• Make sure you give your story an exciting and appropriate title.

A title is the first impression you

made on the reader.
• Make sure that the facts you include in your story are accurate. You can take creative license while
writing your story, but do not change universally accepted truths and facts.
• The story must flow fluently. If there is a series of events taking place, make sure the flow has some
order. The reader must not be confused.
• Do not use very flowery language or overuse complicated words. The best stories are written in
uncomplicated verse, so as not to distract from the plot.
• Define your core message.
• Write a satisfying ending.

Interview Skills

What is an interview?

The term interview has been derived from the French word ‘entre voir’ that means to glimpse or to see each
other. By definition it means a meeting for obtaining information by questioning a person or persons.

Basically, an interview is a conversation between two people (the interviewer and the interviewee) where
questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.

How to Improve Your Interview Skills?

1. Do your background research.

In order to prepare for an interview, a person needs to have ample information about himself and company.
In order to prepare for an interview, one should ask oneself questions like:

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 How do you think you are relevant for this job?
 Why do you want this job?
 Why do you want to join our organization?

In order to be well-prepared, you need to know your interest and ample information about your personality
in the light of the job that you have applied for. In the similar manner you need to know about the
organization.

2.Be polite to everyone.

Throughout your interview, be polite to everyone you meet. This includes not only the interviewer but also
any other employees or staff members you might come across. Smile, make eye contact, and have a firm
handshake. Being likable and sociable at all times will greatly improve your chances of doing well in
the interview

3. Watch your body language.

This one is a bit harder. Some of them are especially important in an interview. For instance:

 Lean in or sit up straight to show you're interested.

 Keep eye contact so you look honest, but don't just lock in a stare, because then you look aggressive.

 Don't nod too much. Yes, you want to show agreement, but too many nods and you start to look like
you don't truly care.

4. Review your own resume.

The most important step to prepare for an interview is to adjust your resume according to the job
specifications. Mention the skills that are pertinent to the job position for which you are applying.

5. Prepare for standard questions.

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Lots of interviewers are going to ask you to "tell me about a time when ..." followed by something
appropriate for your field and this particular job. You should have great answers prepared for this.
Brainstorm a list of possible questions and work on your answers

6. Prepare your wardrobe.

Yes, people judge you by what you're wearing. Most interviewers aren't going to care the brand of your
jacket, or if the heel of your shoe is scuffed, but you should be dressed appropriately. Generally, for most
professional jobs that means a suit, or one step lower. If you're concerned, go to their parking lot before the
interview and watch people come out. If their style is business casual, you should wear a suit. If they are
wearing jean and flip flops, you're probably fine in business casual, but better to be overdressed than
underdressed, in most industries.

7. Prepare your questions.

Don't ask questions that could be answered by looking at the company website. Do ask questions about the
challenges of the position, what success looks like, and how this position fits in with the organization's
goals. Remember, you want to look like you're really interested in succeeding in this position, and you need
this information to do so.

8. Don't badmouth your former employer.

You're most likely going to be asked why you're looking to leave your current job (or why you left your last
job if you're unemployed). Don't lie, but don't be super negative either. Figure out how to explain why you're
leaving, why you got fired, what you learned from it, and how this all means this new job is a great fit.

9. Practice

In order to overcome fear, ‘practice’ is the best technique i.e., Practice with a friend or a family member or
through gadgets (computer, mobile, mirror).The best way to prepare yourself is to practice some typical job

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interview questions. Prepare the job interview answers before you get there and it will make you well-
rehearsed and ready to impress the job interviewer.

10. Mock Interview

If you think about the answers carefully enough and practice through a mock interview with career
counseling team or any experienced person, you are most likely to get through the first interview in a
confident manner.

Types of Interviews

1. STRUCTURED OR DIRECT INTERVIEW

• The questions and acceptable responses are specified in advance

• Responses are rated for appropriateness of content
• Also called standardized interviews as they are pre planned to a high degree of accuracy and
precision.

2. UNSTRUCTURED OR INDIRECT INTERVIEW OR OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEW

 Not directed by questions or comments as to what the candidate should be asked

 No set format is followed

 Candidate is encouraged to express himself on any topic of his interest, his expectations, background etc.

 Interviewers look for traits of character and nature of his aspirations, strengths, weaknesses, potential etc.

3. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

 specific topic areas

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 a general set of questions

 but the interview flows like a conversation and topics are covered as they come up.

