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LESSON 6 / Lecture 14

INTERVIEWS- OHP/PPT

Situational questions to be put up to students for a warm up session:

Situation: There you are, your palms are sweaty, your voice is shaky and youre

being grilled by a job interviewer. Hes throwing questions at you left and right and

you try your best to answer them. But the reactions on his face let off hes not

entirely impressed with you.

The competition for this great job opportunity is intense. Youre wondering while

hes still talking how youre doing comparedto the competition. And then it

happens

You get asked a question for which you have no idea how to answer Youstammer, stumble and respond with a lame, corny answer. His reaction is clear,

your answerwasnt what he wanted to hear and now youve embarrassedyourself.

He releases you from the interview and as you drive back home you pound thedashboard, wondering, Why did I say that? The damage is done. You never

hear back. And the job opportunity goes to someone whose resume wasnt as

handsome as yours but unbeknownst to you, that person had polished jobinterview skills.

If only you knew the right words to say, how to have answered his questions andhow to compose yourself after you got stumped you could have landed the job.

How do you convince the interviewers you really want the job?

When and how do you follow up on an interview to skyrocket your chances of

landing the job?

What questions should you be asking when you follow up on the interview?

If you dont know this youre chances of getting that job plummet.

What should you expect when the job interviewers ask you back for a second job

interview? Dont make the costly mistake that most people do!

Shaky voice. Sweaty palms. Twitches. How do you handle job interview

jitters?

How to handle multiple job offers. And how to decide which job out of the bunch

to take.

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Through becoming more aware of your own body language, but also through

recognizing the body language of others, you can definitely increase your chances

of getting the job.

Pay attention to time!

It might be a clich to talk about arriving in time for a job interview, but I think it is

still important to bring it to your attention anew. Your attitude or attention to time

will also send out non-verbal messages. An interview for a job is seen as a very

important appointment, and showing up too late for your appointment is

therefore absolutely unacceptable. Missing the bus or getting stuck in a traffic jam

are pretty lame excuses. After all, for an important appointment like this you should

have taken that into account. It's much better to arrive way too early than even alittle too late! If you are too early for your appointment you don't have to go in

immediately. Sometimes it's better to walk around a little in the neighbourhood,

because waiting for a long time in a hallway or a 'sweatbox' will not do your nerves

any good. If it is very cold outside, it might be wise to go back inside about tenminutes before your appointment because it can be very unpleasant to have to shake

an ice-cold hand.

The first meeting

>>>After you have announced yourself at the reception or to an employee of thecompany, you will often be asked to take a seat.

>>>After a while someone will come to lead you to the interview area.

>>>Do not jump up immediately and offer this person a handshake. It's better to letthe other person take the initiative.

>>>Shake hands firmly, but not too powerfully and look straight at the other person.

>>>After this you will be introduced to the (other) members of the applicationcommittee.

>>>During this introduction it is better to walk around the table to shake hands with

the committee members, instead of leaning over the table.>>>With each greeting look directly at the other person, and say your name.

>>>Except for an internal application, don't assume that the other people know your

name.

Choosing the right seat

>After the initial introduction you will usually be directed to take a seat.>If you are left to choose a place yourself, choose a place from where you can

clearly see all the interview participants, and from where they can also see you. If

someone is sitting half behind you, and you can't really see him, he may not getsuch a good impression of you because of this.

Tune your body posture

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During your job interview try to adopt a posture that shows interest but still comes

across as being relaxed.

>You can do this by sitting up straight in your chair at the beginning of theinterview, with your back against the back of the chair.

>If you slouch or hang sideways in your chair, it might give the impression that you

are not that interested in the job.>However, sitting on the edge of your chair can come across as being a little tense

and might give the impression that you feel uncomfortable.

>You can change your body posture a little during the interview. For example, whensomeone says something it is good to turn a little with your shoulders towards this

person and to lean forward a little. This shows an interest in what the other person is

saying. You can emphasise this by tilting your head a little. It is also important to

pay attention to the posture of your interview partners. In some cases you canachieve mutual tuning by adopting the same posture as the other person.

What to do with your hands?

