Category Archives: Interview Tips

Nursing Job Interview Tips & Ideas

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Nursing Job interviews sound easy, but are they really all that easy? Wait and think again. Due to high education and work experience each of the candidates profile is very competitive. This is the reason why hiring managers find it difficult in scrutinizing the right candidate. This makes the hiring process a bit complicated. So why take chances when little pre-prep work can help you get your dream job. To help you ace the nursing job interview with ease we have listed down couple of tips and suggestions. Read on and attend your next nursing job interview like a professional.

Tip 1: Know the Organization/Hospital: As soon as you come to know that you have been selected for a face to face job interview round. Make sure to start reading about the hospital profile. Start gathering information about the trust associated with it, what is their funding level…etc. You can get all this information through the internet. You may even visit their official website and read their news and about section to get in-depth information about their work history and milestones. The information which you will gather from this small research work will help you present your candidature with confidence and you will be in a better position to convince the recruiters that you are the most appropriate candidate for the profile.

Tip 2: Dress like a Professional: Love to wear tank tops and high heals. Keep them safe for parties. For an interview keep your attire simple and professional. Girls are recommended to keep it classy a nice buttoned up skirt and shirt is just perfect. Boys can go for a business suit or if they want a full sleeve shirt with dress pants is just great. Remember to pay attention to small details. Like a clean and ironed dress without any stains. Please avoid sneakers and t-shirts. As we all know “First impression is the last impression” So dress to impress and the half the job is done.

Tip 3: Keep Your Entire Documents Ready: Although the recruiter or the HR manager has already seen your resume and probably the interviewer may have received a copy of your resume prior to the interview. But it is always a good idea to go well prepared you never know, what they might ask for. Invest some money in buying a good quality folder. Document all your work exp. and education related documents in it. All your achievement certificates and score cards should also be filled up appropriately. In case the interviewer shows interest in seeing your documents. At least you will be prepared and will not have to fumble at the last minute. Plus this would present you as a professional and the interviewer would be impressed with your sincerity.

Tip 4: Ask Questions: Interview dose not mean that only the recruiter or the interviewer can put up questions for you. You are also free to ask questions and clear your doubts before joining the company. While doing some background check about the hospital profile you are sure to have some questions or doubts in mind. Jot them down in a peace of paper. Generally during any face to face interview, you will be asked if you have any questions. This is the time to shoot your questions and get all your doubts clarified. Do not hesitate and be straightforward but professional. If you think it would give a negative impression, than you are wrong. In fact the interviewer will be delighted to see your curiosity and interest in the job profile and organization on a whole.

Tip 5: Know the medication: In a nursing job it is quiet possible that the interviewer may ask case scenario based questions. This would be to determine if you are aware of the step by step process. So keeping your concepts clear and reading and revising the procedure again before going for the interview is the best way to present your strong candidature. Other than this you can also get a list commonly asked nursing job interview questions on the internet. Consider preparing best answers for those questions depending upon your individual resume and profile.

Some General Job Interview Tips to Keep in Mind:

  • Mind your body language
  • Be honest, there is nothing worse than being caught for a false statement
  • Keep smiling and be confident
  • Always arrive 5 to 10 minutes in advance.
  • Firm Handshake and eye contact should be maintained while greeting the interviewer and when leaving the cabin
  •  Don’t Forget to send Thank you note post interview

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Top 6 Phone Interview Questions and Answers

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Telephonic interview are becoming more and more common these days. This telephonic round of job interview is essentially considered as first screening round. In just couple of minutes the recruiters can decide whether or not to invest time and money in arranging a face to face interview round. This is not just a great opportunity for recruiter to understand your profile, but it is also your chance to know about the company and the job profile. Than you can, decide whether or not you want to proceed with the interview.

Phone Interview Questions and Answers

Not just that, during a phone job interview round, you are more relaxed as the interviewer could not see you and make assumptions looking at your body gestures. The main role is played by your tone and confident vocal pitch, which could help you turn a phone interview to a face-to-face meeting. To help you crack the telephonic job interview round and impress the interviewer, here we have listed down 10 commonly asked phone interview questions.

