UNIT‐5 INTERVIEWS
Q1. Explain the expectation in you from your prospective employer when you appear for an interview.
In general, employees are looking for two things: whether the candidate can handle a specific job and evidence that the person will fit in the organization.
Following are the attributes an employer looks for in his employees:
1) Integrity: Your answers must reflect the total character.
2) Intelligence: It includes basic common sense as well as presence of mind.
3) Endurance: Reflect endurance through your statements. Even the slightest sign of laziness will lay you out of the queue.
4) Team players: Project the ability to work in team. Top executives are team builders.
5) Self – confidence: Answers like ‘may be’ etc depict lack of commitments and self‐confidence. At the same time, over‐confidence and over‐smartness should be avoided.
6) Sense of humour: Project grace even under difficult conditions.
Occasionally, laugh at yourself and cultivate a readiness to accept the mistakes.
7) A ‘can‐do’ attitude: This can be done by showing enthusiasm to take responsibilities.
8) Accomplishments: It is important to show what you have achieved. This contributes to meet he targets.
9) An ability to think quickly: Your answers should be spontaneous.
10) Logical professions: If there is a gap in the progression, then there is always a chance that one will be asked. Be honest about your failures.
11) Performance: Ensure to reflect that your performance is either industry specific or function specific.
12) Relevant experience: Talk of experience which will make value addition to the current jobs.
13) Motivation: What has led you to this ‘position ‘.
Employers are usually concerned with the candidate’s experience.
Intelligence, communication skills, enthusiasm, creativity and motivation.
Q2. Explain different types of interviews.
Depending on their objective and nature, interviews can be categorized into the following types:
• Job
• Information
• Persuasive
• Exit
• Evaluation
• Counseling
• Conflict‐resolution
• Disciplinary
• Termination
Job Interviews : Here, the candidate wants to learn about the position and the organization, the employer wants to learn about the applicant’s abilities and experience. Both hope to make a good impression and to establish rapport. In the initial round, job interviews are usually formal and structured.
Information interviews : The interviewer seeks facts that bear on a decision or contribute to basic understanding. Information flows mainly in one direction : one person asks a list of questions that must be covered and
listens to the answers supplied by the other person, e.g. doctor patient, boss subordinate.
Persuasive interviews : One person tells another about a new idea, product or service and explains why the other should act on his or her recommendations. Persuasive interviews are often associated with, but are certainly not limited to selling. These persuasive interviews require skill in drawing out and listening to others as well as the ability to impact information.
Exit interviews : The interviewers try to understand why the interviewee is leaving the organization or transferring to another department or division.
The interviewer tends to ask all the question while the interviewee provides answers. Encourage the employee to focus on events and process rather than on personal grips.
Evaluation Interviews : Supervisor periodically gives an employee feedback on his performance and discusses progress towards predetermined standards or goals to evaluate the area that require improvement.
Counseling interviews: A supervisor talks with an employee about personal problems that are interfering with work performance. The interviewer is concerned with welfare of both the employee and organization.
Conflict resolution interviews: Two competing people or groups of people with opposing point of view explore their problems and attitudes. The goal is to bring two parties closer together cause adjustments, in perception and attitudes and create more productive climate.
Disciplinary interviews : A supervisor tries to correct the behavior of an employee who has ignored the rules and regulation of the organization.
The interviewer tries to get the employee to see the reason for the rules and agree to comply. The interviewer also reviews the facts and explores the person’s attitude.
Termination interviews: A supervisor informs an employee for the reason of termination of latter’s of job. The interviewer tries to avoid involving the company in legal action and tries to maintain a positive relationship as possible with the interviewee.
Q3. Your friend is going for an interview. What tips will you give him / her for better performance?
The following are few tips that would be given for better performance in an interview to a friend of mine:
• Be well prepared.
• Brush up your subject and general knowledge.
• Memorize your resume.
• Know about the company.
• Dress appropriately.
• Be smart, clean, and well groomed.
• Carry a briefcase or neat folder containing all relevant papers.
• Show up 10 – 15 minutes early. In case you feel you may get delayed, call up and inform.
• When you meet your interviewer(s), shake their hands confidently.
• Stay calm, don not fidget or twiddle your thumb.
• Be polite.
• Never chew gum or smoke during the interview.
• Be yourself, be honest.
• Show a real interest in the job.
• Be aware of all the answering techniques.
• Do not answer a question you did not understand; ask for clarification first.
• Speak clearly using positive words/phrases such as enjoy, enthusiastic, positive attitude, excellence, striving to be my best, etc.
• Appropriately use the top five: non‐verbal eye contact, facial expression, posture, gestures, and space.
• In the end, restate your interest in the job.
• Smile and say ‘thank you’.
• Tell them how you look forward to seeing them again.
• Shake hands firmly.
• Tell them how much you enjoyed the interview.