|
|
Ultimate Interview Tips
Posted On October 9, 2003 by Rose Mary filed under Miscellaneous
Ninety nine per cent of jobs are finalized after a personal interview, whether in person or over telephone line. And, ninety per cent of jobs are lost at the interview stage. Candidates with equal or even better qualifications and experience often lose the edge at an interview stage because of bad preparation or simply indifference.
While we cannot offer you surefire formulae for success in interview, here are some tips collected from the World Wide Web, donated by experts and few we cooked up ourself.
Tip #1 Treat each interview like your first date
This is our favourite tip, and is suggested by Monster Ireland’s contributing writers. Remember your first date. How your heart pulsed, how you carefully checked each and every curl on your head, or how you made sure that your collars were clean and shoes were polished. You were ready to move heaven and earth to impress the date.
You need to have a similar preparation on a job interview date: You're both trying to figure out if there's a match. This mindset proffers many advantages. You come off as curious, not desperate, you don't assume that too-formal, phony-appearing job-seeker persona, you talk about what you want to talk about instead of just passively getting bombarded with the employer's probes and you're more likely to ask questions during the interview. Those questions will help you assess whether you really want the job, or if the tasks will be annoying and the coworkers dumb? Treat the interview as a first date, and you'll both be better informed when deciding whether you should hook up.
And as a passing shot, remember that a job is like a husband or a wife. And the approach should be the way you approach a prospective would-be.
# Tip 2 Apply KISS factor to hard questions
You are not a perfectionist. If you were you need never read this article. There will be some subject you probably know well, and some you do not. If you are not comfortable with a particular topic say Enterprise Java Beans, keep you answers Short and Simple. If you feel that by giving long explanations you can get away with it, you are mistaken. Remember, most of the interviewers are experienced hands and must have seen smarter blokes than you, for you to wriggle out of the seen.
However, it is important to give longer answers to questions that are from subjects you are comfortable. If you are comfortable with a topic say Visual Basic Programming, make sure you give clear and explanatory answers as far as possible. Remember that most interview questions beyond the first few ones are rather impromptu. The interviewer gets ideas as you talk, and takes leads from there. It is up to you to lead the interviewer to your strengths and take him away from your weakness.
Suppose your strength is Visual Basic Programming and in Visual Basic Programming you feel you know one or two things more about handling COM development using VB, you should drive the interviewer’s attention to that. This can be done by mentioning COM development as a value addition to the answer to whatever question, which the interviewer originally asked about VB. And similarly you should drive the attention further to topics of strength. Before you know the time would have run out for the interview, and you will have more positive points than negative. Remember that everyone who is interviewing is not necessarily a good interviewer. Learn to recognize a poor interviewer and help them discover all your good points.
Tip # 3 Know what you are applying for
You should have a good understanding of the position that you are applying for. May be a little bit of prior-investigation on the same is required. This can be done by a little bit of Networking, which is discussed in the article on Tips for finding a good Job. Position yourself for the same role. Absorb annual reports, press releases, and other company-issued material to see how the company perceives themselves. If possible, make subtle modifications in your resume. You have to remember that the first impression of any candidate is made out of the resume. Then mentally prepare yourself. It may even be worth doing a mock session with your spouse or your friend. Never feel embarrassed to do that!
Tip # 4 Have a Professional attitude
Today’s world loves professionals and people who have the professional air. Remember that the interviewers out there are trying to use a sieve of sorts to take out the best candidate among many. In addition, as you walk in for your interview, there are a number of prying eyes watching every move you make. Each moment you spent forms certain impressions, which adds up as either a liability or as an advantage for you.
Tip # 5 Looks do matter
This may not be the case for all developers, and all interviewers. Some of the smarter interviewers never look at the person, and only at his or her brain. However, increasingly in this cutthroat big bad world, appearances do matter. Hence, this tip may not matter to many.
If God has not given you the looks, the complexion or height, it does not matter, but you can do a lot to make yourself presentable. We are not asking you to rush to a beauty clinic, but start by taking a good, critical look in the mirror. Personal grooming is one of the first things an interviewer will notice, so if you need a haircut, get one. Make sure that your clothes are neatly ironed. Dress appropriately for an interview and stop in the bathroom before the interview and carefully check your appearance.
Tip # 6 A bit of politeness helps
Don’t interrupt. A good cue as to when to begin talking is when the other person’s lips are closed. Half open and it is likely they have more to say. Always listen. A good listener is always preferred over a good talker anywhere.
Some companies have their final interview at a restaurant, and mind your table manners. This is done usually for senior positions and not at the entry level. Order something easy to eat which you are comfortable with, and never try impressing your employers by ordering some fancy dish. You may end up depressing only your stomach.
Mirror the style and conversational topics of the interviewer. If they are serious and soft-spoken, you should be too. Avoid loud laughter, profanity (even the mildest), politics or anything controversial. Interviewers want to know what you can contribute to the company to improve it. Briefly review accomplishments when asked. Don’t brag. Don’t exaggerate.
