Interview- Fragile “Handle With care”

An interview is a conversation where answers are given to the questions asked. It is generally a one-on-one conversation where two parties are involved, one “the interviewer” and other “the interviewee”. The interviewer asks questions, the interviewee responds. Interviews usually involve a transfer of information from the interviewee to interviewer, which is usually the primary purpose of the interview, although information transfer can happen in both directions simultaneously. Often a panel (of two to five members) is formed from the employers’ side to evaluate the candidates. A job interview is a course of action in which a potential candidate is evaluated by the employer or higher authority for future employment. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether the applicant is suitable for job. Interviews usually take place face to face, although modern communication technologies such as the internet,  have enabled conversations to happen in which parties are separated geographically, such as with videoconferencing software, and of course telephone interviews can happen without physical contact. Interviews almost always involve spoken conversations between two or more parties, although in some instances a “conversation” can happen between two or more persons who type questions and answers back and forth. Typically the interviewer  has some way of recording the information that is gleaned from the interviewee, often by writing with a pencil and paper, sometimes transcribing with a video or audio recorder, depending on the context and extent of information and the length of interview. Interviews have a duration in time, in the sense that the interview has a beginning and the ending.
A job interview is different from a social conversation, a networking occasion and an information gathering meeting. All of them focus on an exchange of ideas and information, usually between two individuals; although all involve verbal communication. But in case of an interview, it is an assessment of all the words spoken and all the gestures made. An intense and important interview could create a stress level that results in brain freeze. The mind goes blank or the words stutter. One common piece of advice each expert has for an interviewee is to “take charge” of the interview. This advice is quite misleading since interviewer is always in control. But with right approach, interviewee can always take charge.

Prepare, prepare and prepare

Most people need to understand that preparation is a “must do” job before appearing in an interview. Although, one can never invest enough in terms of preparation but, one should always find out as much as possible about the company interviewing, how it is organized, its culture and relevant industry trends. Apart from this the most important thing to consider is the job position for which interview is being conducted. A candidate must prepare his script according to the job position. The script should also include the challenges that a person at such a job position faces and how to handle such challenges. This will help a candidate to demonstrate his ability to fit in the role. Apart from preparing a script, practicing the script is equally important. It is most vital to be able to express the correct thoughts at correct time. Often it is seen that candidates are incoherent in what they mean and what they say. For this, articulation is necessary. One can’t excel in an interview without proper thought processing mechanics.

Strategize

Before a candidate enters the room, he must decide three or four messages that he wants to convey to the interviewer. The message should show a connection between what he has achieved and what is needed to succeed in the specific job and context. This should be the part of the script. Remember to put in there the stories with evidences or data, make sure that they have a good opening line. Know how to begin and end without stumbling or sounding.

Emphasize your potential

No candidate is perfect. Instead of focusing on the shortcomings, the candidate must focus on his potential. Even if the past jobs do not match with the current position, the potential to learn and adapt should be evident while explaining the potential.  One beautiful way for a candidate to put forth his potential is by presenting his SWOT. The SWOT analysis should be scripted in such a way that is presents a positive image of the candidate. Even the weakness should seem to be beneficial for the job position. The candidate should prompt up his flexibility to work in an interview. This quality, to be available anytime for any job is most required in present day scenarios. The most intriguing fact is that sometimes a candidate isn’t fit for a particular job but considering his caliber and flexibility a firm may offer him a different job profile.

Information and communication technology

In this global village, excellent digital literacy is required along with general communication skills. ICT competencies are increasingly important for most employers, regardless of roles performed by employees. It is genuine for an employer to ask about such a competence in an interview, since this is the most required quality. An effective way to crack an interview will be to have all the required competencies that are trending including ICT.

Ace the first 30 seconds

First impressions matter. People form opinions about personality and intelligence within the first 30 seconds of the meeting. The way one speaks, looks, and acts all are important in developing a right kind of impression. People who perform best start off by speaking clearly and slowly, walk with confidence and they don’t seem to carry props that they can’t handle. Rehearsing the entrance is best, recording a video or an audio beforehand and looking for ways to correct the entry is most viable way to excel. The dress code is of equal weightage to create a positive impression. Criticizing the former employers is clear cut way to debase the first impression.

Ask Smart Question   

What a candidate asks in an interview has an essential role in cracking it. Often it is seen that candidates ask too irrelevant questions out of nervousness. This showcases lack of confidence and lack of information, and both can lead to undesirable results. The best part of a good interview usually starts with the candidate asking some smart final questions.