Just the same as when you are giving a presentation, many people often regard their

hands as obstacles during a job interview rather than a useful means ofcommunication. That is why people often ask what to do with their hands. In a

difficult situation we are often inclined to fold our arms across our body. This helps

to give us a more secure feeling. During a job interview it is better not to do this,

because folding your arms can be interpreted as a defensive move. It is better to let

your hands lie loosely on your lap or place them on the armrests of your chair.

From these positions it's also easy to support your words with hand gestures.

Movements: a dynamic interview?

>Nodding your head while speaking is a good way of supporting your words oradding meaning to them.

>Hand movements can also help to liven up the interview. The fact that you dare to

make movements with your hands during an interview might indicate that you feelat ease quickly. In most cases it is better not to make too many hand movements at

the start of the interview but add them slowly throughout the interview.

>As regards this, pay attention to your interview partners as well: if they use

their hands a lot to make things clear, you can definitely do this as well. When theydon't make many movements, it is better if you don't either.

>Just the same as with body posture, it is important to tune your movements to

those of the other person.>Also pay attention to inadvertent movements that you may make sometimes due

to nervousness. For example, shuffling with your feet or kicking against the leg of a

table can be very irritating for other people. Drumming with your fingers or clickingwith a pen also won't be a great contribution to the interview. So pay attention!

When should you look at whom?

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During the job interview it is important to look at all the interview partners to anequal extent. By looking directly at the other person we are giving them a sign of

trust. By looking directly at people we are also in control of the conversation.Looking directly at somebody or looking away actually serves as the dots and

commas in our spoken sentences.

>When one of the committee members explains something or poses a question, keeplooking at this person for as long as he or she is speaking. This shows that you're

listening. While he is speaking he may also look at the other people, but every time

he wants to emphasise something he will look at you again. You can then nod toencourage him to continue talking. At the end of his question, he will keep looking

at you and then tilt his head up a little to invite you to give an answer.

>When you answer a question, you will look first at the person who posed the

question, but while you answer you should take turns looking at the other interviewpartners as well. You should direct yourself again to the person who posed the

question when you want to emphasise something and at the end of your answer.

Also pay attention to the body language of your interview partners

Apart from paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to seehow your interview partners are behaving.

>The postures and movements of other people can give you an impression ofhow you are coming across to them. This can serve as a warning at an early stage

that you might be doing something wrong that you are not being aware of.>For example, when the committee members are of the opinion that you hold the

floor for too long or you annoy them with your interruptions, they will show their

irritation at first through their body language. When the committee members shaketheir heads, sigh or fold their arms and lean back, you can take this as a sign of

displeasure. Usually it is not yet too late to change this. You see, it also applies to

your interview partners that their body language takes place subconsciously.However, don't wait too long because then their irritation will transfer to their

consciousness.

Do not worry too much about tension

Knowledge of body language can help you improve the mutual tuning during the

interview. You can use this knowledge to hide your nervousness a little, but actuallythis is something you shouldn't worry about too much. Many applicants are nervous

during an interview and of course they would much prefer not to let this

nervousness show. However, it's not such a bad thing to be nervous. Thecommittee members will understand this. Your nervousness may even show that

you feel this job is important to you. If you weren't nervous, and therefore sit a little

nonchalant, it might indicate that you are not that interested. Also realise that the jobinterview is more than just a means for the employer to determine which of the

candidates is most suitable for the job. The job interview especially is a momentof mutual acquaintance. It's a first meeting with people that you might soon work

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together with. Therefore the boss should actually be just as nervous as you!

ASKING QUESTIONS

Asking questions is the most important function at an interview. It is an established fact

that firing questions should not start soon after the interviewee takes his seat. He shouldbe given an opportunity to familiarize himself with the environment. It can be done byasking a question which he can answer without a stress. Straining the interviewee just at

the beginning could puzzle him and it may fail the very purpose of the interview. Once an

interviewee is put on defensive, it is very difficult to make him open up, resulting in not

bringing forth the information to assess him in the right perspective. If possible andfeasible, the interviewee should also be given an explanation of the objective of the

interview and its structure, so that the process can follow the desired lines. It is also

essential to establish initial rapport with the interviewee. It helps bring out information.