Tip # 7 Negotiate Your Salary practically
There are several developers who were rejected in the last moment because they asked too less. Some interviewers are not very sure about themselves, and assume that a developer does not respect himself or herself, then they are not worth it. It is actually a stupid philosophy, which is taught at some Western Management schools. In India, developers of same caliber, qualifications and experience working in different companies are paid very differently. As a developer, a small start-up may not be able to afford to pay you as much as EOU company whose clients pay in Dollars.
Hence, never leave money on the table when the salary is discussed. It is better to leave it to the recruiter. A smart answer can be that “I am confident that your assessment will be fair, and that your offer will match my expectation.” If you are employed, you can tell them that this is your salary plus perks, can that you expect a certain percent hike over what you are drawing currently.
Tip # 8 Listen in more than one way
You need to listen in more than one way.
· Listen using eye contact -- Stay with the person. This is very important, as some people feel that if you do not look at a person and talk then you are not honest. Mind you these are very Indian philosophies, but you live here!
· Listen with nonverbal expressions -- nod and appear interested, even if you are not!
· Listen until the speaker is finished -- do not interrupt.
Tip # 9 Do role reversals; ask questions
Non-aggressive questions, which you can ask in between an interview, will benefit you. It can shift attention from some of your weak points and can also build a better personal touch with developers. Never make these questions personal as it can backfire. And do not ask questions where answers are obvious, and are expected to be known by the candidate appearing for the interview. You can start asking stuff like, is there any job considerations for Extreme Programming developers, or what are the qualifications you are looking for current job apart from mentioned in the advertisement.
Tip # 10 Have good reason for you being unemployed
Recruiters are always curious about why you were unemployed (assuming that you have such a case) for some time. These days job retrenchment is normal, yet when you are being considering among many, your days of state of jobless can be deterrent in being considered. Have a good reason. If it is a small break you can even say that you went on a holiday, which you needed very badly. If you have a good friend owning a small company you can mention that you worked as a consultant there, in between on some imaginary yet-believable project. Of course your friend needs to cover you up. If you are currently unemployed we will advise you to read our Tips on hunting for a good job.
Tip # 11 Enhance Body Language
You need to watch those nonverbal clues. Experts estimate that words express only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate, facial expressions and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you.
Tip # 12 Take everything in your stride
You can be mothered (to borrow an expression from Michael Holding) in an interview. But still stay cool! This is because in many cases your attitude in handling pressure may be key to the entire equation. If it does not work, remember that world does not end with an interview call.
It can be a new start to your career!
The author of the article is Haneef Khan and you can reach him at khan_haneef@rediffmail.com.
While we cannot offer you surefire formulae for success in interview, here are some tips collected from the World Wide Web, donated by experts and few we cooked up ourself.
Tip #1 Treat each interview like your first date
This is our favourite tip, and is suggested by Monster Ireland’s contributing writers. Remember your first date. How your heart pulsed, how you carefully checked each and every curl on your head, or how you made sure that your collars were clean and shoes were polished. You were ready to move heaven and earth to impress the date.
You need to have a similar preparation on a job interview date: You're both trying to figure out if there's a match. This mindset proffers many advantages. You come off as curious, not desperate, you don't assume that too-formal, phony-appearing job-seeker persona, you talk about what you want to talk about instead of just passively getting bombarded with the employer's probes and you're more likely to ask questions during the interview. Those questions will help you assess whether you really want the job, or if the tasks will be annoying and the coworkers dumb? Treat the interview as a first date, and you'll both be better informed when deciding whether you should hook up.
And as a passing shot, remember that a job is like a husband or a wife. And the approach should be the way you approach a prospective would-be.
# Tip 2 Apply KISS factor to hard questions
You are not a perfectionist. If you were you need never read this article. There will be some subject you probably know well, and some you do not. If you are not comfortable with a particular topic say Enterprise Java Beans, keep you answers Short and Simple. If you feel that by giving long explanations you can get away with it, you are mistaken. Remember, most of the interviewers are experienced hands and must have seen smarter blokes than you, for you to wriggle out of the seen.
However, it is important to give longer answers to questions that are from subjects you are comfortable. If you are comfortable with a topic say Visual Basic Programming, make sure you give clear and explanatory answers as far as possible. Remember that most interview questions beyond the first few ones are rather impromptu. The interviewer gets ideas as you talk, and takes leads from there. It is up to you to lead the interviewer to your strengths and take him away from your weakness.
Suppose your strength is Visual Basic Programming and in Visual Basic Programming you feel you know one or two things more about handling COM development using VB, you should drive the interviewer’s attention to that. This can be done by mentioning COM development as a value addition to the answer to whatever question, which the interviewer originally asked about VB. And similarly you should drive the attention further to topics of strength. Before you know the time would have run out for the interview, and you will have more positive points than negative. Remember that everyone who is interviewing is not necessarily a good interviewer. Learn to recognize a poor interviewer and help them discover all your good points.
