INTERVIEW TIPS

SOURCE: PLACEMENT CELL (MSEC)

Gone are the days when a single interviewer asked questions that simply expanded on your resume. Today, you might find yourself face to face with employees you’d work with, if hired.

Regardless of the format, expect team interviews to be challenging. The initial exchanges with the interview team are the most difficult and decisive. At this point, you and your interviewers are evaluating each other. During those few minutes strong impressions can be formed which will last a long time. As a candidate, your goal is to find out whether the company’s environment matches your interests and values. Your prospective employer in his turn is trying to decide if your personality and background fit its culture and ambience.

Essential Tactics

Team interviews are more challenging than traditional one -to-one encounter. But when handled well, you can show several people at once that you have the right potential. Remember, your interviewers understand how formidable non-traditional interviews can be and want you to succeed.

The following tips can improve your encounters with interviewing teams

Expect to feel additional stress
You’ll have very little time to frame your answers unlike during traditional interviews, when the interviewer might take notes before asking another question. But with several people doing the questioning, you can’t have this luxury, because while one person is taking notes, another will fire the next salvo of question.

Recognize that interviewers too are human
Most understand that you’re nervous and will try to make the experience as comfortable as possible. They’re not interested in seeing you squirm. Their job is to determine if your talents will match with the opening.

Know what characteristics to emphasize
List the 10 traits associated with the position you’re seeking and prepare to demonstrate them during the session. Would creativity, presentation or facilitation skills be important? Ask people who are familiar with the kind of job you’re seeking to create short tests that might allow you to illustrate your skills.

Ask intelligent questions, do not state the obvious
If you’ve done your homework, you’ll know the organization’s culture and how you’ll fit in. Ask questions that reflect your knowledge of that culture.

Read between the lines
With several people asking questions consecutively, you won’t have much time to prepare a response. However, if you read people well, you’ll be able to respond to the concern underlying the interviewers’ questions. Picking up on and responding to these issues is certain to impress an interview team. For instance, if an interviewer says, "Here at ABC we have a long tradition of teamwork," what he or she wants to know is, "How good are your teamwork skills?"

Watch out!
Sell yourself. Learn as much as possible about the vacant position, the company, and the interviewers themselves. The more detailed information you have about the company and the position, the better prepared you are likely to be. Visit the company’s website, if it has one and acquire detailed information about it.

Employers want someone who wants to work for them. Demonstrate this by:

· PREPARING QUESTIONS. No matter how thorough the employer is in the interview, you must ask questions. This demonstrates interest and thinking ability.

· ASKING, "WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?" Tell the employer you were intrigued prior to the interview and are now even more.

· EMPHASIZING AREAS OF YOUR BACKGROUND. Think of specific examples that demonstrate this.

Be prepared with answers to the following:

· What do you know about this position and company? Why are you interested?

· What are your short-term and long-term goals?

· What are your strengths?

· What are your weaknesses?

· What are expectations regarding salary?

· What questions do you plan to ask the employer either about the job, company, or other things? Who have you learned the most from?

· What was it? Why was it important?

· What would you change here?

· Are you willing to relocate? Change industries? Travel?

Tell us about yourself
this is an open canvas for you, giving you an opportunity to direct and lead your interview in the direction you want. A good idea would be to structure your answer in the following three broad heads:

• Family Background
• Educational Background (starting from schooling to professional qualifications)
• Achievements

In all the above subheads speak only that information which will give strength to your candidature. Avoid verbose description of yourself.

What would you like to do in five years' time?
This question is asked to assess candidate’s career plan and ambition for growth and to see if the company will be able to provide that opportunity over period of time. Also to assess if your personal goals are not totally off tangent with what company’s objectives are

What are your biggest accomplishments?
You could begin your reply with: "Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am proud of my sense of involvement. I would like to make my contribution as part of that team and learn a lot in the process".

It will be a good idea to close your answer with also specifying what attributes and circumstances made you succeed.

What are your favorite subjects?

It is a leading question giving direction to the panel members for possible areas where they can probe in. Select the topics that you are competent in.

Why should we hire you?
Keep your answer short and precise. You should highlight areas from your background that relates to the need of the organization.

What is the worst feedback you have ever got?
To answer this question you must admit and share your areas of improvement. Your answer should reflect your open-mindedness.