Semester 6

Unit 7

Managing Interview

Developing Employability Mindset

It’s a VUCA World

Volatile

Uncertain

Complex

Ambiguous

The World Outside:

Challenged Macro Economic Environment

Disruption due to Technological enhancement
Today’s skills, Tomorrow’s history
Automation has affected the JOB market
COVID Pandemic
GROWTH MINDSET EXAMPLES

➢ I believe that everyone can learn something new and become good at it over time.

➢ I always try, even if I think I will fail - failure is just another opportunity to learn,
which can help me succeed the next time.

➢ I can always become better if I try, it depends on my effort.

➢ I think that every opportunity is a chance to grow my knowledge, I can always learn
something new.

➢ Most importantly: I never say, "I can't."

FIXED MINDSET

➢ I believe that people are born smart or dumb and can never change.

➢ I think it is too late for most people to learn and gain a new perspective

➢ I take constructive feedback as personal criticism and I am who I am, and there is
nothing I can do to change that.

➢ I believe that once something happens, it can't be fixed or changed

➢ I give up when something is hard or it feels like I am unable to do it right.

Characteristic behaviors for people with a fixed mindset:

Avoid challenges

Hide mistakes

Disregard feedback

Respond to feedback in a defensive manner

View feedback as criticism

Some actions that signal a growth mindset are:

Continuous effort for self-development

Taking courses to learn new skills or develop existing ones

Actively search for challenges

Volunteer for new tasks

Accept and follow feedback

Developing a Growth Mindset for Employability

Do not Give Up: When you fail once in your endeavor, do not give up. Look at failure as
opportunities to learn valuable lessons.

Do not Fear Failure: Fear of failure will stop you from taking risks. There is no success
without accepting some risks along your way.

Learning from mistakes: Mistakes are a natural part of life and work. Instead of dwelling on
them, reflect on what you can learn from your failures and how you can apply those lessons
in the future.

Seeking feedback: Welcome feedback from colleagues, managers and mentors.

Use constructive feedback as a tool for personal and professional growth.

Continuously learning: Commit to lifelong learning. Stay updated with sector trends, build
up your skills, and acquire new skills through training and development programmes.

Building and maintaining a positive attitude: Practice gratitude and focus on the positive
aspects of your life and career. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support your
growth while avoiding negative influences that may discourage you from pursuing your
goals or encourage you to give up.

Enhancing Problem-Solving Abilities

Problem-solving is a critical skill in the workplace because it enables individuals to come up

with solutions to complex problems.

Individuals with a growth mindset are better problem-solvers because they are open to new
ideas and perspectives, and they are willing to experiment and take risks.

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: Limiting beliefs are the beliefs that hold us back and prevent us
from reaching our full potential. They are often rooted in fear and self-doubt.

To develop a growth mindset, we need to identify and overcome our limiting beliefs.

Preparing for SELF INTRODUCTION

What is Self-Introduction?

Self-introduction is when you introduce yourself to another person or a group of people in a

formal interview or a casual meet up at a party.

If someone asks you for a self-introduction, they are asking you to summarise the most
relevant information about yourself and your life.

Introducing yourself means providing more information about yourself in simple, clean,
clear and confident language.

Self-introduction helps other people to know about your identity, personality, and other
essential things related to you.

A good self-introduction should cover all aspects of the person as it creates a positive
impression on others to have better connections in the future.

So let’s learn how to confidently introduce you and Tips and tricks of Self-Introduction in
English for students.

Things to avoid during Self Introduction:

Do not simply narrate the content of your resume and cover letter Make it sound authentic
by providing examples.

Do not ask ‘What do you want to know?’. It shows that you are not prepared.

Do not narrate life stories. Just touch upon an experience if you want to highlight any
specific quality.

Do not consume a lot of time giving your self-introduction.

The candidate should not give a lot of personal details about their hobbies & Family
background in the self-introduction round.

