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Interviews: What do they look

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How to Plan Your ● First Impressions

Career? ● MOCK Interview
Choosing & Managing ● Analysis
your Career
What is
Professionalism Interviews: What do they look for?
Are you Ready for the
World?
Interview, according to Collins Concise English Dictionary, is a formal discussion, especially one in which an employer
Interviews: What do assesses a job applicant. 'A formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or
they look for? employee)', defines Webster's Dictionary. It can be meeting with a candidate to ascertain, by questioning and discussion,
Careers after Senior letters suitability for a post.
Secondary/
Matriculation The art of interviewing forms the very basis of the utmost input requirement, in the form of humans, of organisations.
Education The process constitutes an important part of the recruitment procedure.
Indian Forest Service
The interview Board, in the allotted time, has to bring out the best and the worst in the candidates and then arrive at
Civil Services
conclusions, most subjectively, on a common-sense basis, since assessing a candidate on each and every attribute
Indian Economic infallibly is neither possible nor feasible for the interviewers; rather there are chances of faltering.
Service
Police Service To find the ideal candidate for any post is not possible, nor it is easy to define the concept completely in the context of
Combined Medical the metamorphosing managerial and administrative values. The best course left to the Board is, therefore, to pick the
best of the available candidates; to obviate repetition of the entire gamut of the selection procedure. This holds good,
Services
more often than not, in the case of selections for senior positions.
Defence Forces
Chartered Accountants Often for the purpose, the Board evolves a check-list, an exhaustive but practical one, whereunder ratings are accorded
Chartered Financial for different personality traits. Experience has shown that this strategy works quite satisfactorily in all types of
interviews.
Analysts
Banking
The undermentioned can be the tentative parameters for the Board to look for its picks; not necessarily in the same
MBA order or weightage, for they may vary from post to post and from organisation to organisation, depending upon their
Opportunities in the needs.
Insurance Sector
Engineering The candidate, prima facie, ought to have the needed potential and keenness for the purpose of being developed into a
better one, in the near future, and on, to impart benefits to the organisation, for it spends its resources on the new
Career in Law incumbent with an eye for good returns.
Careers in
Biotechnology Self-acceptance of the past failures, if any, by the candidate will prove an asset, a qualification. It will speak of his
Aviation frankness and will inculcate value ethics in managementa compelling need of the hour the world over.
Mass Media
The candidate should be able to 'look within' as Christ has said, in the face of taking decisions, especially when
Careers in Art
confronting with hard situations. He must have a clear vision of himself and of the assignments required to be
Careers in Tourism accomplished. As a matter-of-fact, his performance itself is a perennial source of inspiration to him; a source of fulfilment
and pleasure; and a robust antidote to (counter) the stress, both in his personal and official life.
Careers in Hotel
Management
To be receptive and considerate to the aspirations and expectation of colleagues is the need of the time. The Selection
Careers in Teaching
Board therefore, looks for such a possibility and potential in the prospective candidate. Not only that, the ability to inspire
Internet opens Many confidence among the staff, while inter-acting with them, is also a pre-requisite to be searched and found out by the
New Careers interviewers.
A Career with the
United Natiions Another sought-after trait is candidate's ability to communicatenot only his ability to express, as is generally mixed up.
Company Secretary For this purpose, the interviewers have to try for all the essential parameters of a good communicator viz; logical flow of
thoughts, directiveness in the needed side for the needed purpose, maturity in expression and communication, ability to
Careers in Fashion listen and the art of a rational persuasiveness in arriving at the right decisions and passing on the instructions germane
