"You get an interview through connections or maybe your resume, and you get a job through body language and a few compelling stories." – Nick Morgan.
Interviews are all about how you present yourself, along with the knowledge that you possess. It's about the proper alignment of the goals of a company/organization with your personal goals. Hence, it's essential to be self-aware and know the details of the job description and the company.
Following are some factors that one should be kept in mind before going for an interview:
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Know the difference between Resume, Biodata, and CV
A resume summarises one's education, skills, and employment when applying for a new job—suited when experienced people use for specific positions where certain specific skills are more important than education.
A C.V. lists out every skill, all the jobs and positions held, degrees, professional affiliations the applicant has acquired, and in chronological order. They are suited for fresh graduates or people looking for a career change.
In biodata, the focus is on personal particulars like date of birth, gender, religion, race, nationality, residence, and marital status. It is suited for government jobs or research grants.
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Do your homework
Company Research is essential before an interview, and it shows the company that you care and are interested in the opportunity. It comprises basic industry knowledge, company history and competitors, vision and mission statement, essential products and services, company culture, and social websites.
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Know yourself
It's essential to be self-aware, as you should know your strengths, weaknesses, and potential. You'd always be required to introduce yourself in an interview, so make sure that you know exactly what to say and always be ready to explain your hobbies and interests.
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Dress to impress
First impressions are the last impressions. Make sure you're smartly dressed. Don't put on a lot of make-up and don't wear tacky clothes. Be your confident self, always. Authenticity stands out.
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Body Language and posture
Always sit straight and never use the backrest. Make sure that you are leaning forward, as that's an indicator of being interested. Never keep your hands and legs crossed. Do not fidget and always maintain space.
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Below are some frequently asked questions along with answers:
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Purpose:
- To assess your core competencies, integrity, authenticity
How to answer:
Strength:
-have a bank of 10 relevant strengths
- Real-life example and application of the strength
Weakness:
- Cannot contradict the strength
- Low impact but honest
- A weakness inconsequential to work
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Why should we hire you?
Purpose:
- To check competencies and whether or not you've read the job description
How to answer:
- Precise point format
- Do not talk about how good the company is in this question.
-Tell them how you can contribute to the company
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Why do you want to join the company?
Purpose:
- To showcase that you have read about the company
- Also, how your values match the company expectations
How to answer:
- Recent Achievements
- Exciting work proposition
- How you are a fit for the company culture: focus on your values
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How did you face a challenge/ failure/ rejection? Or share an experience where you dealt with rejection?
Purpose:
- Analyzing your problem-solving skills
- Checking your approach to challenging situations
How to answer:
S: Situation (in a line)
T: Task (what was expected out of you)
A: Action (what steps did you take in that direction)
R: Result (What was the outcome)
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Where do you see yourself in the next five years? / What are your long term and short term goals? Purpose:
- Check your level of planning
- Check whether you will stick to the company for an extended period
- Check your holistic thinking
- Personally, my goals are: (mention 2)
- Professionally, my goals are ( 3 points or 2 points you plan to achieve in the organization)
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What is your salary expectation?
Purpose:
- A trick question
- To take commitments
How to answer:
- As per the market standards. (Never disclose the amount in the first go, let the interviewer disclose it)
- If the interviewer pursues then give your expectations in a range (20000-25000)
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Tell us about your project?
Purpose:
- To understand the project and check your knowledge about the project
How to answer:
You give a two-line description of the work you did in the internship. This part has to be specific
Then you highlight what you learned in the internship followed by how you contributed to the company during the period.
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Tell me about your work experience
Purpose:
- To see you as an employee
- To assess your efficiency
- To assess your strengths
How to answer:
- Name of the organization
- Job Role
- Achievements/ Contributions/ Recognitions
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Why not a job/P.G. course after graduation?
Purpose:
- Clarity for choosing the option
- Your thinking logic
How to answer:
- be honest about how the course or job will help you.
- What skillset do you possess to make you an ideal candidate
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Do you have any questions for us?
Purpose:
-This is a winning question. It is the last question asked, and that is when you can make an impact on the interviewer for one last time. The answer depicts your presence of mind and also your confidence. Do not waste it in asking about company policies, timing, salary, joining date, etc.
How to answer:
You can ask the following questions:
It was a good interview. I would like to know who interviewed me. So can I know your names, please?
Can you share your journey in the company?
How has your experience been with the company?
Can you share the best aspect of working in this company according to you?
You always ask the panellist about themselves to create a positive rapport.
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What are the traits of a good leader/ team player/ good work culture?
Purpose:
- Checking your presence of mind
- Articulation of thoughts
- Answer in point format (3 points or two main points are)
- Point-Reason- Example
- State examples for impact
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Why do you want to join the company?
Purpose:
- To check whether you have researched about the company
How to answer:
- This is where you showcase the fact that you have read about the company.
- You talk about one good recent achievement of the company, and then you speak of 2 values the company has and how it matches your strength.
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What do you like to do outside of work?
Purpose:
- Assessing social life and different spectrum of your personality
- Helps determine if a match culturally for the organization
How to answer:
- Do keep it semi-professional, though; saying you like to have a few beers at the local hot spot on Saturday night is fine. Telling them that Monday is usually a rough day for you because you're always hungover is not.
- Focus on social life
- Focus on hobbies
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If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
Purpose:
- See how you think on your feet
- No right or wrong answer
- Check- the presence of mind
How to answer:
- The animal
-Why the animal
- How strength similar
- Repeat the point
So these were a few ways that can help ace an interview. If you found this helpful, head to Rest The Case's Knowledge Bank to read more such tips and tricks to improve your chances as a fresh graduate.
Author: Shweta Singh