We can classify questions into several categories:

Yes/No Questions: As the name suggests this kind of questions are close-endedquestions requiring only a yes or no answer from the interviewee. The problem with

such questions is that the conversation comes to an end with the yes or no answer,

and to resume it, further questions have to be asked. Such questions are a good ideawhen checking facts, particularly when a series of such questions are required to be

asked. But asking only such questions would result in the interviewer knowing the

least about the interviewee. Moreover, the interviewee can tend to think that he isbeing fired with questions and he can become defensive. The following are the

examples of yes/no questions:

Did you do your B.Sc from Hindu College? Do you live in New Delhi? .

Open Questions: The purpose of this kind of questions is to make the

interviewee speak out his mind exhaustively on a subject. It enables to gatherinformation and the bent of mind of the person sitting across the table. When the

interviewee answers such questions, the traits being exhibited should be noted for

future reference. Such questions generally begin with question words, such as why,what, how, etc.

Example:

How do you think, NCC- training has helped you in life? .

What do you think is the greatest problem India is facing at present?

Leading Questions: The leading questions are the ones that lead the intervieweeto agree to the interviewer's expressed opinion. These kind of questions prove to be a

trap for the interviewee because he at times fails to understand the real motive of the

interviewer. If he agrees with the interviewer,' he may be dismayed to find that this

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was a trap laid by the interviewer. lf he goes the other way round, he may annoy or

irritate the interviewer. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid such kind of questions in

an interview because they fail to bring the natural seIf of the interviewee.Example:

Don't you think that India has done the right thing by carrying out the secondnuclear explosions at Pokharan?

Inquiring Questions:

This type of questions generally pertain to an answer already supplied by theinterviewee, but the interviewer feels that the answer was not complete in ail respects.

They can also be used in a situation where the interviewee has provided roundabout

information than to reply to the point. Such kind of questions is asked to confirm thegenuineness of an interviewee and test his knowledge so that a conclusion can be

arrived at. A sample question can be:

You said that it would be paramount on your mind to keep the welfare of the

employee and the organization. Suppose, an employee applies for a leave on someurgent ground at a time when the company needs him badly. What would you do in

this case?

Circumstance-based Questions: This kind of question is asked by putting up a

situation for analysis by the interviewee. They help the interviewer to decide howcompetent the interviewee is to deal with such situations and circumstances, which

he is likely to face in his day-to-day work.

They also bring about the bent of mind and his experience in dealing with such cases

Example:

How can you know that the field staff is really in the field in working hours?How will you deal with an employee under you who often reports for duty late?

Biased Questions: This kind of questions can be classified to be those that can be

asked of a particular interviewee but not of others. Since such questions are biased in

nature and discriminate one interviewee from another, they should be avoided. They

do not serve any purpose.

Examples :

How will you keep your efficiency in this company in which most of the

employees are Hindus? (It can be seen that such a question would not have

been asked of a Hindu candidate.)How will a beautiful lady feel working in a male dominated industry.

Relative Questions: Relative questions are the logical outcome of an earlierinterview. To further probe an interviewee, related questions in a subject are asked to

know about the depth of knowledge, interest and experience.

Example:

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You seem to be very appreciative of your present boss.

What are his qualities that you would like to see in your future boss in this

company?

Multiple Questions

These kinds of questions contain many sub-questions in a single question. They canconfuse an interviewee who may choose to reply only one of them, generally the lastone, or the safest one. Such questions too should better be avoided; for example'.

Tell us about your previous organizations that you have worked for, who were your

bosses and what kind of relations did you maintain with them?

Just before the interview

You should prepare yourself well before the final date of interview. The actual

countdown to the crucial interview begins 48 hours in advance when the candidate has toprepare himself for the formal occasion.

