INTERVIEW TIPS

General Considerations

Interview is the most crucial part of selection where a candidate is assessed

personally. Resume gives a hint of the candidate's capabilities and knowledge,
but it is during interview that an employer can know the candidates personality
and how fit he is to work in the organization.

1) Interview Tips

2) Preparing for the Interview

3) The Interview

4) Some "DOs" and "DON'Ts

5) Questions u may be asked:

6) U can ask questions as…

7) Negative Factors Evaluated by an Interviewer

8) Closing the Interview

INTERVIEW TIPS

Tip 1: Plan Ahead of the day. Do a little homework! Try to know a little about the
company and the position if possible, as well, the people you will meet with at
the interview.

Tip 2: Practice a little Role Play once you have finished studying. Write down
answers if it helps to make your presentation more concise.

Tip 3: Maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Show you want the job with
your interest.

Tip 4: Remain Positive and avoid negative comments about past employers.

Tip 5: Try to relate your answers to the interviewer and his or her company.
Focus on achievements relevant to the position.

Tip 6: Try to encourage the interviewer to share information about his or her
company. Demonstrate your interest.
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Preparing for the Interview

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. Thorough preparation enhances

your chances of accomplishing the two main objectives of an interview. The
interviewer's objective is to decide whether or not to make you a job offer by
evaluating your history, educational background, your strengths and
accomplishments, as well as your level of motivation, attitude and personality.
In other words, to find out if you're the right person for the job, what is your
potential for promotion and whether or not you will fit into the company
environment. As the candidate your objective is to satisfy the interviewer's
objective, as well as learn those things you need to know about the position and
the company so that you can make an intelligent decision about the job - and
keep focused on "Getting a job offer."

1. Find out the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer's full
name.

2. Learn pertinent facts about the company such as annual sales revenue,
principal lines of business and locations.

3. Determine how the opportunity will impact your immediate and long-term
career development.

4. An interview should be a "two-way" communication. Know what questions to

ask during the interview. Your questions allow the hiring manager to evaluate
your professional and personal needs.

5. Put your best foot forward. Be formally dressed and greet your interviewer
with a firm handshake and an enthusiastic smile.

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The Interview

1. For hiring managers, the "right match" means they have identified individuals
capable of performing the immediate challenges. More importantly, they hope
the individuals have the potential to be future resources and assets to the firm.

2. The interviewer is the mechanism used to determine the "right match."

3. You are being interviewed by the hiring manager to determine whether you
have the qualifications necessary to do the job and whether a mutually
rewarding professional relationship can be formed.

4. Similarly, you must determine whether you can be successful in the available
position and whether the company will give you the opportunity for growth and
development.

5. Present yourself in the best possible light. However, be yourself; everyone

has the same goal - the "right match."

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Some "DOs" and "DON'Ts

1. Do plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job
interview is never excusable.

2. If presented with an application, do fill it out neatly and completely. Don't rely
on your application or resume to do the selling for you. Interviewers will want
you to speak for yourself.

3. Do greet the interviewer by last name if you are sure of the pronunciation. If
not, ask the employer to repeat it. Give the appearance of energy as you walk.
Smile! Shake hands firmly. Be genuinely glad to meet the interviewer.

4. Do wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright, look alert and
interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good communicator.

5. Do look a prospective employer in the eye while speaking.

6. Do follow the interviewer's leads, but try to get the interviewer to describe
the position and the duties to you early in the interview so that you can apply
your background, skills and accomplishments to the position.

7. Do make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a
factual, sincere manner. Stress achievements. For example: sales records,
processes developed, savings achieved, systems installed, etc.

8. Do always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are
discussing. Never close the door on opportunity.

9. Do show enthusiasm. If you are interested in the opportunity, enthusiastic

feedback can enhance your chances of being further considered. If you are not
interested, your responsiveness will still demonstrate your professionalism.
10. Don't forget to bring a copy of your resume! Keep several copies in your
briefcase if you are afraid you will forget.

11. Don't smoke, even if the interviewer does and offers you a cigarette. Do not
chew gum.

12. Don't answer with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain whenever possible.
Describe those things about yourself which relate to the situation.

13. Don't lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and succinctly.

14. Don't make unnecessary derogatory remarks about your present or former
employers. Obviously, there were issues or else you would not have left a prior
company or be looking to leave a present employer. However, when explaining
your reasons for leaving, limit your comments to those necessary to adequately
communicate your rationale.

