Interview Tips

The Oxford Dictionary defines is as a face-to-face meeting, for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of a candidate for jobs or admission to educational institutions of for the purpose of obtaining statement or opinion of any respected person.

Nowadays, several success formulas have come out to see your victory during these stressful moments of an interview. But they would fail if you do not prepare yourself beforehand and practice. These are not any difficult tasks. They will require just 30 minutes of your 24 hours. So, read my points and tell me whether they did come to your aid.

''The BPO industry is booming'' boasts yesterday's newspaper for the nth time. Industry sources say that 750 candidates are being recruited every day (actual figures are more than that). And, by 2008, there will be demand for 35 lakh call-center or BPO professionals! So, this industry is here to stay unless an Armageddon happens. Over the past few years, I had the opportunity to show my attractive leg (CV, you naughty) and attend interviews at reputed bigwigs like Accenture, Convergys, ICICI-onesourse,Allianz Cornhill and MphasiS. Based on my experiences, kindly allow me to spill some useful nuggets into your waiting hand on how to breeze through the usual gates in a BPO interview.

Note:-I might switch from saying BPO to call-centre. A BPO has varied functions including customer calls while a call-centre, as name suggests, deals with only customer calls. But there's no harm in interchanging between these 2 terms. This pattern may vary from company to company.

GATE 1 - Voice/Passage Reading You will be given a passage or a simple topic to speak on. Required - High fluency in English. Remember, the keyword is ''high''. They look at your ability to converse easily without much grammatical errors, stammers & other pauses. Don't put on a fake foreign accent to impress them (you can be rejected on-thespot). On selection, they give you the requisite accent training. So, simply speak in a neutral accent without excess MTI (Mother-tongue influence). Watch NDTV news anchors (not the reporters on the field) for practice.

GATE 2 - Written Test Multiple choice questions consisting of English language, Numerical ability, Logical reasoning and Computer awareness. English language - basic grammar, antonyms, synonyms and so on. Numerical ability - simple Maths like selling price & cost price, ratios, percentages and so on.

Computer awareness - basic Internet knowledge and there may be a typing speed test too. Don't fret if you're average here. You will be trained after selection.

GATE 3 - Listening Test A tape will be played once. You will be listening to a simple English conversation by 2 persons. You are given a multiple-choice question paper based on the conversation. For each question, tick the most relevant choice. You will not get another chance to listen to the tape. Note - This's another very important qualifying round. Be very attentive and do your best.

FINAL GATE 4 - The HR Interview This ultimate round can either be direct face 2 face meeting or via telephone. 2 of the HR (Human Resource) personnel will interview you, asking you about yourself, your earlier work experiences (if any) and your general views on BPOs.

Either way, please remember, your English will be checked. Keep a neutral accent and act confident. Usually, they are of your age (25-30, not a grandpa). But, don't let their youth fool you. They're like hawks eyeing your body language and ever-alert to every word you say. Dress - Light-colored formal shirts (preferably full sleeves for men, women-please enquire), mild deodorant (the interviews are usually in air-conditioned rooms. Your scent will circulate within the room for hours...), formal shoes and a pleasing smile.

Always wish the female interviewer first. After you're seated, stop the constant shaking of legs (typical Indian habit). Lean slightly forward & keep your hands on the lap (not on the table). You may use your hands occasionally to express a point.

When Person-1 asks the question, look at him first while answering, look at other interviewers occasionally and finally end with Person-1. Same applies to Person-2, 3 or 4. Avoid too many errs., stammers or pauses in your sentences. If you're not sure about an answer, say ''I don't know'' outright instead of mumbling something silly or fake. Be short & simple, without any complex vocabulary. NO Question of theirs require an essay. 4-5 lines are more than enough, and say something (only to regret later). Instead, ask ''Sir/M'am, is there anything specific you wish to know about....(whatever question they asked)?'' Some questions they ask may tempt you to pounce & wring their necks ! Again, they are just testing your attitude. So, whatever the provocation, be cool & paste permanently that Bollywood smile !

