Beware of these...

An interview can be incredibly stressful: You often have only a few minutes to show an interviewer how capable, confident and intelligent you are.
And remember: The interviewer isn't just evaluating WHAT you say, but also HOW you say it. She's asking herself: Are you well-spoken? Do you sound polished and professional? Are your answers clear and concise?
If you've spent all of your time working on the content of your answers, you now need to focus on the delivery.
Read on for some interview "talking tips."

Skip the 'Filler'
When an interviewer asks a question, you may feel like you should fill the silence right away. Or, after you start speaking, perhaps you realize you're not sure what you want to say and need to stall.
That's when most people use "like," "ya know" and "ummm."
These words are common in many people's vocabularies. They're simply verbal filler that we've become accustomed to using. But they're not very professional.
Taking time to think about a question, rather than rushing to answer, can help eliminate the need to use filler.
Like any habit, this one will take time to break. So start practicing before you have an actual interview.

Don't Jargon Your Way Out of a Job
You say: "Our value proposition is to create synergy while leveraging our respective ROIs."
The interviewer thinks: "Huh?"
You don't need to use jargon to sound knowledgeable in an interview. First, don't assume the interviewer is familiar with the jargon.
Also, as many interviewers will tell you, people often use a lot of fancy jargon when they want to disguise the fact that they aren't completely confident in what they're saying.
So speak simply and coherently and your intelligence should speak for itself.

Why Slang Is 'Way Bad'
Here's the 411 on slang in interviews.
Never use slang in an interview. You should speak to an interviewer just as you would to a business colleague or even a boss. That means you must sound polished and professional.
Also, the interviewer (who may not be as cool as you are) may have no idea what you're saying when you use slang.
Last, never, EVER, use profanity in an interview. There's simply no place for it.

Don't Answer Before You've Been Asked
You want to make a good impression on an interviewer. You want to seem knowledgeable, confident and engaged. So when the interviewer starts to ask you a question, you jump on it, right?
Wrong.
First, it's rude to interrupt.
Second, you may incorrectly assume that you know what the interviewer was going to ask and answer the wrong question.
Third, you won't have time to think about your answer before you start speaking, which can lead to lots of mid-sentence "ummms" to stall for time.
When an interviewer asks a question, it's tempting to answer quickly, especially if you're nervous. Don't. Instead, wait for her to finish speaking, then take a deep breath and collect your thoughts. Then answer the question.

You'll appear calm, confident and polite. And, after taking a moment to think, you'll probably give a much better answer too.

Answers to some of the most important interview questions

Please do not rehearse them verbatim or adopt them as your own. They are meant to stir your creative juices and get you thinking about how to properly answer the broader range of questions that you will face.

1.Tell me about yourself.
My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to become the very best _____ I can become. Let me tell you specifically how I've prepared myself . . .

2.Why should I hire you?
Because I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. I realize that there are many other college students who have the ability to do this job. I also have that ability. But I also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job--my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. In _____ and _____ I have consistently reached for becoming the very best I can become by doing the following . . .

3.What is your long-range objective?
Where do you want to be 10 or 15 years from now? Although it's certainly difficult to predict things far into the future, I know what direction I want to develop toward. Within five years, I would like to become the very best _____ your company has. In fact, my personal career mission statement is to become a world-class _____ in the _____ industry. I will work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel I will be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities that might be presented in the long term.

4.How has your education prepared you for your career?
As you will note on my resume, I've taken not only the required core classes in the _____ field, I've also gone above and beyond. I've taken every class the college has to offer in the field and also completed an independent study project specifically in this area. But it's not just taking the classes to gain academic knowledge--I've taken each class, both inside and outside of my major, with this profession in mind. So when we're studying _____ in _____, I've viewed it from the perspective of _____. In addition, I've always tried to keep a practical view of how the information would apply to my job. Not just theory, but how it would actually apply. My capstone course project in my final semester involved developing a real-world model of _____, which is very similar to what might be used within your company. Let me tell you more about it . . .

5.Are you a team player?
Very much so. In fact, I've had opportunities in both athletics and academics to develop my skills as a team player. I was involved in _____ at the intramural level, including leading my team in assists during the past year--I always try to help others achieve their best. In academics, I've worked on several team projects, serving as both a member and team leader. I've seen the value of working together as a team to achieve a greater goal than any one of us could have achieved individually. As an example . . .

6.Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved?
Yes, I have had conflicts in the past. Never major ones, but certainly there have been situations where there was a disagreement that needed to be resolved. I've found that when conflict occurs, it's because of a failure to see both sides of the situation. Therefore, I ask the other person to give me their perspective and at the same time ask that they allow me to fully explain my perspective. At that point, I would work with the person to find out if a compromise could be reached. If not, I would submit to their decision because they are my superior. In the end, you have to be willing to submit yourself to the directives of your superior, whether you're in full agreement or not. An example of this was when . . .