Some Quick Things to Keep in Mind While Attending a Phone Interview:

  •           Remember its all about you. The recruiter has arranged the phone interview to do a quick background check and verify that you are what your resume says.
  •           During a telephonic interview round expect some very technical and testing questions. The best way to face such questions is by reading and understanding the job profile thoroughly. Than prepare well in advance for the role and keeping some supporting examples ready to support your work experience and skills.
  •           If you know about the phone interview before hand. Make sure to do your home work and research thoroughly about the company profile. They are sure to ask questions related to their company profile. To understand how much you know about them.
  •           Prior to the interview, make sure to prepare a list of 2 to 3 questions, related to the job role or company profile.
  •           Never use slangs or colloquialisms during the phone interview.
  •           Here are some more telephonic job interview tips, which can come in handy, read on and get rolling.

Question 1: Tell Me about yourself or Take me through your Resume?  This is generally the first question asked in any interview, whether it’s a face to face interview or telephonic round. This question ideally means that give me an overview of who you are and what is your professional background. The answer to this question should be given in not more than 2 to 3 lines. The idea is to let them know about your work experience and technical expertise directly related to the job profile which they are offering. Than go on to give a brief summary of your personal details.

Question 2: Why do you want to work in this industry? This is yet another typical question asked in a phone interview. Interviewers are interested in understanding how keen you are about the sector or industry you choose to work in. This is where they would be judging your knowledge about the industry in question and how well you are informed about the latest happenings in that sector. The best thing to do is, read about the industry you are in, browse through the net and learn about latest happenings you can even search on twitter to see what people are tweeting about it. Sometimes this micro blogging site comes in very handy to get a quick glimpse on what people are talking about in certain sector or domain.

Question 3: Describe your current roles and responsibilities? The most important thing to remember when answering questions related to your past company or job profile is be POSTIVE. Do not talk negative about the roles or responsibilities or about the manager. The best way to respond to this answer is align your past responsibilities with the new job role. Showcase the most important skill sets you have that are required for the current job and highlight how you were responsible and what measures you took to be successful in your endeavors.

Question 4: Why do you plan to leave your current job? Most of the candidates while answering to this question, try giving a negative impression about the past company. This is absolutely wrong. Do not bad mouth your previous employer. Instead you should focus on talking about your positive experience and learning’s from your past work. Than you can further talk about your career goals and how you would want to move on to accomplish your goals. You may even include that now you feel more confident and are ready to take more responsibilities.

Question 5:  What do you like most about your current job? Keep the answer to this question short and simple. You can simply say you like work flexibility, but do not forget to quickly add that more than work flexibility you are more interested in achieving your career goals and learning new things.

Question 6: Why do you want to work with our company? While answering this question all your previous research about the company and the new job role will come in handy. Start by talking about some cool facts about the company and why you like them. Than talk about how your career goals gel well with their company’s mission statement and how both the parties can benefit with the collaboration. Lastly, talk about the new job responsibilities and how you are perfect fit for the role.

 

Common Bank Interview Questions and Answers

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Congratulations! On clearing the written test conducted by the bank. The next and the most challenging round is the bank job interview round which is not just tricky but is also a deciding round. Where you need to sit face to face with the interviewer or may be a group of people would be scrutinized together by a panel of interviewers. This is the round where the recruiter would scrutinize your communication skills, stress management ability and leadership quality. The only way to crack the bank job interview like a professional is to go well prepared in advance. Here we have listed down couple of common bank interview questions along with their answers, to help you answer the questions more confidently.

Question 1: Tell me about yourself?

Answer 1: Almost 90% of the job interviews are started with this typical question. This is the reason why this question is known as icebreaking question. So you have greater chances of making that first impression by simply going well prepared with a perfect answer to this question. You can simply answer the question by talking about your qualification, work experience, projects and accomplishments. They don’t need your life history here a simple 2 to 3 lines impressive yet professional answer is good enough.

Question 2: Why do you want to join banking sector?

Answer 2: This question is generally put up by the interviewer because he wants to understand how much you really understand about the banking industry and how aware you are about the latest happenings in the sector. To be on the safer side you can answer the question by saying that the banking industry offers great growth opportunities, along with job security, especially if it is a public sector bank. Banking job also offers respect and status in society because a person gets a chance of interacting with lots of customers and build relations. Plus, you can go on to include that you like working in a challenging environment where you can continuously enhance your skill set to achieve your career goals and banking industry definitely provides that.

Question 3: Why should we hire you?