Careers in Social thereto to achieve the results. The art of communication is the hub of successful and result-oriented human relations.
Sector
Professional The candidate should evince an abiding interest in updating his knowledge to qualify for being selected by the Board.
Psychiatrist Especially, such a policy plank is more needed when the interview is for the selection of a specialist. Both depth and
breadth of the candidate's knowledge are indicators to his intellectual seasoning.
Careers in Software
Development
The candidate is expected, rather is required, to exercise self-check in all situations that he will face in his would- be
Master in Computer organisation. He is to be assessed on his ability to shoulder both, praise and criticism, success and failure, authority and
Applications responsibility, with equanimity. Self-control, self-management, shedding of false egos are the time-tested recipes for
Public Relations successful managers, together with courage and conviction, backed-up, nevertheless, by firmness of action. A stiff and
artificial stance will never be appreciated by the Board.
Merchant Navy
Arhitecture and And overzealousness in conduct may also jeopardise the chances of being selected. If not checked, temperament can
Interior Design always sway away one's decisions to an un-wanted level of human relations, which may turn out to be a point of no-
return. On part of the candidate, the deepest mental posture, even if provoked during the course of interview by the
Economics Board members, is sure to carry the day. This will help him give balanced answers to the satisfaction of the interviewers.
Studying Abroad
Open Universities The interviewers end up, with the best available of the lot: the near-ideal; but not the ideal.
Admissions to
Jawaharlal Nehru Some Frequently asked Questions in Selection Interviews
University (JNU)
Summer Jobs Provide 1. Tell us about yourself.
Long-Term Benefits
2. Why do you want to do this course/job?
Scholarships & loans
3. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
for Higher Studies
4. Who is your role model and why?]
Library Science
5. What do you think about the current economic/political situation?
Alternative Careers
6. What are your hobbies?
Technical Writing 7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Operation Research 8. If you are not taken, what will you do?
Bioinformatics 9. Questions about your background and academic record.
Photo & TV journalism 10. Questions about your habits, likes and dislikes.
How to make Career
Decisions through Self- First Impressions
Assessment?
1. Prepare for the interview: Do not leave preparation for the interview for the last stage, or hope to say
anything that comes to your mind at the moment. Developing confidence is a long-term process. Make it a point
to discuss issues with family and friends. Carry your certificates in a file. Make it a habit to read extensively. This
will prepare you for the interview.
2. Dress formally: Be neat. Boys should make sure they are shaved while girls can apply a light make-up. Well
groomed hair, cleanliness, polished shoes are some essentials. Avoid jewellery, trendy clothes and casuals such
as jeans. Formal dress should be worn: keep a suit away for special occasions and do not wear your everyday
clothes for the interview.
3. Be on time: Err on the side or caution. Take a bus to the destination a few days before the final day. If that is
not possible, allow yourself adequate time to find the place or unforeseen circumstances such as traffic jams. If
you are early, do not go directly to the office but to a nearby restaurant and have something to eat.
4. When you enter: Greet the interviewer by saying, "Good morning, sir". Do not be over-friendly. Do not sit down
until asked. Sit straight and do not fold your arms. Look in the interviewer's eye while answering questions.
5. Avoid controversy: Always stick to the subject, without giving opinions. Do not be critical of your insitute or
past employer. If you do not know a particular question, say, "I don't know, sir."
6. Listen carefully: Pause before answering a question to gather your thoughts. Listening will help you realise
what the interviewer wants. Do not ramble or use long-winded examples.
7. Be pleasant: Keep a cheerful disposition, do not contradict the interviewer even if he is wrong, keep a pleasant
outlook. Do not be funny, though one can be witty.
8. Tricky situations: If you are nervous, admit it. Stay calm, even if provoked. Of course, one cannot anticipate all
questions so be ready for some surprises, too.

