3. Have a final reference to the prepared company information and questions you have prepared. Prepare a cram type answer table for final minute reference. Having all important points in this cram sheet highly help you to refresh your knowledge on before the moment of starting interview.
4. Upon reaching in front of interviewer(s), give a smile and provide your CV to each interviewer there, separately. Remember to keep a CV with you. This will help self reference of dates if required.
6. It’s the time to learn first trick. Upon sitting in the chair, take a plain paper and place on the table along with a pen. This action is for nothing but, it will indirectly pass a message to the interviewers that you have prepared well for the interview and serious.) I have used this trick number of times and have not rejected from any interview I had appeared with this fantastic trick!
7. Use the paper effect to answer questions. Explaining any of your answers with the help of a piece of paper and pen by drawing the charts, numbers or whatever, will immediately attract interviewer’s attention and impression. It also have another advantage, the interviewer never try to ask you more questions about the subject by thinking you have good knowledge on the subject.
8. Impress them from your ignorance: Avoid the most dangerous three word “I don’t Know” at any point of your interview. Admitting mistakes and ignorance is not a lose but it will add credit to your honesty. You can even use the word ” I have to refer this ”, if you are not aware the answer of any questions. To impress them, immediately point the question to the paper which you kept in front of you. This action give you an impression as a good learner. The word ‘No’ is always considered as negative and employer may think that you are not a good learner or lazy.
9. Do not give any personal information at the time of technical interview unless you have particularly asked to provide such.
10. Be precise and provide sweet answer to the most famous first question, “Tell me about yourself”. When answering to this question, interviewer should get a photocopy of you from your answer. So, one should prepare like that by researching and developing most attractive answer for this. This part should include your qualifications, certifications, years of experience as what position, why you are looking for a job with this company, at a minimum. Be precise and don’t be more elaborate. There are time in front of you to explain each of them at the time of getting further questions. Never talk any personal details here. This section intend only professional answer.
11. Next Expected General Question at any time can be, “Why do you want to leave present company? ” – Look on this example I have developed and used number of times. When I was facing this question, my reply was, “I am willing to expand my skills and knowledge by applying them into more and more advanced environment than where I am at present.” Never talk about more salary or better job.. that is hell wrong. Instead, pass a clever idea, this company is far better to work than the one where you presently working.
12. Remember to not say anything negative about your previous employer(s) or company(s). This will lead you to the main door to out.
13. When a there is a question on expected salary, if possible do not say a fixed figure. If you say such, you may either lose more possible salary or lose the job. If you are able to build a situation to force an interviewer to say your salary, that is a fantastic skill. Or, you can even ask them to say their Salary Band for the position to start negotiations. If the interviewer still compelling you to come with a figure, your knowledge about the industry salary standard for your job will do better here. You can do a comparative study of your present salary with industry standard to come with a right figure to interviewers. Collecting information about company’s pay scale from any existing employee or source will also help you in such situations.
14. An another question you can expect from HR idiots that “Where do you want to see yourself after 5 years” Don’t say between legs.. say “You will continue your nature of hard work and always keep your name in the list of possible promotion within the company”
15. Whenever you face the question “Do you have questions for me?”, you are free to ask questions about their companies expansion plans, your work profile and the way how company measures their staff performance etc.. In my opinion this are the best 3 questions you can always ask when getting a chance. Answers for these questions generally will give you better idea about the place and job where you are going to join as new. Never ask more questions but limit your questions to maximum three.
16. Learn to clever questions like “What is your weakness and strengths?”. Remember, this question not intend to get a reply about your personal weakness. Instead, it seeks your weak areas in profession. Don’t explain any personal weakness. Instead, give a reply that mean; you are always keen to learn anything that you feel you are weak. Strengths, you can say anything but have to prove if specifically if ask for such. You can introduce your technical and soft skills here. Specifically exposing some qualities like taking ownership, eagerness to learn, humility, problem solving, being practical, problem analyzing capacity etc., will attract good impression on you.
17. An another question you can exact is “Why do we need to hire you”. Here, you can emphasize your skills that employer looking for. Give him a reply that mean your skills and qualifications will be an asset for them.
18. Another tricky question can be expected is “What is your short term and long term goals?”, you can easily say your short term goal is, getting this job. When dealing with long term goals, or answering an another similar question, “Where do you want to be five years from now?”, inform you will always work hard to always maintain your name in the top line of the promotions list intact.
19. Any question related to your colleagues or supervisors should answer cleverly. Tell them you are not interested to work with people those who not ready to take their burdens. Any question related to ‘stress’ should be tackled by explaining your years of experience teach you how to tackle such. At the last, any question related to “split priority jobs” could be answered to expose your decision making power and ability to take decisions. Always give answer that supports any job that will give best to company than others.
20. When meet a question “How long you stay with the company” should deal with a clear answer mean, as long as both, you and company, getting mutual benefits.
Post-Interview Actions – Things to Remember
1. Remember to say thanks to each of them before moving out from the interview room.
2. Ask for a visiting card from each personal in the interview board.
3. Immediately draft a thanks mail to each of them interviewed and send them personally. Do not make any request in this mail. Send just a plain thanks letter for the time they spent with you. That’s enough.
4. Ask them the possibilities to follow up the progress or when they can hear from them.
5. Give a follow up call after 4 or 5 days to the exact person who was in the interview board. Remember to not irritate them by calling like Credit Card Representatives. One call would be enough at the right time, to get all the details.
For further reference on sector by sector interview skills, visit this link.