They should not lose the professional tone of their language

During the self-introduction round, the candidate should not mention untrue facts and
figures.

Self-introduction helps to build a positive impact or leave a positive impression on others.

Helps to build connections

Improve self-confidence
Improves presentation skills

Leaves powerful or impactful impression

Helps in building deep understanding and positive thinking habits

Improved communication skills will be of great help for professional career

Researching the EMPLOYER

What should you RESEARCH?

Information about the Industry

Is the company’s industry on the rise, or is it struggling? What major issues are
impacting the industry today? Read news articles about forecasts, recent events, prominent
leaders, trends, and history.

You will come across as well-prepared and interested in the organization

Information about the Position

It has been a while since you applied for the position, but now is the time to revisit the
original posting. Your interview answers should demonstrate that you thoroughly
understand the educational requirements, skills, and duties required.

You should also get familiar with typical career paths and salaries.

Check the Website

This is likely the first thing you’ll do when researching the company, but don’t just glance at
the home or “about” pages and consider yourself done.

Really comb through the site so that you can get a sense not only of their mission or culture
but also the overall health and direction of the organization.

Research Company’s Social Media Pages

Go through the company’s social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and
LinkedIn) to get a grasp of how they communicate with their target demographics.

Follow them to get updates whenever they post anything. You can even like and comment
on their posts which can help you fall into their radar, especially if they’re a small team.

You can use LinkedIn to find who’s currently working at the company you’re researching.
For example, if you look up “People” under “Apple” on LinkedIn, you’ll get a view of their
employees worldwide

You may be able to glean a bit about corporate culture through a company’s blog and social
media accounts, but to really build on that information, try looking for information from
external sources.

Why should you Research the Employer?

Get an edge over the interview.

Employers love it when you’re knowledgeable about their company.

After all, they want to hire people who want to work there specifically, not the ones that
are just randomly applying everywhere.

The more company knowledge you demonstrate during the interview, the more likely it is
that you’ll get the job.

You can find a lot of skeletons in company closets if you just do some research online. This
can actually help you save a ton of time and effort from applying (or getting hired) at the
wrong place.

There are a lot of companies out there - not all of them are the right fit for you. By
researching companies online, you’ll be able to tell right from wrong more easily.

You can find information on average salaries at a specific company online, so you have a
better idea of what kind of range you can ask for.

Know Their Customers and Their Needs

When you go into an interview, you want to know about the business and its customers.

Who are these customers?

What challenges do they face?

What concerns do they express? And how do they articulate their pain points?

What you know about their client or customers help you understand the challenges and
concerns that customers face, their needs, and desires.

As well as researching companies for interviews, carry out competitor research as this helps
you get up to speed on current industry trends.
You will have a better understanding of the company’s niche and what makes its product or
service unique.

By learning how to research an employer before a job interview, you’ll be able to use it to
your advantage – to help you stand out from candidates in your graduate job interview.

How to bring your research into an interview?

Add in the relevant facts you know from your company research before interviews.

Expect questions such as:

What do you know about our company?

Why do you want to work for us?

What do you think are our biggest challenges this year?

Why does this industry interest you?

TYPES of INTERVIEW

IN Person Interviews:

This type of interview is the most straightforward and common you'll encounter.

It's where you'll meet with one recruiter and they'll ask you a series of questions about
yourself.

They'll determine your competency, skills, and experience to see if you should move on to
the next round.
Do’s and Don’ts-In-Person Interviews

Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential co-worker.

Behave like someone you would want to work with.

Be honest and be yourself — your best professional self.

Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question.

Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching.

Dress appropriately for the industry

Arrive early; 10 minutes prior to the interview start time

Don't make negative comments about previous employers or professors (or others).

Don't treat the interview casually

PHONE Interview:

Phone interviews tend to also be relatively formal and are often conducted in the same
manner as an in-person interview.

This format usually involves one interviewer at a time.

Usually, you'll have a full-length conversation about yourself and the role with the recruiter.