7.What is your greatest weakness?
I would say my greatest weakness has been my lack of proper planning in the past. I would overcommit myself with too many variant tasks, then not be able to fully accomplish each as I would like. However, since I've come to recognize that weakness, I've taken steps to correct it. For example, I now carry a planning calendar in my pocket so that I can plan all of my appointments and "to do" items. Here, let me show you how I have this week planned out . . .

8.If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say?
I believe they would say I'm a very energetic person, that I put my mind to the task at hand and see to it that it's accomplished. They would say that if they ever had something that needed to be done, I was the person who they could always depend on to see that it was accomplished. They would say that I always took a keen interest in the subjects I was studying and always sought ways to apply the knowledge in real world settings. Am I just guessing that they would say these things? No, in fact, I'm quite certain they would say those things because I have with me several letters of recommendation from my professors, and those are their very words. Let me show you . . .

9.What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
The key quality should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. A manager should also be a positive role model for others to follow. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities. I'd like to tell you about a person who I consider to be a true leader . . .

10.If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?
That's a good question. I realize that it can be very easy to continually look back and wish that things had been different in the past. But I also realize that things in the past cannot be changed, that only things in the future can be changed. That's why I continually strive to improve myself each and every day and that's why I'm working hard to continually increase my knowledge in the _____ field. That's also the reason why I want to become the very best _____ your company has ever had. To make positive change. And all of that is still in the future. So in answer to your question, there isn't anything in my past that I would change. I look only to the future to make changes in my life. In reviewing the above responses, please remember that these are sample answers.

What are your strengths?

It is important to prepare in advance for the interview question: what are your strong points?
If you've already listed your strengths when preparing your CV / resume, coming up with three answers shouldn't be too difficult.

But be careful. The interviewer is asking you to sell yourself, but at the same time, they do not want to hear you being arrogant. And while they may want to know about your personality (if you are over confident they will certainly learn something about you), do remember that this is still an interview situation, so your answers must be relevant to the job in question. In other words, don't get too personal.

So how do you go about answering the interview question what are your strong points? The general recommendation is to prepare at least three answers and to relate them to the organisation and the vacancy. This means you need to tailor your answers. Ensure there is truth in what you say, but do not be too honest, especially it makes you sound like a less than ideal candidate.
Here are some suggested responses and the reasons why they might work in interviews for certain kinds of jobs.


"I am confident and outgoing"
This is a response that says something about your personality, but if you are applying for a role where you need to relate to a lot of people - particularly the public - it will serve your purposes. However, if the vacancy involves consultation, it might be better to say "I have good interpersonal skills", as this implies that you are able to listen to people as well.

"I enjoy a challenge"
Be careful with this. It is an excellent response if the vacancy requires problem solving, or servicing of some kind, working to tight deadlines or project completion. It will obviously not be helpful if the job is less dynamic and involves a larger amount of regular, less exciting duties - the employer might be concerned that you will become bored. You could always qualify it to offer a more balanced response: "I enjoy a challenge, but I'm also happy completing regular tasks." Then it illustrates that you're flexible and responsive to different work situations.

"I'm a strong team leader"
Clearly, this is appropriate if the job involves managing people. It's a good idea to show that you know what leading a team involves (although this will no doubt come up in other questions too). So, "I'm a strong team leader with the ability to motivate others" and "I'm a strong team leader who leads by example" represent stronger answers. Draw on your own understanding of your management skills plus the job description to decide what you'll say here.

"I am ambitious"
This is a very strong answer and you should use it with care. In the wrong situation, it can sound hard-headed and the employer may wonder whether you'll compete too fiercely with your colleagues, or even your superiors. However, in a sales role it might be perfect, especially if you focus your response a little more: "I am ambitious and aim to exceed targets".

"I am dedicated and hard working"
You're on safe ground here, as this can be true whatever your individual working style. It's not the most exciting answer, but when presented alongside two others that are more individual, it should offer reassurance to the interviewer.

"I am a good communicator"
Again, this is a win-win answer. Be prepared to expand, though: specify whether you have strong writing skills, are good at explaining difficult ideas in a simple way, or perform well at important meetings.

"I work well without supervision"
A majority of employers would be pleased to hear this, providing the vacancy is at a level where they'd normally expect you to need a degree of supervision. But be careful not to sound as if you prefer to work without supervision, as this may sound as if you risk coming into conflict with your supervisor or manager. A safer option might be to state "I work well with or without supervision".

"I enjoy learning through my work"
Again, this is a safe answer. The interviewer might then ask how you have done this in the past, so be ready to give details of some hands-on learning or special training you've experienced, and to say why you enjoyed it.


And finally
These examples show that when preparing an answer to the interview question what are your strong points, it is important to consider whether your responses could be taken the wrong way. Put yourself in the interviewer's shoes - you can then ensure that the potential for a negative interpretation is removed.