Answer 3: Now this is the question where all your prior preparation will come in handy. This is the best time to talk about your strengths and weakness and boast about your accomplishments. Do not hesitate to blow your own trumpet, because if you will not, the interviewer will never be able to know your worth. Compare your work experience and accomplishments with the job profile and if possible include the company vision statement along with your career goals. This would certainly leave the interviewer impressed as he will realize that you have done your homework and you are also keen about the job role.

Question 4: What are your strengths and weakness?

Answer 4: This is yet another tricky question, which should be answered with caution. A slip of tongue or a vague answer could cost you a job. So prepare yourself well for this tricky question. The strength which you mention would be directly related to the current job profile and should add value to your candidature. While mentioning the weakness, do not be dishonest, but also do not go overboard. Weakness should be mentioned in way that it turns out to be strength. For e.g. You can say that I am obsessed to perfection and sometimes I even end up spending too much time on something just to make it error free and absolutely accurate. I am working to do the task in hand properly and on time.

Question 5: Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?

Answer 5:  This is very common bank job interview question. The interviewer ask this question, to understand how enthusiastic you are about your career path and career goals and what you desire to achieve. The best way to answer the question is to talk about long term commitments with the bank and how you want your career to grow in next 5 years. Assure them that you will do your job to the best of your ability and will work hard to keep enhancing your skill set and keep growing with the company.

Some Quick Job Interview Tips to Keep in Mind:

  • Be natural and calm.
  • Speak slowly but clearly
  • Do prior research about the bank and their achievements. This would come in handy while answering the questions or putting up questions.
  • Make sure you read the job description 2 to 3 times and understand it thoroughly.
  • Always carry 2 copies or your resume. Along with all the necessary documents properly filed up in a folder.
  • Dress in formals. No casual jeans and Tees.
  • Ask your friend or family member to take a mock interview, so that you feel more confident and know how exactly you will be answering the questions.
  • Do not forget to prepare 2 to 3 questions, which you might want to ask, when the interviewer gives you an opportunity to ask questions.

 

10 Common Telephonic Interview Tips

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Nowadays’ recruiters are coming up with new strategies to hire the right candidates, and at the same time they make sure to keep the company expenses to minimum. This is the main reason why telephonic interview calls are becoming more and more common these days. This type of interview, gives an opportunity to the recruiter to quickly scrutinize the candidate and understand his caliber along with saving companies time and money. In case he feels that the candidate has the capability than he may schedule a face to face interview.
Telephonic round of interview can be of 2 types. One is automated where you are required to answer a series of predefined standard questions. The other is non-automated where you are needed to converse directly with the recruiter and random questions could be asked along with the standard ones.
The most important thing to know about telephonic interview is that you need to be prepared in advance. Mostly the recruiter will schedule the interview and give you a prior notice. But chances are that he might call up randomly and you have to be prepared for this off the cuff telephonic interview session. Here I have listed down couple of helpful phone interview tips that will come in handy when facing the call.

10 Most Common Telephonic Interview Tips:

1- Keep Your Resume Handy:

Prior to the interview, keep a copy of your resume in front of you. So that you can use it as a reference during the call. If you want you can tape the resume on a wall so that it is in clear view.

2- Keep Calm & Relaxed:

While the interview is going on make sure to talk directly into the mouth piece and keep your tone calm and relaxed. With relaxed mindset you will be able to answer the questions appropriately and without fumbling.

3- List of Achievements Ready:

Make a list of your achievements and accomplishments ready prior to attending the call. This document will come in handy to provide support to your answers. Plus at the peek time you will not have to struggle too much or stress to highlight your achievements.

4- No Distractions:

If you are planning to take the call from home than make sure to choose a room which is distraction free. Instruct you family members to not disturb you while the call is going on. In case you have pets, it is better to keep them out of the house for sometime. You obviously don’t want to excuse yourself, while the telephonic interview is going on to clear up the distractions.

5- Mock Interview:

Though it is a telephonic interview, your confidence can reflect in your voice. Ask your friend or family member to take your mock interview. You can hand out standard questions to him, and ask him to take the interview. Keep a note of all the points you have discussed while practicing, you never know which point can leave your recruiter impressed. Plus practicing will help you feel more confident while attending the real round.

6- Use a Good Quality landline Phone:

Avoid using cell phones for attending phone interview. You don’t want the call to be disconnected, because of network issues. In landline phone, network issues are comparatively less. Also, try to select a phone, which makes your voice sound clear and confident. Any kind of distractions or treble will make you sound week, so it becomes important to choose a nice high quality phone for attending the call.

7- Mind your Body language:

Wondering why body language is important for a phone interview, when the person cannot see you? Keep in mind that if you are lazy and leaning, while the call is going on it will show up in your tone. So sit upright and don’t hesitate to use hands to express. This will keep you attentive and alert and help improvise your overall voice effect.

8- Be Honest:

Whether it is a face to face interview or a telephonic interview, being honest is very important. Remember the person on the other side is an experienced professional and dishonesty will be caught in no time. Any dishonest move from your site, and that too caught by the recruiter will certainly mark a negative impression and you are sure to loose a great opportunity.

9- Do not Talk About Salary:

Telephonic round of interview is just the initial start to the overall candidate search process. This is not the time to talk about salary or negotiate about it. Experts suggest that money discussions should be kept for the last round of the interview process. It is quiet possible that some of the recruiter may ask you about your salary expectations. The best way to answer this question is that “I think it is too early to talk about salary, I still need to understand the whole compensation and job requirements clearly”.

10- Always be prepared:

As mentioned above, most of the time recruiters will schedule a telephonic interview with a prior notice. But incase the call comes in randomly and you are not in a position to talk, than it is better to say that you will call them later and excuse yourself. This would give you an opportunity to relax and prepare yourself. Instead of struggling to answer the questions with first thought.

Some very quick tips to remember while attending telephonic interview:

• Keep Smiling
• Never interrupt the interviewer in between
• Take your own time to answer the questions correctly
• Always be ready in advance with answers to standard job interview questions
• Never entertain unexpected or unplanned call
• Dress up for the phone interview as you would for a face to face job interview
• Never forget to send a Thank you mail, post interview

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Group Interview Tips & Ideas
Useful Video Conference Interview Tips & Techniques
10 Interview Tips
Top 3 Interview Questions with Answers

 

Group Interview Tips & Ideas

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Group interview is becoming common these days with so many applicants applying for the same job. More and more employers are arranging group interviews, in order to scrutinize 20+ candidates at the same time. This is a great use of time and in few minutes they are able to discern exceptional candidates from those who are average. Than later on they may arrange for one-on-one job interview with those who get selected. In group job interviews, managers or interviewers are normally looking for some specific qualities like:
- Candidate Communication Skills: The panel will be closely observing your communication and influential skills. Along with this they will also observe your listening powers and see how well you can convince others to think on the same lines as per your thought.
- Decision Making Power: In a group interview it is commonly observed that candidates start arguing on a certain topic. It is when your decision making and initiative taking skills will be closely observed. It would be noticed if you can help people reach a common conclusion or sort out the concern while coming up with a concrete conclusion.
- Team Player Attributes: Here the interviewers will look out for how well you gel with other candidates in the group and how you are keeping pace with them as a good team player.
- Leadership Qualities: This is a very significant point and the spectators will notice your leadership qualities with supreme care. They will be closely observing if you take initiative or are happily taking a back seat. They will also notice if you are a natural leader in the group or only speak up when required.
- Stress Management: During the course of group interview it is certain that some one might get little harsh while putting up their point or he may totally retaliate to your point. This is the time when it will be observed that how well you can handle the situation without being panicked.
To help you crack group interview with extreme professionalism, we have listed down some useful group interview tips. Read on to learn the right skills and be an exceptional candidate over and above the average ones:

Tips for Preparing Group Interview:

1- Prior Preparation & Research:

To successfully face group job interview it is absolutely important to take some time for prior preparation. Which means you should thoroughly understand the job profile and study about the company. Don’t just check the company’s website, but also research on the net about their latest news and update (PR releases, facebook fan page…etc). In a group interview it would be highly impressive if you can bring up their latest endeavors and vision casually into the conversation. This would give a notion to the interviewers that you have done your homework and you are quiet keen about the job, which in turn would help you stand out from other candidates.

2- Prepare Your Personal Interview:

In most of the group job interviews, the managers tend to break the ice by asking each of the candidates to give their small introduction, so you all may get acquainted with each other. Do not waste this opportunity, prepare a small yet impressive introduction which tells about your most important skill sets and work experience directly related to the profile you are applying for. An arresting introduction will certainly help you stick out from others in the group. Remember to keep your introduction short not more than 3 to 5 lines.

