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How to succeed in a Job Interview

Before Interview

1.     
Think and Think ..why do you want to
attend that interview. Are you serious about it.  If your answer is yes ..Then proceed.  This is for focused person with a sense of
dedication.

2.     
Prepare well for the interview. It may
take one of two days of  desk work and
rehearsal. (Yes before you go to the stage, please practice at room. Not a
Joke)

3.     
Prepare answers for the following
interview questions which are common in most of the job interviews. But be
prepared for surprise questions in the interview

Ø     
Tell us about yourself (Take job
profile and list your qualifications according to that)

Ø     
Why should we select you? (
Enlist  your key competence areas that
are required for handling the job.)

Ø     
What do you know about our
organization? (Go to the internet web site of the company and study the
operations of the company, also study the area/department of your job. In
General What are the main activities of the organization and where it is
working)

Ø     
How does your previous experience
in some other organization help you in this job? (This is a question for
persons with some years of Job experience. Again think and write down your
previous job experience that you think may help in this job)

Ø     
What do you think are your strengths?
(Prepare a list of your competence. Please note hardworking and sincerity are
not to be told as strengths. Examples of Strengths. Style of management. I have
a couching style of management etc., I have a strong technical background with
years of field honed experience ) 

Ø     
What are you your weaknesses?
(They want to test your honesty here. So prepare a list of weakness which can
easily overcome by efforts.)

Ø     
How do you think that you are
suitable for this job? ( Make a table of job requirement and your qualifications
and experience suitable for handling the job)

Ø     
What do you think would be the
difficulties that you may face in your assignment? (This is a star question
which will win you the  job most of the
times. For this question you have to analyse the job profile thoroughly and
speak to one or two persons who have worked in the field on that company)

Ø     
Do you have any questions for us?
( This is a question intended to test your confidence level. So prepare some
general questions. Some sample questions..What do you think would be the major
challenges for this position? What are the major challenges in the first few
months? What are the things that this job holder should be careful about)

Ø     
Tell us  about your family background (Donot need much
preparation. But be mentally prepared to tell thing. Such as where to start and
where to end)

Ø     
Can you give an example of
happiest occasion in your life (Think of few happy occasions in your life.
These may be used to explain what sort of a person you are)

Ø     
Can you give an example of Sad
occasion in your life. (Think of some tragedy that happened to you and how did
you recover or learn from it)

Ø     
If you are not selected for this
job what will you do? (This is again a way to check your confidence level. So
inform that you will be sad but with your capacity and skill you will find good
opportunities)

Ø     
Why do you want to change your job
now? Or why do you want to take up this assignment? (List 2 – 3 strong reasons
for this)

Ø     
Tell us difficult situation that
you faced and how you tackled it (Here think of some incident where your skills
to solve the problem)

Ø     
How can you manage hard to manage
staff ? (Enlist method of staff management such as Collaboration, Compromise,
accommodation, Control and Avoidance)

Ø     
Why did you apply for this
position? (Enlist why you want a change, what part of the job profile that
attracted you)

Ø     
What is your expectation in terms
of salary? (This question would be raised by the HR person in the interview
panel. Prepare your answer. Try to get the answer of what is the salary of
this  position. Answer. It is a
responsible position and I think it would carry reasonable salary. So I may
accept your offer for this position. OR Inform about your salary in the
previous company and say that you are looking for a hike of 20 percent)

On the day of Interview

1. Show up for the interview. Arrive on time or
even a little early for your interview. If you are late, the message is that
you are not interested.

2. Inform the relevant person that you have
arrived. Don't hide in some corner trying to blend with the wallpaper.

3. Introduce yourself with a bright smile.
Don't behave as though you are doing the employer a favour by attending the
interview.[You may be nervous, but try and be cheerful]

4. Keep a copy of your resume ready. If you are
confident, say that you intentionally did not print your resume on paper
because you want to be carbon friendly. Provide them with a link to your online
professional profile.

5. If you are a fresher, have some favourite
(Academic) subjects which you are comfortable with. Since you are fresh out of
college, you obviously don't have any work experience. So the only thing that
you can be questioned on is what was taught to you in school/college. Better
that they question you in the areas of your strength than on other subjects. So
state clearly the 2 or 3 subjects that were/are your favourite areas so that
the interviewer asks questions around these topics.

6. Also if you are a fresher, know your subject
in these areas. If, after several years of education, you cannot answer basic
questions in your favourite areas, nobody will believe that you can be taught
anything, ever.

7. If you know, answer. If you don't know but
think you can guess, say so and then try your answer. If you haven't a clue,
make that clear too.

8. Be aware of the latest happenings in your
industry. If you are from the tech industry, for example, know about blogs,
twitter, techcrunch, social networking, SAAS, AJAX, or whatever else is the latest craze.

9. Highlight your other active interests and
hobbies. Show that you are having/pursuing an interesting life. Browsing and
watching TV are not hobbies.

10. Keep your phone on silent during the
interview. Don't answer calls. I have had people answer their phone in the
middle of an interview and say (to their current boss, presumably) that they
are having lunch with a friend. No one will recruit a liar.

11. Bonus: Stick to the truth, always. This is non-negotiable.