Face interview confidently

FACE INTERWIEW CONFIDENTLY

The InterviewInterview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information. The employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will fit in with the organization's current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans. The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.Interview PreparationResearch is a critical part of preparing for an interview. If you haven't done your homework, it is going to be obvious. Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.

Step 1: Know YourselfThe first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process. In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra- curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your skills.Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself "What could I have learned by doing this?" "What skills did I develop?" "What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?" Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counselling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skillsGeneric skills are those which are transferable to many work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.• Analytical/Problem Solving • Flexibility/Versatility • Interpersonal • Oral/Written Communication • Organization/Planning• Time Management • Motivation • Leadership • Self-Starter/Initiative • Team PlayerOften when people think of skills, they tend to think of those they have developed in the workplace. However, skills are developed in a variety of settings. If you have ever researched and written a paper for a course, you probably have written communication skills. Team sports or group projects are a good way to develop the skills required of a team player and leader. Don't overlook any abilities you may haveWhen doing the research on yourself, identifying your experience and skills is important, but it is not all that you need to know. Consider the answers to other questions such as:• How have I demonstrated the skills required in this position?• What are my strong points and weak points? • What are my short term and long term goals? • What can I offer this particular employer? • What kind of environment do I like? (i.e. Howdo I like to be supervised? Do I like a fastpace?) • What do I like doing? • Apart from my skills and experience, whatcan I bring to this job?

Step 2: Know the OccupationThe second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills requiredfor that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. With this information uncovered, you can then match the skills you have (using the complete skills/experience inventory you have just prepared) with the skills you know people in that occupational field need. The resulting "shortlist" will be the one that you need to emphasize during the interview.It is also in your best interest to identify the approximate starting salary for that position, or those similar. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:• Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human• Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.The Career Resource Centre has general information files on a variety of occupations. Make sure you have read through the appropriate file and are updated on the occupation. If you belong to a professional association related to the occupation, use its resources. These associations often publish informative newsletters and sponsor seminars. It is also a good way to meet people working in the field. Conduct information interviews with people working in the field. Read articles about people in the occupation, and articles written by people in the occupation. Sources include newspapers, magazines and the internet. Find out what the future trends are in the area. Is technology changing the job?

Step 3: Know the OrganizationThe more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:• Where is it located? • How big is it? • What are its products and who does it serve? • How is the organization structured? • What is its history? • Have there been any recent changes, newdevelopments?There are a number of ways in which you can access this information. Most medium- to large- sized organizations publish information about themselves. You can access this a number of ways:• On campus at the Student Employment Services (company literature and business directories) or at the Drake Centre Library• The Winnipeg Centennial Library has a business microfiche with information on over 5000 Canadian companies and business directories• Many companies have internet home pages which you can locate by searching by industry and company name• Finally, you can visit or phone the organization and request some information on their products, services or areas of researchIf the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an informationinterview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.

Step 4: Prepare QuestionsHaving completed your background research, you are now ready to prepare questions to ask theinterviewer(s). Try to think of questions for which the answer was not readily available in companyliterature. Intelligent well thought-out questions will demonstrate your genuine interest in the position. Becareful how many questions you ask, however, as too many can imply you feel the interview was notsuccessfully run. Pick your questions with care - this is your chance to gather information, so ask aboutwhat you really want to know. Avoid sounding critical by mentioning negative information you may havediscovered. This is one of the most effective ways to compare different employers, so for issues ofparticular importance to you (for example, whether they support staff upgrading), you should ask the samequestions of each employer. Some sample questions are:• What are the most significant factors affecting your business today? How have changes in technology most affected your business today?• How has your business/industry been affected by the recession?• How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?• What future direction do you see the company taking? • Where is the greatest demand for your services orproduct? • Where is most of the pressure from increased businessfelt in this company? • Which department feels it the most? • How do you differ from your competitors? • How much responsibility will I be given in this position? • What do you like about working with this organization? • Can you tell me more about the training program? • Have any new product lines been introduced recently? • How much travel is normally expected? • What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance? • Will I work independently or as part of a team? • How did you advance to your position? • What are the career paths available in thisorganization? • When can I expect to hear from you regarding thisposition?It is very important to ask the last question because employers want to hire individuals who are interested in the position - and asking this question definitely helps to demonstrate interest on your part. Exercise judgement when asking questions to an employer. When being interviewed by a large company that has a high profile, one would not ask the question"What is the history of your company and how was your company started?" You can find the answer to this question inthe company's annual report or articles in magazines/newspapers. However, small- and medium-sized companies do not always produce publicly available annual reports and it may be difficult to access information on the company and its role in the industry. This question is appropriate if you have exercised all other ways to find out the answer .

