Friday, February 18, 2011

A Valid Interview!

Interviewing cannot be viewed just as a two way conversation, but has to be considered as a process of social interaction. Personal interview is the most flexible tool that helps to obtain the most accurate information about the prospective candidate as the presence of the interviewer makes it hard for the respondent to report incorrectly. You might have seen some poker players have winning as a habit and not by chance. That is because of their ability to guess opponent's potential apart from their own knowledge about the game. The same applies to an effective interviewer to elicit the most appropriate information from the interviewee by gauging his potential and scope.

The ambience of an interview should facilitate the respondents to freely come out with their ideas about what they expect from the job and also what they are capable of contributing in terms of lifting the organization to greater heights. Fear generally grips freshers who may not have had exposure to such situations that decides their future. Now a days students even before completing their engineering or professional courses get placed in very good companies that offers much scope in terms of pay and career advancement. It has become statutory for these students to express themselves in the most impressive manner to capture the interest of the interviewers and to outsmart their rivals competing for the same position or capacity.

Gauging Ears

Your body language speaks volumes about the self confidence that you exude, whether you are really capable of leading and of course amiable. Pleasing personality is definitely a plus and it is a winning strategy to get noticed among the pool of prospects. Try to be as modest and dignified in your behavior and attitude but at the same time be self assured to avoid any question that falls beyond the scope of discussion or if it is aimed to puncture your ego.

Most of the stress interviews are structured in order to test the tolerance level of the prospective employees given a crisis situation and also to judge their decision making skills in such a situation. Rapid fire questions are thrown before you, wherein either you can buy some time to think before you answer, keep quiet to prove your self control or burst open and check out. Higher level management interviews are of this order as managers of the senior levels and CEO's are constantly exposed to pressure situations and they need to keep their think tank cool to keep going.

Systematic interviewing using lucid language is welcome. The session must be to the point and the respondent should not lose interest in the interview. Emotional and leading questions better be avoided. The interviewer must be a trained man who has the ability to conduct the interview in the most natural way and also should be well informed about all the possible and important aspects about the prospective candidates.

Recent trend is to ask hypothetical questions that makes the respondent to put himself in a particular situation and arrive at solutions. This probes beyond the skill sets that the respondent possess and it concentrates on the crisis management ability, presence of mind and the quick wit of individuals. Corporate companies conduct their interviews in a completely different manner. They are more concerned about the attitude, morale, soft skills, role analysis and the like. How an individual performs as a member of a team or a group and how well he can lead his team in times of crisis are a matter of concern in big corporates.

Say for instance, If you are the head of this company, what possible changes would you bring in terms of sales, marketing and production? What will be your answer! You are doomed if you not well versed with the products that are being manufactured by the firm, the kind of annual turn over that the company does, data and facts about the important sales persons, type of sales promotion and the production capacity of the firm.

Be watchful, keep your eyes and ears open for useful and relevant information that happens around you in the business circle. That might help you to grab a golden opportunity at the right time. You can consider yourself lucky if the interviewer is unbiased and on your part you have to be emotionally balanced and self confident. In a nut shell, a successful interview requires a proper design, a friendly atmosphere, a positive attitude on both sides and an unbiased and objective mind.

A Valid Interview!

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