Do’s and Don’ts of Phone Interview

Don't Take the Call in a Public Place

Don't Talk Too Much

Don't Multitask

Don't Take the Call on Speaker Phone

Do Make Sure Your Connection is Working Properly

Do Take Notes

Virtual Interview:

Video interviews became one of the most common types of interviews during the
pandemic, and of course, for remote work.
You'll have your interview over platforms like Skype, Zoom, or Google Meets.

The recruiter will still ask you similar questions and remember to have video call etiquette,
like making eye contact over the screen and limiting distractions around you.

PANEL Interview:

Panel interviews are typically very formal and can consist of up to four interviewers at one
time.

This type of format can feel a bit daunting but focus on one question at a time.

Address the person who asked the question and as you answer, but still make eye contact
with each panel member.

Do’s and Don’ts of Panel Interviews

Do engage the group with your responses

Do mind your body language and ensure eye contact with the entire panel.

Don’t rush your answers; Against the Rapid Fire Questioning by different panelists.

Prepare for Follow-Up Questions

Informal Interview:

Informal interviews can be very deceptive if you’re not prepared for the scenario you’re
entering.

If you're invited for a casual coffee catch-up, don’t take that to mean you can present
yourself other than how you’d be at work.

The usual interview rules still apply an in an informal interview, so don't let the interview
morph into a social chat.

While you should focus on building rapport, you still need to get your message across.

Do’s and Don’ts of Informal Interviews

DON’T: Talk Too Casually, Especially About Salary

DO: Dress to Impress

Do: Be professional
Do: Research and come prepared

Do: Respect their time

DON’T: Ask for a job

Behavioural Interview:

Across all of these interview types, the most common interview method leveraged is known
as behavioral-based interviewing.

Behavioral interviewing is designed to examine your competency, skill compatibility and

cultural fit for the position and you will need to provide examples that illustrate your ability
to carry out certain skills or demonstrate certain behavior.

Often questions will start with phrases such as "Tell me about a time when…" or "Give me
an example of….”

Do’s and don’ts of Behavioural Interview:

Prepare for the Unexpected-Describe how you worked to solve the problem.

Tell Me about Yourself-

Do-Give a brief overview of your professional career and what you’re looking for.

Don’t: Recite your resume or ramble on.

What Are Your Strengths/Weaknesses-

Do: Choose skills that are relatable for the job.

Don’t: Lie (They will find out!)

Do: Be honest but show that you’re taking steps to improve your weakness.

Don’t: Say you don’t have any weaknesses or that you work too hard.

Interview Etiquette

Don’t be late. It is extremely unprofessional and disrespectful to be late, and there are
many benefits of not being late to a job interview. You should plan to arrive at least 15
minutes early.

Don’t treat the job interview as informal. Acknowledging that it is a formal proceeding and
respecting that is an important rule of interview etiquette.
Don’t forget to knock correctly. Usually knocking three times on the job interview door to
announce your presence is considered standard and acceptable.

Don’t interrupt your interviewers. Even if they misheard you or misunderstood you or you
think of something good to say, it would be poor interview etiquette. Wait until your turn to
respond.

Don’t have your phone on you. If you do have to have it, ensure it is on airplane mode or
completely turned off. Even ‘silent’ mode can cause vibration noises that are distracting in a
quiet room.

Do not fidget, slouch, or cross your arms. Posture and professionalism are very important to
show that you are put together.

Don’t ask about salary. It is a sensitive issue to discuss and only reserved for the time when
you have an official job offer. Do not make your hiring manager uncomfortable by bringing
it up before that.

Don’t enter a room or sit down without the interviewer acknowledging you and giving
permission to you to enter or sit.

While you are waiting for your interview, do not use your phone even if you do this at other
times in the day when you are waiting for an appointment.

The interviewer will often ask you if you have any questions for them - this most commonly
happens at the end of the interview. Make sure you have some questions prepared

Wrap up the interview with a thank-you note.