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How To Succeed in Interviews

Dinesh Anantwar is an experienced IT professional with over 24 years in the global industry, holding multiple degrees and certifications, including PMP and SCRUM Master. He has worked with various companies, mentored thousands of students, and conducted training sessions globally. The document outlines his career achievements, teaching philosophy, and provides interview preparation tips, emphasizing the importance of technical knowledge, communication skills, and a positive attitude.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
33 views77 pages

How To Succeed in Interviews

Dinesh Anantwar is an experienced IT professional with over 24 years in the global industry, holding multiple degrees and certifications, including PMP and SCRUM Master. He has worked with various companies, mentored thousands of students, and conducted training sessions globally. The document outlines his career achievements, teaching philosophy, and provides interview preparation tips, emphasizing the importance of technical knowledge, communication skills, and a positive attitude.

Uploaded by

ASK 011
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction : Dinesh Anantwar

 Academics,
 B. E. (Electronics) Pune University
 Engineering Post graduation (Software) : BITS Pilani
 Management Post Graduation : IIM-K
 Certifications
 PMP from PMI-USA
 IBM certified Expert in OO Analysis and Design (RUP)
 Certified SCRUM Master

 “Board of Studies” Member at Symbiosis International


University from 2004 to 2012 ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •2


Introduction : Dinesh Anantwar
 24+ years of Global IT industry experience

 Worked with,
 Fujitsu ICIM (1 year) – Hardware Industry
 CDAC R&D (1.5 years) – Systems & Parallel Programming
 Infosys (10 years) –
 Large Complex Software Systems in USA, Germany, Malaysia and
India
 Headed ‘Education and Research’ for Infosys-Pune, 2003-5
 iGATE Patni (6 years)
 Globally Headed ‘Training Delivery and Certification’ at iGATE Patni
2006-12
 Mentor/Consultant (6+ years) ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •3
Introduction : Dinesh Anantwar
 From 2012, Mentoring/Consulting to,
 IT companies like TCS, Amdocs, Fundtech, EValueServe, Tata Power, FIS
Global, Credit Suisse, Vodaphone etc.

 CDAC ACTS, MBA, M. tech and Engineering college Faculties n students

 Taught 20,000+ students

 Career Mentor for all 8000+ employees of Amdocs India a for 3 years in
2013-14-15. Mentored 600+ employees including Directors, Sr. Managers
though one to one closed door confidential meetings. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •4


Introduction : Dinesh Anantwar
 Conducted training sessions at,
 USA (New York, Seattle, Houston, Hart ford, Philadelphia,
Richmond)
 UK (Manchester)
 India (Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi,
Ahmedabad, Pune, Mangalore, Mysore)

 Conducts wide variety of Project Management and Technical


Trainings

 Training Trainers to Teach effectively ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •5


Personal Introduction
 Attended Military training in Bhosala Military school
 I love Adventure – Trekking, Rock Climbing, Rapelling,
Travelling
 Visited 180+ forts in Maharastra
 Did Himalayan Trek of Kanchanganga base Camp in 2011
 Rock climbed Lingana, Karthik, Padargad, Kalakrai and Telbaila
pinnacles
 Did Solo paragliding from 1000 ft. in 2012
 Pune to Bangalore by Car (875km) in 12.5 hrs 2013
 Did 2700km Bullet ride in Himalayas (Himachal, Ladakh,
Kashmir, Punjab) 2014
 Bike Ride to Spiti Valley in July 2016
 Facebook : 9700+ friends
 LinkedIn 6000+ connections
 Regular Blood Donor
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •6
 Teach for free to Rural/Poor/Needy schools and colleges ##
Teaching at Manchester, England

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •7


At a Management Conference

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •8


Teaching Principles, HoDs and Professors on “How to
Teach”

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •9


Objective of this Session
 To Help you Prepare for and Succeed in Job Interviews

 What do you expect from this session?

