candidate has applied. “Blue collar” or functional job interviews are generally less demanding than
“white collar” or executive job interviews. Accordingly, everything from dress code and the
candidate’s overall presentation have different bearings on the interview’s outcome. For certain
professions like medical transcription, interviews can also include a form of audition/listening
comprehension skill test. The candidate is required to display physically his/her skills in that particular
profession. Apart from that, the candidate will also have to prove sufficient professional training in
the field.
The behavioral aspects of a job interview seek to establish the candidate’s ability to tackle difficult
situations. They also focus on the candidate’s ability to make personal decisions, shoulder
responsibility, handle or interact with a team and effectively represent the employer’s company.
Often, parts of the interview may seem to have little or no bearing on the job in question.
Nowadays, there is increased emphasis on pre-interview preparation. This is especially true in the
case of selection procedures in business schools and high-end business jobs. By studying the
requirements of such interviews beforehand, a candidate can greatly increase his/her chances of
selection. To perform a good show in your next interview, find below a few  tips aimed to give you
some information in general on preparing and facing a job interview.
Preparation Tips For Facing Job Interview
Evaluate yourself
Review your skills and character traits that could help the organization’s bottom line. Think in terms of
the value that you can add to the position and the company you intend to join.
Analyze the organization
Prior to attending the interview, do some research about the company that you have applied. Surf the
web/company’s website for their annual reports and brochures. Also, study about the company on job
boards or recruiting sites.
Evaluate your job history
Review your past achievements mentally and be prepared to describe your work experience in detail.
Put together samples of your achievements and some reference letters to be presented to the
interviewer as a proof of your past achievements. Gather some good words to describe your
experience in terms of responsibilities and achievements at each job.
Expect questions
Try to anticipate the general questions that will be asked. One general question that you will surely be
asked is “Tell us about yourself.” If posed with this question, focus your answers on your background
and a few professional and personal accomplishments. Stress on your achievements. For example:
Your sales records, the processes you have developed or systems installed, projects that you initiated,
etc. Medical transcriptionists, your overall accuracy, speed, proficiency in English, productivity etc.
 Think of the worst questions you could be asked about your experience and abilities, then prepare
positive responses.
 As well, anticipate the following set of questions:
 Tell us about your background and accomplishments.
 What are your strengths and weaknesses?
 How would you describe your most recent job performance?
 What interests you about our company?
 Why do you want to leave the current job/company?
Prepare your own questions
Employers are as much interested in your questions as they are in your answers. Intelligent questions
about the position, company and the industry will have a favorable reaction. (For eg, what would I be
expected to accomplish in this position? What are the greatest challenges in this position? How do you
think I fit the position?)
Visualize your interview
Get a bigger picture of the interview. Imagine yourself performing. A major share of your success in
the interview depends on the impression you make in the first few minutes. To succeed, you must
project a professional, competent and enthusiastic image. Your aim is to convince the interviewer that
you would be an asset to the company.
Miscellaneous
To avoid unnecessary stress, choose your interview attire the night before. Your clothing should be
appropriate for the position you’re seeking. Attire must fit well within the office and be immaculate. If
you don’t know what the typical attire at the company is, call and ask! Shoes should be polished;
