How to Prepare and Face an Interview

An interview can be defined as a face to face oral communication between the interviewer and the
interviewee in order to assess the views, attitudes and ideas of the interviewee. However the interview
process also enables the interviewee and observers to assess the skill and ability of the interviewer. Thus,
an interview is a test of both the communicants and parties engaged in the interaction. Intelligence,
knowledge, personal qualities and character are revealed and both parties are required to be well
prepared. The process allows everyone involved to make some important decisions. The candidate decides
whether he should accept the position and the interviewer decides whether the candidate should be
appointed; this decision may affect the organizational interests.

The following suggestions are advisable when

faced with an interview:
1) Dress appropriately – A well dressed and groomed appearance can do wonders for that first
impression.
2) Posture and Carriage - The way in which the candidate carries himself while walking and sitting
tells the interviewer about your confidence. Good “carriage” and posture have to be developed
over a period of time and are essential in distinguishing a shoddy and careless attitude from a
sharp and alert one.
3) Be confident - Self confidence, or the lack of it, is observed through your behavior, right from the
way you sit to how you speak. Good manners and proper behavior are obviously necessary.
Suitable greetings for the time of the day and other formalities must be known to the interviewee;
for example, sit down only after being told to; elbows must not be put on the table; the brief case
or bag should be kept on the floor beside the chair and do not play with any of your accessories
or clothes. Nervous movements betray show a lack of confidence and concentration.
4) Mental Preparation - The candidate should be well informed about current events, domestic and
international, and topics of general interest. Regular reading of newspapers, listening to radio and
TV discussions, participating in group discussions and general reading habits are helpful activities
in developing the required mental status for an interview.
a. Information about the organization, its directors, turnover, share capital and other
relevant information which are available in its annual report, is expected of candidates by
public limited companies. A candidate must know as much as possible about the
prospective employer company.
5) No guessing games - In situations where the candidate does not know the answer to a question it
is always better to state ones inability to answer than to make a guess. No one is expected to know
everything; admitting that one does not know the answer reflectshonesty.
6) Be clear - A candidate must have clarity of purpose and determination enough to want to know
his prospects in the organization. He/she must be able to ask questions about the nature of duties,
employee benefits, future prospects and other things which he may want to know about the
organization before taking any decision.
 7) Know your own worth - It is advisable to talk about salary without appearing to be bargaining and
without being driven or defeated. This requires careful prior thinking; if possible this topic should
be discussed with the family and with experienced elders or friends
8) At the end, candidate’s are usually not sure when to leave. If the interviewers indicate that the
interview is over, collect your bag, wish them and thank them for their friendly attitude and leave.
Some candidates, due to nervousness, seem to be in a hurry to leave and forget to wish or thank
the interviewers. Always remember that your parting movements are also closely .

In order to succeed in an interview each individual must make an honest self-assessment and find out
one’s areas of strength and weakness. Knowledge of one’s deficiencies is useful in overcoming weaknesses
and unconscious bad habits of posture or speech can be improved by effort. Shortcomings which cannot
be overcome can be accepted and acknowledged so that they do not lead to depression and
embarrassment when others notice them. Therefore, coming to terms with oneself and knowing how to
deal with one’s faults, and how to make the best use of one’s knowledge and skills, is another vital element
in preparing for an interview.

Potential interview questions

Technically, not every item is a question; some are statements; but all are intended to prompt you for a
response.

Better questions are not those that can be answered with a "yes" or "no," but are open-ended questions
that invite thoughtful response. Even if you are asked a question that can be answered with a "yes" or
"no," (e.g. "Are you comfortable with the amount of travel this job involves?"), you can certainly add a
word of explanation to back up your answer (e.g., "Yes. I actually look forward to the opportunity to travel
and to work with the staff members in some of the other offices.)

Not every interviewer will ask you every one of these questions. However, if you are prepared to address
these questions, you will leave the impression that you were prepared for your job interview, even if
additional questions take you by surprise.

• Describe yourself. / What five adjectives describe you best?

• What are your achievements so far ?
• Tell me what "success" means to you. Do you consider yourself successful?
• What does "failure" mean to you?
• What are your strengths, weaknesses, and interests?
• What are your long-range goals and objectives for the next seven to ten years?
• How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
• Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
• What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort? Describe a situation in which you did so.
• In what ways have your college experiences prepared you for a career?
• In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
• What qualities should a successful manager/leader/supervisor/etc. possess?
• Describe your most rewarding college experience.
• What led you to choose your major or field of study?
 • What college subjects did you like best/ least ? Why?
• Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?
• What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
• In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
• How do you work under pressure?
• How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
• Why did you decide to seek a position with our organization? / What interests you most about this
position?
• What two or three things would be most important to you in your job?
• What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
• What is your expected salary ?
• Why should I consider you for this position?
• Why are you the best candidate for this position?

What the interview is looking for:

1) Interviewer says: Tell me about yourself.

Remember, this is a job interview, not a psychological or personal interview. The interviewer is interested
in the information about you that relates to your qualifications for employment, such as education, work
experiences and extracurricular activities.

2) Interviewer says: What do you expect to be doing five years from now? Ten years from now?

The interviewer is looking for evidence of career goals and ambitions rather than minutely specific
descriptions. The interviewer wants to see your thought process and the criteria that are important to you.
The interviewer is not looking for information about your personal life.

3) Interviewer says: Why should I hire you?

Stress what you have to offer the employer as relates to the position for which you are interviewing, not
how nice it would be to work there or what you want from the employer. Remember that you are being
compared to other candidates, and in fact more than one candidate might be a very good employee.
Deliver to the employer reasons to see that you are a good fit (show you know yourself, know the
field/industry, know the organization, and know the position).

4) Interviewer says: What are your ideas about salary?

Research salaries in your field before your interviews so that you know the current salary range for the
type of position you are seeking.

5) Interviewer says: Why do you want to work for our company/organization?

Not having an answer is a good way to get crossed off the candidate list, and is a common pet peeve of
interviewers. Research the employer before your interview; attempt to find out about the organization's
products, locations, clients, philosophy, goals, previous growth record and growth plans, how they value
employees and customers, etc.
Unfortunately, it's very common for job-seekers to directly state, "I really want to work for your
company/agency/organization/firm," but then to be unable to answer the question "why?" Without the
answer to "why?" the initial statement becomes meaningless.