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •10


Roadmap for this Session
 Preparation for Interview
 What Qualities interviewer is looking for?
 Overall approach
 Just before interview
 Facts/Statistics
 Facing Job interview comfortably
 What to do (and not do ☺) during interview?
 Best Practices and Mistakes of Answering Questions
 Body language tips
 Right Mindset
 HR/Behavioral Questions ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •11


Some Statistics from reliable
nationwide surveys
 Only 23% graduates from Tier 2 & Tier 3 MBA institutes are
found employable - MeritTrac Study 2016

 Only 25% of ‘Engineering Graduates’ are employable –


NASSCOM Survey, July 2016

 Only 25% of graduates in India are Employable – Mercer


Consulting 2016

 Very few candidates succeed in their first 10 Interviews-


Independent Study.
By Seven Rings International

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •12


What is interviewer looking for?
 Technical Knowledge
 Understanding and Not Mugging up as questions can be
scenario based
 Problem solving skills
 Ability to apply knowledge to produce results
(Programming skills) #

 Aptitude Skills
 Speed and Accuracy both are imp : How to achieve?
 Practice, Practice, Practice and Practice.....
 Practice from IndiaBix, Arun Sharma, R S Agarwal or Notes
from Popular MBA entrance institutes ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •14
What is interviewer looking for?
 English Communication
 Body Language
 Attitude – Flexible at the same time firm
 Enthusiasm/Passion
 Truthfulness
 Leadership/Initiative
 Team working
 Discipline ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •15


Approach for study for Interview

 Study in group
 Go through Interview Questions. A large number of
Questions on each subject are available on the
internet.
 Any one can answer, others can add to it or correct the
answer if needed
 Try and cover as many Questions as possible for each
subject ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •16


Interview is a …….

•Collaborate with others and not compete. Compete with Yourself.


• In today’s competitive world, you must keep on becoming better
• Market yourself to hiring managers. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •17


What to study? When you know for
which company you are giving
interview.
 Get information about the company
 A brief history of the organization
 Vision and Mission
 Key information: Product, Services, Domain,
Technology, Revenue, Profit, no. Of employees,
Customers, past achievements, location
 Any important issue of the organization that has been
newsworthy.
 Key people in the organization #
 From Where to get info.?
 Company Website, Annual report, news paper ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •18
Just before the Interview –
Study for 18-20 hours?
 Sleep well (At least 8 hours)
 Eat on time, Eat simple food and drink a lot of water
 Meditate – Pranayam as simple as deep breathing is
good enough
 Laugh... ☺ Best stress buster
 Pray
 Remember all successful events of your life
 Remember all your well wishers
 Visualize success ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •19


Role of Luck in Selection
 I believe in luck

 Just that I believe that Harder and Smarter you


study/work, luckier you get ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •20


Interview Tips
 Entering the room
 Prior to the entering the door, check/adjust your attire.
 Before entering knock and seek permission by saying,
“May I come in”.
 If the door was closed before you entered, make sure you
shut the door behind you softly.
 Face the panel and confidently (smile if you can ☺) say
‘Good morning/afternoon/evening sir/madam’. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •22


Interview Tips
 Shaking hands
 If the members of the interview board want to shake hands,
then offer a firm grip first maintaining eye contact and a
smile.

 Seek permission to sit down. If the interviewers are


standing, wait for them to sit down first before sitting.

 An alert interviewee would diffuse the tense situation


with light-hearted humour and immediately set rapport
with the interviewers. ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •23
Interview Tips
 Enthusiasm : Biryani example
 The interviewer normally pays more attention if you
display an enthusiasm in whatever you say.
 This enthusiasm come across in the energetic way you
put forward your ideas.
 You should maintain a cheerful disposition throughout
the interview, i.e. a pleasant countenance holds the
interviewers interest.
 BIRYANI example ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •24


Interview Tips
 Humour
 A little humour or wit thrown in the discussion
occasionally enables the interviewers to look at the
pleasant side of your personality,. If it does not come
naturally do not contrive it.
 By injecting humour in the situation doesn’t mean that
you should keep telling jokes. It means to make a
passing comment that, perhaps, makes the interviewer
smile. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •25