pant/skirt, shirt, hanky and tie pressed. Clean hair and fingernails are essential. Hair should be styled
conservatively. Confirm the time, date and location of the interview and the name of the interviewee.
Gather and file those certificates, references, interview letter and other necessary materials that are
to be taken along to the interview. Take an extra photo and resume with you. It may happen that the
interviewer may need an additional set of your CV and photo.
Acts To Do On The Day of Interview
Be punctual
It is always better to arrive an hour early than arriving a few minutes late that leaves a bad
impression. This will give you ample time to catch your breath, gather your thoughts and make a
quick trip to the washroom to give your appearance one final check. Report your arrival to the
receptionist.
Body language
The key to success is to work your body in tune with your mouth; positive movements should support
positive comments. Raise your eyebrows slightly upon meeting to draw attention. Your facial
expressions can tell many stories. Enter the room with a relaxed smile, this will give a perception of
openness and a friendly attitude, and will put both the parties at ease. A tight face or a tensed smile
will indicate the inability to handle stress.
Greetings
When you first step into the interview room, all the attention will be naturally on your face and it is
the key point when the interviewer forms an impression about you. So give positive expressions.
Greet the interviewer by his/her last name. If you are unsure of the pronunciation, better check it with
the front desk personnel before walking into the interview room.
Handshake
A firm, upright handshake is appropriate and projects confidence. Make eye contact when you
shake. A limp handshake portrays weakness and lack of confidence, at the same time crushing the
interviewer’s hands portrays dominance. The handshake is to last not more than 3-5 seconds, with a
maximum of 6 pumps. Check out the Art of shaking hands and The worst way to shake hands.
Eye contact
Try to establish an eye contact as early as possible. If you try to avoid eye contact, the interviewer
may perceive that you are hiding some thing or are an element of untrustworthiness.
Seating
Always wait for the interviewer to offer you a seat, if not offered ask. Sitting before the interviewer
offers you the seat can give very bad impression like overconfidence/arrogance or nervousness.
Be brief
During the initial phase of the interview, the interviewer does the majority of the talking, explaining
about the position, the company and other general information. At this stage positive body language
works to your advantage. Be cautious about transmitting any negative non-verbal messages. The
interviewer will catch them from your eyes, face and upper body. The best interviews have a give and
take atmosphere. To do this, you need to ask questions and try to draw out your interviewer rather
than talking about yourself nonstop. A general rule is you should speak one-third of the time and
definitely no more than half of the time.
Parting
If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected,
do not let your discouragement show. Once in a while an interviewer who is genuinely interested in
you may seem to discourage you as a way of testing your reaction.
Remember to thank the interviewer for his/her time and end the session with a confident and firm
handshake. On the completion of the interview, rising before you are invited to do so, forms an
impression of being impatient and not interested in the interview. Shake hands upright in the same
manner as you did when you arrived. This displays friendliness and acceptance of the interview, and
also leaves a positive impression on the interviewer. Finally, walk away with energy.
Follow up
This is a crucial and often overlooked final step in the interviewing process. It is essential that you
write a thank-you note to every person you met at the company. Your most important letter should go
to the interviewer(s). In your letter, be sure to summarize your conversation and reemphasize the
skills you would bring to the position. Thank them for their time and ask if it is all right to call later to
see how their search for a candidate is going. That candidate may well be you!
Hope these interview tips and techniques place you in good job. Good luck.
Facing an interview
 
