Definition of Job Interview

A job interview is a one-on-one interview consisting of a conversation between a job

applicant and a representative of an employer which is conducted to assess whether the
applicant should be hired. Interviews are one of the most popularly used devices for
employee selection. Interviews vary in the extent to which the questions are structured, from
a totally unstructured and free-wheeling conversation, to a structured interview in which an
applicant is asked a predetermined list of questions in a specified order.

12 Tips to Hone Your Job Interview Etiquette

1. Greet your interviewers as Ms or Mr

2. Make sure your cell phone is off...not on vibrate

3. Look people in the eye...and smile

4. Firm handshake

5. Let the company take the lead during your interview

6. Don't step on the last 3 words of someone's conversation

7. Sit up straight and lean slightly forward

8. Take notes during your interview

9. Pursue the job even if your interview is going badly

10. Your interview is not over until you drive down the road.

11. Arrive 15 minutes early...but no sooner

12. Promptly send a thank you note after your interview

Performance of clotching

What matters ?

Your clothing , your jewelry, your make up and your perfume etc. ( yes all this, but only in
addition to your KSA which r d most important things )

a. For males

Clothing :

Dark skin tone : White / white shade shirts with black or blue or brown trousers and
appropriate tie & belt .

Light skin tone : blue or pink with black or blue or white trousers

What other things ?

 Avoid tattoos
 Your shoes
 Your watch
 Your folder/file etc
 Your hair do ought to be decent
 Perfume should be light (musk or sandal would be better off, avoid it if you are
not comfortable and have a nostalgia towards perfume )

b. For females
Clothing
Light skin tone : blue light green or maroon shirts with black or brown trousers
Dark skin tone : white/ light shade shirts with blue or black or brown or ash trousers
Other things
 Your jewellery
 Your sandal and heels
 Your lip stick shade
 Your make up ( from face wash to bleach to foundation to top up cream to
powder to markers , nail polish, bindi, eye make up and all that
Remember
a. There is no ‘one ideal way’ of facing an interview.
b. You have to develop your own style.
c. You have to project yourself in a positive and enthusiastic manner.
d. The prospective employer will be evaluating your
 Attitude
 Appearance
 Personality
 Confidence
 Knowledge about yourself
 Knowledge about the company
 Suitability for the job
 Basic ability to do the job

Types of Interviews
 One-to-one Interview
 Telephonic Interview
 Screening Interview
 Videoconference Interview
 Behavioural Interview
 Group/Panel Interview
 Follow-up Interview

Interview Preparation
Never forget that
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Preparation – In the days before the interview

• Visit the company’s website and research the company, product lines and
competitors.
• Get permission from your references to use their names.
• Prepare answers to the most common interview questions.
Frequently Asked Interview Questions
Most Common Interview Questions
(for freshers/with prior work experience)
1. Tell me something about yourself !
2. What do you know about this company?
3. Why do you want to work for this company?
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
6. What has been your most significantachievement?
7. What are your salary expectations?
8. Are you willing to relocate?
9. What has been your greatest crisis, how did you solve it?
10. How has college prepared you for this career?
11. What was the last book you read?
12. Why do you think we should hire you for this job?
13. Which person has had the greatest influence on you, why?
14. What have you done that shows initiative.
15. Describe a situation with an irate customer and how you handled it? 1
What motivates you? 17. How do you work under pressure? 18. Are you
ready to keep late hours? 19. Why did you leave or are leaving your last
company?

Preparation – before the Interview

 Be sure you know the time, date and location of the interview and the
name of the interviewee.
 Check out how you will get to the location and when you need to set off to
be there on time.
 Have what you are going to wear ready in advance.
 Do not go to the interview laden down with either psychological or
physical baggage.
 Carry multiple copies of your updated Resume, a notepad and a pen.
 On arrival at the venue ensure that the receptionist knows you are there for
an interview.
  If need be visit the wash room to freshen up.
 Do not chew gum, swear or use slang.
 Be sure you know how to pronounce your interviewer’s name correctly.

Presentation and body language

a. Be well groomed and clean.
b. Try to look calm and confident.
c. Have a pleasant and natural smile with a firm handshake.
d. Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor, leaning slightly towards the
interviewer.
e. Avoid nervous mannerisms – like playing with your hair or hands.
f. Do not create any defensive barriers between you and the interviewer like a
briefcase on your knee.
g. Maintain natural eye contact with the interviewer.
h. If there’s more than one interviewer, look at the person talking.
i. When you are talking, shift your glance from one to the other.
j. Do not gesticulate more than needed.
k. Do not squirm and fidget on your seat.
l. Keep nodding and making appropriate noises to show that you are listening to
them.
m. Above all, be yourself.
n. This helps the interviewer concentrate on you and not on what you are doing
in the interview!

Answering Interview Questions

How to answer Interview Questions
Listen carefully. If the question is unclear ask politely for clarification.
Pause before answering to consider all facts that may substantiate your
response – it shows you can think.
Always offer positive information and be enthusiastic.
Get directly to the point.
Discuss only the facts needed to respond to the question.
 Do not open yourself to areas of questioning that could pose difficulties for
you.
Be truthful, but do not offer unsolicited information.
Focus and re-focus attention on your successes. Do not feel low because
of some failures.
Don’t worry about admitting you don’t know – but keep this to the bare
minimum.
Be prepared for hypothetical situation questions – take your time on these.
Be prepared for the unexpected question – it is designed to see how you
cope with the unexpected.
Assume all questions are asked for a good reason and answer accordingly.
If you ask questions, keep them brief. Remember that you are being
interviewed and not the other way round!
Do not bad mouth old employers if previously employed.

What are the interviewer’s concerns while interviewing you?

The Interviewer’s Concerns
 Does the applicant have the ability to do the job?
 How does he or she relate to people?
 What kind of a person is this? A leader or a follower?
 What strengths does he or she have that we need?
 In what areas is he or she weak? How will this affect his/her performance
on the job?
 What contribution has the applicant made in the previous company?
 What are his or her ambitions? Are they realistic?
 Does she or he have growth potential?
 How will the other interviewers react to him/her?
 Should this person get an offer?
The interviewer’s concerns
After the interview
• Thank the interviewer.
• Follow up politely – if you don’t hear within the specified date.
• Chin up – if you did not get selected gear up for your next interview.

Reasons why you didn’t get the job

Reasons why you didn’t get that job
a) The vacancy no longer exists.
b) Competition from an internal candidate.
c) You remind them of someone they once worked with – ‘halo’ and ‘horn’
effect.
d) The job is not what you thought it was – your skills maybe under-utilized.
e) Your skills are not good enough for the job.
f) Most of the candidates could do the job.
g) You were not available to start the job when they wanted.
h) There was someone else who had the edge.
Conclusion

Remember
7 – 10% is what you say
20 – 30% is how you say it
60 – 80% is your image, your body language and the overall impression you
create

Let’s now conduct a few mock interviews to put into practice what we learnt
today….

Mock Interviews
Objective
•To give the students an almost real-life experience in handling an interview.
•The other students who watch the interview in action will give feedback about
what went ‘right’ and what went ‘wrong’ in the interview.

Analyzing the interview – what went ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ in the interview