Interview Tips
 Be Natural
 Many interviewees adopt a stance which is not their
natural self.
 It is amusing for interviewers when a candidate launches
into an accent which he or she cannot sustain
consistently through the interview or adopt mannerisms
that are inconsistent with his/her personality.
 Interviewers appreciate a natural person rather than an
actor.
 It is best for you to talk in natural manner because then
you appear genuine. ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •26
Is the Format of game
important?
 Some one who is Excellent in say Test Cricket, will he
necessarily do well in 20-20?
 Some one who is excellent in Football, will he
necessarily do well in Hockey?
 Not necessarily.
 So let understand and master the game called
“Interview” ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •29


Game called Interview
 Interview is like a cricket match
 Cricket – A ball is thrown to you and you make runs
 Format of Interview – Questions (balls) and Answers
(runs)
 So when a Questions is asked you can make score on it
 In a match, If we make runs more than opponent then
we win
 Interviewer has certain level of expectations. If you meet
and exceed it, you get selected
 Here there is no opponent. Interviewer is on your side.
##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •30
Game called Interview

 So does it mean he will ask simple questions? (easy


balls)
 He will throw Bouncers, Googley, Round the wicket,
Full toss, slow ball etc.
 That is interviewer will ask various kind of questions ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •31


What kind of Technical Questions?
 Across Breadth and depth of topics,
 Relevant to that company
 Might be limited by Knowledge of the interviewer
 Based on your background
 Subjects that you learnt
 Project that you did
 Seminars that you delivered
 Internship that you did
 Competitions that you participated ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •32


Technical Questions
 Questions of various types
 Concept based Questions
 Programming based Questions
 Scenario based Questions
 Comparison

 Questions would be of varying difficulty levels


 Simple
 Medium
 Complex
 Impossible. Why Impossible? ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •33
Interview Tips – Answering Questions
 What if the you do not know the answer to the
question, but as it is Yes or No. So chances are 50:50.
 No. Interviewers are smart. They will ask next question
like,
 Why/How? Or
 “Are you sure?” and then if you change your answer then you
will be caught.
 Not knowing is much much better than lying. Why?
 Ethics and values are very important in industry. So Not
knowing is like scoring zero marks on a question. Lying
is scoring high negative score. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •34


Interview Tips – Answering questions
 Is it possible to score 6 marks on question which
carries 2 marks?
 Give a crisp, direct and specific answer. Never beat
around the bush or give wrong answer knowingly.

 If you do not know the answer,


 say so without any apologetic feeling (At the same time,
they should not feel that you do not care)
 Say, I do not remeber

 If you know part of the answer then,


 say so and then answer ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •35
Interview Tips
 Never lie. One lie could lead to a many others.

 Interviewers are trained to not show their emotions. So


if you give a incorrect answer and interviewer does not
react negatively to it does not mean that he agrees
with your answer.

 Never answer as if you are asking a question. E.g.


 Q: Which model is better, Spiral or Waterfall?
 A: Spiral is better no?
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •36
Interview Tips – Misc. But IMP
 Use Pen and Paper whenever needed. Do not shy away
from it. Why?
 With this you can explain clearly
 You get more time to think
 Listen carefully to each question
 If you do not understand the question, ask politely
 Mention what is not clear to you.
 Avoid asking interviewer to repeat full question.
 Never rush into answering a question. You may pause,
think and then answer. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •37


Interview Tips
 Avoid Pessimist answers like,
 Q. Pls. Tell me about your Academics
 A. I was not so good in studies. Luck never favoured me.
 Instead give a straight forward answer like,
 I got 70% in 10th, 66% in 12th and 61% in B.E.
 Let the interviewer decide whether it is good or bad
academics. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •38


Interview Tips – Outside interview room

 It is not necessary to discuss with already interviewed


candidates about the questions that various Panels are
asking. Why?
 You will feel tensed if you get to know that questions are
being on topic that you are weak at.
 Do not assume that you will get questions on same topic
 If you do know answer?
 You will ask answer.
 Is it necessary that answer you get is correct?
 Even if it is correct. Will you remember everything?
 Half knowledge is dangerous ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •39
Body Language
 Posture
 When the interviewer offers you a seat at the start of the job interview,
sit upright but not too stiffly in your chair. This indicates that you are
comfortable and feeling confident. Hunching down in your chair gives
the impression of nervousness and low self-esteem. A sloppy posture
indicates a careless attitude and a lack of energy. Sitting on the edge of
your chair can come across as being nervous and tense.

