Interview Skills

Prof. M. A. Tamboli
PIRENS Technical Campus, Loni Bk.
Mob: 9766010560
Feelling
Afraid
The solution is simple
Unexpected
Questions
Interview is like Marriage
8
 Company

History Goals Services

9
 Interviewer

Interests Background

10
 Job

Description Requirements Price

11
 Resume/CV

Last Copy of Study

Update Resume well

12
What is a Resume ???

It is a summary of your academics & work

history ???

NO
Resume is a True Description
 Personality
Resume
 Background
is an
 Capabilities advertisement
 Accomplishments that helps
 How organized you you sell
are yourself to an
 Your Sense of Employer
Quality
What Can a Resume Will
Do For You?
 Makes the first
impression about you. The resume
gets you the
 Highlights the relevant
interview
facts about you, your
education, and your
experience.
 Creating a value. The
 Be a basis for the interview
interviewer to justify gets you
your hiring the job
 Why Give Importance to
Resume?

 Competition being severe, you need not just

Resumes but “Attention Grabbing Resumes.”
 First point of interaction between employer &
you.
 Usually, a Hiring Manager spends not more
than15 – 20 seconds per Resume.
 A clear & crisp resume will qualify you for the
INTERVIEW
Essentials of a Resume
 Objective/Personal Statement
 Personal Details
 Educational Qualification
 Professional Experience
 Technical Qualification
 Core Competencies
 Skills (area of expertise)
 Achievements
 References
Tips for writing a Good resume

 Customization of resume can

increased chances of short listing.
 Analyze the job ads and job
descriptions and compose the
resume to address the requirements.
 Do not shoot same resume to all
jobs
Highlight your strengths
 To prove you are a better choice than
competition describe:
• Specific Achievements/Targets achieved
• New Accounts added/Value additions in
previous jobs
• Mention the technology/skills used in
different projects.
Keep it short & Simple
 Always write a moderate size resume
 Use the right font size.
 Recruiters are interested in the latest
experience/job/qualifications so
maintain the chronological order-
Very important
Ensure Correctness
 Make sure to mention correct
employments dates &designations
 Employer can use a background
check to validate the information.
 If the data in resume is a fake your
chances are zero – Be careful
Check for Grammar & Typing
Mistakes
 No excuses for typing mistakes,
grammatical errors and spelling. All PC
have this features to check this.
 Use Action Verbs to demonstrate that you
are a person who initiate.
Action Verbs
Organized Directed Planned
Created Assisted Initiated
Analyzed Developed Managed
Make the Best first Impression
 Use best quality paper & printer. Good
formatting may not get you a job but Bad
formatting will definitely reduce your
chances.
 If sending resume by email use PDF format.
 Avoid sending photocopied.
 Choose a font style that looks professional,
Avoid multiple fonts.
 DON’t’S in Effective Resume
Writing
 Don’t state your expectations out of the job rather tell
what you can contribute.
 Be careful with the dates. Make sure every year is
accounted for. Employers will get suspicious if they
see too many gaps.
 Do not disclose the salary, reasons for leaving
previous employment and your availability to start the
new job- Keep them to be discussed in interview.
 Do not be wordy while listing job responsibilities, use
bullets and in a consistent style.
 Use Simple language. Avoid professional jargon .
 Remember
Your Resume is a
A Simple
Marketing Brochure
for YOU !!!
What is an Interview?
 ‘Two-way conversation with a purpose;
getting to know each other’
 Opportunity for the interviewer and the
interviewee to get further information
 NOT an interrogation!
The interview is your opportunity to
convince an employer that you are the
right person for the job
As the interviewee
 Communicate information about yourself,
your experience and your abilities
 Seek further information about the
position and the organization
 Evaluate the match between your needs
and what the job offers
Types of Interviews
1. Screening Interview
2. Telephone Interview
3. One-on-One interview
4. Sequential Interviews
5. Panel Interview
6. Group Interview
Screening Interview
 These are usually short interviews used
to screen for specific experience, skills
and/or education.
 Job offers do not come as a result of
this interaction.
 Telephone Interview

 This type of interview can happen unexpectedly

or be planned.

 No matter how it occurs, you must answer the

questions effectively in order to move to the next
stage
Guidelines for a telephone
interview
 If it is scheduled, make it for a time when you can give
100% of your attention.
 If it is not scheduled, and the timing is not convenient,
let the employer know. Ask if you can call back at a
more convenient time.
 Take the call in a quiet place.
 Note down key points you want to make and questions
you want to ask ahead of time.
 Keep a copy of your resume and the job description
nearby.
One-on-One interview
 You and one interviewer.
 You may have individual interviews with
several members of an organization.
Sequential Interviews
 You may be passed from one
department or manager to another.
 one-on-one interview taking place at
each step
Panel Interview
 You are interviewed by a committee
 two to six members from several
different departments who have varying
levels of responsibility
 It is important to make eye contact with
each panel member
Group Interview
 You and other interviewees are
interviewed simultaneously.