MOCK Interview
Candidate : Good afternoon, sirs.
Member1 : Good afternoon. Please sit down.
C: Thank you sir.
M1: You seem nervous. Would you like to have a drink?
C: No thank you sir. I'll be comfortable.
M1: Tell us something about yourself.
C: Yes, sir. My name is Varun. I have done my B.Com and I am waiting for the results of the final year. My schooling was
in Shimla. My father is in the IAS and I have an elder sister who is a doctor.
M1: Your second year marks are less than first year. Will they go down further in the final year?
M2: Didn't you want to try for IAS? Since your father is a bureaucrat, you could have followed in his footsteps.
C: Let me answer one question at a time. I will take up the second question first. I am not interested in IAS, sir. I was
always interested in a career in management. That is why I did my B.Com and fortunately I could get good marks. My
father has never pressed us to do IAS but has given us the freedom to choose our career. My sister became a doctor
because she wanted to be one. Regarding my marks, during the second year I had to miss classes because I was unwell
for a while. However, this year I have put in a lot of effort and I am confident of covering up.
M3: Why are you not interested in IAS?
C: I did not want to be a bureaucrat where you have the authority no doubt, but you are still stuck in a groove. I feel
that a career in management will offer higher growth which depends on individual performance. I do not want a
comfortable job but one in which I can prove myself.
M1: Why only MBA? After B.Com you can become a Chartered Accountant and prove yourself.
C: I feel that Chartered Accountant is limited to finance and accounts. I would like to do something more than that. My
background of B.Com has given me an understanding of accounts but I would not like to make it into a career.
Management, I feel, is more exciting and one can do much more compared to CA which is limited to one area.
M3: What do you understand by management?
C: There are many definitions, sir. But the simplest one is that it is the art of getting work done from other people.
M3: What do you think are the qualities that a manager should possess?
C: I think that a manager should have planning and organising skills. He should be hard working and honest. Above all,
he should have leadership qualities too since he has to manage people and lead by example.
M2: Where did you learn all this?
C: I have not learnt this, sir. Some of it I have studied in B.Com and then I have just gathered my thoughts. I have also
read about the examples of successful managers who are featured in business magazines and formed my opinion.
M3: Which of these qualities do you have?
C: I have good organising capabilities. I used to organise many events in school and college. I am also good at planning
and since my friends used to like working with me, I can say that I have leadership qualities too.
M2: So you have all the qualities of being a good manager. Tell us, what will you do if we do not take you?
C: I am quite confident that you will take me, sir. But to cover my risks I have applied to a few other institutes too and
fortunately have got interview calls from them. As I am keen to do MBA. I am sure to get admission in one at least.
M3: Why, were you not confident that you will get through here?
C: I am confident, sir. But I applied to other institutes just to cover my risks. I did not want to waste an year just in case
I missed one institute.
M1: What are the problems that India faces?
C: India is a large country and has many problems. At present the main problem faced by the country is that of
instability. The elections gave no majority to any single party so each party is looking for coalitions. We have seen
coalition governments in the past and they never seem to work. Secondly, there is the problem about the economy. The
previous government kept inflation down by artificial methods which is bound to increase now. Debt has also reached
huge proportions which has to be brought down.
M3: Don't you think the country has social problems?
C: Yes, sir. In fact, there are many social problems we face. There is the problem of dowry, which leads to torture and
harassment and even to bride-burning. There is also the problem of female infanticide as people want to have male
children only. This is going to skew the sex ratio in the country. Illiteracy, poverty and population growth are some of the
other problems.
M2: Can these problems be removed through stability and economic methods?
C: They may not be removed totally, but a stable government will certainly have the time to address these issues. An
unstable government will be more concerned about its own survival. There is also a very real danger that an unstable
government may take the country backwards, as V.P. Singh had done during his time. He had played the caste card
merely to survive, with disastrous consequences. Secondly economic growth can certainly solve our problems of poverty
and unemployment. People will have more opportunities and can increase their incomes. In fact, poverty has already
come down since the country took up the economic reforms programme, as was claimed by the previous government. If
that is true, certainly our problems can be solved to a great extent by economic growth.
M3: But don't you think that economic growth brings in its own problems? There are many problems in the West which
has seen some of the highest growth rates.
C: There are indeed problems which affluence brings. There are social problems there too, besides those of environment
degradation.
M3: So what you are saying is that we should get rid of our problems through economic growth and import a new set of
problems.
C: No, sir. Fortunately we have the example of the West before us. It is not necessary that we should commit the same
mistakes. We can have economic growth combined with traditional knowledge so that we do not get the problems of the
West.
M2: What are your hobbies?
C: I like to play games and read books. Another hobby I have is DX-ing, which is tracking radio stations of distant
countries.
M2: That's an unusual hobby. Tell us more about it.
C: Almost all countries broadcast on shortwave. They want to know whether people are actually receiving the broadcast
or not. Whenever I have spare time I try to catch unknown stations and send them reception reports. They send an
acknowledgement card, called a QSL card. It is a good way of knowing the world and increase one's knowledge, besides
participating in discussions and even learning a foreign language. They often send gifts to regular listeners.
M2: Have you ever got gifts from them?
C: Several times, sir. They send T-shirts, cassettes and books. But the best is if your views are aired by an international
radio station.
M3: Which games do you play?
C: I play cricket, sir. These days I get less time but I play whenever I have time.
M3: Who is the manager of our cricket team?
C: Sandeep Patil, sir.
M2: What was your favourite subject in school?
C: I liked practically all the subjects that we had, but my favourite was English. I loved to read the books prescribed and
also borrow from the library.
M3: Who wrote Gone With the Wind?
C: Margaret Mitchell.
M3: Why did the book become very famous?
C: It was made into a highly successful film which is still regarded as a classic. The book was a bestseller and thus
became very famous.
M2: You must have had Shakespeare in school.
C: We studied Julius Caesar and Twelfth Night. I liked Julius Caesar very much, especially since it had those moving
speeches. It is also a study in human character. I think these books help you to understand human nature.
M2: Did you not think of doing something which would help you retain touch with reading, since you like it so much?
C: In whatever profession one is in, one can keep up the habit of reading. Even successful managers read a lot. I will
keep up this habit even when I graduate.
M1: Has any of your friends also applied here?
C: Yes, sir. One of my best friends has also got a call.
M1: Supposing we had only one seat. Should we take you or your best friend?
C: Ideally, I think you should take both of us. But if there is only one seat, you are the best judge to decide.
M1: But if we left the choice to you, what would you decide?
C: That is really a tough choice, sir. But if you left it to me, I would ask you to take my friend.
M1: Even if it means that you do not get admission?
C: Yes, sir. Friendship means rising above selfishness. If I took the seat that would make me selfish. I am sure to get
admission this year. It would be ideal if my friend also got it.
M1: Do you have any weaknesses?
C: Yes, sir. I think everyone has certain weaknesses. I think I am a perfectionist, which sometimes creates problems. But
I really cannot help it. I believe that whatever is done should be done well.
M1: Well thank you, Varun.
C: Thank you, sir.