PREPARATIONSLet's say you are going for an interview tomorrow. You have prepared yourself well for the occasion - anticipating the questions and getting ready the answers - but have you given a thought to what you will wear?If you have not peeked into your wardrobe yet, it's time to take a real hard look now. Your application's fate depends not just on how well you answer the interview questions, but also on how well you project yourself physically. The first impression your interviewer makes about you is based on the way you look, and you know what they say about first impressions. According to Joe Hodowanes, J.M. Wanes and Associates career strategy advisor, "The way a person dresses is the single biggest non-verbal communication you make about yourself." The right dressing is a measure of the seriousness that you place on the position, as a person normally spends time on his looks if he considers an event important enough."Although proper dressing by itself will not get you the job, a poor dress sense may exclude you from further consideration," warns Gerry Ditching, managing partner of Filgifts.com. Besides, given two equally good applicants, the company may choose to hire the person who is dressed more professionally. Here are some tips to give you a headstart.

MENLong-sleeved shirt and dark slacks. White is still the safest and the best color for shirts. The colour is also appropriate for our tropical weather. Also acceptable: pale shades such as beige, blue, and other pastels.Tuck in the shirt and do not roll up the sleeves. Never wear a short-sleeved shirt to an interview or any business purpose. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt will destroy your executive image.Ties. Optional. But if you do wear one, choose a conservative pattern. Solids, small polka dots, diagonal stripes, small repeating shapes, subtle plaids and paisleys are all acceptable.Belts. Belts should match your shoes. Those with smaller buckles with squared lines look more professional.Socks. Black socks are the best, followed by blue or gray, depending on your attire. Never wear white socks! Check your sock length, too--no skin should show when you sit down or cross your legs. Shoes. Black or burgundy leather shoes with laces on them, because tassel loafers are very casual. Other suitable colors are brown, cordovan and navy.Hair. Keep neat, short and preferably parted on the side. And shave off all those facial hair.Jewellery. Wear no or little jewellery. The watch and wedding ring are the only acceptable pieces of jewellery to go with the male attire. Thin gold or leather-strapped watches look professional but not digital watches. Also, avoid political or religious insignias, necklaces or bracelets. Definitely no pierced body parts, and cover up your tattoos!Accessories. As much as possible, use leather briefcases or folders to hold copies of your resume. Use narrow briefcases and avoid plastic folders and plastic ball pens as they are out of place.

WOMENThree-piece business suits, blouse and skirt or slacks, and cardigan twin-sets. Sleeveless shirts should be rejected. Short-sleeved blouses are okay when they are tailor-cut or have features such as a sports collar or double breast design to create a business-like look. Skirts can either be long provided it does not create a Cinderella or barn-dance look or short where it falls no shorter than two inches from the knee. Nothing too revealing, please!Panty-hose or stockings. A must for professional grooming, but nothing with overly fussy patterns. Bring an extra pair, just in case the ones you are wearing run.Shoes. Closed shoes or pumps with at least 11⁄2- inch heels suggest a more professional look. Dark colors are best.Hair. Hair longer than shoulder length should be worn up or pulled back. Don't let it fall in front of your face and don't keep trying to fix it during the interview. Avoid large hair ornaments and trendy hairstyles.Make-up. Be subtle; natural is the key word. Light shades of lip coloring and nail polish are recommended.Jewellery. Be conservative. Studs of gold, silver or pearls are best. Do away with gaudy fashion jewelers, and those that clank and make noise when one moves.Accessories. Folders and bags should blend well with the total professional look. Women should match their purse with their shoe colour.Go for a mock exercise before the real talk at the job tableHone your interview etiquette................ Churn the right mix of deportment, attitude and dressingskills for a great job talk !Never make the big mistake of treating an interview lightly. It's not an impromptu thing where you depend on your improvisation skills. An interview requires careful thought and planning before you take it. Keeping in mind some basic attitudes and presentation techniques will help you sail through it with panache.So if you thought that going for an interview just meant pulling your best suit out of the wardrobe and updating your resume, please think again. You are forgetting the other essentials: body language, basic etiquette and attitude.Remember that you are actually selling an entire package and the packaging, in this case, is as relevant as the product inside. Ultimately you are presenting yourself as a valuable professional to a new job environment. And you can't do that without minding the basic interview etiquette to get you ahead of the rest of the pack.An interview is the sum total of many parts. It's not just what you say but how you say it that matters equally. So it's good to brush up on more than just your training skills when you do go in for an interview.

ATTIREHow you dress for an interview is perhaps as relevantas the way you lay out your resume. Says Nina Kochar of Upgrade Management Services, an organisation which coaches' executives in the basic rules of corporate etiquette: "A person who is sloppy in appearance shows a sloppy personality, so you have to be decently dressed." Of course, decently dressed does not necessarily mean being dressed to the gills. In most cases, this would mean you would wear long sleeved shirts and a pair of formal trousers. In fact, Nina Kochar does not recommend suits, especially for younger people. "A lot of young people do not have the money to invest in suits, consequently, they wear ill-fitting or borrowed suits and that looks even worse. A tie, shirt and pant should do the trick for most junior level positions."Most HR experts would also tell you to mind the accessories like ties, belts and shoes. To be sure, badly matched shoes and ties can have a jarring effect on an interviewer. Similarly, please avoid heavy jewellery or personal accessories as they would look incongruous on you.