3- Connect with the Interviewers:

One way to leave a positive impression on the interviewers is to talk about their interest areas. Prior to the interview, find out who will be in the panel and than do some research about them (LinkedIn would be the best place to do your research). Know about their interest areas and achievements. In case one of the panel members raises a question, you can answer the question, while quickly mentioning a line or 2 about his achievements or experience if any, related to the question he asked. While replying to one person, do not forget to maintain eye contacts with others in the panel and in the group.

4- Dress Appropriately:

As for all other job interviews, it is essential that you dress professionally for a group interview. Try picking up something which enhances your personality and make you appear more confident and self-aware. Yes! A candidate’s skill set and experience is more important for an interview, but apt dressing definitely adds up to the whole process and makes you look different and confident when compared to other entrants.

5- Carry Your Documents:

In a group interview it is quiet possible that the interviewer may not ask you for documents. He will be probably looking at these documents during the 1-on-1 round. But it is always a good idea to go prepared. You never know they might want to see the documents. Carry your portfolio file, with all the relevant documents and few copies of your resume, so that you can produce them when required.

6- Arrive Early For Interview:

Always arrive for any job interview 10 to 15 min in advance. It is more important to do so for a group interview. Reason being arriving early will give you an opportunity to interact with the interviewers and other candidates. This small activity will get you noticed and you will be in the interviewers mind all through out the group interview discussions.

7- Stay Attentive and Mind your Body Language:

Be aware of your body language and gestures throughout the group interview. Remember that the moment you enter the interview venue you are being observed. So, mind every singe move of yours. Make sure that you carefully listen to the questions and couple of times take initiative and be the first one to present a rational answer or discussion. While making sure that you take initiative also be careful that you do not interrupt anybody in haste to say what you want. Take few moments let the person complete his thought and than speak up. Also while interviewers and other candidates are discussing upon a point, nod your head and keep your eyes and ear open to grasp in all well and try to get the correct meaning of it. So that you can put forward a balanced and intellectual discussion.

8- Follow-up Post Interview:

As always once the group interview is over make sure to collect the panel’s business card or contact information and than send out a quick thank you note. In this note make sure to thank them for their time and also quickly remind them of your interest in the job.

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Useful Video Conference Interview Tips & Techniques

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Nowadays hiring is becoming global and therefore every time scheduling an in-person job interview is not only time consuming but is also a costly affair. On the other hand with technology at its boom free tools like Skype has made the life of recruiters easier. Now they can quickly arrange for a video conference interview with the candidate and scrutinize him for the first round at least. Video conferencing is effective in several ways:

- Firstly, it is very cost effective (There are numerous free video conferencing tool available online)
- Secondly, the interview process can kick off easily and more quickly.
- Thirdly, no transportation cost.
- Lastly, global face to face interviews can be conducted, which would have been not possible otherwise for a long time.

Going for a video interview seems just like shooting for a movie where the scene starts with “Light, Camera and Action” and if the take goes wrong, you have the chance to rework on it and edit it to perfection. But that’s not what happens in a real life video job interview. Here the take is done only once and either you are selected or rejected. To help you ace a video conference interview like a professional we have come up with some very useful tips and techniques that would help you snag the job or at least get to the second phase of face to face interview.

Pre-Interview Preparation:

  • Dressing & Presentation:

- Dress like you would dress for a face to face interview.
- Though it is a video job interview, you should still avoid casuals and dress in professional attire.
- Avoid any funky colors and busy patterns. On screen they might look distracting.
- Keep your desk clean and set the papers you might need to refer pilled up neatly and properly arranged. So that you don’t end up shuffling with papers when the video conference interview is going on.

  • Prior Preparation for the video job interview:

- If you are taking the call from home, than make sure that the room is distraction free. Instruct your family members not to disturb you when the interview is going on. Check in advance that all is working fine with your laptop, microphone and the video conferencing tool.
- In case you are taking the call from their office, than try reaching the office 10 to 15 min in advance. So that you can settle down. Access the video conferencing device in advance to know how exactly it works. In case you are unable to access it, quickly ask for assistance. All in all before the call starts you should have settled down and make yourself familiar with the video device properly.

Research & Rehearse Before the Interview:

  • Make sure that you have sent out all your reference documents that the interviewer might need during the interview, well in advance.
  • Do some research about the company and understand their mission and vision.
  • Have a list of 5 to 6 questions ready. The interviewer will give you an opportunity to ask questions about the company and job you are applying for.
  • Ask a friend or a family member to conduct a mock interview for you. So that you feel more confident during the real video interview.

