Interview 12/21/2023

A meeting between two or more people with

the purpose of getting an idea of each other,
or knowing each other.
An interview is a conversation between two or
more people where questions are asked by
the interviewer to elicit facts or statements
from the interviewee.
The job interview is an employer’s chance to
evaluate a candidate’s attitude, confidence
and enthusiasm; his communication and
people skills; and his potential ability to do
the job.

Tips and strategies for successful

interviewing
 Company Research

 Practice Makes Perfect

 Prepare For the Interview

 Stay Calm

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Interview 12/21/2023

Dress for success: Women

• Solid color, conservative suit or salwar kameez
• Coordinated blouse
• Moderate shoes
• Limited jewellery
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Sparse make-up & perfume
• Manicured nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

Dress for success: Men

• Solid colour, conservative suit

• Long sleeve shirt
• Conservative tie
• Dark socks, professional shoes
• Very limited jewellery
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Go easy on the aftershave
• Neatly trimmed nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

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Interview 12/21/2023

What not to wear at an interview

• Wild or brightly colored nail polish
• An excess of jewelry
• Backless or open toed shoes
• Skirts that are above the knee length
• Out of date clothes
• Capri, pants or leggings
• Leather jackets
• Turtle neck sweaters
• Printed or fashion handbags

What employers look for

• Skills
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Strong work ethic
• Behavior (Honesty and integrity)
• Teamwork (fit in a team)
• Motivation and initiative
• Flexibility and adaptable
• Analytical skills
• Computer skills
• Organsational skills and fit
• Career aspirations

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Interview 12/21/2023

During the interview

1. Smile.
2. Read the mood.
3. Wait to be told to take a seat or ask if you
may.
4. Sit with a good posture.
5. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer.
6. Don't eat, drink, chew gum or smoke or even
ask if it is okay.
7. If the interviewer offers coffee or other
beverages, always say NO
8. It is okay to ask questions - it helps you better
answer questions the interviewer asks you.
9. But withhold the bulk of your questions until
the interviewer asks if you have any, which is
typically towards the end of the interview.

Key is in the preparation. Fail to prepare, prepare

to fail.

 Applying for the job

 Pick the right job
 Job vs. career
 Choose the right sector
 Research the organization.

 Writing your resume

 Is a door opener
 Easy to read
 Structured
 Targeted
 Stands out for the right reasons and not the wrong
ones.

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Interview 12/21/2023

 Preparing for the Interview

 Follow the guidance
 Rehearse key answers
 Do the exercises.
 Know yourself-sing your own praise, no one else
is going to do it for you.
 Look the part
 Build rapport
 Body language
 Deal with surprises.
 Assessment Centers
 The day of the Interview
 After the Interview

Format or Types of Interviews

Traditional Face-to-Face Interview

• Most interviews are face-to-face. The most
traditional is a one-on-one conversation.
• Your focus should be on the person asking
questions. Maintain eye contact, listen and
respond once a question has been asked.
• Your goal is to establish rapport with the
interviewer and show them that your
qualifications will benefit their organization.

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Structured Interview
 Every single detail of the interview is decided in
advance. The questions to be asked, the order in
which the questions will be asked, the time
given to each candidate, the information to be
collected from each candidate, etc. is all
decided in advance.
 Structured interview is also called Standardised,
Patterned, Directed or Guided interview.
Structured interviews are preplanned. They are
accurate and precise.
 All the interviews will be uniform (same).
Therefore, there will be consistency and
minimum bias in structured interviews.

Unstructured Interview
 This interview is not planned in detail. Hence it is
also called as Non-Directed interview.
 The question to be asked, the information to be
collected from the candidates, etc. are not decided
in advance. These interviews are non-planned and
therefore, more flexible. Candidates are more
relaxed in such interviews. They are encouraged to
express themselves about different subjects, based
on their expectations, motivations, background,
interests, etc.
 The interviewer can make a better judgment of the
candidate's personality, potentials, strengths and
weaknesses. However, if the interviewer is not
efficient then the discussions will lose direction and
the interview will be a waste of time and effort.
 The more prepared and confident you are , the more
likely you are to lead the interview. It’s an
opportunity a not a setback.

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Panel/Committee Interview
• In this situation, there is more than one
interviewer. Typically, three to ten members of a
panel may conduct this part of the selection
process. This is your chance to put your group
management and group presentation skills on
display.
• As quickly as possible, try to 'read' the various
personality types of each interviewer and adjust
to them. Find a way to connect with each
interviewer.
• Remember to take your time in responding to
questions. Maintain primary eye contact with the
panel member who asked the question, but also
seek eye contact with other members of the
panel as you give your response.

