Cracking Job Interview

Cracking Job Interview
Introduction
Interviewer
Interviewee
what employers want?
Interpersonal and Intrapersonal, Time management, Punctuality,
Discipline. Hardworking with the zeal and Enthusiasm to learn and
accept the feedback and incorporate given feedback and be at his/her best.
Understanding the Interviewer
An interviewer, in order to do an effective hiring, needs the answers to

THREE basic questions −
• Can you be someone whom the company can rely upon?
• Who are you? Would others be comfortable working with you?
• Are you sufficiently experienced, educated and interested to work
satisfactorily?
Types of Interviews
Structured Interview
A structured interview involves asking a fixed set of questions in the same
format and order to all candidates attending the interview. These interviews may
begin just like how a traditional interview does but may focus more on a fixed set
of questions rather than specific experience-based questions. The responses of
candidates are recorded and graded against a suitable scoring system. Asking the
same set of questions in the same order helps the recruiter collect similar
information from candidates in a uniform context and thus grade them in an
unbiased manner.
Unstructured Interview
unstructured conversation
open ended questions asked to allow you to open up, there is no correct
or wrong answer it is your approach that matters a lot to the
interviewer.
One-on-one interviews
you can showcase your enthusiasm towards the job role and organization.
visit the company's website know about all its work, future plans, mission
statement, recent development, recent accomplishment, vision and CSR. and then
try to link it with your own vision and mission statement stating that you are fit
for the job role and organization because you have a similar zeal and enthusiasm
to help the people and why you want to be the part of the organization's activities.
Panel Interviews
Where panel consisting team leader, managers, operational. four or five people
have different approach to evaluate the person.
make proper eye contact while talking to a person. Be confident.

ask for more clarity. Answer as if you are talking to everyone not just one
person.
Group interviews
Group interviews are conducted in the process of recruiting team-leaders or
employees with either team-leading, work-distributing, and prioritizing
qualities. A group of candidates is given a hypothetical question like – “How
would you pitch a real estate sale to me as a team?” The group needs to
distribute responsibilities and give presentations.
A candidate is teste on the basis of the following skills.

•Problem solving skills
•Communication skills
•Team player skills
•How well you jelup with others
•Showcase of behaviour
Competency-Based Interviews
One needs to have a detailed knowledge of his or her area of

expertise to answer the questions that the interviewers will ask.
Telephonic Interviews
Around 70% of a candidate’s responses are non-verbal and

related to his Body Language! In a telephonic interview, you
have to make up for that 70% with your voice projection,
tone, and modulation.
Tips for Telephonic interviews

• Speak loud enough to be heard clearly.
• Let the interviewer do most of the talking and listen to him carefully as he will be
explaining the instructions.
• Smile and speak in a conversational manner.
• Place a notepad, pen, and a copy of your resume near you for reference and jot down
important information.
• If you are stuck in a traffic or a noisy place, kindly ask the employer to call you back
in 5-10 minutes.
• Turn off call-waiting and applications that give beeping notification during calls.
TELE-CONFERENCING
 Dress up for the part and look professional.
 Try to be in a well-lit area with a suitable
background.
 Check the internet connection, camera
visibility, and microphone audibility well
before the interview time.
 Keep a notepad, pen, and copy of the CV
near you.
 Inform the people around you to not
disturb you for the duration of the
interview.
 Keep your phones in silent mode and out of
sight to avoid getting distracted.
TYPES OF QUESTIONS ASKED IN INTERVIEW
Behavioural Questions
Behavioral or Situational questions are used to analyze how you behaved in various
scenarios in the past to predict your behavior in similar scenarios in the future.
Examples:-
 Describe a situation where you had to handle pressure or tight deadlines.
 Describe a situation where you had to think on your feet faced with a difficult situation.
 Describe a situation where you persuaded a person to do something he wasn’t willing to.
 Describe a situation where you adapted to a variety of situations and environments.
 Describe a situation where you had to convince someone to see things your way.
 Describe a time in job when you faced problems that tested your coping skills.
 Describe a time where you went above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done.
Traditional Questions
Traditional or General Interview Questions tend to be more hypothetical.
Examples:-
 Tell me something about yourself.

 What are your strengths and weaknesses?
 Give examples of when you worked in a team.
 Explain the reason for leaving your current job.
 What interests you about this job and organization?
 What would you like me to know about you beyond your CV?
 Give an example where you displayed leadership qualities in a team.
Role-Play Questions
The interviewer gives you a scenario and asks you to imagine yourself as someone else and
solve a problem.
Example:-
You are a cop. How would you stop a bank robbery, when the robbers are armed and you
are not?
Industry-Specific Questions
Industry-specific questions need the interviewee to be acquainted with the latest trends
or issues in the industry. Questions could be related to domain-specific details and may
involve explaining the details.
Brainteasers Questions
Examples:-
• Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain?
• Bonny’s father had four children. The first child’s name was April. The
second child’s name was May. The third child was named June. What was
the fourth child’s name?
BODY LANGUAGE
Experts say that only 30% of what you speak inside the interview room matters to the
interviewers and 70% comprises of Body Language.
TIPS
 Don’t cross your arms and legs. This signifies nervousness and restlessness.
 Don’t rub your nose or bite lips. The interviewers tend to interpret this as lying.
 Don’t slouch or sit on the edge of the chair. This gives a careless impression.
 Nod when you agree but don’t bob your head as that signifies inexperience.
 Don’t stare when looking directly at the interviewer. That will look intimidating.
 Don’t sit too close to the interviewer. Allow personal space.
 Don’t look away or turn your face down while answering.
 Don’t use excessive hand movements. Articulate and be expressive but
moderately and at desk-level.
 Don’t make any sudden movements. Make relaxed adjustments in your posture.
PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE
TIPS
 Wear the clothes that you have planned to wear on the day of the interview to
see if they look good and professional on you.
 Check for fit of the clothes − the clothes shouldn’t fit too loose, or too tight, as
they will not give a formal look.
 Check for stains, rips, runs, missing button, creases, fade-ups, etc. Mend them
before time so that you don’t have to face embarrassment.
 Coordinate accessories (tie, belt, socks, shoes, jewelry, etc.) There is a color-code
that we need to follow in formal meetings, e.g., the belt, watch, and shoes should
be of one color.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Tell me about yourself.