15. Don't over-answer questions. And if the interviewer steers the conversation
into politics or controversial issues, try to do more listening than speaking since
this could be a sensitive situation.

16. Don't inquire about salary, vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc., on the
initial interview unless you are sure the employer is interested in hiring you. If
the interviewer asks what salary you want, indicate what you've earned but that
you're more interested in opportunity than in a specific salary.

Questions u may be asked:

1. Tell me about yourself? (try to hold your response to 2 minutes)

2. What do you know about our company?

3. Why should we hire you?

4. What can you do for us that someone else can't?

5. What do you look for in a job?

6. What skills and qualifications are essential for success in the position of
______?

7. How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution?

8. How does this assignment fit into your overall career plan?

9. Describe your management style.

10. What do you believe is the most difficult part of being a supervisor of
people?

11. Why are you looking for a new career?

12. How would your colleagues describe you?

13. How would your boss describe you?

14. How would you describe yourself?

15. What do you think of your present or past boss?

16. What were the five most significant accomplishments in your last
assignment?

17. What were the five most significant accomplishments in your career so far?

18. Can you work well under deadlines or pressure?

19. How much do you expect if we offer you this position?

20. Why do you want to work for us?

21. What other positions are you considering?

22. Have you kept up in your field with additional training?

23. What are your career goals?

24. What are your strong points?

25. What are your weak points?

26. How did you do in school?

27. What position do you expect to have in 2 to 5 years?

28. If you took the job what would you accomplish in the first year?

29. What was wrong with your current or last position?

30. What kind of hours are you used to working or would like to work?

31. Do you have your reference list with you? (Remember don't give it out
unless it is asked for).
32. Can you explain your salary history?

33. What questions didn't I ask that you expected?

34. Do you have any question for me? (See Questions for the Interviewer that
you might want to ask below).

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U can ask questions as…

 " What would I be expected to accomplish in this position?

 " What are the greatest challenges in this position?
 " How do you think I fit the position?

Remember a lack of questions may be mistaken as a lack of interest.

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Negative Factors Evaluated by an Interviewer

 Personal appearance, which is less than professional.
 Overbearing, overaggressive or egotistical behavior.
 No positive purpose.
 Lack of interest and enthusiasm -- passive and indifferent.
 Lack of confidence and poise; nervousness.
 Overemphasis on compensation.
 Evasiveness; making excuses for unfavorable factors in work history.
 Lack of tact, maturity and courtesy.
 Condemnation of past employers, managers, projects or technologies.
 Inability to maintain a conversation.
 Lack of commitment to fill the position at hand.
 Failure to ask questions about the position.
 Persistent attitude of "What can you do for me?"
 Lack of preparation for interview -- failure to get information about the
company, resulting in inability to ask intelligent questions.

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Closing the Interview
1. If you are interested in the position, let the interviewer know. If you feel the
position is attractive and you want it, be a good salesperson and say something
like: "I'm very impressed with what I've seen here today; your company, its
products and the people I've met. I am confident I could do an excellent job in
the position you've described to me." The interviewer will be impressed with
your enthusiasm.
2. Don't be too discouraged if no immediate commitment is made. The
interviewer will probably want to communicate with other people in the
company or possibly interview more candidates before making a decision.
3. If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and that you
have already been rejected, don't let your discouragement show. Once in a
while an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you may seem to discourage
you as a way of testing your reaction.
4. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. If you have
answered the two questions-- "Why are you interested in this position?" and
"What can you offer?"-- you have done all you can.

RESUME TIPS

Advertising yourself online by posting resumes may sound good, but it isn't easy. It requires
a meticulous approach and effective techniques, more so because organizations and
placement professionals now increasingly rely on the Internet to source talent. The job
seeking community also tends to log on a lot more and, given the huge number of other
potential candidates, your resume had better be good.

The most crucial element in an online resume is catching a prospective employer's

attention and conveying the essence quickly. You might have the potential and skills to
excel in the corporate world… But is YOUR Resume reflecting your abilities, strengths and
experience in a trujly impressive manner? To stand out in a tight job market, you must have
a flawless, skillfully crafted marketing document.

Recruiters and HR managers, on an average, spend merely a couple of minutes on each

resume. "It is extremely important that the résumé captures one's attention within 5
seconds". Its structure needs to be such that a reader gets the right information in the
easiest manner." Your résumé should make you stand out from the rest, highlight your
uniqueness and point to your abilities with reference to the job in question.

1) What is a resume?

2) Why you need a resume ?

3) How to prepare an effective resume ?

4) Action words

5) What Employers want ?

6) The Litmus Test

1) What is a resume?
A resume is a self-promotional document that presents you in the best possible light, for the
purpose of getting invited to a job interview. A resume does its job successfully if it does not
exclude you from consideration. To prepare a successful resume, you need to know how to
review, summarize, and present your experiences and achievements on one page.
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2) Why you need a resume ?

It's unlikely you will gain an interview without a succinct, compelling cover letter and
resume. The combined factor of the two is the greatest asset you have for marketing your
skills and attributes to a prospective employer. In today's competitive business world
companies aggressively market their products and services to the public. Likewise, you are
no exception when it comes to job-hunting. Your cover letter and resume is the greatest
advertisement you can have working on your behalf.

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3) How to prepare an effective resume ?

Use the 5 C's when writing your CV

Clear - well-organized and logical (remember most CV's are faxed, so choose a font that
will fax well)

Concise - Your CV should be no more than 1-2 pages of relevant and necessary
information. Lengthy CVs are typically overlooked. Keep it simple by eliminating non-
medical work experience for example.

Complete - includes everything you need for the position you are applying for. Include your
contact information including phone number(s) and address at the top.

Consistent - don't mix styles or fonts (make it easy to read)

Current - up-to-date, including your current position

Before you write, take time to do a self-assessment of your self. Outline your skills and
abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities.

The Content of Your Resume

All your contact information should be mentioned at the top of your resume. Name,
address, telephone, e-mail address, web site address
 Avoid nicknames.

Use a permanent address.

Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code.

Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful. (Note: Choose an e-mail
address that sounds professional.)

If you have a professional web site then include the web site address.

Objective or Summary

An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do.

Be specific about the job you want.

Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

Avoid pronouns and flowery language.

Focus on what you have to offer rather than on what the job can offer you. This may sound
backwards, but employers are not so much interested in what you hope to get out of a job
with them, so much as they want to know whether you fit their needs.

If you are not clear on your career goals, you probably should not include an objective on
your resume.

Education

Typically a new graduate does not have related work experience from which to draw in
order to make a strong first impression. Unless a candidate's education is in a highly sought
after area, competing with more experienced candidates can be a challenge, thus they
need for a well designed résumé with emphasis on work experience which should be listed
first. Alumni can list it after the work experience section.

Your most recent educational information is listed first.

Include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution attended,
minor/concentration.

Mention academic honors.

Work Experience

Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use action words
to describe your job duties. The way you arrange your resume depends on how well your
experience seems to prepare you for the position you want. Basically, you can either
describe your most recent job first and work backwards (reverse chronology) or group
similar skills together-that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant
job.

Don't feel that you must limit this section to paid work experiences, especially if you are
still in college or a recent graduate. Employers understand that the most valuable or most
challenging experiences often occur in internships, volunteer work or other extracurricular
activities.

Be specific. A vague description of your duties will make only a vague impression.

Identify accomplishments. If you headed a project, improved productivity, reduced costs,

increased membership, or achieved some other goal, say so.

Include both your duties AND your accomplishments. Duties tell the employer you can do
the job. Accomplishments indicate that you will go above and beyond the call of duty.

Remember one good advice not to say anything if you cannot say something nice. Leave
all embarrassing or negative information off the resume

Have someone else proofread the master copy carefully.

Include:

Title of position,

Name of organization

Location of work (town, state)

Dates of employment

Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.

References

Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a
potential employer. Do not include your reference information on your resume. You may
note at the bottom of your resume.

Resume Design:

These tips will make your resume easier to read and/or scan into an employer's data base.

Use white or off-white paper.

Use 8-1/2- x 11-inch paper.

Print on one side of the paper.

Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.

Type your resume, using a standard typeface. (Printed resumes are becoming more
common, but employers do not indicate a preference for them.)

Choose one typeface and stick to it.

Avoid italics, script, and underlined words.

Do not use horizontal or vertical lines, graphics, or shading.

Do not fold or staple your resume.

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4) The action words

These are used to describe your experience and accomplishments. Here are some actions
words to use:

achieved developed informed surveyed

acquired discovered interviewed supervise
adapted doubled tested addressed
drafted launched trained administered
edited marketed analyzed eliminated
motivated anticipated enforced negotiated
assembled established operated audited
expanded organized budgeted explained
originated calculated forecasted oversaw
centralized prevented performed demonstrated
implemented planned designed improved

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5) What Employers want ?

Employers say they are impressed by job candidates who have excellent communication
skills, good grooming habits, and relevant work experience. Employers say they want
employees who can move right in, get along with their co-workers, and get the job done
without having to be told what to do at each step.

Top Qualities Employers Seek :

1. Communication skills (verbal and written)

2. Honesty/integrity

3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)

4. Interpersonal skills(relates well to others)

5. Motivation/initiative

6. Analytical skills

7. Flexibility/adaptability

8. Self-confidence

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6) The Litmus Test

To know how well you have performed in creating your resume that allows employers to
process information quickly, have someone or your friend perform the 15-20-second litmus
test on your resume. Simply time your reader for twenty seconds as he or she reads your
resume. What all did he or she learn about you? If your reader noticed within twenty
seconds what you want employers to learn about you, then most likely you have created an
effective resume. If not, try moving important information to the first quadrant, checking that
you have used sans serif and serif fonts consistently, and limiting the tools for emphasis
you use in your document.

Summary

1. Don't expect the person reading your resume to know and understand industry "jargon".
Explain the term in "layman" language.
 2. Start each sentence with a powerful action word.

3. Know and understand your attributes and aspirations, and succinctly describe this to the
reader.

4. Check your dates. Are there any gaps or overlaps?

5. Forget about fancy fonts. Not only can it be hard to read, but it also makes it unreadable
for scanning software.

COVER LETTER
General Considerations

You've found a job opening, and you're all set to send your resume except for one
road block - you need a cover letter. You know its got to be a good letter if you're
going to convince the employer to call you for an interview. Your cover letter serves
as a marketing pitch while your resume backs up your testimonials. Use this
opportunity to create a good first impression as employers may receive hundreds of
resume applications for one job availability.

 Who Needs a Cover Letter?

 What is the Purpose?
 Who is your Audience?
 What should be the Structure?

 What Suggestions to follow?

Who Needs a Cover Letter?

Everyone who sends out a resume does! Even if the cover letter never "came up" in
conversation or wasn't mentioned in an advertisement, it's expected that you will
write one.

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What is the Purpose?

Cover letter along with your resume usually provides all the information which a
prospective employer will use to decide whether or not you fit the bill required for
the job and later called for an interview. While your ultimate goal is a job offer, the
more immediate purpose of your cover letter in some cases may simply be to gain
an attentive audience for your resume.

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Who is your Audience?

Cover letters should be tailored to each specific company in mind. You should
conduct enough research to know the interests, needs, values, and goals of each
company, and your letters should reflect that knowledge. The company is not
interested in what YOU want, but what VALUE you will bring to the organization.
What you convey should be enough to lead an employer (or recruiter) to want to
interview you at the earliest.

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What should be the Structure?

A Cover Letter should be composed of: An introductory paragraph that " is interest
generating " states or implies interest A Market-yourself paragraph that "
demonstrates your ability to add value " highlights your key strengths and abilities "
A brief summary that briefly describes your relevant education and experience. " A
statement that either compels or ensures follow-up action. " A token of
appreciation.>

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What Suggestions to follow?