Behavioral Interview/Competency Based Interview

• The basic premise behind this type of interview is
that your past behavior is the best predictor of your
future actions.
These types of questions may be asked in any interview
format—telephone, panel or one-on-one.
• If the employer asks behavior-oriented questions,
they are no longer asking hypothetical questions but
are now asking questions that must be answered
based on facts.
• With a behavioral question, the interviewer is looking
for results, not just an activity list. They are listening
for names, dates, places, the outcome and especially
what your role was in achieving that outcome.
• This type of question generally starts with the words
“Give me an example when...” or “Tell me about a
time when…”

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A competency is a particular behavior or skill

that a candidate must have or must acquire
to achieve levels of performance.
Positive Indicators
 Systematic approach to planning
 Prepares daily, weekly and monthly plans
 Reviews progress on a weekly basis.
Negative Indicators
 Does not plan ahead
 No evidence of using any forms of systems
 Takes an adhoc approach to reviewing.

Case Interview
• In some interviews you may be asked to demonstrate your
problem-solving skills. The interviewer will outline a
situation or provide you with a case study and ask you to
formulate a plan that deals with the problem.
• You do not have to come up with the ultimate solution.
The interviewers are looking for how you apply your
knowledge and skills to a real-life situation. Speak and
reason aloud so interviewers have a full understanding of
your thought process.
• Before answering a case interview question, be prepared
to ask the employer numerous questions for clarity and
informational purposes. Most employers will provide
responses that could result in additional inquiries.
• The more you are able to analyze and dissect the case
study, the more you will likely impress your interviewer.
• This is the only interview for which it is acceptable, even
encouraged, to bring a pad of paper and pencil.
• Most interviewers will allow you to take notes and jot
down thoughts as you work through the case.

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Interview 12/21/2023

Stress Interview
 The purpose of this interview is to find out
how the candidate behaves in a stressful
situation. That is, whether the candidate
gets angry or gets confused or gets
frightened or gets nervous or remains cool in
a stressful situation.
 The candidate who keeps his cool in a
stressful situation is selected for the stressful
job. Here, the interviewer tries to create a
stressful situation during the interview. This
is done purposely by asking the candidate
rapid questions, criticising his answers,
interrupting him repeatedly, etc.

Telephone Interview
• Many organizations will conduct interviews by
telephone to narrow a field of candidates. Telephone
interviews may also be used as a preliminary
interview for candidates who live far away from the
job site.
• It is important to treat this interview as you would a
face-to-face connection. Arrange for a quiet space
and time to schedule the conversation. Clear a work
surface to minimize distractions.
• Focus on the conversation. Listen to the questions
carefully before you answer. Since your voice is key,
convey energy with inflection in your voice.
• Have a copy of your resume nearby as a reference.
• Avoid using a phone with call waiting. You do not want
to be interrupted during an interview.
• Try to use a landline phone or a cell phone that is not
prone to dropping calls.

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The Second or On-Site Interview

 After your first interview, you may be asked back
again for a “second date.” They like you enough that
you made the first round of cuts, but they would like
to know more about you before making their final
decision.
 Second Interviews can last either a half or full-day so
it is best to check again and get an agenda. You may
be meeting with three to five individuals. This may
include a representative from Human Resources, the
department head, the office staff and the
department head’s supervisor. Be alert and
enthusiastic at all times!
 The more you know about the structure of the
process, the less anxious you are going to feel and
the better you will perform. This is the last step
before an offer is made.

Assessment Centers
 Used by large organizations for volume
recruitment.
 All the candidates attend on the same day
and do all the interviews and testing on the
same day.
 This may be followed by an offer or another
round of interview.

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Personality Profile Tests

DISC profiles
 Dominance
 Influence
 Steadiness
 Compliance
Psychometric Tests
Numerical reasoning
Verbal reasoning
Spatial Ability
Diagrammatic test
Aptitude tests.
Tests demonstrate to the employer that you have the
required skills as they have never seen you performing at
work.
Don’t be afraid of tests, the relevant ones are simply testing
what you already do in your current job.

Individual Exercises
• Time management
• Prioritizing
• Organizing your work.
Group Exercises
 Read the brief
 Deal with competition
 Ignore the observers
 Pay attention to time.

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Day of the Interview

 Make an impression
 First impressions are a part of human nature,
instinctive and very hard to overcome.
 First 90 secs will form 90% of the lasting
impression.
 Shoulders back
 Big smile
 Confident posture
 Maintain eye contact.
 Keep to the point

 Provide the evidence

What the interviewer really wants to know is
whether you have the knowledge, skills and
attitude to do the job they are offering.
 Give detailed answers
 Be positive
No matter what happens in life, it’s an
opportunity to learn something new about
yourself and others.
 Don’t be thrown by poor interviews

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After The Interview

• Make a Decision
• Negotiate

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