INTERVIEW: 1.6

 INTERVIEW: 1.6

During an Interview - II (Interview Skills and Etiquette)

Carry All Your Documents: Always, always carry at least two or three copies of your resume, and all other documents that might be relevant to the job and/ or the interview. Arriving without relevant materials says that you are unprepared and not serious about the job.

Entering the Room: 

- Prior to the entering the door, adjust your attire so that it falls well.

- Before entering enquire by saying, “May I come in sir/madam”.

- If the door was closed before you entered, make sure you shut the door behind you softly.

- Face the panel and confidently say ‘Good day sir/madam’.

- Have a good hand shake maintaining eye contact and a smile.

- Seek permission to sit down. 

Watch Your Attitude: Don't be casual or overconfident, and don't be subservient and passive either. The organization is most likely looking for someone who is confident, eager to learn, and a good worker.

Communicate Well: Communication skills aren't a bonus in today's job market, they are a per-requisite. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, make eye contact, and speak clearly and concisely. Don't ramble but make sure you get your point across. This will demonstrate your level of confidence and clarity of thought. 

It's a Two-Way Street: Remember, an interview is an interaction to determine how well you fit into the organization's needs as well as how the company fits into your career plan. Ask questions and be involved. Your prospective employer will be pleased that you showed interest and were willing to learn more.

Highlight Other Achievements: Sometimes, what takes you that extra mile need not be professional experience. It could be something you did on your own that shows you in a better light to a prospective employer. For instance, if you have volunteered some social work, play it up. This shows a socially responsible bent of mind. If you are well-travelled, mention it. Not only does it say that you have had various kinds of exposure, it also implies you are adaptable to different cultures -- this might be useful if the job requires you to travel.

Sense of Humour: A little humour or wit thrown in the discussion occasionally enables the interviewers to look at the pleasant side of your personality, If it does not come naturally do not contrive it. By injecting humour in the situation doesn’t mean that you should keep telling jokes. It means to make a passing comment that, perhaps, makes the interviewer smile.

Eye Contact: You must maintain eye contact with the panel, right through the interview. This shows your self-confidence and honesty. Many interviewees while answering tend to look away. This conveys you are concealing your own anxiety, fear and lack of confidence. Maintaining an eye contact is a difficult process. As the circumstances in an interview are different, the value of eye contact is tremendous in making a personal impact.

Be Natural: Many interviewees adopt a stance which is not their natural self. It is amusing for interviewers when a candidate launches into an accent which he or she cannot sustain consistently through the interview or adopt mannerisms that are inconsistent with his/her personality. Interviewers appreciate a natural person rather than an actor. It is best for you to talk in natural manner because then you appear genuine.

Say Thank You: The day after the interview, send out a crisp thank you e-mail. However, be careful you don't make it a long saga, brevity is key when it comes to thank you notes.

 

[to be continued...]