There are different kinds of interviews.

Patterned Interviews: Highly structured, systematic. Same questions asked to each candidate in order to
compare. Often used for initial screening of applicants. Frequently used during on-campus interviews.

Non-Directive Interviews: Interviewer asks open-ended questions to allow applicant to express

himself/herself in a unique way. “Tell me something about yourself.”

Stress Interviews: Used to analyze the candidate’s ability to handle stressful situations. Used to weed out
 people who react defensively or are easily injured.

Group or Panel Interviews: Instead of one individual, a committee comprised of managers, co-workers or
people from other departments examine a candidate.

Behavioral interviews: An interviewer asks you to describe situations such as “Tell me about a situation
where you had a conflict with your family member. How did you handle it?” The recruiter will use the rule-
past performance predicts future behavior. If you acted irrationally in the past, the recruiter will assume that
you will elicit that behavior in the future. The recruiter will not move to the next question until you have
specifically described a situation.

In order to understand better, let us divide the total aspect of facing an interview into: before, during and
after the interview.
Tips to crack tricky questions
Do you wonder that despite a good resume why you haven't landed a good job? 

Most likely the problem lies with you and not with your resume. It's not always that your resume gets you the dream
job. It also depends how well you manage the interview part, especially the 'tough and tricky' questions.

 Don't blame others 

There are many tough questions that put pressure on you or create stress. What if you are asked: "Why did you leave
your last job?", or "Why have you had so many jobs?" If you say your last boss was an idiot, or all your jobs have
been terrible, you'll be seen as someone who blames others and fails to take responsibility for your own actions and
decision. 

Moreover why would employers want to employ someone who doesn't take responsibility and come up with answers,
not problems? Employers don't want to employ people who blame others. 

"Always express positive reasons and answers when given an opportunity to express the negative. Never blame
anyone or anything else," says Amy Lightfoot who teaches 'Interview skills' as part of Spoken English at British
Council India, Delhi. 

"I was ready for more challenge", or "Each job offered a better opportunity, which I took...," such responses are
better.
 Sell yourself
Remember, the job interview is a platform to market yourself. It is a strategic conversation with a purpose. Your goal
is to persuade the employer that you have the skills, background and ability to do the job and that you can
comfortably fit into the organisation and its culture.
 Keep your praise & observations credible & realistic
"The best technique to handle such question is to praise your past employers. However, keep your praise and
observations credible, realistic and relevant. Try to mention attributes that your interviewer and prospective new
employer will identify and agree with. This will build association and commonality between you and the interviewer,
which is normally vital for successful interview outcomes," explains Lightfoot. 

However, there can be real tough ones: "Why should we appoint you?" or "What can you do for us that other people
cannot?" 

Nevertheless, Shiv Khera author of bestseller "You Can Win" explains, "Candidate has a choice here as to how to
play this: he can either go for it strongly, re-stating his relevant strengths -- behaviour, experience and skills, or he
can quietly confidently suggest: I don't know the other applicants, so it would be wrong for me to dismiss their claims.
However, I am sure that I have all the main attributes the role requires, which, combined with determination and
positive approach, should ensure that I'd be a very good choice."
 Be positive 
He further says that the candidate should be positive in saying, "I don't know the other applicants, but generally I
excel at..." and pick up strengths that most fit with what they're seeking.
 Maintain calmness 
Most of the candidates fail due to fear and tension. Rajeev Vaid, CEO, Smart Hiring, Delhi says, "A candidate's
resume may be good, he may have good IQ but a successful interview depends also on emotional quotient. How well
he handles the pressure questions. However, one should maintain calmness even if the interviewer howls."
 Do your homework well 
The only way to handle such situation is to be confident, credible and constructive (accentuate the positive) in your
answers. And more important is 'preparation for the interview'. Plan and rehearse your 'verbal resume'. You will
almost always be asked, "Please tell us about yourself," so be prepared with a good response, tailored to the job at
hand. Prepare a written list of likely interview questions and job requirements. Prepare key points you need to make
to demonstrate your specific accomplishments in each area.
Why did you leave your last job? 
Why have you had so many jobs? 
Why do you want this job? 
What qualities do you think are required for this job? 
Why should we appoint you? 6. What can you do for us that other people cannot? 
What can we offer you that your previous company cannot? 
What are your greatest achievements within and outside the workplace? 
What are your great strengths and weaknesses? 
How has your experience prepared you for this position? 
If you are asked what questions you have, and you don't have any, the interviewer may get the impression you
haven't done your homework, or aren't seriously interested in the position. Prepare your questions in advance and
phrase them to demonstrate your insight and ability to handle the position. "Often, the most successful applicants are
those who simply out-work their competition," points out Khera.
 Communication is the key skill 
Develop your verbal communications skills. Having great management or technical skills and a strong record of
accomplishment is not helpful if you can't verbally convey you successes.
 Answer questions directly 
Then elaborate with examples. Choose examples that highlight past successes and relate it to the projects or issues
that interviewer is facing, but avoid excessively lengthy responses. The purpose of tough interview questions is to
encourage interviewees to think about themselves and to give the interviewer clear and revealing information as to
the interviewee's suitability for the job. One key to success is to use every means at your disposal to develop
effective interviewing skills, including selective presentation of your background, thoughtful answers to typical
interview questions, well-researched questions about the organisation, and an effective strategy to market yourself.
There is no magic to interviewing. It is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice.