In the previous article, I mentioned in brief what are the real reasons for the various selection steps to be there. That would have helped you to understand what is expected from you in each of the selection step. In this article, I will focus on some key points which can help you succeed in interviews. I will cover GDs and extempore in my 3rd and final article. Let’s talk about the TO Do’s , and treat them as a MUST HAVE:
General:
1. Professional Dress – Over dressed is never bad, under dressed is. Wear suit, tie, blazer, formal shirt, trousers, shoes, socks, saree, skirt etc. But be professional, modest and dress for a meeting, not as if attending a party or ceremony. Neutral colors, less make up, tied and combed here, shaved beard can help you create a great 1st impression on the interviewer.
2. Punctuality – Since your article days, you remember that whenever you re late for office, your boss asks – “aaj der kaise ho gayi” J When even he can’t accept your being late, how can a new company and a new would-be boss accept and expect you to be late. Be half an hour early, that not only takes buffer for any tyre-puncture, traffic jam etc, but also helps you get aware of the location, the room where interview etc happens. It also helps you mix-up with some candidates, know a little about what’s going on inside that room and also helps you judge your competitors.
3. Official Communication – When you are going to join an office, the people over there expect you to have formal communication with them, saying things in Hindi or local language or addressing interviewer as “yaar”, “sirji”, etc should be avoided. Speak in English and be formal, don’t give out too many personal details or share family problems. Also, don’t touch (apart from a handshake) the interviewer or other Group Discussion members.
Interview:
1. Short and sweet: Your answers should be too the point, but should give a complete response to the question asked. A way to judge this is to observe the body language of the interviewer. If once you finish or pause, he does not say anything; it may mean that he expects you to give more details. If however, he starts looking here and there or starts to lose focus, it can mean that you are being too verbose and need to cut short your answer.
2. No bluffing – The interviewer is supposed to know more than you, that’s why he is the interviewer. So, don’t try to create stories or give answers which you know are wrong. In case you can guess (which may not be accurate), you can say so, but tell him that you think so. Don’t say that you are 100% sure of the same. In case you can’t even guess, it is fine.
3. Be clear about the profile: Sometimes the candidates don’t even know which profile they are applying for, that’s the biggest mistake. You must know the designation, roles and responsibilities being offered.
4. Be Realistic: When the interviewer asks about where you see yourself 5 years from now or what salary you expect, you should give realistic answers. Saying that you will be the CEO or Sr. Manager in 5 years is unrealistic. Also, saying that you don’t know about this answer, will indicate that you are not aware of how the industry works or how an employee progresses in a company.
Feel free to reach out to me in case of any help. Wishing you success.
CAclubindia