Analysis
Varun was able to defend the questions relating to IAS and Chartered Accountancy well. The answers show that he has
thought about them and made up his mind. He also can define management in a concise way, which shows that he has
studied his textbooks well. In fact, the student should be well versed with his subjects. Varun also declined politely the
drink offered to him. There are no hard and fast rules about this, but if you ask for the drink, chances are that you will
not get the time to drink it.

Note how Varun handled the situation when two questions were asked simultaneously. Be careful when you say you have
good planning or organising capabilities. The board can well ask why you think so. Do you have the answer? Similarly,
the questions related to applying to other institutes are tricky but Varun answered them well. Note that he was well-
prepared about the problems faced by the country. But he should not have made statements about coalition government.
Avoid getting into controversial areas and playing the caste factor certainly is. But if you feel strongly about it and can
defend it forcefully, you can take a chance and mention it.

Fortunately the board moved on to hobbies. Note that Varun had a hobby which was entirely different and he could speak
on it. He could also speak on his reading habit. The question on whether his friend should be taken is another tricky one.
If you say you should be taken, can you defend it without sounding selfish? The answer to weaknesses was also a
satisfactory one.

On the whole, the candidate comes across as mature. He seems to have thought about his answers. He is well prepared
and was not trapped in the cross-questioning. If you can't do so, simply back out and say you are not sure rather than
saying something which you cannot defend.

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