 Relax and lean slightly forward, about 10 degrees, towards your


interviewer. This gives the message that you are both interested and
involved. Leaning back makes you appear too relaxed and casual.
Leaning to the side can be perceived as not feeling comfortable with
the interviewer.## contd. On next slide

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •40


Body Language
 Posture

 How you position your head also sends a message. Tilting your head
very slightly to one side comes across as friendly and open. Keeping it
straight comes across as self-assured and authoritative.

 It is also important to pay attention to the posture of your interviewer.


Sometimes you can establish rapport by adopting the same posture as
the other person. This is called mirroring. If they have adopted a more
formal posture do the same until you see that the interviewer has
relaxed and become less formal.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •41


Body Language
 Hand Position
 If you are unsure of what to do with your hands, rest them, loosely
clasped in your lap or on the table. Control your hands by being aware
of what you are doing with them.

 Having your hands above the neck, fiddling with your face or your hair,
is unprofessional and conveys nervousness and anxiety. Keep your
hands away from your face. Interview body language experts will tell
you that touching the nose or lips can indicate that the candidate is
lying. Holding a hand behind your head is often a sign that you are
annoyed or uncertain.## Contd. On next page

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •42


Body Language
 Hand Position... Contd..,
 Folding your arms across your chest suggests a closed and defensive
attitude. Waving your hands and arms around can be perceived as
uncertainty and a lack of professionalism. Common wisdom is that the
less you move your arms and hands about the more confident and in
control you are. Practice a comfortable way to loosely place your arms
and hands while you are sitting, both at a table and in a chair on its
own.

 Be aware of the interview body language message your legs are giving.
A lot of leg movement is both distracting and indicates nervousness.
Resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee makes you look too
casual and comes across as arrogant. Crossing your legs high up
conveys a defensive attitude in the one-on-one context of a job
interview. Crossing them at the ankles or placing both feet flat on the
floor conveys a confident and professional look during the job
interview. •Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •43
Body Language
 Eye contact
 You must maintain eye contact with the panel, right
through the interview. This shows your self-confidence
and honesty.
 Many interviewees while answering, tend to look away.
This conveys you are concealing your own anxiety, fear
and lack of confidence.
 Maintaining an eye contact is a difficult process. As the
circumstances in an interview are different, the value of
eye contact is tremendous in making a personal impact.
##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •44
Body Language
Voice Delivery
 Speaking in a clear and controlled voice conveys confidence.
 Avoid speaking in a monotone band do vary your tone and pitch. But
pls. don't overdo it and come across as overly excited or emotional.
 Breathe and pause before answering a question, this gives you time to
react in a considered way and it ensures that the interviewer has
finished the question.
 You should interact with the interviewer as an equal, not a subordinate.
 Ensure that your voice tone is not apologetic or defensive. At the same
time, it should not be too aggressive or loud.
 Generally it is advisable not to show too much or too strong emotion
during your job interview. Smile and nod at appropriate times but don't
overdo it. Avoid erupting into laughter on your own, laughing along
with the interviewer is far more acceptable. ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •45
Body Language
 The Interviewer's Message

 Watch for these interview body language signals from your interviewer
to read the message they are sending you.

 Body language cues that can indicate boredom include resting head on
hand, fiddling with hands and losing eye contact. If this happens wrap
up what you are saying and move on by asking the interviewer a
question such as, "Is there anything else you would like to know about
that topic?"

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •46


Body Language
 Interviewer’s message... Contd...

 If the interviewer crosses arms or leans away it could mean that they
are feeling uncomfortable. Perhaps you are leaning in too close and
invading their space in some way. Create more space between
yourselves. If there is not a table between you that creates a safe degree
of personal space, keep a distance of about two to three feet, this is a
comfortable amount of personal space for most people.