Highlight your Education, Experience, and Hobbies. Don’t get too personal answering this
question. Highlight your qualities.
2. WHAT IS YOUR STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS?
Break this answer in two parts — Strength and weakness.
Strength Weakness
1. Flexibility 1. Being too critical of yourself

2. Team Work 2. Attempting to please everyone
3. Attention to Detail 3. Being unfamiliar with the latest software
4. Enthusiasm 4. You can say “My attention to details in a
5. Trustworthiness time can also be disadvantage as I spend
6. Creativity more time in deep dive when issue crap
7. Discipline up.”
8. Patience 5. Nervousness about public speaking.
9. Respectfulness 6. Tendency to take on too much
10. Determination responsibility.
11. Dedication
12. Honesty
13. Versatility
Examples of how to speak about weakness.
 “I am a naturally shy person, and it takes time for me to open up to people

and be a part of the group. This weakness has made it challenging for me
to make new friends, and it's my goal to learn to be more of an extrovert.
Starting a new job would be a great opportunity to try to speak up and
introduce myself to others. I want to be the person who can make a joke in
a group and feel confident about it. I find that as I practise talking to big
groups of people more, my shyness begins to fade away.”
 “Public speaking has always been a challenge for me. I think it's because I
focus too much on what other people think, and I need to realise that
people are often more focused on themselves. If you accept me for this
position, my first goal is to create a presentation for my team. I want to get
to where I feel comfortable and confident in presenting information. My
plan is to practice in front of family and friends and use their feedback to
help me be a better speaker.”
3. WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
 Visit the company website and carry out the good research on
Company and understanding the job description.
 Be Accurate.
 List a few aspects of the job role.
 Speak how you can contribute to this role.
“For starters, I have all the skills and experience listed in the job
description, and I'm confident that I can make an immediate impact
on your company. It's my passion for the industry that drives me to
succeed. If chosen for this role, I will continue to deliver high-quality
work for the continued success of your organization.”
4. HOW DO YOU HANDLE STRESS AND PRESSURE?
 Don’t say that you don’t get stressed.
 Provide examples – How you handled pressure in the past.
 Speak about how good pressure can help you.
 You can say “the best way to overcome stress is by creating well-
planned schedule”.
5. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?
 Ask yourself how the job role you are applying for will help you
achieve your desired goal.
 Break the 5 years into phases.
 In the first couple of years mention how you want to learn

everything about the job, in acquiring new skills.
 Next few years how you wish to be in a position to help other team
members with your acquired skills and knowledge.
6. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR US THAT OTHER CANDIDATES
CAN’T?
 Don’t be critical of other candidates.

 Speak about yourself.
 Emphasise on special certifications you have.
 Your prior Industry Experience.
 Your strong interpersonal skills.

7. WHAT ARE YOUR SALARY EXPECTATIONS?
 Research the salary range for your job role in your profession and
have an idea before replying to the question.
 You could ask for higher side of the market range however you
could also show that you are flexible.
 Be prepared for salary negotiation.
 You can also ask the employer what range are they looking to pay
someone your background.
8. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
 Ask questions related to job role and day to day responsibilities.

 You can ask about company’s culture.
 Opportunities you will be getting in this particular role.
 What is the next step in the hiring process?
 What are the challenges specific to this job?
 Are there facilities for employees’ educational growth?
 Don’t ask too many questions as it shows your seriousness hence avoid
time wasting questions.
QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK THE EMPLOYER
1. Questions about salary, raises, benefits, flex-time, and

leave/vacations
2. Questions on position/company whose answers are found on

company website
(Note:- These questions can be asked by working professionals, or by those who have
impressive track-records in experience, as they can negotiate their terms openly with the
interviewers.)
IMPORTANT TIPS
 Give a good first Impression — Smile while greeting the
interviewer, and establish eye-contact. Speak in a clear voice;
avoid mumbling.
 Listen before Answering
 Give Exact Answers
 Never bad-mouth ex-employers.
 Be Honest
 Know your Resume
 Look for shared Attributes
 Keep things at a professional level

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Cracking Job Interview

Understanding the Interviewer

An interviewer, in order to do an effective hiring, needs the answers to

make proper eye contact while talking to a person. Be confident.

A candidate is teste on the basis of the following skills.

One needs to have a detailed knowledge of his or her area of

Around 70% of a candidate’s responses are non-verbal and

Tips for Telephonic interviews

 Tell me something about yourself.

1. Tell me about yourself.

1. Flexibility 1. Being too critical of yourself

 “I am a naturally shy person, and it takes time for me to open up to people

 List a few aspects of the job role.

 Speak how you can contribute to this role.

 Speak about how good pressure can help you.

 In the first couple of years mention how you want to learn

 Don’t be critical of other candidates.

 Emphasise on special certifications you have.

 Your prior Industry Experience.

 Your strong interpersonal skills.

 Ask questions related to job role and day to day responsibilities.

1. Questions about salary, raises, benefits, flex-time, and

2. Questions on position/company whose answers are found on

 Give Exact Answers

 Never bad-mouth ex-employers.

 Know your Resume

 Look for shared Attributes

 Keep things at a professional level

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