Skills and Techniques

Mr. Nitish Kumar

Meaning of an interview
The word interview comes from Latin and middle French words
meaning to “see between” or “see each other”. Generally, an interview
means a private meeting between people when questions are asked and
answered
• Interview = A meeting with an objective
• Employer’s objective is to find the best person for the job
• Employer: reviews candidate’s experience and abilities
• Can you do the job? (skills, abilities, qualifications)
• Will you do the job? (interest, attitude & motivation)
• How will you fit into the organisation? (personality)
Objectives of Interview

• In the selection process, interview serves the following

• 1. Verifies the information obtained through application form and tests.

• 2. Helps obtain additional information from the applicant otherwise not available.

• 3. Gives the candidate necessary facts and information about the job and the organisation.

• 4. Helps establish mutual understanding between the company and the candidate and
build the company’s image.
 Facts of Interviewing
• Interviews are the most widely used
process for screening job applicants.
• They provide the most direct information
about a candidate’s background,
personality, and skills.
• The purpose of an interview is to receive
the job offer.
 Know Yourself
• Employment objective and how it relates to the position and the
employer
• Educational background and how it relates to the position and the
employer
• Work experience
• Abilities and skills

Always be able to give examples!

 Know the Employer
• Research! Research! Research!
• Prepare to demonstrate your knowledge of the profession and the
company
• Prepare to give reasons for your interest in working in that
profession/company
• Develop questions in advance to ask about the job/organization
 Interview Preparation
• Mental
Situational
Preparation
Knowledge
• Where/when
Knowledge ofthecompany
interview takes place
• Practice
Arrive 10a minutes
mock interview
early!

• Written
PhysicalPreparation
Preparation
• Get
Takeplenty
extra resumes,
of rest references, etc.
• Make
Dress for
notes
success
• Ask questions
Preparation is the key to success
• Review own skills, experiences and qualities
• Check CV
• Anticipate questions and identify relevant examples
• Prepare key selling points
• Research organisation
• Key People • Websites, reports, articles, company literature, etc
• Establishment • Contacts with knowledge of organisation or sector
• Major projects • Relevant articles in the press
• Competitors • Personal visit or telephone call
• Research job and occupational area
• Job description – or similar
• Current issues
• Prepare your questions
• Practice
 Types of Interviews
• Basic/traditional interview
• Telephone interview
• Group interview
• Interview during a meal or social
occasion
• Serial interview
 5 Stages
Interview Process
1. Icebreaker it's a pleasure to
• Greetings meet you
• First Impressions
• Small talk
2. Personal Qualifications and Interest in Position
• Abilities, Skills, and Work Experience
• Accomplishments and Activities
• Goals
 Introduction

1. make eye contact and say your name

2. Introduce yourself with a short statement
3. (It’s a great opportunity to be interviewed with you for the roll of financial analyst at
your company my name is ------)
4. In response to the question "Tell me about yourself,"
remember that here you're looking to summarize what
qualifies you for the job.
Interview Process
3. Organization and Position
- Employer may test your knowledge of the company.
“Why do you want to work for this company?”
“What do you know about this department?”

- Other general questions regarding the company or the job.

