CSS Forums - Effective interview skills

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]Effective interview skills[/SIZE][/CENTER]

[I][CENTER][COLOR="Blue"]To meet the challenges of a professional life, one has to be familiar with many interview skills to grab the attention of an interviewer. Only interviewees, who are original, show their interest with confidence and who present themselves in an appealing manner can be successful at interviews[/COLOR][/CENTER][/I]

Life is full of challenges that we confront in our daily life. We face many hard nut cracking challenges in the course of our education and learn many lessons of practical life through them. After completing education, students usually move towards specialization or adopt a profession, keeping in view the market demands.

Talent and skills are the only tools, which can lead an individual towards success in these challenging times. To qualify for a professional degree or a job, one should have a strong educational background along with integrated, multidimensional skills. Interview skills are crucial when you are either applying for a job or want to qualify for a professional degree. To meet the challenges of a professional life, one has to be familiar with many interview skills to grab the attention of an interviewer. Being prepared in advance is the best way to gain the trust of an interviewer who has to decide why should they select you? What qualities do you have that others don't? How can you benefit their organisation?

[B][U]If you can express your confidence, commitment and appropriate skills you can achieve a successful future[/U].[/B]

[B][U][SIZE="3"]Interview basics:[/SIZE][/U][/B]
Interview is a form of oral communication. It is a one-to-one or one-to-group interaction where an applicant proves himself or herself to be a unique person and capable of being a part of an organisation. Remember that an interview is always pre-planned and structured. It is a formal presentation between an interviewer and an interviewee. Only interviewees, who are original, show their interest with confidence and who present themselves in an appealing manner can be successful at interviews.

Types of interviews:[B][U][SIZE="3"][/SIZE][/U][/B]
There are many types of interviews like information gathering interviews, appraisal interviews, exit interviews, hiring interviews, college/university interviews, persuasive interviews, counselling interviews and many more. In this article, we are going to learn about the college/ university entrance and hiring interviews.

[B][U]Hiring/Entrance interview:[/U][/B]

Hiring/Entrance interview is one of the best-known and most widely experienced types of interviews where Human Resource Managers/educational experts conduct the interview.

[B][U]To reduce chances of being rejected,[/U] [/B]here are some basic professional skills, which will lead you towards the path of success in your interview:

[B][U][SIZE="3"][CENTER]Before the interview:[/CENTER][/SIZE][/U][/B]
First of all, prepare your mind the night before for the interview the next morning. Relax and do not get nervous, tensed or tired.

Before going for an interview, pre-plan few things:

[B]1).Learn about the company, organisation or educational institution and do some research in advance.[/B]

--Why research? To develop good answers and to prove that you are unique.
--What to research?You can gather information about organizational structure; type of clients/students; departments and branches; past and present achievements etc.
--How to gather information?The internet has made research very simple, all you have to do is visit the company website. Newspapers are another constructive research tool. You can also search the yellow pages or interview friends or family/relatives who are familiar with the organisation.

[B]2). Prepare answers to typical questions. Practice your answers and never rote-learn them.[/B]
Here are a few of the sample questions, which you can practice in advance:
--What do you feel about the organisation?
--Why do you want to become a part of our organisation?
--What are your weaknesses?
--Tell me about yourself and about your hobbies?
--Who is your role model and why?

[B]3). If you know the name of the person who will interview you, memorise his/her name properly.[/B]

[B]4).Decide what to wear.[/B]

[SIZE="5"]Do's: - [/SIZE]
--Dress simply but elegantly.
--Clothes should be well-ironed and without creases.
--Wear comfortable shoes.
--Wear basic hosiery. You can even check what management wears and dress similarly without overkill.

[SIZE="5"]Don'ts: - [/SIZE]
--Dress casual.
--Wear athletic shoes.
--Spray lots of cologne.
--Wear lots of jewellery.
--Wear wrinkled attire.
--Wear flashing tie (should NOT be flashy)

[B]5).Prepare a file having your portfolio, educational degree copies and extra copies of your resume.[/B]

[B]6).Find proper address in advance as to where are you going in the morning.[/B]

[B]7).Get a good night's sleep.[/B]
On the day of the interview:
--Take a bath.
--Do not apply heavy make-up (especially for girls).
--Always carry a purse or a small handy briefcase with you.
--Do carry your portfolio file.
--Do not eat anything containing garlic or onion in your breakfast.
--Arrive 15 minutes earlier to show you are prompt and serious.
--Be friendly with the receptionist.
--Why did you choose to become a teacher, nurse, doctor etc...?
--Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
--Why do you want to leave your current job?

[B][SIZE="3"][CENTER]After the interview[/CENTER]:[/SIZE][/B]
--Thank the interviewers with a pleasant smile and ask about the next step in the process
--Follow-up: Call them if you do not get a call within a given time frame.
--Write a thank you letter to the organisation for taking out their precious time for your interview.

[B][U][SIZE="4"][COLOR="Red"]Reasons for not getting a job/admission:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/U][/B]
--Lack of oral communication skills or writing skills.
--Inappropriate attitude.
--Lack of knowledge about relevant work factors.
--Lack of confidence.
--Lack of experience.
--Lack of motivation.
--Inappropriate/fake degrees.

Practice these interview skills to become a confident and successful individual. Chin up and get into gear for your next interview!

[I]By Munir Moosa Sewani[/I]

[url]http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2007-weekly/education-15-06-2007/index.html[/url]