During the Video Job Interview:

  • Body Language & Movement: During the video interview, it is extremely important that you mind your body language. Simply because, in a video conference the interviewer is able to track every single movement of yours and is totally focusing on you. So if you keep fidgeting with something or throwing your hands while communicating, it would look pretty distracting and unimpressive.
  • Eye-Contact: Maintaining eye contact during the video interview is little tricky when compared to in-person job interview. During the video conference look at the camera at the top of the monitor instead of looking at the monitor itself. Because than it would look as if you are distracted with something coming on the screen.
  • Take Care of the Sound Delay: With most of the video conferencing tools available, you will notice sound delay. So make sure that you give a couple of extra seconds for the interviewers to complete what they are saying and than start with your answer. The interviewer’s panel is sure to notice this and will certainly appreciate your gesture.
  • Technical Issues: It is common to face technical issues while attending a video interview. We would suggest you to remain calm and composed. In case you are seeing a freeze image on screen, inform the panel calmly about it. If required excuse yourself professionally and call the on site operator to fix the issue. If you panic at this time, it will be noticed and will give a negative impact.
  • Vocal Tone & Communication: Keep your tone positive, professional and enthusiastic. During the video interview try speaking faster than you normally do. It is quiet possible that the faculty have booked the video conference room for a specific time. So delaying or stretching the interview long would not be possible. Communicating fast does not mean you have to miss out on the core information.

Once the video conference interview is over thank the panel and leave the room.

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10 Interview Tips

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Got a job interview coming up soon with your dream company? You might be excited about it and at the same time nervous, wondering if you will be able to crack the interview or not? To help you face the job interview confidently and without freezing up we have complied together a quick checklist which would help you ace a job interview successfully. Before we get started, remember a great job interview arises from careful ground work. That includes everything right from checking out the company to sending out thank you note post interview and much more. These tips are no rocket science but they are definitely great timely reminders of the basics, before appearing for the final interview.

1-      Know the company: If you really want to put your best foot forward for an interview, it is absolutely crucial that you take time to prepare yourself. Learn about the company, look at their website, and understand what their mission statement is. Get answers to questions like, who are their competitors? What is their history? If the company has been in news recently, know the reason why. Knowing about the company will help you be more confident and will surely make the interviewer realize that you have done your ground work, before coming for the interview.

2-      Amend your Resume as per the job description: Read the job description thoroughly and then review your resume. Try figuring out which of your skill sets, made them approach you. Carefully determine which of your skill sets and experience you want to emphasize on during the course of your interview.

3-      Mock Interview: Ask any of your friend or family members to take a mock interview. You can give him a list of questions, which you think could be asked during the interview. Plus ask him to put up questions which he thinks could be asked. Then answer those questions in the best possible way. You can even jot down all your answers for future reference. Remember practising is the key to success here.

4-      Small things Do Matter: Sometimes in the haste and nervousness of attending the interview we miss out on some very basic things.

Firstly, dressing up appropriately for the interview is most crucial. Men should wear a business suit and women should wear either a pant suit or may be a conservative skirt. Please avoid sneakers, jeans, T-shirts and strong perfumes.

  1. Secondly, arrive for the interview 15 minutes well in advance, so that you can go to the restroom and take a quick look at yourself in the mirror to make sure everything looks fine.
  2. Lastly, carry a pen and a notebook with you. If possible carry 4 to 5 copies of your resume, you never know if there is a whole panel sitting to take your interview and they might ask for a copy of your resume. Make sure that you have neatly arranged all your important documents in a file. Double check and make sure that all your documents are neatly arranged and you have not missed any important document.

5-      Be ready with answers to common questions: Generally the interviewer gets started with the interview process by asking common interview questions. Read more on Top 3 interview questions and answers.

6-      Be Honest:  Being honest during the interview is very important, because dishonesty is one thing that almost kills all your chances of getting the job. If the interviewer ask a question and you are unable to answer it simply say, I am sorry I don’t have an answer to your question. Do not bluff or try spinning the answer, if you are caught nothing could be worse then that. On the other hand you should prepare yourself well in advance on how you will spin answers to questions related to employment gaps or weakness in your education or skill sets.