ENTRANCE AND INTRODUCTIONEven though most of us are primed for the basic grilling that we would face during the interview, we seldom pay attention to the way we enter an interview room or how we introduce ourselves. Says Subhashish Mitra, deputy manager, Essar Cellphones: "A lot of people do not think it important to knock properly while entering the interview room. They assume that as an interview is taking place, the panel will be expecting them. To my mind this is a very major faux pas which really jars."In fact, the best way to enter an interview is to knock, ask for permission to enter and then wait for awhile before you actually sit down. Few interviewees know this but the interview panel needs a little quiet time to discuss the previous candidate before they get around to the next one. So your silence till you actually get seated would be very valuable. Try and keep a bag with you for all your papers and certificates; make sure this bag is an unobtrusive as possible.

ATTITUDE AND RESPONSEThis is a grey area for most interview candidates. While dressing up and resume writing are skills you can Go for a mock exercise before the real talk at the job table handle with a little practice, cultivating the right attitude as an interviewee requires a lot of patience and reading between the lines. The usual complaint of most interviewers is that few interviewees are able to stri perhaps the best thing you can do for getting your answer right. Most interviewers like to give a lead to the candidate in the way they ask the question, so it's entirely up to you to note facial expressions and the tone of the words.Do you show your certificates immediately to the interview panel?Not till you are asked actually. You might already have sent in your resume, so you shouldn't try and offload all your achievements and skills onto the panel till a turn in the interview leads to such a situation.Try and take cues form the tonal variations, facial expressions and thrust of questions from the interview panel. That in itself will give you a clue as to where this interview is heading.

TEN THINGS THAT AN INTERVIEWER LOOKS IN YOU!

1. Family Background 2. Education 3. Experience 4. Stability5. Initiative 6. General Ability 7. Interpersonal Skills 8. Confidence 9. Aptitude 10. Pleasant LooksHow one wished that an interview were a simple meeting of minds and hearts. Just one casual meeting where an employee's future gets sealed. Unfortunately, it's not something as pre-ordained as you would like it to be; it's a pre-meditated exercise which fetches you dividends only if your homework is done right.Way of AnsweringRegardless of what type of question you are asked, you will find it easier to respond effectively if you keep in mind some basic question answering strategies:You can never predict every question that you will encounter, so approach the interview with an inventory of important points. Make a list of the points about yourself that you want the interviewer to know. For example, if you were to apply for a job as a Sales Representative, you might want to list the products you have sold before, types of customers (by industry, age, etc.), languages spoken, personal experience in that industry and related knowledge (perhaps from your academic program).Consider each question an opportunity to provide some of this information. Don't assume anything. You will be evaluated on your answers, not your resume. Therefore, ensure you incorporate the relevant information from your resume in your answers.Pause a couple of seconds before you respond to each question, even if you know exactly what you want to say. Take this time to quickly plan your answer, this helps to avoid misunderstandings and produces much more concise answers.If you don't understand a question, ask for clarification. This is expected and is preferable to providing an unsuitable answer. If you need time to collect your thoughts - take it. When people are nervous they tend either to "draw a blank" or to babble. It is better to think for a few moments and make sure that your answer is doing you justice and that there is a point to what you are saying.Always expand. Never answer a question with a "yes" or "no."The interview is an opportunity for you to sell yourself. Don't be afraid to 'blow your own horn.' As long as you can back up what you are saying with examples which demonstrate that what you are saying is true, you are not bragging. Third party observations can also be mentioned. For example, "My last employer told me that I was promoted because of how I handled conflicts with clients."Be very positive. Don't complain about anything - from your former employer to the weather - and don't apologize for experience that you don't have. Just sell what you do have and let the employer decide if you have what he/she is looking for. Also, avoid negative words. For example, you would not say "I have a little experience...," you would say "I have experience......"Don't be afraid to repeat important points. In fact, it is a good idea to do this.BRISK HIRING ALL AROUND AS COS EXPANDThe Hindu Business LineIf it was retrenchment and pink slips a few summers ago after the tech bubble burst and 9/11 attacks impacting investments and recruitment in the technology sector, it is a different story now.Companies are hiring rapidly to induct more techies and fight higher levels of attrition. Trends indicate that IT is back as a career destination with a bang.According to National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom),"The Indian ICT industry, after a three-year lull is back on track, and hiring rapidly. The global economic downturn, which lasted over three years and brought in its wake pink slips, benching and retrenchment, appears like a thing of the past. Indian IT services companies, which were impacted by this slowdown and put a cap on their hiring to cut costs and maintain momentum, are getting back into the swing of things and its beginning to look like businessIT Happens Here..!!as usual."

