Dress neatly, but in clothes that you are comfortable wearing. If you have to wear a tie and coat/blazer and aren’t used to wearing them, better get used to them by trying them out on social occasions.
Carry your testimonials in a decent file folder. Avoid punching holes in them. You get folders that help you hold documents securely without punching holes. Keep them sorted in the correct order. Marks cards and degree, diplomas followed by employer testimonials.
You have to show these documents to the HR person who’ll scrutinise them to ensure that they match the scanned/xerox copies submitted by you with your application. Any confusion here, will affect your composure and you won’t be in the right frame of mind to face the interview panel. It always pays to be organised.
Try to mind your own business while you are among candidates, waiting for your interview call. Pleasantries are OK. But don’t get involved in discussions about the job, interview, expected questions and that sort of thing. Some of these people psyche you out by playing up THEIR fears. In promotional interviews, your peers will try to bounce questions at you. Just tell them politely that you want to relax.
Don’t try to learn things while waiting for the interview call. If you try to understand complex concepts (at the last moment), you’ll end up forgetting those you had already understood.😊
Some of these guys really do go to pieces while waiting for the interview call. I have generally observed that it is the real life bullies who suffer the most. Bullies suffer from inferiority complex or a general feeling of inadequacy. That is why, they bully you, to reassure themselves that they are better than you.
It is OK to pity them, but take care to see that they don’t upset your mental balance with their jittery behaviour. On many occasions, during promotional interviews, I have been forced to crack off-colour jokes to make the poor wretches relax a bit.
OK. Your name is called. Square your shoulders and walk in. Remember, you have already accepted the disaster scenario. You have nothing to lose! The interviewers better beware.😊
Greet them with a greeting appropriate to the time of the day. You will be asked to take your seat. Sit comfortably. Body language IS important. Don’t sit at the edge of the seat giving the impression that you are ready to bolt at the slightest pretext!
At the cost of repetition, remember, you have already accepted the disaster scenario. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE!
The chairperson begins the business of asking questions. Usually, S(he) will try to put you at ease and ask something about your academic performance or your last assignment.
Then they proceed to more serious round of questions. One of the standard questions is, why do you want this job. Don’t try to be obsequious. As they say in sanskrit, अति विनयम धूर्थ लक्षणम (ಅತಿ ವಿನಯಂ ಧೂರ್ಥ ಲಕ್ಷಣ) – excess modesty is the hallmark of a thug.
Be honest. Dont try to peddle bullshit like, I want to do something for my country, blah blah blah. You are not trying to fool gullible public into wasting their votes on you at the hustings. 😀
You can say, ‘because the pay and prospects are good’. They may get back at you saying ‘So, if someone offers you better salary and prospects, you will go over to them?’
Hit them with ‘Sir (Madam), I’m confident that I’ll be able to earn much higher salary and promotions in your organisation, by the dint of hardwork and diligence.’
Or they may ask you, ultimately what is your aim? Don’t be modest. (Remember, अति विनयम धूर्थ लक्षणम😊).
Let’s say that you are from finance stream. Boldly say, ‘I aim to become the CEO of a company. As I’m from the finance stream, I want to take the CFO route to the board’.
If you are from the engineering stream, say, ‘I aim to become the CEO of a company. As I’m from the engineering stream, I want to take the CTO route to the board’.
If you are from the marketing stream, say, ‘I aim to become the CEO of a company. As I’m from the marketing stream, I want to take the CMO route to the board’.
They may come back with ‘Dont you think you are aiming very high?’ You can counter with ‘I believe in having high aims. And God forbid, if I fail, it won’t be for want of effort’.
People love those who exude confidence. You have to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you? When you genuinely believe that you are good, it is conveyed in your body language. Believe me, body language matters MORE than what you say.
I’m reminded of a friend of mine facing the final interview at Glaxo for a pretty senior position. After several levels of local screening, three shortlisted candidates had to face a panel consisting of three top honchos from UK. There was only one opening.
My friend was called in first. The other two candidates were sweating outside. ‘Tell me Mr. Acharya’ began the panel head, ‘why should we prefer you to the other two?’
‘What do you mean?’ replied my friend, ‘I’m much better!’ He later told me that he put a lot of feeling into the word ‘mean’. It was almost as if he was asking ‘How can one be this foolish? Here I am, a much, much better prospect. How can you even THINK of those two fellows?’
It goes without saying that he was selected.
Self belief comes from knowledge. It is the good old ‘ant and the grasshopper’ business. Those who have acquired knowledge will walk in confidently. Those who had a great time playing around, throwing attitude, go to pieces.
Enjoy the interview, making it a pleasant experience for the interviewers. Interviewing is a boring, boring job. The panel members love people who make it interesting for them by relieving the tedium.
We’ll continue in my next post.
Raja P Areyada
Retired Banker. Expertise in International Finance, Payment systems, Treasury automation, Trading platform development & deployment, Information security, Risk Management, Financial Inclusion, IT software development.
Wide array of interests including Philosophy, Quantum Mechanics, Macro Economics and Parapsychology.
