PERSONAL INTERVIEW

NOTE: use these skills with caution…

you could end up getting every job you apply for !

Interview goals: Job candidate

Obtain information about position and organization Determine whether position is suitable for you Communicate important information about yourself

Favorably impress the employer

Tailoring your curriculum vitae: What does the company need?

You may need to make the dates a little vague if there are

gaps in your career

Summarize ambitions and key achievements at the top ; keep personal details to a minimum

Employment details in date order with the most recent at the top

List your personal selling points (punctuality, honesty, ability to communicate ,loyalty, efficiency-consciousness)

Before the interview

Research Job / Company/Product

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Prepare and Anticipate Questions

Know Your Resume Contents

Before the interview

Know Who You’re Meeting

Confirm Date / Time / Location

Be Well Rested

Day of the interview

Appropriate Professional Attire

Good Grooming / Personal Hygiene

Arrive on Time / Correct Location

Day of the interview

Turn Off Cell Phone!

Leave Kids / Relatives / Friends at Home

Bring Extra Resumes / Reference List

Establishing rapport with the interviewer:( things that really matter) Who do they choose? At the end of the day, they choose the

guy they like best.

Are you comfortable with people who are senior to you in status?

Do you find it difficult to relax and be open with authority figures?

Are you stiff and even sometimes a little aggressive?

Or excessively quiet and unassertive?

Opening moves:

Be aware of your surroundings and people waiting for you

Take you out of yourself and be less self conscious You are a “celebrity” for whom people are waiting for, so walk

with confidence

Opening moves:

Smile

Make eye contact

Wait to be invited to sit

Address the interviewer formally unless invited to use first names

Speak clearly ( don’t be nervous)

Pacing and leading:

Don’t assume that the interviewer controls your pace

Take it to a level which enables you to make your best impression

Match the speed of your gestures and voice and ease down to a manageable speed

Interviewer’s level of interest will rise with your own if you can moderate the pace

During the interview

Speak Directly to Interviewer

Make Eye Contact

Open Body Language

Be Confident / Professional

During the interview

Answer Questions Completely

Provide Relevant Information

Use Action Words

Give Specific Examples

During the interview

State How You Can Contribute

Focus on Employer’s Needs

Avoid topics: Time Off / Salary

Ask the right Questions

Thinking on your feet

Buying signals:

The interviewer is trying to fit you into a slot in the organisation

Demonstrate that you are the right size and shape for that particular slot

Analyze the job criteria and decide what to sell

Asking questions:

Asking right questions are as important as answering the questions right

Asking questions gives you control and breathing space

Eg: What kind of performance appraisal questions do you have? What would be the opportunities of growth in the organisation? Save the worst till the last (about pay, conditions, equal rights,

benefits etc)

There is no rule against asking direct questions and no prize for being unnecessarily devious

Controlling the content:

Focus your mind on your strong points

Let go the part of your experience, which is irrelevant to your potential employer

A well written CV gives you lots of hooks for focus on your good points and achievements

Make sure you at least have an informed opinion on any books, films that you may refer to in the interview

Listening skills:

Your interviewer will tell you exactly what they want to hear-if u listen carefully

Active listening prompts the person you are listening to and help

them relax

It builds rapport

You can use the following carefully:

Nodding

Interested facial expression

Attentive body language, leaning forward, alert

Being remembered for right reasons:

Looking good

Feeling good

Sounding good

Seeing eye to eye

Looking good:

Concentrate on looking clean and smart than glamorous

Make sure you are:

Clean: shower and wear clean clothes and shoes, minimize perfume and aftershave

Covered

Checked: for smudges and dandruff

creaseless: do not wear linen

Feeling good:

Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves

Smile If you find yourself in an interview situation where stress or an

aggressive interviewer is winding you up like a spring then you may use the following:

Breath deeply and slowly

Imagine your interviewer as a cartoon character (use this only if someone is seriously threatening)

Sounding good:

Clear

Polite

Mature fluent

Seeing eye to eye: Don’t gaze for too long and make the interviewer

uncomfortable

Don’t be too shifty

Don’t look directly at the person’s eyes (focusing on their nose or forehead may be comfortable)

The sincerity triangle runs between the eyes and down to the nose

Avoid the triangle which includes the nose and mouth

After the interview

Send Thank You Letter

Emphasize Your Interest

Follow Up With Phone Call

Interview mistakes

Arrive Late / Wrong Time / Place

Too Much Cologne / Makeup

Monotone Voice

Interview mistakes

Use Interviewer’s First Name

Without Permission

Talk About Personal Problems

Use Street Slang

Interview mistakes

Talk Badly About Former Employer / Company /

Products / Co-workers

Talk Too Much / Too Little

Lie / Exaggerate / Arrogance

Interview mistakes

Set Limitations / Make Demands

Say You’re Desperate to Find a Job

Rush to Talk About Salary / Benefits

Common dreaded questions

What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

Why Should I Hire You?

