2.

9 JOB INTERVIEWS

i e w is an interaction between two or more

An interview

A persons where specific questions are asked by

theinterviewer to the interviewee in order to learn and assess his/her abilities and
sitment or promotion. A Job interview is an experiences 1or
r

re
e c r

nt to
u i t m

opportunity for both the employer and the

applicant gather information about each other. The
1o gather
employer is
offering job to the
applicant
a

and
A the applicant
marketing his skills, knowledge, and
is
personality to the employer. The
nlover wants to know if the applicant has the skills, knowledge, self-confidence,
employer
and
tion necessary for the job. Thus, in job interviews, the employer wants to learn about the
motivati

annlicant's abilities and experiences and the candidate wants to learn about the position, the offer
apph
and the organization.

Apart from job interviews, there are other kinds of interviews such as exit interviews,
information interviews, evaluation interviews, counseling interviews, media interviews etc. This
categorization is based on the objective and nature of the interviews. However, in this section only

the various aspects of job interviews have been discussed.

2.9.1 TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Depending upon the type goal of the interviewer, the interview techniques
of the company and the
in depth
vary. But most companies typically begin with a screening interview followed by an
stress interview. Based on how the interviews are conducted - -

face to
interview and sometimes a

face or through telephones, the interviews are of three types.

1. Screening Interview

have been scrutinized. This

company takes after the
resumes
Typically this is the first step a
candidates. The interviewers must also *screen in
interview is meant to weed out unqualified
make a valuable contribution to the company. Interviewers
those candidates who they feel would
inconsistencies in the jobseeker's
they want to cover, looking for
work from an outline of points skills is more
Hence, providing facts about the
resume and challenging his/her qualifications. interview.
One type of screening interview is the telephonic
important than establishing rapport.
interviews meant to eliminate poorly qualified
Telephonic interviews are mostly screening be used
interviews. This type of interview may
that only a few are left for personal
candidates so of resume they have
to them and verifying the details
to shortlist the candidate by talking
and time of the interview
informs and confirms the date
Submitted. The interviewing company invited for a personal face-to-
mission in this interview is to be
through e-mail. The jobseeker's
lace interview.
documents in easy reach of the
one must keep the
While facing the telephonic interview, to make any kind of
notes
must be kept ready
for reference. A note pad
and a pen also
POne
during the course of interview.
 (Traditional)
2. Face to face Interview
communication between the nan.
A face to face interview for any job is a personal nel and t
take place either at the campus of the college at he
or the
interviewee. The interview may
the campus have to conduct severa rounds of interv
premises. As the companies visiting in
limited time, these interviews
are brief and to the point. Usually nies de!i.
these companies
deliver a
students and briel them about the projects they carry
e
placement talk to the interested out. Thea
different phases such as- aptitude test, technical interio
they conduct the interviews in rview, H
interview etc. The interviews conducted at the company premises are of more detailed
d type as
of the following manner.
can be conducted in any one

a. One-On-One: In a one-on-one interview, it has been established that the jobseeker has
has the
skills and education necessary for the position. The employer wants to see ifthe jobseeker wile
in with the company, and how his/her skils complement the rest of the department. In a
onetn
one interview the jobseeker's goal is to establish rapport with the interviewer and
to show that hie
ner qualifications will benefit the company.
his

b. Committee-Interview: Committee interviews are a common

practice. Jobseeker will have to
face several members of the company who have a say in whether the candidate
is hired. In some
committee interviews, the interviewer asks the
jobseeker to demonstrate his/her problem-solving
skills. The committee outlines a situation and asks him/her
to formulate a
plan that deals with the
problem. The interviewers look for how the jobseeker applies his/her
real-life situation. knowledge and skills to a
c.
Group-Interview: A group interview is
usually designed to uncover the
of prospective managers and employees who will be
leadership potential
candidates are gathered together in an dealing with the
public. The front-runner
and the interviewer starts off the
informal, discussion-type interview. A subject is introduced
discussion. The goal of the group interview is to
see how the
jobseekers interact with others and how use him/her
others over. knowledge and reasoning powers to win
d. Lunch Interview: The rules
apply in lunch interviews as in those held at the office. The
same
setting may be more casual, but it is a business
lunch and
carefully. The jobseeker must use the lunch interview to the jobseeker has to be watched
interviewer. develop common ground with the
3. Video
Conferencing Interview (Virtual Interviews)
The Multinational companies today opt for
jobs. Generally companies use conducting video conferencing to select candidate for
this method for
countries across the world. If the interviewing when hiring for senior positions fron
interviewers inform the candidates
facility they have arranged in the candidate's about the video conferencing
candidates need to go to a campus, they can use such
nearby agency that provides video facility. Otherwise, the
conferencing facilities.
2.9.2
VARIOUS STAGES OF INTERVIEW
/ a r i o u s stages that a typical interviewee might go through are as follows:

