Interview Techniques
Some typical questions asked at an interview
1. Tell me something about yourself or your personal life or your family background?
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. Why do you want to leave your present job?
4. Why have you chosen this line/field?
5. What are your salary expectations?
6. Are you willing to be transferred out of this city?
7. What are your hobbies? How do you spend your free time?
8. In what way will you be an asset to this company? or why do you consider yourself suitable for this job?
9. This job is not a good job? Why do you want to take up this job?
What do the Interviewers look for in a candidate?
1. Personality Projection
2. Knowledge / Intelligence
3. Education and Experience
4. Communication Skills
5. Past Achievements.
6. Personal Qualities
Interview Session
The objective of interview:
a To evaluate whether the interviewe is fit or suitable for the particular job.
Relevance of interview in a social environment
a A social conversation with a new acquaintance or someone senior (friend’s father, father’s friend, etc.) is similar to an intrvie
Importance of grooming in an interview.
a The interview is conducted in a short duration (Ranging from 15 -20 minutes for a junior position to a few hours for a senior position).
b The interviewee has to make the most of the time available and use every opportunity to score points over his competi tors.
c The first opportunity to make an impression is your groom- ing.
d It makes the interviews comfortable and adds to his confi— dence.
e The interviewer also uses every action of the interviewee and extrapolates them to real life situations.
f e.g. The interviewer looks at the candidate and tells him self.
i This is how he will represent us (Will I proud to say he is our employee)
ii This is how he cares about himself, he can’t care better for us.
e.g. If the candidate is well dressed - “He cares for his self image and therefore
will be concerned about corporate images also.”
e.g. If the candidate is not well dressed - “His job will be shabby or his sales pitch
will be mediocre or his pack aging ofjob will never be Perfect.
Suggestions for good grooming
Men
a White shirts (Opaque), only exception (Corporate blue shirt)
b No designs, no prints, should be 100% plain
c Dark Trousers
d Sock hould be dark and match with trousers so that they don’t stick out
e Please do a research about the dress culture of the organiza tion along with other research.
1. Formal organization (like Citibank, ANZ Grindlays, P&G, HLL, etc Senior position -. Wear your suit or blazer
2. Difference betw suit and blazer
3. Formal organisation: not so senior position - Wear a good tie
f Good Tie
1. Should be broad
2. Sober colour (Magenta or red, blue, could match with one’s trouser)
3. Neat knot
4. Should cover your belt
g Other organizations (Even if you are sure that your inter viewer doesn’t wear a tie). It is preferable and advisable to wear a tie and create a good first impression.
Women
h Good sober punjabi dress
i A pleasant coloured plain sari
j Women can also wear a blazer over a white shirt with chinese collar (round) along with trousers.
Questions Asked
a Can be placed in three categories
(i) Opening questipns
(ii) Technical questions
(iii) Closing questions
Objective to each category of questions
a Opening Questions
(i) Make the interviewee comfortable
(ii) Find out the candidate’s career plans
(iii) Examine the interviewee’s clarity in thinking
b Technical Questions
(i) To evaluate the candidate’s skill and compare it with the skills required for the job.
(ii) The interviewer recognizes that nobody can know eve rything required for a particular job, so the approach to the job is very important.
c Closing Questions
(i) Wants to take a view on how the candidate will fit with the organization culture.
(ii) Find out the candidate’s attitude towards work / people
(iii) The bottom line, i.e. How much will it cost him to em ploy the interviewee?
What’s the candidate’s negotiating power?
Opening Questions
a Remembering that the interviewee just wants to know from the candidate his plan and he won’t lead the conversation. He will only ask questions initially to fill the gap.
b His first questions could be: Tell me something about your self?
(i) Give an opportunity to direct the conversation.
(ii) Henceforth the questions will be now more on the topic emphasized by the interviewee.
(iii) E.G. I have accomplithed a Diploma in Engineering and now I have decided to make a career in Industry. I look forward toworking with L&T.
c So the interviewee’s next que Why do yo want to work with us is partly answered. Now his next questions is Why do you want to join L&T?
d The answer has to be very concise, direct, logical and con clude ensuring the next questions is.
(i) Why do you want to change yourjob and ensure that the same question is partly answered.
e L&T is one of the largest Industry in the country (if asked the candidate should be able to provide quantitiative details i.e. 15 branches, turnover of Rs 50,000 crores). It set up the first Engineering Company in India
f Never highlight the Money Factor
(i) Money is not a taboo, but most of the time it is obvious.
(ii) The inteiviewer doesn’t want to know your obvious need now. First the candidate had to establish a need for the interviewer to employ you.
(iii) Once that is done your remuneration package becomes important to him.
(iv) Normally this would come at the end of the interview, When eventually the question is raised, the interviewee has to be clear about his negotiating range.
g Why do you want to change your job?