INDIA DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN R&D’Deccan ChronicleIndia faces a shortage of people for high-end industrial work that is based on research and development, Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said. “We have around 5,000 PhDs in the country (who pass out annually). We all know that India has a competitive edge and companies cannot find the numbers we have in other places, but that has dwindled in high-end areas,” Karnik told reporters on the sidelines of the Nasscom Quality summit.He said about 3.5 lakh engineering students graduate annually, “but a fewer number of people pursue masters or doctorates, and only about 5,000 students are in PhD”. Only about seven to eight people of every 100 were employable in the BPO industry and “the industry can hire the best seven or eight, but when the industry needs to expand in the long run, they would find it difficult,” he said.In an effort to address these concerns, he said, Nasscom had begun talks at the University level to improve the syllabus and quality of faculty, by adopting the models of Indian Institute of Information Technology at Hyderabad and Bangalore. Karnik also said that Nasscom plans to introduce by this year-end a common certification in terms of skills and knowledge, that matches industry requirement, for youngsters aspiring to enter the booming business process outsourcing industry. Karnik said the certification would be planned in consultation with the industry. “We are working with the industry. The first part would be ready in the next few months, by the end of this year,” he said.

'IT, SCIENTIFIC MANPOWER ARE INDIA'S STRENGTHS'The Times of IndiaIndia's IT prowess and its burgeoning pool of scientific talent are two of most effective tools for development, says one of the country's top science officials."There is a big pull on science and technology manpower in our country with our industry becoming more innovative - whether in automobiles, pharmaceuticals or other sectors," said R.A. Mashelkar, director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)."With around 100 companies like GE, IBM and Microsoft having set up research and development operations in India, there is a major change in science and technology manpower approach," Mashelkar told reporters."For the first time we are seeing a huge demand for science and technology manpower.While India is eyeing IT as the biggest engine of growth, Mashelkar said: "IT not as in information technology alone but Indian Talent will in the future help the country win the position of prestige.

INDIA'S SOFTWARE BOOM ON TRACK: NASSCOMThe Indian ExpressIndia's software exports are on track to grow by 30 per cent in the year to March 2005, despite attempts in the key US Market to discourage outsourcing and protect jobs, the industry's head said.India's information technology (IT) sector and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries, which offer back office and call centre services, logged exports worth $12.5 billion in the 2003-2004 fiscal year.Nearly 25 per cent of the exports that involved 800,000 workers come from the top three companies in the sector -- Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Infosys Technologies Ltd and Wipro Ltd."We made a projection of 30 to 32 per cent (growth) for the fiscal year combining IT and BPO. We are comfortable with that," Kiran Karnik, President of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), told reporters.

US SEND HIGH-END TECH JOBS TO INDIAThe Economic TimesIf you thought outsourcing was all about data entry and back office work then you are sure to have a shock to see Iayaraja Marimuthu designing a program for the wedding, scheduled for October, of Ann and John, a Texas couple proclaiming their joy in being "together for life." It will take Marimuthu less than an hour to give an artistic touch to the wedding invitation.Outsourcing is fast moving from just software codes and call centres to a vast category stretching from copy editing to financial analysis to tax preparation. Outsourcing is fast changing the office atmosphere and staff chemistry in the US. Jobs such as personal assistants, secretaries, typists may soon fade into history and people will be able to move up the value chain to take up morecreative and specialised works.As low-end jobs flee the US, the job data is painting a very dull picture affecting other economic indicators as well. OfficeTiger is one of the pioneer firms to lead the flow of white-collar jobs out of the US. It has hired 2,000 Indians and is not limiting them to just BPO contract workers. "We're allowing employees to delve deeper, to learn more, to push the boundaries of what had been standard work," says OfficeTiger's American co-founder, Joe Sigelman.

NASSCOM KICKS OFF IT WORKFORCE PROGRAMMEThe Financial Express The Hindu The Hindu Business Line The Asian AgeIn a bid to meet the projected demand of 2.1 million information technology (IT) professionals by 2009, Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies) has launched an IT workforce initiative, which would focus on the creation of human resources.President, Nasscom, Kiran Karnik, said: “The IT software and services industry has grown rapidly over the last decade. The revenue from this industry, which was $30 billion during 2003-04, is expected to increase to $50 billion in 2009.However, to meet this target the software and services industry will have to grow to 2.1 million persons by 2009 from the 8,00,000 persons at present. “Estimates however, suggest that we will have only 1.5 million skilled IT manpower by 2009, leaving a gap of almost 22 per cent.Availability of human resources will, therefore, decide the growth trajectory of the IT industry,” he said.