Resume scrutiny: MoSt or the companies nowadays shortlist candidates from the resumes
a.
forwarded
forwarded
to them from services such as www.naukri.com, www.jobsindia.com

www.monsterindia.com. www.placementindia.com etc. These sites give information about

various job openings in industries and forward the candidates resumes to the Human Resources
Manager of different companies. The companies go through the resumes of the various applicants
and short list them on the basis of the projects they have selected and completed, the courses they

had undertaken and the internship they have taken up.

h. Tests: In this stage, the companies may conduct both general aptitude as well as technical

aptitude tests of the short-listed candidates. The test may comprise sections such as technical
etc.
(domain area), quantitative, verbal, analytical, logical reasoning, psychometric
which
tests are usually followed by Group discussions
are
c. Group Discussions: Aptitude
interviews. These discussions are conducted to assess the candidate's
integral part of employment
skills etc.
knowledge, communication skills, leadership skills, team building skills, interpersonal
of
the final round of interview. Currently, thirty percent
d. Face to face interview: This may be
in a face to face interview during the hiring
all organizations conduct behavioral interviewing
to predict one's future
This of interview is based on the idea that the best way
process. type
and performance of the candidate in a similar situation.
performance is to examine the past present
With the
experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities.
It focuses on job-related
the necessary skills for the job for which they are
behavioral interview, employers predetermine
candidate possesses those skills.
questions to determine if the
looking and then ask very pointed
more c o m m o n in
is the stress interview which is
interview
The other type of face to face to see how a candidate
a deliberate attempt
sales positions. This type of
interview is usually or may keep the
interviewer may be sarcastic or argumentive
The the
nandles himself under pressure.
also lapse into silence at s o m e point during
candidate waiting. The
interviewer may If a minute goes
the interviewer resumes the questions.
silently until
questioning. It is better to sit of his last a n s w e r .
ask if he/she needs clarification candidate's
y, the candidate should interviewer discusses the
the
candidate has been selected, between the company
egotiations: After the takes place
other benefis. Thús, a negotiation
pectations salary
about and
and the interviewee. companies that offer the benefit of medical
done by those
test is usually from any ailment.
edical test: Medical is healthy and not suftering
interview in a
e n s u r e that
the candidate attend the
h i s is also to seekers must
the job of their
all the stages of the interview, interview. They
should take care
During and
in an in-person their body language
setting as thev do
OESSional also take c a r e of
accessories etc. They should interview.
a n c e - d r e s s , make-up, maintained throughout the
Professionalism
should be
n e while speaking.
2.9.3 PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS

It should also be remembered that success in an interview depends on one's attitude towards
and not on one's experience, grades or extracurricular activities. Still, it is essential that one
Work
should prepare thoroughly before attending any interview. Some common interview questions
be prepared beforehand are:

a. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

b. Can you give me five words that best describe you?
What skills and qualities can you bring to this position?
d. What parts of your education do you see as relevant to this position?
e. Tell me about a significant achievement in yourlife.
f. Tell me about a time where you had to work towards a deadline. Did you meet it?
gDo you want to work inthis position/organization?
h. Why do you think you are the best person for the job?
i. Why do you want to work for us?
j. Are you willing to learn?
k. What do you know about our company/practice/business?
I. What are your short term/long term goals?
m. Where do you see yourself in five years time?
n. Describe a time where you set yourself a challenging goal? What happened? What would you
do differently?

1. Before the interview

One way to prepare for the interview is to first considerthe job description. What skills are listed
as qualifications for the job? For example, does the organization say they need team players? Or
do they need someone with a strong attention to detail? Do they require keen problem solvers? Or
they want someone with superior customer service? Once the candidate has a greater
understanding of the kinds of skills the organization is seeking, he/she can begin to reflect upon
experiences in which he/she demonstrated these skills. If the job description is not available, the
candidate can think about the skills that might be necessary for the job. He must mention the skills
he possesses in a one-page resume.

The candidate must gather information about the organization and if possible about the
members of the interview board he is going to face. If there are any cultural differences in the
organization the candidate wishes to join, then he must know about these differences. The
candidate should make sure that no one is offended
by any form of his behavior. There is no harm
in doing a little bit of research about the
company's history, its mission and vision, its policy and
procedures, it's work culture, it's turnover
etc. Information can be gathered from newspapers.
journals, business periodicals and internet.
The candidate should also
himself through mock-interviews and
prepare his interview
style. He/ She should pay special attention to his/her non-verbal behaviorpolish
while facing tne
interview. The confidence, zeal, and
energy level of the candidate is judged by the gestures.
 and his
postures, and his facial expressions. Before the interview process starts, the candidate must
fytwo or three
identify
thre of
two o r top selling points and determine how he/she would
convey these points
during the interview.