Group Discussion

Here's a listing of what you need to do to succeed in a GD ( a night mare for many)

*Sleep well previous night.
*Visit wash room and freshen up before entering the GD room.
*Dress – Formal yet comfortable.
*Posture – Knees together.
*Sketch the layout of the GD table on pad as soon as you enter and settle.
*Fill in the names of members as they introduce, you can use this data to address them by name (leadership quality).
*Start off with a quote.
*If you are one of the first few to speak, you get extra points for leadership skills.
*Do not wait to be invited to join, take initiative to participate.
*Give reasons to support your stand.

A Guide to build a Resume (CV)

A Resume or a C.V(Curriculum Vitae) is the most important thing that can give you a brighter chance to get an interview. Here's how your resume should be.


What is should be like:-
*Max one or two pages.
*4 steps – Compiling info about yourself, choosing a resume format, adding style, proofreading.


What should be its contents:-
*Name, Marital status, DOB, address, email, tel no.
*Objective statement.
*Experience (Paid and volunteer).
*Education.
*Hobbies, special skills, awards and honors.
*Avoid nicknames.
*Use your permanent residential address.
*Use your permanent telephone number (If you have an answering machine, record a neutral greeting).
*Choose an email address that sounds professional.


Objective:-
*An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you are hoping to do.
*It should sound like what you can contribute to the organization.


Education:-
*Graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information first.
*Alumni can list it after the work experience.
*Your most recent educational information is listed first.


Work Experience:-
*Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills, and your achievements.
*Use action (active and not passive) words to describe to describe your job duties.
*Include your work experience in reverse chronological order.
*Title of the position, Name of the organization, location of work, dates of employment.


Key Skills Employers look for:-
*Leadership experience in volunteer organizations.
*Participation in sports.
*Team Spirit.
*Self-motivation.


Reference:-
*Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you gave their names.
*Do not include the references on your resume unless asked for.
*Never write “References will be furnished on request” (It sounds insulting).



Design of a resume:-
*Use white or off white paper.
*Use 8.5 x 11 inch paper.
*Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.
*Use non decorative fonts.
*Choose one font and stick to it.
*Avoid italics, script and underlined words.
*No hand written resumes.
*Do not fold the resume, put in a large envelop if it is to be couriered.


What your resume should not contain:-
*Fancy words that may frustrate the employer.
*The reasons why you left your last employment.
*Expected salary.

Dress Code For an Interview

Many candidates fail in an interview only because of improper dress code and not because they are not eligible. Dress Code vary from company to company. Some tips to dress-up better for an interview are listed below.

*You must look smart
*Jacket, pant, tie, socks, shoes (No 3 piece suit)
*Wear a white or light colored shirt
*Avoid loud colors and flashy ties
*Hair recently cut and look neat
*Shave in the morning
*Have fresh breath, brush before leaving, don’t eat before interview, don’t smoke right before interview
*Piercing rarely fit within company’s desired image
*For women a tailored classic suit, or a formal Sari
*Avoid very high heels (uncomfortable)
*Stay away from chunky jewelry and accessories, they can be distracting
*Be modest with make up and perfumes
*Folder or briefcase (No plastic bag or sack)


For Both Men and Women
*All clothes should be neatly pressed.
*Conservative two-piece business suite (solid dark blue or gray is best)
*Conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best)
*Clean, polished, conservative shoes
*Clean and well-groomed hairstyle
*Clean, trimmed fingernails
*Minimal cologne or perfume
*Empty pockets – no noisy coins
*No gum, candy or cigarettes

For Men
*Necktie should be silk with a conservative pattern
*Dark shoes (black lace-ups are best); clean and polished
*Dark socks (black is best)
*Short hair always fairs best in interviews
*No beards – mustaches are acceptable (keep neat and trimmed)
*No earrings
*No heavy cologne

For Women
*Always wear a suit with a jacket; or a sheath dress with a jacket
*Do not wear extremely high-heeled or platform shoes
*Do not wear open-toe shoes or mules (they are more casual)
*Conservative hosiery at or near skin color (and no runs!)
*If you wear nail polish (not required), use clear or a conservative color
*One set of earrings only
*Conservative makeup
*No heavy perfume
*No heavy cologne

Typical Interview Questions

Here's a list of a few interview questions asked in an interview. You must be prepared to answer these questions before you appear an interview.

*What are your future career plans?
*In what school activities have you participated?
*Which did you enjoy most?
*In what type of position are you most interested?
*What are the reasons for which you might like to work for our company?
*What courses did you like the most? Least?
*What kind of boss do you prefer?
*What were the reasons of your choice in college major?
*What interests you about our products or services?
*What are your major strengths and weaknesses?
*Do you consider yourself a team player or do you enjoy working alone?
*What would be the benefits to us of your joining our organization?
*Tell me about yourself
*What are your hobbies?
*Describe your ideal job
*Why should we hire you?
*What do you know about our products or services?
*Where do you want to be in 5 years, 10 years?
*What job related skills have you developed?
*Why did you quit your last job?
*Give an example where you provided a solution to the employer.
*How do you think your former supervisor would describe your work?