Countdown

During the one or two days preceding the interview, a candidate should attend to thefollowing activities carefully:

1.Information about the company:

It is important that you source some vital information about the company where you will

appear for the interview. This exercise is of vital importance, as it will equip you withenough information to answer many questions that may be asked during the course of the

interview. Try and get the information from the internet or the official web site of the

company. Better still, if you live in the same city, visit the office premises before hand,

speak with the front desk executives and also familiarize with the place and theenvironment. This acquaintance shall instill confidence in you. Also gather enough

knowledge about the growth pattern and the salary structure, at your level, that is the

current trend within the industry you belong to.

2. Revision: Whatever you have prepared for the interview, you should reviseeverything. Your impetus should be on understanding rather than cramming.

Visualize how you are going to put your knowledge to practice if a question was asked in

that context. As a matter of fact, when a candidate prepares for interview, he should make

suitable notes that he can revise and re-revise just before the interview. It helps him

recollect the points faster.

Also, at this stage, you should not try to study anything new, but he should aim at

mastering what he has learnt up to this stage. The only exception to this is the

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newspapers, but you should not go through it from first page to the last, reading

everything. It would tire you and waste crucial time that is in short supply. You should

concentrate only on important news in politics, sports, national events, internationalhappenings, etc

Pay special attention to any flaws or shortcomings of your personal life, academics orother fields. "Practice makes a man perfect", so you should practice in front of the

mirror and see for yourself how are you actually going to answer the questions.

Also see the final answers to the likely questions prepared. Pay attention to the suitablechange of stance-and wording or facts in case the actual question asked is different in

approach. For this, take the help of peer-group and elders.

2. Confidence: When a candidate reaches the stage of a crucial interview, nervousness

dawns on his psyche. He looks perplexed and puzzled, sometimes to the extent of being

petrified. It may be borne in mind that the interviewers are people, as common as you are,who have ascended the stairs of success, which you too would, in time to come. They too

have passed your stage. Moreover, an interviewer is there to select people who provehelpful in achieving the goals set by the employer or the organization. His job is to selectand not to reject.

Have confidence in your abilities. Think that this formal occasion is a friendly chit-

chat with a senior officer, which you have done all your life-with your parents,

teachers, coaches, elders, relatives, and others. There is no reason to be tense.

Feel free and keep your mind open'. It would bring you confidence and would enable youto think reasonably well. Even if you think that you have not prepared well for a

particular subject or topic, never mind. There is every possibility that a question might

not at all be asked about it. And your interviewer does not expect you to knoweverything. He knows limitations of a man. No one can master all the subjects under the

sun.

Even if you are not able to reply to a question, there is no need to feel puzzled. It happens

with everybody. But keep in mind, if you do not know an answer, admit it openly by

saying, "Sir, I don't know of it," or "I'm not aware". Don't try to give a wrong answer or

try to guess a possible answer. Saying that you do not know will show your trait that youare honest and can admit your shortcomings.

3. Relax, enjoy and Sleep well: If the interview is to be conducted in his home town, the

candidate should take a long refreshing sleep the night before so that he reaches the place

of interview vigorous and fresh. He should try to avoid studying up to late hours at night,else he might look tired the following morning. Also., he should get up a little early on

the D-day and should plan so that he reaches the place at least an hour in advance. It will

take care of unpredictable roadblocks and other incidents that can delay his reaching his

destination in time, besides giving him anxiety.

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If the interview is to be held outstation, he can plan to reach the place of interview

depending upon the distance from his home town., In this case., if the journey is long, he

should better plan to reach there one day in advance. As it is, undertaking a long journeywould not only tire him, but also soil his clothes and his first impression at the interview

can go wrong. A candidate can plan to stay at a friend or relative's place but he should not

forget that usual sleep is vital for his good performance. In case he chooses to stay at ahotel, it should be as close to the place of interview..

Whichever place an interview is held, a candidate should visit the place before the day of

interview to acquaint himself of the route and time it may take to reach there. It wouldhelp him in planning his time.

Lets know the Interviewer

An interview is not a thing to be afraid of. It is an interactive process, a two-way

communication to facilitate the board of interviewers or the selection committee to

evaluate communication skills, interpersonal attributes and traits of a candidate to findout if he is the right choice. All interviewers emphasize to assess the understanding of a

candidate, depending upon the post, of a wide variety of subjects which come under the

broad heads of personal, social, job related tasks, general awareness, habits and hobbies,

etc.