 Drumming fingers and rubbing the face can indicate irritation. Clarify
that you are answering the question with the information they want
and not frustrating them with an off-the-point response.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •47


What is need of right mindset?
 Situation of many students during Interview
 Scared
 Frozen
 Blank
 Sweating
 Stammering
 Shaking legs due to tension ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •49


Right Mindset – You & Interviewer
 You - How to be Confident?
 Be nice to yourself. Moreover, love yourself. ☺

 How to be Not scared of the Interviewer?


 Interviewer comes to Select you and not to Reject you
 Interviewer is Not your Enemy. He is on Your side
 Interviewer is just like you and me and does not come
from different planet. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •50


Right Mindset
 Help the interviewer and yourself by,
 Trying YOUR Best
 Be yourself, do not try to copy anyone else. You can not
wear mask for long. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •51


Myths & Realities about Interviews
An interview is not an…

INTEROGATION

An interview is a…
•An interview is a
CONVERSATION

•between 2 or more people.


•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •52
Philosophy for success
 Pray as if everything Depends on God, Work as if
Everything depends on your efforts

 Strive for more knowledge always

 At the same time, be happy with what you know


already

 Help others : Law of Karma ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •53


Body Language Fundamentals
 Right Mindset : You and Interviewer
 Exercise – Games, Dance, Gym, Walking/Running
 Pranayam – Art of Living, SSY, BramhaVidya
 Meditation with Positive thoughts
 Positive sentences
 In Present or future tense
 Smile always
 Sportsmanship Spirit : Giving your best without
worrying about results

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •54


Powerful Sentences for YOU
 I have worked very Hard

 I deserve a Very Good Job

 Company needs me

 Interviewer comes to select me

 I am going to have a great career

 I am going to have a very beautiful life ##


•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •55
HR Interview
 This interview is conducted by HR person or many
times by the Technical Panel itself

 The objective of this is to check your personality traits


like,
 Attitude – Flexible at the same time firm
 Enthusiasm/Passion
 Truthfulness
 Leadership
 Team working
 Discipline
 Determination
 Communication skill ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •56
HR Interview
 Tell me about yourself
 Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the
position. Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to
match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In
other words you must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single
most important strategy in job hunting.

So, before you answer this or any question it's imperative that you try to
uncover your interviewer's greatest need, want, problem or goal.

To do so, make you take these two steps:

Do all the homework you can before the interview to uncover this
person's wants and needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or
company)
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •57
HR Interview
 What are your greatest strengths?
 You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's
greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from
Question 1, you know how to do this.

Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your
greatest strengths. You should also have, a specific example or two,
which illustrates each strength, an example chosen from your most
recent and most impressive achievements. ##

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •58


HR Interview
 What are your greatest weaknesses?
 Disguise a strength as a weakness.

Example: “I sometimes push my people too hard. I like to work with a


sense of urgency and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.”

Drawback: This strategy is better than admitting a flaw, but it's so


widely used, it is transparent to any experienced interviewer.

Instead of confessing a weakness, describe what you like most and like
least, making sure that what you like most matches up with the most
important qualification for success in the position, and what you like
least is not essential.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •59


HR Interview
 Tell me about something you did – or failed to do
– that you now feel a little ashamed of.

 As with faults and weaknesses, never confess a regret.


But don’t seem as if you’re stonewalling either.

Best strategy: Say you harbor no regrets, then add a


principle or habit you practice regularly for healthy
human relations.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •60


HR Interview
 Why should I hire you?
 By now you can see how critical it is to apply the overall strategy of
uncovering the employer’s needs before you answer questions. If you
know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question will give
you a big leg up over other candidates because you will give him better
reasons for hiring you than anyone else is likely to…reasons tied directly
to his needs.

Whether your interviewer asks you this question explicitly or not, this
is the most important question of your interview because he must
answer this question favorably in is own mind before you will be hired.
So help him out! Walk through each of the position’s requirements as
you understand them, and follow each with a reason why you meet that
requirement so well.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •61


HR Interview
 Where do you see yourself 5/10/15 years from now?