Here are some commonly asked questions # Why are you here?! (never say ''to attend this interview!''. Say something like ''I'm here to seek the position of.....in......'') # Tell me something about yourself (always asked. Never say what's already mentioned in your CV. You may talk about your birthplace, your family and your personal interests. Keep the entire answer to 5 or 6 lines maximum). # What are your strength and weaknesses? # What is your work objective? # In one sentence, tell me something about your personality. # When do you get angry? # How quickly do you react to a decision? # Tell me something about your earlier company and your role in it. # Are you willing to work night-shifts? # What is a BPO? # Distinguish between inbound and outbound calls # What does ''customer-satisfaction'' mean to you? # Give me a instance when a customer appreciated your service. # Why do you want to work in a BPO? # What is the biggest challenge facing the BPO industry today? # What, according to you, is the most important requisite of a call-center executive? # Why do you want to work in our company? # Why should we employ you? # What do you know about our company? # What will you do if you're not selected for this job?

Phew! Long, wasn't it? But, it's always better to be prepared. Regularly practice mock-interviews before the mirror. You'll be able to notice your flaws and correct'em instantly. A BPO interview is no IAS or IIM. You can pass without any major hiccups. But be alert in the final HR interview. Many stumble here. So practice, practice & practice.

Are you over 40? Single, divorced or married? Think this BPO stuff will reject you 'cause you are 'old'? Relax, chill! There are so many like you working in call-centers today 'n' enjoying. Convince the interviewers that you are deeply motivated to have a career in this fast-rising industry for ABC reasons. It's usually the young who perspire the companies 'cause they are more prone to job-hopping after just 3 months. So, you stand a better chance to get IN.

Expect some questions that are regularly repeated in many interviews. These questions form a base for the interviewer so that he can form a chain of questions from the answer you give. Let us list such questions, which we call Base Questions.

1) Tell me about yourself 2) What are your strengths and weaknesses? 3) Why do you want to join our organization/institute? 4) What is your future plans? 5) Who is your role model and why?

These questions form the base for further questions. Let's take an example scene:

Him: What are your strengths? You: I am honest, hardworking and reliable Him: What makes you think you are honest? You: I have never cheated with any person or never have lied to anyone. Him: If suppose, you have to do a wrong stuff for the good of someone, then would you do it? You: If it benefits someone then I won't mind doing it. Him: So this means you can break your honesty! You: If only it benefits someone. Helping someone is a virtue and not a crime.

So, you see that the first question formed the base for the other questions that came up. The interviewer derives these questions from your answer. So think and talk. Never fall in the trap where the interviewer surrounds you with blames. This usually happens in a Stress Interview. So, prepare thoroughly for these questions and expect them coming towards you in an interview.

Sometimes, your dressing style can get you a job. However, this seldom works. But your outer appearance does make the first impact, which can make the interviewer have a preconceived notion that you are the one for the job. But I do not guarantee this will get you the job. Also, you cannot neglect it. Organizations like Jet Airways, Tata, Reliance, Wipro, etc. pay huge emphasis on your dressing. They prefer their candidates to come in formals.

Some companies are liberal with their dress code. In these companies you can go in jeans or any informal wear. To get a good idea of the dress code, visit the company a day before your interview and get to know the work culture there. If there is a dress code, ask someone about it. Dressing does help and it is gives the first impression about you to the interviewer.

Before entering the cabin, ask for permission. Like, ''May I come in Sir?'' After entering do not directly seat. It is bad manners. Let the interviewer ask you to seat. If he doesn't then keep standing until he says the relieving words, ''Please have a seat''.

When you are seated, your legs should be firmly pressed on the ground. Your hands should not be on the table, and not folded. Have them on your laps. Seat erect and not bent. Keep a smile going throughout the interview. This gives a suggestion to the interviewer that you are confident. The smile also reduces your stress and you feel comfortable. Try it if you want. Never play with your hands or your pen or your tie. Be seated like a statue. Avoid clapping of hands. This is a sign of nervousness. The interviewer will quickly pick up your body language. And if he or she does not find you confident enough, they will just ask you to leave. So, never show sign of nervousness.

Always look at the eyes of the interviewer. Do not let them shift to something else. It should always be An eye for an eye. You get our point? This is another sign of confidence. Do not stammer while speaking. Be fluent. The interviewer wants to see your chain of thoughts. They should keep coming one by one and in a continuous manner. Your voice should not be very loud, or very light. Speak as you speak regularly. Just be yourself. Do not enact anyone else and throw away your inferiority complex. You too are good like anyone else in the room. Have faith in yourself and God.