(i) The candidate has to ensure that his answer is construc tive, positive, directed towards his career goal and shouldn’t be negative about his previous job.
(ii) Common stories about the present job: My present job has been a terrific experience & a good stepping stone (if your present job was not a good learning, how would you be of any advantage to him) but now it is limited in terms of opportunity for economic growth and self de velopment also. e.g. Small scale Industry
(iii) Being a small scale industry production is limited, and so there is no product innovations. I like to be on the forefront of change & innovations. My creativity and ideas need to be absorbed etc. All of which is not pos sible in a Small Scale industry.
(iv) Never speak about inter-personal problems with col leagues. Do not reveal your hatred for your boss.
(v) There are always genuine shortcomings in each and every organisation, state them as your reason for change.
(vi) Avoid making statements like, “We don’t have any work...” or “I have wasted my time at....”
h What are your achievements in the current job?
(i) e.g. I achieved a production of Rs. #### against a target of Rs. f I/fi
(ii) e.g. I changed the system to accomplish the quality con trol & increases the productivity in the last year.
(i) What are your Strengths & Weaknesses? Strengths
(i) Good at persuading
(ii) Good with Numerical Work
(iii) Good Computer Literacy-
(iv) Easy to talk to / Friendly personality
(v) Time management: the most valuable use of your time.
Weaknesses
(vi) Can’t think of anything right now.
(vii) if the interviewer persists, admit that you are not perfect, but you can’t think of one right now.
j. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Technical Questions:
a. take your time to answer (Think and Answer)
b. ask for a Scribble pad and scribble if necessary
c. What skills do you bring to our organisation? How can you be an asset to our company?
d. Talk about the approach to the situation if you do not have
an exact answer
i. c.g. Q. Cost of launching a new product
ii. Ans: Rs. 10-15 lakhs minimum to a few crores
iii. Identif the elements of cost
(1) Direct advertising cost
(TV, Radio, Newspapers, Hoarding, etc.)
(2) Sales promotion (Brochures for Distribution Network, Free Samples for distribution net
work)
(3; Event Marketing (Sponsoring event, Free Schemes for target)
iv. when the candidate exhibits his approach and thought process, his end result becomes irrelevant. His estimate could be totally wrong and yet he can get the job.
v. E. 2. Which Quality control syGtem would you rec ommend?
vi. E.g. 3. Research analyst’s job (to expand).
c. Give elaborate answers and touch as many issues as possi ble briefly
i. to show awareness (talk about other firms, talk about your earlier experiences, your contacts)
ii. to lead the conversation
f. The interviewer is trying to find what the candidate knows and he recognizes that the candidate Can’t know everything.
g. If you do not have any clue to a particular question, please admit. Regardless of anything the interviewee’s answer
should sound positive .e.g. “I’m sorry, I need to learn this / I am planning to read about this. Philip Kotler has dealt with this in his book. I will definitely read the book”.
Closing Questions
a. What do you do on ‘week ends? (wants to know your atti tudes)
i. if there is no work, I go to the sports club to play Tennis.
ii. Leading question: Oh! You work on week ends.
iiii. Yes if necessary. I am basically a workaholic (use this term every one wants to hear it)
b. Q. Are you a team player or an individual player
A. Say you are extremely people oriented. Should demon strate how you ensure team spirit. E.g. Delegation, Trust, Social Habits & Attitudes, etc.
c. Where do you see yourself in future? (this question could come in the first part after why do you want to change).
A. The General Manager (Engg. Industry) in 10 years or the CEO in 20 years.
d. What is your current package ? What do you expect? Be comfortable when you are talking about money.
e. Towards the end of the interview the candidate will be granted an opportunity to ask any questions and that should be fully utilized.
Please ensure that there 4s communication about way for ward.
Do not be submissive (do not close the interview by ex pressing to the interviewer that you are at his mercy). Ask question and confirm things. Don’t accept anything.
f:.
General
a. End all your answers, showing the objective, i.e. you want to join that particular job.
b. Know all details about your present job.
c. Collect know-how from the employer’s balance sheet, bro chures, visit to their office, use of their product I service
d. Read Business World, Business India
e. Sit in a relaxed manner but formal
f. Keep smiling
g. Be energetic & show enthusiasm
h. Your handshake should be firm
i. If nervous, ask for a glass of water.
j. Use humour and be down to earth
k. Show willingness to learn. Be positive, don’t be cynical.
i. Sir, my resume may not contain everything but I am willing to learn.
ii. I may not have the prerequisites for the job, but I am willing to learn. Do consider that. Thank You! It was nice being with you. (Compliment people, and use the technique of complimenting even in an interview).
m. Use ‘you’ language. Show how you will be of benefit to the potential employer. How will that help them make more money. usiness is after all making money.
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