We can classify the interviewers into two kinds:

One, those for whom conducting an interview is a routine affair.

And the other, for whom it is an off the routine process.

They carefully watch the interviewee for his answers, manners, body language and otherattributes and are usually hard nuts to crack, though there are always exceptions

depending upon their personality. Since it is a routine affair for them, they know what

their process is in a pre-determined way. Such people gradually become perfectionists.They talk less and to the point. So is the case with the answers.

They like to listen to brief and to the point answers.

The question that arises what he is looking for. Lets discuss this point in some

detail:

1. Suitability: The first thing that an interviewer would like to look for in a candidate ishis suitability. He prepares his questions in a way that he thinks is the best way to find

out if the candidate is suitable for the job.

2. Acceptability: A candidate may possess qualification and experience for the post but

still may not be suitable for the post due to his personality shortcomings. Theinterviewers take special care to see that the candidate can accommodate himself into the

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organization fully and will be able to create suitable working environment. For this they

look for several traits, which in general. can be classified as follows. But this list is not

exhaustive because organizations look for certain traits so that a candidate is able to makecontribution toward the progress and advancement of the organization as a whole.

(a) Planning and Organization

Organizational ability

Logical reasoning ability

Intelligence

Decision making ability

Ability to take risks with due planning

(b) Social Traits

Social adaptability

Cooperation and team work.

Sense of responsibility - Willingness to accept responsibility. Ability to withstand stress

Self-confidence

Ability to influence

Cheerfulness

(c) Other Traits

Determination

Physical build /Strength /Stamina

Courageous outlook

3. Knowledge: The interviewers do not expect, and rightly so, that a candidate would bein know of everything. What they are trying to locate is how a person gathers knowledge

and how he reaches certain conclusions and deductions. They realize the limitations of a

candidate that he can speak better on a subject known to him than on a subject

comparatively new to him. They want to know whether the candidate would be able togather and gain the knowledge that would be helpful in performance of his duty and

accomplishing the organizations targets.

4. Initiative: The interviewers are equally interested to know if the candidate would take

personal initiative and accept the challenges that may come his way. A person with asense of initiative brings out those points to the fore, which enhance the productivity of

the organization with novel ideas.

5. Contribution: The interviewers try to gauge from the answers supplied by the

candidate whatever he would be able to contribute toward the teamwork, what would behis participation level, the manner of his contribution and the negative or positive

approach. They would also like to deduce how substantial and effective would be his

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contribution to the organization.

6. Manners: The interviewers look closely at an interviewee to see how he behaves

during the course of his interview. A conscious candidate would be alert to show good

manners.

7.Language and Speech: There is a popular belief that the moment you open your

mouth, you are placed. The language of a person shows what his social standing is. Acandidate should pay particular attention to those words and sentences that are not part of

the standard language. The interviewers also note the manners of speech, whether it

shows interest, confidence, politeness and other qualities.

We can sum up in general that the interviewers are helpful persons and they encourage a

candidate so that they can help him bring out his inner traits to the fore to finally assesshim for selection, provided his first impression has gone right. They also try to keep the

candidate maintain his cool by making the atmosphere conducive to the process ofinterview.

However, a candidate should guard himself when he sees that an interviewer is trying to

show himself to be extra-helpful by way of promptings. This may be the tactic of the

interviewer to bring out a candidate's shortcomings that he falls in line. Giving heed tosuch promptings on the part of the candidate shows that he is susceptible to hear-says and

rumours. Whenever such a situation arises, the candidate should be prudent to say,

"You are right, sir, but I have a different opinion . "

WORKSHOPS:

Can you imagine this?

Your Interview is on. You are really doing well.

You've answering all the questions very well..........when the interviewer clears his throat and asks you:

How would you react if I told you that your interview, so far, was

terrible?

It's something you weren't expecting, at that moment:

For a second........

You falter....

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Stumble.

Hesitate.

Or he asks you:

What is the worst thing you have heard

about our company?"

Or he follows this with:

I'm still not really sure if you are suitable for this job. What do you

think?