Pros and Cons of Structured & Unstructured Interview

STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

 More reliable and valid as all candidates are asked the same set of questions

 Enhance consistency across candidates

UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS

 Flexibility to pursue points of interest as they develop

 Help in assessing the clarity of thoughts of the candidate

4. STRESS INTERVIEW

This type of interview is rare in the present job scenario. It was a very common interview method when
selecting for sales position.

Stress interview means-

 Being asked more than one question at a time

 Being asked further questions without being allowed adequate time to respond;

 The interviewer adopts a hostile behavior and deliberately puts the candidate on defensive by trying to
annoy, embarrass or frustrate him;

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 He asks questions rapidly, criticizes his/her answers, interrupts him/her frequently, makes derogatory
remarks etc.

 Having his/her feelings provoked.

Why stress interviews?

 This interview is an attempt to see how the candidates handle themselves under stress.

 So, the interviewer deliberately assumes a sarcastic or argumentative position.

 The trick for the interviewee is to remain calm under such a situation.

5. APPRAISAL/ ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW

 A discussion following a performance appraisal

 In which the supervisor and employee discuss the employee’s rating and

 Possible remedial actions to be taken.

6. ONE TO ONE INTERVIEW

 Single interviewer who takes interview one by one

 May be structured, unstructured or sequential

 Easier to handle, generally more informal

 Best way to handle such interviews is to relate them as a form of a conversation

7. SEQUENTIAL/SERIAL INTERVIEW

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 These interviews are those in which the applicant is interviewed Sequentially by several persons
(interviewers)

 Each one rates the applicant on a standard evaluation form and these ratings are then compared before
the hiring decision is taken

 Each interviewer rates from his/her own point of view, asks different questions and forms an independent
opinion of the candidate

8. GROUP INTERVIEW/ GROUP DISCUSSION

 The main purpose of this interview is to see how the interviewee interacts with others and how he/ she
influences others with his/her knowledge and reason.

 Also known as GD’s (Group Discussion), a topic for discussion is given to a group.

Why group interviews?

 Group interview is also the best way to discover any leadership potential, group participation, team
playing skills and communication skills among the candidates.

 The selected candidates from the group interview are then taken for an informal one to one interview.

9. PANEL INTERVIEW/ COMMITTEE INTERVIEW

 A panel interview comprises more than two members interviewing a person for the hiring.  It is most
common mode of interview when hiring at the senior level.

 The interviewee should try to connect with each interviewer and the best way to do this is to read the
personality of each interviewer.

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 In a panel interview, the interviewer tries to gauge the group management and group presentation skills
of the interviewee.

 The interviewee should maintain eye contact with the person asking the questions but also seek eye
contact with the other members of the panel.

10. SITUATIONAL INTERVIEW

 Here the interview will focus on the individual’s ability to project what his behavior will be in a given
situation.

 The interview can be both structured and situational with predetermined questions requiring the candidate
to project what his behavior will be.

11. BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW

 Here a situation is described and candidates are asked how they have behaved in the past in such a
situation.

 While situational interviewers ask candidates to describe how they would react to a situation in future,

 The behavioral interviews seek candidates to describe how did they react to situations in the past.

12. PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVIEWS

 Psychological interviews are interviews conducted by a psychologist,

 In which questions are intended to assess personal traits such as reliability or dependability etc.

DOs and DON’Ts for an interview

DOs DON’Ts Groom yourself well Do not demonstrate overconfidence Show enthusiasm

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Do not answer before the question has been completed Carry extra copies of your resume

Do not talk continuously Wear a cheerful smile

Do not be rude or get into an argument with the interviewers Be polite, assertive and firm

Do not fiddle with your tie or pen Be genuine and truthful when you reply

Do not extend your hand first for a handshake Look into the eyes of the interviewer while talking to him/her

Do not be unclear about your expectations from the job.

CONCLUSION

• The candidate has to physically and emotionally be prepared apart from being knowledgeable in the
domain area.
• Many of the recruiters believe in recruit for attitude, train for skills.
• Apart from a pleasing personality, grooming and effective communication play a vital role in
succeeding at interviews.

QUESTIONS YOU MUST PREPARE FOR.

 Tell me something about yourself.

 What are your hobbies?

 Why did you do your MBA after graduation?

 Which is the most recent book that you have read?

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 Have you heard about …. (a current topic)?

 What will you do if you reach office one morning and find out that you have lost your job?  What was
your role in your previous company?

 Where do you see yourself two years down the line?

 What are your expectations from the job?

 What are your strengths and weaknesses?

 Give us an example of an adverse situation at work and how you tackled it?

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