 Reassure your interviewer that you’re looking to make


a long-term commitment…that this position entails
exactly what you’re looking to do and what you do
extremely well. As for your future, you believe that if
you perform each job at hand with excellence, future
opportunities will take care of themselves.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •62


HR Interview
 Describe your ideal company, location and job.

 The only right answer is to describe what this company


is offering, being sure to make your answer believable
with specific reasons, stated with sincerity, why each
quality represented by this opportunity is attractive to
you. If your ideal company is far different from this
company, you should not be attending this interview

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •63


HR Interview
 Why do you want to work for this company?
 Now the study you have done of this company comes
to your help. You can mention the key things that you
are getting by joining this company. Make sure that
what you say is in synch with what you said earlier. If
you earlier said that you like to work for small
company, you will not be able to now say that you want
to work for Giant company like IBM.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •64


HR Interview
 Would you lie for the company?

 Try to avoid choosing between two values, giving a


positive statement which covers all bases instead.

Example: “I would never do anything to hurt the


company..”

If aggressively pressed to choose between two


competing values, always choose personal integrity. It
is the most prized of all values.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •65


HR Interview
 Looking back, what would you do differently in
your life?

 Indicate that you are a happy, fulfilled, optimistic


person and that, in general, you wouldn’t change a
thing.

Example: “It’s been a good life, rich in learning and


experience, and the best it yet to come. Every
experience in life is a lesson it its own way. I wouldn’t
change a thing.”

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •66


HR Interview
 Can you work under pressure?

 Absolutely…(then prove it with a vivid example or two


of a goal or project accomplished under severe
pressure.)

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •67


HR Interview
 What makes you angry?

 Give an answer that’s suited to both your personality and the


management style of the firm. Here, the homework you’ve done about
the company and its style can help in your choice of words.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •68


HR Interview
 Who has inspired you in your life and why?

 Have a few heroes in mind, from your mental “Board


of Directors” – Leaders in your industry, from history
or anyone else who has been your mentor.

Be prepared to give examples of how their words,


actions or teachings have helped inspire your
achievements. As always, prepare an answer which
highlights qualities that would be highly valuable in
the position you are seeking.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •69


HR Interview
 What was the toughest decision you ever had to
make?

 Be prepared with a good example, explaining why the


decision was difficult…the process you followed in
reaching it…the courageous or effective way you
carried it out…and the beneficial results.

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •70


HR Interview
 At the end of the interview, Interviewer might ask
you,“Do you have any question to ask?”. What shall you
ask?
 Never ask questions like,
 How was my performance in the interview?
 Am I selected?
 What should I improve?
 Are you from XYZ town/State?
 In next set of slides, I have listed down such questions.
You should ask just one or two, if you really feel like
asking. ##
•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •71
HR Interview
 What kinds of assignments might I expect the first six
months on the job?
 How often are performance reviews given?
 Please describe the duties of the job for me.
 What products (or services) are in the development
stage now?
 Do you have plans for expansion?
 What are your growth projections for next year?
 Have you cut your staff in the last three years?

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •72


HR Interview
 Are salary adjustments geared to the cost of living or
job performance or both?
 Does your company encourage further education?
 How do you feel about creativity and individuality?
 Do you offer flexitime?
 What is the usual promotional time frame?
 Does your company offer either single or dual career-
track programs?
 What do you like best about company?

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •73


HR Interview
 Do you fill positions from the outside or promote from
within first?
 Is your company environmentally conscious? In what
ways?
 In what ways is a career with your company better than
one with your competitors?
 What is the largest single problem facing your staff
(department) now?
 What qualities are you looking for in the candidate
who fills this position?

•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •74


HR Interview
 What skills are especially important for someone in
this position?
 What characteristics do the achievers in this company
seem to share?
 Where does this position fit into the organizational
structure?
 How much travel, if any, is involved in this position?
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•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •75


•Dinesh Anantwar, [email protected] •77

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