“What is your geographic preference?”
“Are you willing to relocate?”
Interview Process
4. Candidate Questions
• Your chance to ask questions about job
“What type of on the job training do you provide?”
“What makes your company different from its
competitors?”
5. Close and Follow-Up
• Find out who makes next move
• Thank the interview for their time
• Evaluate your performance
• Send a thank you note within 24 hours
 STAR Technique
• Situation – describe the situation, problem, or issue that you encountered.
• Task – describe the tasks/responsibilities you took on to help solve the
problem.
• Action – discuss the steps you actually took to effect a solution.
• Result – describe the positive results of your actions.
 Share an example of a time when you faced a difficult
problem at work. How did you solve this problem?
• Situation: “I was working as a retail manager at a department store during prom season. A
customer purchased a dress online and had it delivered to the store. One of my associates
accidentally put the dress out on the floor, where another customer immediately purchased
it.
• Task: I knew I needed to make this right for the customer to meet my own service level
standards and to uphold the reputation of the company.
• Action: Before calling the customer to let her know about the mistake, I located the same
dress at another store location nearby. I ordered it to be pressed and delivered to her home
the morning of prom, along with a gift card to thank her for her understanding.
• Result: The customer was so thankful, she wrote us a five-star review on several review
sites.”
 Tips for Successful Interviewing
• Interviewing is a two-way process
• Never give “yes” or “no” answers
• Listen carefully and react
• Use specific examples to make your case
• The interview begins the minute you step onto the company lot
• Be positive!
 Tips for Successful Interviewing
• Think like an employer
• Don’t criticize past employers or co-workers
• Maintain professionalism, even if the employer does not
• Be prepared for the unexpected questions
• Be aware of body language
• Be well-groomed
Watch the Body Language
• First impressions is very powerful
• Allow time to relax
• Dress appropriately
• Entrance, introductions & handshake
• Smile and make eye contact
• Be aware of own movements
• Watch body language of interviewer
Typical Questions
• About you
• Tell me about yourself - Bring me up to date with your CV?
• Why did you choose that particular degree programme?
• What experience have you had that is relevant to this post?
• What would you consider your major achievements to date?
• About the job
• What interests you about this job?
• What do you know about this organisation?
• What other options are you considering?
• How do you see your career developing – 5 years?
• If you were Head of Department, what would be your priorities?
• General knowledge
• What do you think of the Government’s policy on college fees?
Competency-based Interviews
• Company identifies key skills required for job
• Designs questions to elicit evidence of skills
• Emphasis on past behaviour as predictor of success
• Teamwork: Describe a team project you worked on. What problems arose? How did you deal with them?
• Communication Skills: Describe situation when you had to persuade others to support your view. Give an example
of any reports you’ve written which illustrate your writing skills

• Interpersonal skills: What kinds of people do you find it difficult to work with? How do you handle those situations?
• Taking Responsibility: Describe a time when you took responsibility to achieve a challenging goal
• Problem-solving: Tell about a time when you had several tasks to manage at one time with conflicting deadlines.
 Preparing for Competency Interview

• Identify the competencies required for job

• Review job description or ask for information
• Define each competency in behavioural terms
• Identify past experience to illustrate how you demonstrated that behaviour
• Prepare examples for each competency
• Practice talking about your experience
• Try to give a complete answer - STAR
Matching Skills to Requirements

Employer needs Your evidence

Communication Presentation to class
Team work Example from Coop
Leadership Class rep, Committee
Initiative Fundraising for charity
Customer Care Working in Supergun
IT Designed website
Commercial awareness Business pages
Framing Your Answers
• Listen carefully, seek clarification
• Illustrate answers with real examples and evidence
• Be positive – constructive criticism
• Keep answers specific and brief
• Take time to respond
• Be alert to interviewer’s body language
• Speak clearly, smile and show enthusiasm
• Know what you want to say, and find the opportunity
Qualities Employers Seek
• Good all-round intelligence
• Enthusiasm, commitment and motivation
• Good communication skills
• Team work ability
• Ability to solve problems
• Capacity to work hard
• Initiative and self-reliance
• Balanced personality
Competencies required by Company

• Adaptability
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Teamwork
• Initiative
• Drive for Results
• Know the Business
• Open Exchange of Information
• Makes Difficult Decisions
 Ask Questions
 “What’s your career path been so far that’s led you here, and what made you
stay at this company?”
 “What’s been your most memorable experience here and why?”
 “What’s the coolest project you’ve worked on?”
 “How do you measure success for this internship?”
 “What’s one thing you’re hoping to get from an intern? How can an intern
make your life easier?”
 “What do you love most about your job? This company?”

Avoid asking questions about salary and benefits.

What creates a bad impression
• Poor personal appearance
• Negative attitude – evasive, using excuses
• Lack of interest and enthusiasm
• Lack of preparation
• Poor knowledge of role
• Failure to give concrete examples of skills
• Over emphasis on money/rewards
• Lack of career plan
Tips Regarding Attire (Men)
• If possible, wear a suit to the interview
• Belt and shoes should be same color
• Avoid ties with elaborate patterns or too many colors
• A wedding ring and/or watch is generally the only jewelry that should be
worn
• Head to Toe: Hair should be well groomed and shoes should be polished
Who Would You Hire?
Tips Regarding Attire (Women)
• A suit or dress is preferable
• Skirts should meet at the top of the knee or longer
• The amount of jewelry should be minimized
• Make-up should be light
• Avoid perfumes and scented powders
The five most important factors
interviewers considered when hiring
• Work experience (36%)
• First impressions of the candidate (24%)
• Education (12%)
• Professional qualifications (10%)
• References (9%)
Graceful Exits
 Thank you for your time
 I appreciate it
 I will be looking forward to hearing from you

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Thank You