7-      Do not hesitate to ask questions: During the interview, asking right questions is as important as answering the questions in the right way. Here all the research you did about the company initially comes in handy. Ask questions related to the company growth and how would it impact your career growth. Ask details about the job profile and whom you will be reporting. Asking right questions certainly impress the interviewer and give an impression that you are excited about the job.

8-      Don’t Discuss the Salary: All of us at the end of the interview want to know about the remuneration part. Don’t be over excited. Keep this question on hold, until you are offered the position. Be prepared to answer questions like what salary do you expect? They might even ask questions about your salary history. Try to avoid the question as much as you can if the offer is yet to be made. Possibly try to bring back the conversation to your job and qualification. You certainly don’t want to give these details until the company makes their final call.

9-      Follow Up/Send Thank You Note: The follow-up process should begin immediately after the interview is over. Do not forget to ask for business card or contact information of the people who took your interview. Before you leave the room, make sure that you ask how is the hiring process going to proceed.

Latter on consider sending out a thank you not to the interviewer saying that you are thankful, that he took time to take your interview and it was a pleasure meeting him. Don’t forget to mention a line indicating your interest in the job. Generally a personal hand written not is the best, but in case you hesitate in doing that, then dropping an email would be a good idea.

For an interview, the most crucial thing is to look confident and composed. These pointers will help you feel  less anxious and by doing your homework and preparing yourself well in advance you are increasing your chances of getting the job. Also, remember that the interviewer has also been through the same phase so he/she can certainly empathize with you.

Good luck!!

Top 3 Interview Questions with Answers

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Got a job interview and thoughts of interviewer asking questions, which you think you will not be able to answer is haunting you? Would not it be a good idea to do some homework and preparation before facing the actual interview? Here we have listed down some most common interview questions along with the best answer tips to help you face the interview with full confidence.

Q1 – Tell me about yourself?

A1- It would be surprising if you have not already faced this question in more then 2 interviews. This is one of the most common questions, because it sets the stage for the interviewer and from here he will take the interview process further. A better way to say this would be, it is an ice breaking question. Here are few things to keep in mind when framing the answer:
- Keep the answer concise. Do not tell your whole life story.
- Start with your educational qualifications and work experience (not more then 1 or 2 lines)
- Then talk about things you are passionate about (it should be relevant to the job).
- Pertinent facts about your education, career and your life circumstances are fine.
- No personal and extraneous information.

Remember here they are not just scrutinizing your confidence and communications skills, but they are looking forward to you as an asset.

Q2 –Why did you leave your last job?

There could be several reasons why you have left your last job, and most probably the explanations are not all that rosy. Possibly you are looking for a job change because you are bored of your current job profile or may be you had a bad manager. What ever might be the reason, make sure that you are calm and positive. Here are some important points to keep in mind while answering these types of question:
- In 2 to 3 lines give a short and straight to the point answer, with a positive and polite tone.
- Never badmouth your earlier employer. Instead say you are thankful that your earlier employer granted you the opportunity to work with them.
- Some positive things to include in your answer would be “My work had become quiet torpid and I am interested in doing more challenging assignment”. Other things can be :

  • I am looking for better growth and benefits.
  • I am interested in moving close to my home.
  • Seeking a job that is more closely related to my career goals.
  • Higher position in the org.

Q3 – Why are you interested in joining our company?

This is a very important question and probably the interviewer is trying to read between the lines. So be very conscious while choosing words to answer this question. Following are some useful tips to help you answer this question in the best possible manner:
- Make sure you have done some research before going to the interview. Get answers for the following questions:
1. Read about the company profile. Have answers ready to questions like :

  • When has the company started?
  • List of some important people of the company?
  • How big is the organization?
  • What is their mission and vision in next couple of years?

2. Make a list of your skill sets. Then in a line or 2 define how your skills can contribute to companies’ growth and help company succeed in their endeavors.
3. In case you are overqualified for the current position, be ready with an answer for this. You can say you understand that you are over qualified for the job, but you are one of those who like to keep enhancing the skill sets, even if that includes learning from younger co workers.
Some quick positive pointers to include in your answer:

  • This is an incredible career opportunity, which seems tailor made for my skill sets.
  • My skills really fit the job.
  • I have learned from my research that your company is launching some exciting projects and I can contribute my learning for the growth of the company, which would ultimately help me reach my career goals.

All said, but the best strategy for successfully answering rough interview question is to go well prepared in advance!