Or what if you were asked one

of these questions.......

1. Would you be willing to take a lie detector test?

2. What would you like to see inscribed on yourheadstone?

3. What career or business would you consider if you were starting all over again?

4. What would you do if it were your last day on earth?

5. How would you rate me as an interviewer?

6. If you could be anyone, who would you like to be?

7. Name three books you've read in the past year?

8. Can you name three of your biases?

9. How often do you lose your temper?

10. Wouldn't you be better off in another company?

11. Describe the perfect job?

12. Name five things that motivate you?

13. What would you like to be remembered for?

14. Tell me a story?

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15. How would a friend describe you?

16. What is the most foolish thing you have ever done?

17. What is the most boring job you ever had?

18. What have been the biggest frustrations in your career?

19. What have been the biggest failures in your career?

20. What are you doing to improve yourself?

SAMPLE QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS: (Discuss some with students rest for them

to go through)

Before we jump in with questions and self-assessments, let's get one thing upfront and on

the table. An interviewer develops an impression of you in the first few minutes of yourmeeting, and spends the rest of the interview confirming, not altering, their initial

impression. Therefore, practice, practice and practice some more. Okay. Now let's get

started.

According to Procter & Gamble, Inc., the first thing you need to do prior to interviewing

is assess yourself. This includes listing yourstrengths and weaknesses, your

accomplishments and achievements, reviewing yourstrong and yourweak subjects,

and recording some of the key decisions you have made in your life.

As if that wasn't hard enough, candidates should then review their interests, the

disappointments they've encountered, their work environment likes/dislikes, their

business and personal values, theirgoals, needs, restrictions, and life style preferences.

How would you describe yourself?

Sample excellent response:

My background to date has been centered around preparing myself to

become the very best financial consultant I can become. Let me tell you

specifically how I've prepared myself. I am an undergraduate student in

finance and accounting at _________ University. My past experiences hasbeen in retail and higher education. Both aspects have prepared me well

for this career.

What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established

for your life?

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Sample excellent response:

I want to be working for an excellent company like yours in a job in which

I am managing information. I plan to contribute my leadership,interpersonal, and technical skills. My long-range career goal is to be the

best information systems technician I can for the company I work for.

Please describe the ideal job for you following graduation.

Sample excellent response (equates ideal job with job he's interviewing

for):

My ideal job is one that incorporates both my education and practical

work skills to be the best I can be. Namely combining my education in

finance with my working knowledge of customer service operations,entrepreneurial abilities, computer skills, and administrative skills. I want

to utilize my analytical expertise to help people meet their financial goals.

This is exactly why I am convinced that I would be a very valuable

member of the Merrill Lynch team.

If you could do so, how would you plan your college career differently?

Sample excellent response:

I wouldn't change anything. All that I have done was a great learningexperience that I will carry forward throughout the rest of my life.

How would you describe yourself in terms of your ability to work as a member of a

team?

Sample excellent response:I have had many opportunities in both athletics and academics to developmy skills as a team player. My tenure as a rower with my college's crew

team serves as a good example. I learned a great deal about teamwork

while rowing because all the rowers in the boat must act as one, whichmeant that we incessantly worked to keep each movement in the boat

synchronized. On an individual basis, we still worked toward group goals

through weightlifting and land-rowing. My experience as a marketingresearch team leader also helped me to learn the role of "team player." I

viewed my position as that of group leader and of group member. I

ensured that everyone in the group had equal opportunity to contribute,

maintained excellent communication among group members, andcoordinated their energies toward reaching our team's

What motivates you to put forth you greatest effort?

Sample excellent response:

You would think that because I am interested in sales, only financialcompensation would motivate me to achieve. Although monetary rewards

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are important to me, I am driven to succeed internally. More than

anything, I want to be respected by my friends and coworkers for being

the best at what I do. Whether I am considered to be the best car detailer inmy hometown or the best columnist for my college newspaper, I want to

be recognized as the best.

Given the investment our company will make in hiring and training you, can you

give us a reason to hire you?