Your resume or bio-data or curriculum vitae is the most important document. It should reflect your abilities, and should be true to very of its words. It should start with your name, date of birth, address, phone number, E-mail address. Nationality and Marital Status can follow. Some company would like to know your height and weight. Give your height in Centimeters and weight in Kilograms. Then give your language capabilities. Then comes education. List all of them starting from SLC and ending up with the latest one. Write down the computer knowledge or any other professional education you had. Then comes experience. Give complete details of them by giving the duration, name of the company, location of the company, name of your designation, job description, salary last drawn and reason for leaving. You can also state your expected salary. Feel free to write your figure.

Then comes the reference. Give at least two. Then you can put in your interests, hobbies and achievements. Put in a photograph of yours. Add your signature at the end to ensure the authenticity of your resume. A complete and comprehensive resume is a very handy tool.

Sometimes you won't directly go in an interview. The company would have planned a short listing method. So, you can expect a group discussion or a listening comprehension test, or an aptitude test prior to the personal interview. You can also expect some really weird questions. Some may ask General Knowledge questions. I confronted such an interview. My first question was, ''If you were the Prime Minister for a day, what would you have done''? This was rather unexpected. I wasn't prepared for such kind of a question. But then too I managed to speak through.

I also appeared for a Group Discussion whose topic was very vague. It was ''Death''. We have to speak on this topic for five minutes at least. You can also have topics like ''If'', ''But'', ''We can'' or ''Sky is Blue''. Yes, friends, such topics have really come. The only advantage with these topics is that you can speak anything you want; if you can prove your stand. There is no right or wrong in these topics. So, expect the unexpected every time you step in for an interview.

Usually, interviews are conducted in English. So never use any second language. Enjoy the moment, instead of getting stressed out. Be yourself. Be natural and normal. Show pleasing and graceful manners, sufficient politeness and verve. Speak more. Do not complete your answer in a sentence. Increase the quantity of your answers. This will impress the interviewer and he will think that you really know. Always be relaxed. I know that being relaxed during interviews is difficult. But try to reduce your tension. Always keep in mind that the person who will be taking your interview is a HUMAN BEING just like you. He is not going to eat you up. So maintain a calm head. So, we wish you all best of luck for whatever interview you were going for. Just stay calm and focused. For the rest, leave it to the others.

Congratulations! Your brand new spanking CV has just landed you that much awaited job interview call. Your heartbeat increases, your brow sweats, you are confused, and words fail you. Sounds familiar? Take heart, facing an interview is not such an Herculean task as it may appear at first provided you do your homework and to some extent class work well enough. An interview is generally the final and most important step of the hiring process by a company. It offers both the potential employee and the employer an opportunity to meet one another, exchange information and come to tentative conclusions about working together in the future.

1.It does a world of good to have extensive knowledge of the company for whose interview you are appearing. Irrespective of whether or not you are asked anything about it in the interview, get to know the company well. Not in terms of the office layout but about its history, promoters, products and services, work culture, etc. Such information is freely available through many sources like the net, newspapers and magazines. If you happen to

know an existing employee, there's nothing like it! Let's face it, since you intend to work in that company for a considerable period of time, investing a little bit of time in knowing about it is not going to deprive you of your some wasted moments in life.

2. Spend some time trying to figure out the likely questions to be asked First and foremost, be thorough with the contents of your CV. Since that's the only document with the interview panel, all that they know about you is contained in it. Be prepared for unexpected questions that might suddenly crop up. One of the most common first questions is Tell us something about yourself. Now, please don't start off by saying that your great grandfather came from Pakistan at the turn of the century and actively participated in the freedom struggle. Instead, tell them more about yourself, your family, education, previous work experience if any, etc. It also helps a lot if you can get a friend or family member to conduct a mock interview.

1.Make sure you know the exact venue of the interview. It doesn't help to run around in circles on the day of the interview asking everyone on the street for the address you want. Wear a pleasant but official and ironed dress with a matching but not jazzy tie, well-polished shoes and non-stinking socks. Comb your hair well and don't exhibit your long nails if you haven't manicured them. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to brush your teeth well and ensure that you make your body odor too obvious. Make it to the venue at least 30 minutes in advance. Once there, relax and get a feel of the surroundings. Mix freely with other candidates and indulge in some small talk without being too loud.