Why Do You Want to Work Here?

Common dreaded questions

Why Does Your Resume Show a Gap in Employment?

Why Did You Leave Your Last Position?

Tell Me About a Time When You Made a Bad Decision / What Did You Do About it?

Human resources tips:

Be prepared Location and punctuality Be professional Be polite Be positive Be practical

Typical questions and suggested answers:

Tell me about yourself? I am down-to-earth, smart, creative, industrious,

and thorough Prepare a customized write up based on what kind

of interview you are about to appear for and rehearse it many times

Why should we employ you?

I have good co-ordination skills Good analytical skills Ability to motivate people I don’t lose my cool even during emergencies Good entrepreneurial skills Good team player Ability to work in difficult conditions

(try to give appropriate examples)

What do you know about our company?

Do not give your opinions about the company

Stick to reported facts that you have gathered from newspapers and so on

Talk about the product portfolio, size, income, and

market perceptions of the company

Why should we choose you over someone else?

Talk clearly about problems that you have solved in your College/Project Team and highlight the quality required

How much do you think you are worth?

you would know how much other people in similar jobs are paid. Quote the range upfront

If you can bring some extra skills to the table, do

not hesitate to ask for more than the market value

Which is more important to you-salary, perks or growth opportunities?

be true to yourself If you think this is a negotiation move, then say

clearly that you will never sell yourself short

What do you expect to be doing five years from now? Ten years from now?

The interviewer is looking for evidence of career goals and ambitions

The interviewer wants to see your thought process

and the criteria that are important to you

Criteria based questions:

These are the likely criteria for which the interviewer may be looking for:

Initiative Stress tolerance Adaptability Leadership Problem analysis Interpersonal skills Team attitude Reliability Persuasiveness Innovation

How do you plan your day?

By asking this question the interviewer might be trying to find how well organised you are

“I review the day before I go to sleep at night and make some final notes in my diary about anything that’s left over. Then in the morning I am always on the early train, so I go through my detailed list. I prioritise my tasks and estimate how long each one is likely to take, allowing some leeway for emergencies. The last thing I do before I go home at night is review what’s been done and what hasn’t.”

Do’s of an interview:

Do take a practice run to the location where you are having the interview -- or be sure you know exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there

Do your research and know the type of job interview you will be encountering

do prepare and practice for the interview, but don't memorize or over-rehearse your answers

Do dress the part for the job, the company, the industry. And do err

on the side of conservatism

Do’s of an interview:

Do plan to arrive about 10 minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable. If you are running late, do phone the company

Do bring extra resumes to the interview

Do shake hands firmly. Don't have a limp or clammy handshake!

Do wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. And do remember body language and posture: sit upright and look alert and interested at all times. Don't fidget or slouch

Do make good eye contact with your interviewers

Do’s of an interview: Do show enthusiasm in the post and the company

Do avoid using poor language, slang, and pause words

(such as "like," "uh," and "um")

Do have a high confidence and energy level, but don't be overly aggressive

Do avoid controversial topics

Do make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a factual, sincere manner

Do’s of an interview:

Do stress your achievements. And don't offer any negative information about yourself

Do show off the research you have done on the company and industry when responding to questions

Do always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing. Never close the door on an opportunity until you are sure about it

Do show what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you

Don’ts of an interview:

Don't rely on your application or resume alone to do the selling for you. No matter how qualified you are for the position, you will need to sell yourself to the interviewer

Don't be soft-spoken. A forceful voice projects confidence

Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate

for employment

Don't say anything negative about former colleagues,

supervisors, or employers

Don’ts of an interview:

Don't ever lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and

succinctly. And don't over-answer questions

Don't bring up or discuss personal issues or family problems Don't go to extremes with your posture; don't slouch, and

don't sit rigidly on the edge of your chair

Don't assume that a female interviewer is "Mrs." or "Miss." Address her as "Ms." unless told otherwise

“Being the best you can be in three quarters of an hour isn’t easy but…planning and practice can work out miracles for you”

Thank you &

All the Best