Sample excellent response:

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 thevery 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 college and at my previous jobs, I have consistently reached for

becoming the very best I can become. I think my leadership awards frommy college, and my management positions are the result of possessing the

qualities you're looking for in an employee.

What do you see yourself doing in ten years?

Sample excellent response:

Ten years from now I see myself as a successful consultant for a world-

class firm like yours. I want to have developed a wonderful bond with my

employer I will have proven myself a highly competent systems analystand will represent my company in helping others find solutions to their

information-systems needs in a professional and timely manner.

How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict?

Sample excellent response:

I believe I am quite good at handling conflict. Working in retail and in the

residence halls required that I make many unpopular decisions at times,

whether it was terminating an associate or taking judicial action on aresident. Often the person in conflict with me would be upset and

sometimes physically outraged. I would always make sure that I fully

explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those

policies exist. Usually by the end of the conversation, the person could seethe other side of the situation.

Describe the characteristics of a successful manager.

Sample excellent response:

A successful manager should have the vision and capabilities to formulatestrategies to reach his or her objectives and communicate these ideas to his

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or her team members. In addition to serving as a positive role model for

co-workers, successful managers must also be capable of inspiring others

to recognize, develop, and apply their talents to their utmost potential toreach a common goal. These are the traits I hope to demonstrate when I'm

a manager.

Do you have a geographic preference?

Sample excellent response:

Although I would prefer to stay in the Mid-Atlantic area, I would not rule

out other possibilities.

Which is more important to you, the job itself or your salary?

Sample excellent response:

A salary commensurate with my experience and skills is important, but it's

only one piece of the package. Many other elements go into making up acompensation package, but more importantly, it's critical to me to enjoy

what I'm doing, fit into the corporate culture, and feel I'm making agenuine contribution.

What level of compensation would it take to make you happy?

Sample excellent response:

I am not depending on money to make me happy. What makes me happyis having a satisfying job that provides challenge and new situations daily.

Questions you should ask the recruiter

What are your company's strengths and how do you capitalize on them?

What are your companys weaknesses and how are you dealing with them?

What changes do you anticipate in the industry?What risks will your company face due to industry changes?

What are the best opportunities at your firm for new hires?

How have you strategically responded to the competition?

What legislation is pending that will affect your firm?Where will the major sources of your business be in the next 5 years?

How is worker performance measured and reviewed?Do you have a mentor program? How about formal training programs?What is your company's management style?

What challenges are facing this company? Do you think your company is reacting to

them?Why do people leave?

Why have you stayed with the company?

Describe my initial assignments?

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If you hire me, what are the three most pressing issues you need resolved?

FUN INTERVIEW DISCUSSION

Interview Questions submitted by our readers1. It is the 15th Century. How do convince the Pope that the Earth isround? (from Cornell)2. If I gave you an elephant, where would you hide it? (from Cornell)

3. What do you think of Chiat / Day's concept and application of avirtual office?4. Why are soda cans tapered on the top and bottom?5. How much RAM does a PC need to run Windows95?6. Why are soda cans tapered on the top and bottom7. You are in a boat on a fresh water lake. In your hand is a rock.

You throw the rock into the lake. How is the lake's water levelaffected?8. If it rained music, what would grow?9. Describe your best friend and what he or she does for a living.10. In what ways are you similar or different from your best friend?11. Are you a happy person? Should Prozac be added to the watersupply?12. According to JRM, Jr., a fast growing software company askedthis question... You have a wealthy aunt who weighs 300 pounds.Tell me how you would redesign her toilet.

sharing some incidences

Interview Horror Stories

The recruiter asks: What is your greatest weakness? The MBAresponds: Kryptonite.The recuiter from a tobacco company asks: Do you mind if I smoke?The MBA responds: Yes, I mind. I am allergic to cigarette smoke

Candidate said he was so well-qualified [that] if he didn't get thejob, it would prove that the company's management was

incompetent.2. Stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application.

Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office afew minutes later, wearing a hairpiece.

Said if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by havingthe corporate logo tattooed on his forearm.

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Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specificinterview questions.

During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate'sbrief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to

leave for another interview.