 It gives the interviewer the opportunity to

screen many applicants at one time and
also provides an opportunity to observe
group interactions.
Preparing for the Interview
Know yourself

Talking about your strengths and

accomplishments in a straightforward
enthusiastic manner
Know the Organization
 Mission, customers, programs, staffing,
new products and services, acquisitions.
 organization’s website is a potential
source for this information
Position Research
 What are the responsibilities of the position?
 What skills are required?
 What is the organizational structure of the department/division
to which the person in the position will report?
 What products or services does it provide?
 What population does it serve?
 Who is the competition?
 What are trends in this industry?
 What is the future of the organization?
 Are any new initiatives planned?
 Have any new products or services been introduced recently?
Prepare for interview questions
 Standard Interview Questions
– Tell me/us about yourself.
– Why did you apply for this position?
– What are your major strengths?
– What are your weaknesses?
– What accomplishments are you most
proud of in your career?
– Do you have any questions?
Behavioral Interview Questions
 One of the most reliable ways for an
interviewer to predict how you will
perform in the future.

 Is to hear about how you have

performed in the past.
Common behavioral interview
questions
 Tell me about a time when you
demonstrated your ability to……
• Work effectively under pressure.
• Handle a difficult situation with a co-worker.
• Make an unpopular decision.
• Be tolerant of an opinion that was different from
yours.
• Gain support for a new program.
• Worked with others to complete a project.
• overcome a major obstacle.
Situational Interview Questions
 A marketing manager might be asked:
“How would you plan a new product or
service launch on campus?”

 The interviewer may also present a

hypothetical situation for you to try and
solve
The best way to prepare
 Thoroughly research the position and try
to anticipate interview questions.
 Review past experiences that reflect
positively on your behavior.
 Note down ideas about each experience
and examine your role
Providing Information (Answers)
 When the interviewer asks you, you
should describe them as concrete as
possible!

 Use the STAR method

STAR method
 Situation: give an example of a situation you were
involved in and which produced a positive outcome
 Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation
 Action: talk about the various actions involved in the
situation’s task
 Result: describe what results directly followed
because of your actions
Example of a STAR answer
 Situation: During my internship last summer, I was responsible
for managing various events.
 Task: I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by
30% over the past 3 years and wanted to do something to
improve these numbers.
 Action: I designed a new promotional package to go out to the
local community businesses. I also included a rating sheet to
collect feedback on our events, and organized internal round-
table discussions to raise awareness of the issue with our
employees.
 Result: We utilized some of the wonderful ideas we received
from the community, made our internal systems more efficient
and visible and raised attendance by 18% the first year.
 Example of a STAR answer
 Situation: Acting as a relief supervisor at a well-known pizza restaurant,
a customer began to loudly complain about the service being slow.
 Task: To satisfy the person without upsetting other customers who were
also waiting for their food and who had arrived earlier.
 Action: I listen carefully to the customer’s point of view. Calmly and
diplomatically, I explained that there was a lack of staff due to illness. I
reassured the customer that the order was being dealt with and I offered
complimentary drinks at the same time as the customer and his family
were waiting.
 Result: The customer calmed down and appreciated the situation we
faced. He realized that that it wasn’t deliberate and decided to wait
quietly, with the free drinks. Lesson learnt: the importance of
listening to people and seeing their point of view.
Before the interview
 Give a firm handshake
 Smile
 Respect personal space
 Maintain eye contact – don’t eyeball
 Relax
 Breathe
 Dress appropriately
Dress appropriately
 Choose industry-appropriate clothing in
a classic style
Know where the interview is
located
 Allow time for traffic, parking and last
minute distractions. Arrive at least 15
minutes early
 Take two or three copies of your resume
and Turn off your cell phone!
 Relax
 Be Yourself
During the interview Be
professional
 Remember, your interview starts when
you enter the building.
 When you shake hands, include eye
contact and a smile.
 Handshakes should be firm but not
aggressive; try matching the grip of the
interviewer
Unexpected Questions
 If you encounter a difficult or unexpected
question; stay calm and take your time.
 For example:

− Can we continue this conversation in

(another language)?
−…
►Treat them as a challenge!
Reasons for failure
 Attending the interview but NOT
preparing for it
 Providing superficial information or
waffling
 Failing to listen to the questions
 Answering a question that was not asked
Surviving an interview
 Prepare your interview: browse the organization's
website, think about why you want to work for this
company
 Try out the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action,
Result)
 Dress appropriately
 Mind your body language: smile, firm handshake, relax
and breathe
 Listen carefully to the questions of the recruiter: stay
calm and take your time
After the Interview
 What questions were asked?
 What questions did you wish you had answered
differently?
 Did you present your qualifications in the best manner
possible, giving appropriate examples as evidence?
 Did you emphasize how your skills are related to the
role?
 Did you talk too much? Too little?
 What questions do you wish you had asked the
interviewer?
 What changes can you make for your next interview?
Follow-up
 In today’s competitive job market, little
things such as writing thank you letters
can make a Big difference.
“Is this the right job for
me?”
What maks you to crack the
Interview

Practice
Practice
Practice
Q&A
Good Luck!