Crack that interview

A Dialog presentation

Polishing Your Interview Skills

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Preparation is the key

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

How do you prepare?

Colin Powell

Anticipate questions. Think through answers1.What is the interviewer looking for? 2. What questions do you expect?

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Polishing your interview skills

1. Preparation

2. Making a good impression –your physical appearance and body language

3. Dealing with nervousness

4. Common questions asked and how to answer them

5. Handling the stress interview

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1. Preparation

1.1 Preparing a sales pitch

1.2 Giving answers that convince

1.3 Homework about the

organisation

1.4 Rehearsal

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1.1 Selling yourself in a job interview

1. Who is the salesman?

2. What is the product?

3. What do you have to prove?

A fine person

Someone obviously able to do the job

On two levels

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Fine Person?

Intelligent & smart

Analytical & logical

Goal oriented & a planner

Leader, but also team player

Healthy & well groomed

Courteous & cultured

Cheerful & optimistic

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The interview

1. How do interviewers get this information?

2. What kind of questions are asked?

3. How do I ensure they get answers to these questions?

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Selling yourself

1. Develop your sales message into brief capsules

2. Ask yourself “What are my selling points?”

Achievement EnthusiasmExperience Leadership Initiative Hard workerEnergy Persistence

•Describe two major achievements•Describe your strengths and weaknesses•What are your special abilities•What make you a good investment for an employer

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Typical questions?


Five fundamental questions

1. Why do you want to work with us?(Have you done enough homework about this company?)

2. What can you do for us?(or, what are your skills and knowledge base?)

3. What kind of person are you?(or, will your personality fit in our organization?)

4. What distinguishes you from all other candidates?(What is the extra something you have?)

5. How much will you cost us?

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Past behaviour potential indicator of your future behaviour on the job

Use STAR•Situation: describe setting/situation•Task: what needed to be done?•Action: what did you do?•Result: what was the outcome?

•Be specificBe specific

•If you later decided you would act differently, If you later decided you would act differently, explain thisexplain this!!

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Tips on answering

Relevant to job/ skill

Should reflect effort put in/difficulties faced (STAR)

Action words- designed, saved, increased, solved

•project•organized Magnum Opus-Techno Management festival•summer job•organized durga puja /Capt of hockey team•stood for elections•mess secretary

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1. Support answers with instances/ incidents


Tips on answering..Contd

Headline sums up article

1st para lays out entire story

1st sentence of every para tell

what para is about

Major points earliest, details, trivial

points at the end

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2. Answer Newspaper Style


Tips on answering..Contd

3. Be honest

4. If finished answer, stop talking. Don’t ramble.No monologue please!

5. Don’t be negative How do you feel about the future of Civil

Engg?

Would you live your life differently if you

could?

Never criticize (faculty, system, etc)

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1.3 Homework about the organisation

Research the Co & the position• Office locations• Products & services• Customers• Competitors• Philosophy/ history/ culture• Recent news• Financial information including salary

& stock

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1.4 Rehearsal

Fool-proof formula: P³

prepare 15 mt capsule (key selling points)

Practice answers to common questions

Rehearse with a friend List of questions for interviewer

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2. Making a good impression –your physical appearance and body language

2.1 Dress & appearance

2.2 Carrying to the interview

2.3 Avoiding negative body language

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2.1 Dress & appearance

Dress conservatively Clothes clean, well ironed, shoes shined Minimize make-up, cologne, jewelry Check before entering: hair, teeth,

general appearance Hands & finger nails well groomed

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2.2 Carrying to the interview

folder/ file of good finish(no plastic carry bags please)

list of key selling points list of questions for interviewer 3-4 copies of resume charts & figures (if questions get

detailed) business journal (if u have to wait)

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2.3 Avoid negative body language

• frequently touching mouth/ covering mouth

• closed position• faking a cough to think about answer to a

question• gnawing on your lip• tight or forced smile• fiddling with fingers• slouching• shaking leg or foot• avoiding eye contact• picking at invisible bits of lint

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To sum up…

1.Arrival: be on time2.Confidence:

smile, firm handshake open body language eye-contact clear voice remember to listen

3.End with hand-shake, thanks

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3. Dealing with nervousness

Do you have to convince interviewer to hire you? its a 2-way street like dating - both parties have to like each other

You are not the only one nervous Know the organization Take deep breaths P³ Be yourself

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4. Some common questions asked

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# 1 “ Tell me about yourself ”

1.Don’t be wimpy and grasp for help

“Well, what particular aspect would you like to know about?”

2. Plunge in and cope!

3. No more than 2 mts; hit highlights

4. Broad-brush personal portrait

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2 # Special Achievements

1. Most recent

2. Should relate to

job/ position/ trait

3. Instigator or

soldier in platoon?

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1. Strengths are the heart of the sales pitch

2. More good than bad one (ratio 4 : 1)

3. Weakness: A strength carried to a fault

-”don’t like routine...….”

-”I like to do things myself.....”

3 # Strengths & Weaknesses

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# Weaknesses..contd

Interviewer is interested in knowing about gaps/ failures/

flaws

What has been your biggest mistake?

Disagreements with peers, teachers, etc.

Subjects you don’t like

Weaknesses

In what areas do you need to improve

Never happened/ Can’t thinkBe honestBalance positive with negativeStrength carried to a faultSay what you learnt

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4 # “ What appeals to you about our job & our Company? ”

Study the Co prior to the interview

Annual reports/ latest Co publications

Refer to specific Co goals & how you could

contribute

“I would like to part of this growth/

change/ project...

“Would like to solve current problem...”

Reputable/ Multinational Co

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5 # “ What would you like to know about us? ”

Benefits & salary Can you tell me about the organization ? Key problems & opportunities to be

addressed by the person At the same time, homework? Check for common view of such issues

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# 6. What do you know about our Co ?

Know: products, size, income, image, goals

I don’t know much... Say you would like to know more

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# 7 What do you look for in a job?

opportunity – to perform; be recognized

# 8 How long will it take you to make a meaningful contribution?

be realistic – 6-12 months

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#9 Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others

1.Flexibility2.Give examples how you have worked in

both situations (be honest)

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#10 What are your career goals/future plans?

Show you are ambitious enough to plan ahead

desire to learn more/ improve performance

How you will meet your goalsAre your plans and Co goals

compatible?Want to see thought process/ criteria

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# 11. Ideal working environment?

Where people are treated as fairly as possible

# 12. Salary expectations?

Research on market value “I don’t know – what are you planning to

pay the best candidate? “My understanding is the job may be in

the range of...”

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# 13. Any questions? Important opportunity to learn & be evaluated Requires advance preparation Prepare 5 good questions

I read in ET/ Mint that... What do you guys do here? No Salary & benefits Will I be required to relocate?

# 14. What have I forgotten to ask?

Summarize characteristics-how they will benefit organization

You understand job requirements & you can succeed

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# 15. “ Any interests outside work ?”

Must mention something

Active sports

Shouldn’t take away significant

time away from work

Books - comment knowledgeably

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THE INTERVIEW

“How do u handle pressure?” Interrupts u frequently/ asks u a question before

u have finished contradicts/ argues with you

1.DON'T take things personally. Play the game.

2.Find creative ways of dong things

3.Pause briefly after question. Consider your

answer and deliver it pleasantly.

4.Requires good listening and giving a deliberate

answer

5.

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Thank You

you can contact us at [email protected]

9810201297 (India)


Career

Crack that interview