A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife.His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? Whendo I start? What's the salary?" I said, "I assume you're not interestedin conducting the interview any further." He promptly responded, "Iam as long as you'll pay me more." I didn't hire him, but later foundout there was no other job offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer.

Asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on my desk.When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now and

wanted my phone number. I called security.

Choosing What to Wear

First impressions are very important when you are going for aninterview. A person will form an opinion about you with about 30seconds of meeting you. It will be very important for you to presentyourself professionally. This includes choosing what you will wear to aninterview very carefully. Here are some pointers:

Men - Business Casual

Dress pants

Dress shirt with a collar or a nice sweater if its cold outside

Your belt must be the same color as your shoes e.g. brown shoes + brown belt,black shoes + black belt

Always wear dark colored socks black or navy is preferable

Dress shoes no running shoes or boots

You can wear your regular outdoor jacket but make sure that it is in good

condition and clean

Men Business Formal

Dark blue or black suit

Nice clean tie that is pressed and not too flashy i.e. no bright colors/ wild patters

Your belt must be the same color as your shoes e.g. brown shoes + brown belt,

black shoes + black belt

Always wear dark color socks

Dress shoes no running shoes or boots

Wear a dress coat like trench coat that will cover the length of your suit jacket

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Woman Business Casual & Formal

Dress pants or suit if formal, sari, Indian Suits

Nice top, a blouse or very nice, light knit sweater

Your belt must be the same color as your shoes e.g. brown shoes + brown belt,

black shoes + black belt Match your socks with your pants, or wear natural nylons with a skirt, knee-highs

are also acceptable with pants Dress shoes no running shoes

You can wear your regular outdoor jacket but make sure that it is in good

condition and clean, for formal office wear, you should wear a long coat

Hygiene

Make sure that your hair is clean and neat

Your teeth are brushed and free of any debris

Your fingernails should be trimmed and clean Your breath should be fresh brushing your teeth usually does this or you can try

gargling with mouthwash

Your shoes should be clean and polished

Your clothes should be pressed or ironed no wrinkles Your clothes should be clean no stains or odors

Your clothes should be in good condition not frayed or worn out

Clothing Tips

1. Pick out your Interview Clothes ahead of time and press them and hang them in

your closet so that they are ready for you when you need them.2. When choosing what to wear for a particular interview, find out what dress code

employees generally use day to day. As a rule, for an interview dress one notchhigher than the regular dress code. For example, if you were going interviewing

for a job in a warehouse you would wear Dockers and a button shirt rather than

jeans and a t-shirt.

3. If you cannot afford new clothes, go to a second hand clothing store. They carryappropriate clothes that are often in very good condition.

The Handshake

Your handshake is an important part of making a first impression tothe interviewer. If your handshake is too soft, they will think you arenot confident and that you may have trouble doing the job. If it is toohard, you will hurt the interviewer. Here are the steps involved inteaching a handshake:

1. The skin between your thumb and first finger must touch the same place on the

hand you are shaking. Clasp your fingers around the other hand firmly yet gently.

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2. Shake the hand up and down three times. If you have trouble with this, let the

other person do the shaking thats OK too.

The Greeting

There are three important parts of greeting the interviewer:

1. Eye contact

2. The handshake3. What you say

Eye Contact

Eye contact is important because it tells the interviewer that you arehonest, trustworthy and confident.

What You Say

It will be important to say hello, nice to meet you and you mayneed to introduce yourself but usually they will already know who youare.

Putting the Greeting Together

Practice, standing up and greeting an interviewer. This is how to do it:

1. Make eye contact with the interview when you first see him or her

2. Stand up to conduct the greeting3. Outstretch your hand to shake the hand of the interviewer4. While you are shaking hands, say hello, nice to meet you.

5. Hold the eye contact until the end of the entire greeting

Tip: if you can use the interviewers name after saying hello andbefore you say nice to meet you, this is even better. Hello Mr. Smith,nice to meet you.

Lecture 15 and 16

Continuous Evaluation (20) according to the Parameters (eachis worth 5 marks) here in:

1. Formal Clothing and Preparation and CV2. Greeting and Introduction3. Body Language4. Positivism and Prompt Answers