2. Once you are called for the interview, politely knock on the door once or twice and ask for permission to step in. Once inside say polite thanks and take your seat in the chair kept for you. In some cases, one or all of the panel members might greet you with a handshake in which case please don't make it a show of strength. A simple handshake conveys a lot about a person. Let your handshake be firm and brief. Look the other person in the eye and be liberal with that winning smile that is usually reserved for pretty girls.

3. Once in the Hot Seat, it's important to assume the right kind of posture on the chair. The posture should indicate a sense of comfort rather than nervousness. Avoid sitting on the edge of your seat. If you encounter a chair that is not convenient, don't show it. Take a few seconds to seat yourself as comfortably as possible without making too many unnecessary movements all the while maintaining eye contact and smile indicating your readiness for the interview. Be confident of yourself.

4. From then on, play the game according to the ball bowled at you...strictly on its merit. Once a question is posed, hear it properly, think over the answer for a moment or two and tell it in a clear voice without using hi-fund English. You might be educated at Harvard but that's the last of the interviewers considerations. Don't unleash your powerful arsenal of vocabulary

on the poor interview panelists. Keep your answers straight forward and simple. Be confident while answering and whenever you make a point, back it up with examples or figures as proof. Remember that this is not a fish or vegetable market and therefore avoid getting into heated arguments just to get your point across.

5. It is not only your performance in terms of what you speak but also in terms of the way you carry yourself that decides the fate of the interview. Most panels have a specialist whose job it is to solely stare at the candidate and decipher him by observing the way he sits, answers questions, makes gestures, etc. In the unlikely event of not knowing the correct answer to a question, don't bluff your way through. Politely say that your knowledge is limited in that area and that you are blissfully ignorant about the same. Admitting to ones ignorance leaves a much better impression than telling cock and bull stories.

6. At the end of the interview, the candidate may sometimes be asked if he wants to pose some questions or air his/her views. Don't take this opportunity to pick holes in the company or haggle for your designation or salary. Since you have not been informed about your selection as yet, ask some general questions about the company and its policies instead.

1.Before leaving the room, flash that billion dollar smile at all around and say an audible Thanks to the panel.

2.Don't start calling up the HR department for the results the moment you reach home. Processing candidates takes some time. Be patient for about a week or 10 days and then give a call asking for the status of the results. In case they are not ready, politely ask how much more time the processing is likely to take. Here again, most companies do not inform candidates who don't make it past the interview stage while very few do it.

3. Sit down and jot down the highlights of your interview on a piece of paper. Categories them into positive and negative. Try to recollect if you went wrong anywhere. A good postmortem report will aid in ironing out any deficiencies and ensure that you don't repeat the same mistakes next time.

An interview is a two-way process. The employer and you, both evaluate each other from different perspectives. In the short amount of time that you spend with the potential employer, you will either be accepted or rejected. Therefore, project yourself in a positive and enthusiastic manner that subtly convinces the employer that you are the right person for the job on hand. All the best!

An Interview is an important hurdle before one gets a job. It is the Interview that really determines if the person is really suited for the job or not. So a candidate has to take an interview really seriously and chalk out a plan as to how he has to handle it. And for that tremendous amount of mental preparation is necessary. And above all else a lot of attitude and grooming is required to face an interview. Those are the things that are highlighted in this review. But throughout the review we have mentioned the candidate to be a male but that doesn't mean any kind of biasing.

A candidate who goes through an interview becomes successful not when he is selected for the job but when he is satisfied with his performance. Performance is not a situation where all questions have been answered but a state of mind where there is a satisfaction for having done what one thought of doing. This is possible only when one has put in that extra effort to perform. He should walk out of the interview room after his session with an attitude that says that if the company does not appoint me they are surely going to be the losers. But off course, if one is put in all possible efforts one has no chance to regret.

How to prepare for an interview? Any performance becomes successful when the performer prepares for it. Conscious efforts have to be taken to impress upon a group of people, that the candidate is the best possible choice. This is possible when he feels confident to project himself as the best.

