How to make that ''elusive cut''. Review on How to Crack an Interview

Congratulations! Your brand new spanking CV has just landed you that much awaited job interview call. Your heart beat increases, your brow sweats, you are confused, words fail you. Sounds familiar? Take heart, facing an interview is not such an Herculean task as it may appear at first provided you do your homework and to some extent classwork well enough. An interview is generally the final and most important step of the hiring process by a company. It offers both the potential employee and the employer an opportunity to meet one another, exchange information and come to tentative conclusions about working together in the future.

Before the interview

1. It does a world of good to have extensive knowledge of the company for whose interview you are appearing. Irrespective of whether or not you are asked anything about it in the interview, get to know the company well. Not in terms of the office layout but about its history, promoters, products and services, work culture, etc. Such information is freely available through many sources like the net, newspapers and magazines. If you happen to know an existing employee, there’s nothing like it! Let’s face it, since you intend to work in that company for a considerable period of time, investing a little bit of time in knowing about it is not going to deprive you of your some wasted moments in life.

   
   




2. Spend some time trying to figure out the likely questions to be asked – First and foremost, be thorough with the contents of your CV. Since that’s the only document with the interview panel, all that they know about you is contained in it. Be prepared for unexpected questions that might suddenly crop up. One of the most common first questions is “Tell us something about yourself”. Now, please don’t start off by saying that your great grandfather came from Pakistan at the turn of the century and actively participated in the freedom struggle. Instead, tell them more about yourself, your family, education, previous work experience if any, etc. It also helps a lot if you can get a friend or family member to conduct a mock interview.

   
   

On the interview day

1. Make sure you know the exact venue of the interview. It doesn’t help to run around in circles on the day of the interview asking everyone on the street for the address you want. Wear a pleasant but official and ironed dress with a matching but not jazzy tie, well-polished shoes and non-stinking socks. Comb your hair well and don’t exhibit your long nails if you haven’t manicured them. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to brush your teeth well and ensure that you make your body odour too obvious. Make it to the venue atleast 30 minutes in advance. Once there, relax and get a feel of the surroundings. Mix freely with other candidates and indulge in some small talk without being too loud.

   
   




2. Once you are called for the interview, politely knock on the door once or twice and ask for permission to step in. Once inside say a polite thanks and take your seat in the chair kept for you. In some cases, one or all of the panel members might greet you with a handshake in which case please don’t make it a show of strength. A simple handshake conveys a lot about a person. Let your handshake be firm and brief. Look the other person in the eye and be liberal with that winning smile that is usually reserved for pretty girls.

   
   




3. Once in the “Hot Seat”, it’s important to assume the right kind of posture on the chair. The posture should indicate a sense of comfort rather than nervousness. Avoid sitting on the edge of your seat. If you encounter a chair that is not convenient, don’t show it. Take a few seconds to seat yourself as comfortably as possible without making too many unnecessary movements all the while maintaining eye-contact and smile indicating your readiness for the interview. Be confident of yourself.

   
   




4. From then on, play the game according to the ball bowled at you.strictly on its merit. Once a question is posed, hear it properly, think over the answer for a moment or two and tell it in a clear voice without using hi-funda english. You might be educated at Harvard but that’s the last of the interviewers considerations. Don’t unleash your powerful arsenal of vocabulary on the poor interview panelists. Keep your answers straight forward and simple. Be confident while answering and whenever you make a point, back it up with examples or figures as proof. Remember that this is not a fish or vegetable market and therefore avoid getting into heated arguments just to get your point across.

   
   




5. It is not only your performance in terms of what you speak but also in terms of the way you carry yourself that decides the fate of the interview. Most panels have a specialist whose job it is to solely stare at the candidate and decipher him by observing the way he sits, answers questions, makes gestures, etc. In the unlikely event of not knowing the correct answer to a question, don’t bluff your way through. Politely say that your knowledge is limited in that area and that you are blissfully ignorant about the same. Admitting to ones ignorance leaves a much better impression than telling co*k and bull stories.

   
   




6. At the end of the interview, the candidate may sometimes be asked if he wants to pose some questions or air his/her views. Don’t take this opportunity to pick holes in the company or haggle for your designation or salary. Since you have not been informed about your selection as yet, ask some general questions about the company and its policies instead.

   
   

After the interview

1. Before leaving the room, flash that billion dollar smile at all around and say an audible “Thanks” to the panel.

   
   




2. Don’t start calling up the HR department for the results the moment you reach home. Processing candidates takes some time. Be patient for about a week or 10 days and then give a call asking for the status of the results. In case they are not ready, politely ask how much more time the processing is likely to take. Here again, most companies do not inform candidates who don’t make it past the interview stage while very few do it.

   
   




3. Sit down and jot down the highlights of your interview on a piece of paper. Categorise them into positives and negatives. Try to recollect if you went wrong anywhere. A good post-mortem report will aid in ironing out any deficiencies and ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistakes next time.

   
   

An interview is a two-way process. The employer and you, both evaluate each other from different perspectives. In the short amount of time that you spend with the potential employer, you will either be accepted or rejected. Therefore, project yourself in a positive and enthusiastic manner that subtly convinces the employer that you are the right person for the job on hand. All the best!