Tip # 3 Know what you are applying for
You should have a good understanding of the position that you are applying for. May be a little bit of prior-investigation on the same is required. This can be done by a little bit of Networking, which is discussed in the article on Tips for finding a good Job. Position yourself for the same role. Absorb annual reports, press releases, and other company-issued material to see how the company perceives themselves. If possible, make subtle modifications in your resume. You have to remember that the first impression of any candidate is made out of the resume. Then mentally prepare yourself. It may even be worth doing a mock session with your spouse or your friend. Never feel embarrassed to do that!
Tip # 4 Have a Professional attitude
Today’s world loves professionals and people who have the professional air. Remember that the interviewers out there are trying to use a sieve of sorts to take out the best candidate among many. In addition, as you walk in for your interview, there are a number of prying eyes watching every move you make. Each moment you spent forms certain impressions, which adds up as either a liability or as an advantage for you.
Tip # 5 Looks do matter
This may not be the case for all developers, and all interviewers. Some of the smarter interviewers never look at the person, and only at his or her brain. However, increasingly in this cutthroat big bad world, appearances do matter. Hence, this tip may not matter to many.
If God has not given you the looks, the complexion or height, it does not matter, but you can do a lot to make yourself presentable. We are not asking you to rush to a beauty clinic, but start by taking a good, critical look in the mirror. Personal grooming is one of the first things an interviewer will notice, so if you need a haircut, get one. Make sure that your clothes are neatly ironed. Dress appropriately for an interview and stop in the bathroom before the interview and carefully check your appearance.
Tip # 6 A bit of politeness helps
Don’t interrupt. A good cue as to when to begin talking is when the other person’s lips are closed. Half open and it is likely they have more to say. Always listen. A good listener is always preferred over a good talker anywhere.
Some companies have their final interview at a restaurant, and mind your table manners. This is done usually for senior positions and not at the entry level. Order something easy to eat which you are comfortable with, and never try impressing your employers by ordering some fancy dish. You may end up depressing only your stomach.
Mirror the style and conversational topics of the interviewer. If they are serious and soft-spoken, you should be too. Avoid loud laughter, profanity (even the mildest), politics or anything controversial. Interviewers want to know what you can contribute to the company to improve it. Briefly review accomplishments when asked. Don’t brag. Don’t exaggerate.
Tip # 7 Negotiate Your Salary practically
There are several developers who were rejected in the last moment because they asked too less. Some interviewers are not very sure about themselves, and assume that a developer does not respect himself or herself, then they are not worth it. It is actually a stupid philosophy, which is taught at some Western Management schools. In India, developers of same caliber, qualifications and experience working in different companies are paid very differently. As a developer, a small start-up may not be able to afford to pay you as much as EOU company whose clients pay in Dollars.
Hence, never leave money on the table when the salary is discussed. It is better to leave it to the recruiter. A smart answer can be that “I am confident that your assessment will be fair, and that your offer will match my expectation.” If you are employed, you can tell them that this is your salary plus perks, can that you expect a certain percent hike over what you are drawing currently.
Tip # 8 Listen in more than one way
You need to listen in more than one way.
· Listen using eye contact -- Stay with the person. This is very important, as some people feel that if you do not look at a person and talk then you are not honest. Mind you these are very Indian philosophies, but you live here!
· Listen with nonverbal expressions -- nod and appear interested, even if you are not!
· Listen until the speaker is finished -- do not interrupt.
Tip # 9 Do role reversals; ask questions
Non-aggressive questions, which you can ask in between an interview, will benefit you. It can shift attention from some of your weak points and can also build a better personal touch with developers. Never make these questions personal as it can backfire. And do not ask questions where answers are obvious, and are expected to be known by the candidate appearing for the interview. You can start asking stuff like, is there any job considerations for Extreme Programming developers, or what are the qualifications you are looking for current job apart from mentioned in the advertisement.
Tip # 10 Have good reason for you being unemployed
Recruiters are always curious about why you were unemployed (assuming that you have such a case) for some time. These days job retrenchment is normal, yet when you are being considering among many, your days of state of jobless can be deterrent in being considered. Have a good reason. If it is a small break you can even say that you went on a holiday, which you needed very badly. If you have a good friend owning a small company you can mention that you worked as a consultant there, in between on some imaginary yet-believable project. Of course your friend needs to cover you up. If you are currently unemployed we will advise you to read our Tips on hunting for a good job.
Tip # 11 Enhance Body Language
You need to watch those nonverbal clues. Experts estimate that words express only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate, facial expressions and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you.
Tip # 12 Take everything in your stride
You can be mothered (to borrow an expression from Michael Holding) in an interview. But still stay cool! This is because in many cases your attitude in handling pressure may be key to the entire equation. If it does not work, remember that world does not end with an interview call.
It can be a new start to your career!
The author of the article is Haneef Khan and you can reach him at khan_haneef@rediffmail.com.