Physical Aspects They say first impression is the best impression. Dressing neatly, combing the hair as it suits the face (never change your usual style if its neat enough), some necessary additional accessories would add up to the personality. Therefore, he should take care to present himself with the personality that'll influence the interviewer.

Intellectual Aspects An interviewee has to have a minimum level of intellectual exhibition to impress upon the interviewer that he is capable intellectually of interacting with others. One has to show his cognitive resources to the employer ultimately. But showing doesn't mean exaggeration. It only asks for the interviewers to measure and assess various aspects of his intellectual capacity and decide whether he fits into the scheme of things. Therefore one has to become intellectually active by reading, studying and discussing various things that might prop up in the interview.

Emotions There is nothing wrong if the candidate is a bit nervous because it is a moment of test which will result either in success or in failure. But whenever he is nervous he is under a certain amount of emotional disturbance and hence, will not be able to maintain the composure needed to answer different types of questions that will be shot at him. Hence, he

has to believe that he will surely get the job and that should this job not come his way, there will be plenty others. A sense of desperation can totally destroy confidence. Even when a candidate fails to give the right answer, he should say sorry and await the next question with the hope to answer it. If he has known himself and has a strong self-esteem, it makes his job easy, that is to be composed.

1. Primarily, one should believe that honesty is the best policy. An interviewee who would try to lie or pretend is sure to be caught through cross questioning. And his dishonesty once established becomes not only a discredit but an embarrassment by which even the succeeding questions cannot be answered. When one is truthful he doesn't have to make efforts to remember what was said earlier. Honesty exhibits a great deal of authenticity.

2. An important and integral policy to be followed is to be courageous. He has to be courageous enough to tell the interviewer the he does not know the answer. This not only impressed the interviewers but also makes the person get relieved of the tension of not knowing and its consequences.

3. He should have a good sociable language. He should be able to use words like 'thank you','please','excuse me' and 'sorry' wherever necessary. This creates a relationship between the interviewers and there is a level of trust that starts working.

4. One has to avoid getting involved with controversies, especially those concerning communal or political subjects. An interviewee has to choose a mid path so that there is no conflict between him and his interviewer.

5. More important than what has been said above, is the need not to act very friendly while care is taken to be sociable. It is possible that the interviewers are very friendly but an interviewee has to remain serious and a sort of distance has to be maintained so as not to say or do something that may seem to be up coming in a future employee.

Thus, preparation for an interview is as important as the interview in itself and that is what is highlighted out here.

Be a good listener. Let your interviewer know that you're listening attentively by nodding, using facial expressions that make you look interested, leaning towards the interviewer,

picking up on key words they've used and asking them to expand on subjects that genuinely interest you. But never interrupt your interviewer.

Be honest. If you don't understand a question, ask for an explanation. If you're faced with something you really can't deal with, be truthful about it - it's more impressive than pretending to have the answer to everything. Use get-out phrases like 'that's something I'd need time to think about' or 'that's outside my present experience' to give yourself a bit of a breather.

Be consistent. Many interviewers ask the same things in different ways as a means of checking you out. Listen to yourself as well as to them. If you feel you've made a mistake, put things right by saying, 'going back to what I said earlier about...what I really meant was...'

Avoid the temptation to talk too much. If there are awkward silences when you've finished saying what you want, don't fill them with nervous chatter. Some interviewers use silence to see how you'll react. Pass the lead back to them by pleasantly saying: 'Does that answer your question?' Also, stick to providing the answer requested - don't inundate the interviewer with information they don't need.

Be aware of your body language. Stillness is reassuring and fidgeting is a distraction. Looking your interviewer in the eye is essential, but don't overdo it - take your cues from the interviewer. A smile sets everyone at ease, but a constant grin is unnerving. Try to sit up straight. Leaning forward makes you appear attentive and enthusiastic - being slumped conveys boredom.

Be positive. Even if your last job was the pits, if asked for your reasons for leaving, don't let a negative word pass your lips. Never say anything unfavorable about your colleagues, boss or job - it'll just make you look bad. Instead, say: 'I genuinely enjoyed my last job, but I'm eager to move onto a different challenge and use the skills I've gained'. Then, impress them even more by stating how those skills match the job you're after.

If you're not asked about something that you feel is important, raise the subject yourself. This is your one chance to sell yourself, so don't waste the opportunity