The appearance OI the candidate must be pleasant and presentable. His dressing sense

appropriate and acceptable to the culture of the place and the people. The candidate
De
should
l d also
ould also take
take care about the accessories he carries inside the interview room, for example, his
fles. the pen, the spectacles (if any) pen drive (in case any presentation is required), the
nhotocopies of his certificates and a one-page resume.

While preparing for the interview, the candidate must put all his credentials in a neat file and

also carry two set of spare copies. It is advisable to carry along a few passport sized coloured
nhotographs too. The candidate should also arrive at the venue of the interview well before time
so that he gets
time to familiarize himself with the environment and feel relaxed.

Interview Room
2. In the
a confident smile and greet all the
While entering the interview room, the candidate must wear
when he is asked to do so. The body language
members appropriately. He should take a seat only
A calm and composed posture should be
should be positive and he must not be fidgety or nervous.
maintained throughout the interview.
note what
The candidate should answer carefully and honestly. He must internally
then should make sure that he
competency or skill (may be skills) the employer is seeking for and
situation where he has exercised those
has that skill. He must think about a specific and recent
outcome of the
he had taken to resolve the situation. The
skills. Then, he must think of the actions
interviewer. The candidate can draw
his experiences from the
results should be shared with the
coursework.
or even
classroom experience
sports team, volunteer work, prior internships,
results. Numbers illustrate the
the candidate should quantify his
Whenever there is scope, I was a project
*

responsibility. Thus, in the interview instead of saying

level of authority and While I was the project
*

illustrate his statements by saying

manager"... he/she can always
Manager, I handled 18 people in my team"
should include identifying
interview, then the interview preparation
It it is a behavioral where the candidate has
on the
resume
cited
from experiences behavioral questions, the
Admples of situations seeks. When answering
company
nstrated the behavior the given and o u t c o m e s / r e s u l t s where
actions,
ST Method should be used to convey specific situations,
STAR means:
situation or task.
about a
uation: Use specific details
ask: Tell what led to the situation or task?
involved?
what you did and who was
a k e n : Discuss
Results: discuss the results or the outcome jobs. He must not boast o r
about his prevVious
and open
The car ddte must be
straightforward
 should be used. If an
Correctexpressions and language
bluff about his achievements. ity
the andidateçan' ask questions about the expectations of the
is given to ask questions, In the end, a polite thana
that he is being offered etc. thank y
from him, the responsibilities of the post
farewell.
may be said to bid
3. After the interview
should mentally review the questions
asked by the
the inter
interviewer :

After each interview, the candidate

and his/her responses to them. .Could
he have answered the questions differently or may be in
rather more focused manner? This mental revieW will enhance the prosnectts of
better manner

future interviews.
The candidate should send a thank you letter to the person(s) who interviewed him withi
thin
twenty-four hours after the interview. It reinforces the candidates interest in the position Th.
The
letter should be brief and include the following:

a. Thank the interviewer for his/her time.

b. State the position for which the candidate is applying.
C.
Mention something from the interview to remind the interviewer who the interviewee is
d. Describe in one or two sentences why the candidate is the best applicant.

If the employer requests additional materials, such as an application, transcript, or references,

they should be send as soon as possible. If an employer indicates an interest in pursuing things
further with the candidate, but he/she is no longer- interested in the opportunity, the employer
should be informed as soon as possible.

2.9.4 EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1.

How well do you know about yourself? A candidate must know whether he has the
necessary skills, abilities, interests etc. before applying for any position. In the sections
below, write about yourself.

a. My Personal details:
M y full name Where am I from
Where did I grow up My education
My age /date of birth

b. My interests:
Meeting people Working in teams
Travelling
Music
Working with cheerful people
 My dislikes:

C.
Working with files
Dealing with accounts and finance
People who are not punctual.

M y skills: (What skills do you possess? Read the list below and put a (V ) mark against
d.
the relevant ones.)
People skills-I make friends easily...
Being organized in life...
Time management.....
Team skills... ...
Communication skills....
Self learning skills....
Interpersonal skills....
Computer skills...
Multitasking.......
Others.
e. My personal qualities:
Friendly
Hardworking
Open minded
*** *****

f. My achievements:
Was a member of the team that won the inter-collegiate design competition in electronics
Lead the fund-raising campaign for the government flood relief fund

LOOKing the questions, decide what kind of a career you are suitable for. If you
at your answers to
look at the starters given to each, you'd notice a person possessing those skills and qualities is
best suited for a career in sales or journalism. He/ she might be unsuitable for a career in finance
you choose that best matches
OComputer programming. It is therefore important that a career

your abilities, skills, aptitude and interests.

AERCISE II. You are at a interview and are asked the following questions. Write the
answers of the questionS.
. What jobs have you had
ell please about your education and your qualification.
us
Since you left school?
2. What are your career plans for the future?
******