The following suggestions are offered when writing a cover letter…

 No spelling or typing errors: Double check for any typing or spelling

errors.
 Be Open: State your objective without needless fancy elaboration.
 Be Specific: Lengthy letters tend to be just scanned. Keep your cover letter
to one page. Keep it brief if you want your cover letter to be read from start
to end.
 Avoid Using Slang Words or clichés: As your letter would reflect you, you
would want to project a professional image and not an informal one.
 Write it in your own words so that it sounds like you--not like
something out of a book: Employers look for originality, knowledge,
enthusiasm, focus etc in a candidate.
 Phrase your letter positively. Worded effectively, you will be able to
create a positive impression.
 Make your cover letter easy on the eyes: It should be easy to scan and
have a logical progression. Bunched up text in long paragraphs will frustrate
anyone who has to review hundreds of resumes and cover letters a week.
  Market Yourself: Explain what you can offer the company; not what the
company can do for you..
 Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer: If you
are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and
specifically put them in BOLD type.
 Customize your cover letter to the job position you are applying
for:The skills that you should mention should be appropriate to the job
position available.
 Highlight your best accomplishment. It just might be what the employer
is looking for in an applicant-- one who can accomplish a certain job he has in
mind.
 Avoid Being Negative about yourself: You aim to sell yourself with
positive citation. Any phrase that might indicate negative fact about yourself
will be a point against you.
 Stress a positive unique quality you have: Among hundred other
resumes, the important thing is for you to leave a memorable impression to
the employer. A promising attribute which may make you unique relative to
the other applicants could improve your chances of reaching the interview
stage.
 Show that you know notable information about the company: This will
show that you have interest on their organization. You didn't pick this
company out of the phone book.
 Offer a solution to their problem: Most employers hire people because
the employer needs to accomplish a task-not because they want to provide
employment opportunities to the public. Your cover letter should be solution-
centric; not "I" centered. Keep the "I would like" stuff to a minimum.
 Don't mention people's name from the company: DON'T MENTION
NAMES if you know someone in the company. HR managers take unsolicited
resumes more seriously then, when they assume you were referred by one of
their employees or customers.
 Include your contact information:This is written at the last paragraph of
your letter. Indicate what time is best available to contact you and that you
are looking forward to arranging an interview.
 Be Concise: The closing should be concise. Let the reader know what you
want (an Be application, an interview, an opportunity to call).
 Sign your cover letter: Remember to sign your cover letter.

Three standard ways to close your cover letter:

 Active Approach( I will call you!) - Indicate to the employer that you will
be following up with a call within a certain period of time (usually 7 days) to
arrange a convenient time for an interview. Use tact; otherwise this approach
may appear presumptuous.
 Reserved Approach(You call ME!) - If you aren't comfortable making
these cold calls, then, express your desire for the employer to contact you.

 Out-of-Town Approach(Right Timing your call !) - Mention the fact that

you will be in the area during a certain time period and will call to arrange an
interview before/after you arrive. You may request a specific time and date
for an interview or indicate your availability at any time during a given
period. Proof read! Make certain your letter is grammatically correct and
without typographical errors - mistakes have a very negative impact on the
application process. Last but not the least, don't underestimate the
importance of your cover letter. In a recent survey most of the respondents
said that when they screen applications, the cover letter is either as
important as or more critical than the resume. Your cover letter really does
 matter.

 SAMPLE RESUME / CV.

Deepak Shah
1/1-A, Bharat Nagar,
New Friends Colony
NewDelhi- 110065
E-mail: deepak@jobsup.com

Objective
To obtain an entry level position requiring strong analytical and organizational
skills in the engineering department.

Education
 B.S., Mechanical Engineering with focus in automotive engineering,
May2001, from University of North Carolina at Charlotte School of
Engineering.
 10+2 from Delhi Public School, Delhi, May 1996.
 10th from Delhi Public School, Delhi, 1994.
Experience
1) Co-Op Engineer, Ford Motor Corp., Detroit, MI, Spring 2001.
2) Mini Bajaj Team Participant, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Fall
2000.
3) Worked on six member team of students to design and build a miniature
stock car for competition in National Society of Automotive Engineers
competition. Our car won.
4) Internship, General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI, Summer 2000.
5) Assisted in experimental and literature research, prepared figures and data
for technical papers, and computed engineering calculations.
Related Course Work
Thermodynamics, deformable solids, statics, materials science, basic circuits,
fluid mechanics, controls, heat transfer, vibrations, statistics, design, turbo
machinery, automotive structural design.
Computer Skills
CAD, Auto CAD, MathCAD, C++, Word, Access, Excel.
Activities
1) President, Society of Automotive Engineers, campus chapter, fall 2000-
present.
2) Peer Tutor, Intramural Baseball, 1998-2001

Personal Information

Fathers Name : Rajesh Shah

Mothers Name : Mrinalini Shah
Date of Birth : 10-07-1978
Address : 1/1-A, Bharat Nagar, NFC, NewDelhi-65
Hobbies : Listening to music, Playing baseball.
Date:
Place: (Deepak Ojha)