How to Shine at an Interview

Interviews, interviews and interviewsthey are the launch of a new job or a career. But most of the times, they are neither uncomplicated nor very pleasing. A job interview is the perfect e ample when a person faces e citement and pressure at the same time. !his strange combination of sentiments can cloud our judgment and tie our tongues. "erfection is not a man#s trait and many recruitment managers often over loo$ puny interview mista$es. It is, however, important to be prepared to the greatest e tent. !here are some slip%ups that you can#t afford and there are some ridiculous mista$es that can cast a bad shadow over your abilities and future career. &n the day of your interview, remember to loo$ good and confident and say all the right things. !he rest will be fine. 'on#t fret and try to thin$ a little before uttering each word. How to Avoid a Disastrous Interview Dont be late: (a$e proper arrangements beforehand to ensure that you reach the designated place on time. )etting up earlier than usual for a single day won#t hurt* 'on#t leave your dress un%ironed till the eleventh hour+ you never $now about electricity* If something une pected happens and you can#t avoid being late, whether it be a traffic jam or your alarm cloc$ didn#t beat on time, immediately call ahead and inform them that you will be late. 'on#t $eep them waiting, they might adjust you at some other time or reschedule the meeting for some other day. Dont forget your CV and other important material: "erfectly dressed to please and accompanied with your wor$ bag, you accidentally left the file containing your impressive resumes, well crafted wor$ samples and portfolios in the $itchen. !hat is bad but can be managed. ,ou must have the -. and portfolios in your email. !ry to get them printed before hitting the office for interview. Handling a Wardrobe Malfun tion: /early everyone has faced some wardrobe malfunctioning before important events and moments. Such circumstances are sometimes beyond our control. &ne might get splashed by a passing by car on the way to the interview. It is 0uite possible that your crisp shirt ends up loo$ing idiotic as you reach the office. !he best thing to do in such circumstances would be to continue with the interview and at the start of it, e plain what happened. ,our interviewer would rather li$e you for your sound e perience than loathe to your mud spec$led shirt. !e "repared and Deliberate: 'o necessary research about the company and the people you are about to encounter. Any misinformation regarding them might suggest careless attitude on your part. ,ou just can#t forget the interviewer#s name but if it s$ips your mind out of sheer nervousness, try to be smart and loo$ at the nameplate on the des$ for a clue or search for certificates or credits that might be adorning the walls. In this way you might get through the situation. If #ou are a #oung "rofessional$ If you are a fresh graduate, you are not a seasoned professional with decades of e perience on the resume and employers are well aware of this fact. !hey $now that your lac$ of e perience will be compensated by the $nowledge

you have about the current trends and technology. Be confident about who you are. 'uring the interview, you should emphasi1e on the fact that how enthusiastic you are about learning from the industry leaders on board. %hings &ot to 'ay During an Interview: When As(ed to Introdu e #ourself$ !his is one of the tric$iest yet interesting 0uestions as$ed during the interview. 2pon this 0uestion, you do not need to ruminate on your life. !he interviewer is least interested in your life#s intricate particulars. 'on#t blurt out the following details. A brief synopsis about your childhood. How badly you want this job.

!he details of your unstable marital life. ,our religious and political beliefs.

!he potential employer certainly is interested in your professional capabilities and not in your personal life. All he wants to ma$e sure is that you can diligently handle the tas$ at hand. I Hated My )ast !oss: ,our last boss was a living misery and the sole purpose of his life was to ma$e the lives of his subordinates miserable. ,ou $now this but you potential employers don#t $now* !rash tal$ing is a highly frowned upon habit. "eople do not li$e bac$ biters in their team. 3ven if you are rightly spea$ing, you would not be li$ed for cursing your boss. I Dont *now Anything About the Company: !his is part of the homewor$ that you should be accompanied with while going to an interview. If the interviewer as$s why you are interested in this job and you come up with this sort of reply, then it could be easily assumed that all you are after is money and not a career. 4ith today#s swift technology, there is no e cuse for this $ind of reply e cept slac$ness and irresponsible attitude. )oogle the company#s profile and grab all the important information so that you can justify the reason for your application. Dont %al( About "romptness$ "unctuality is a sought after trait. ,ou show up 56 minutes late+ most probably it is going to be fine. It is not going to be nice if you suggest afterwards that promptness is your strength. Avoid any such contradictory statements. #es+ #es+ #es+ &o+ &o, &ne word answers are never persuasive. At an interview, it is your tas$ to convince the interviewer that you are the perfect person for the post and you can do a fine job. 3ven if the 0uestion is vague, try hard to answer it in the best possible way. 'on#t drone on and on, but avail every chance to prove that you are the person they are hunting for. Dont -mbellish #our -.perien e 'on#t go too far on the road of convincing. Be truthful and honest. If you don#t $now something the interviewer as$s for, fess up and tell him how much you are loo$ing forward to learn the new things. If you brag about 0ualities you don#t have, chances are that sooner or later the employer will find out. !his situation will lead to even worse circumstances+ you will certainly not be li$ed and you might get $ic$ed out* Im /oing to &eed to %a(e %hese Days 0ff: 4e all are committed to our personal lives and we all need to fulfill our responsibilities. !he potential employer is clearly aware of this fact. 'on#t bring up your personal life during the first interview. If you ma$e it to the offer stage, tal$ about your personal issues and hopes. !al$ing about your life prior to a job offer will ma$e an impression that either you are self obsessed or too confident that you will get the job. And Another %hing I Hate$ 'on#t scorn in front of a potential employer. (ost people want to hear it all sweet and cutesy. 'o not present opposing views on subjects that do not matter. It seeds ill feelings and you might get a rejection in the mind of the

interviewer. If you don#t agree upon certain things, either say it politely and respectfully or just let it go. After all you want to score this job and have a good wor$ing relationship with your boss. Most Common Interview !lunders: According to a survey, the following are the errors job see$ers ma$e most often7 2sing cell phone7 88 percent Appearing disinterested7 89 percent

'ressing improperly7 8: percent Appearing haughty7 8: percent !al$ing disapprovingly about current or previous employers7 ;8 percent -hewing gum7 ;< percent

'uring a job interview, the interviewer seems vicious. Believe me, he does not want to humiliate or mortify you. He just wants to ma$e sure that he does his job flawlessly by choosing the right person for the company. He is certainly not a sadist+ his job =recruitment> ma$es him appear so*