Campus

interviews

By Rajan

How to clear interviews?

Preface

I had recently been to a few Engineering Colleges for

Campus recruitment. A feature which disturbed me was

that some of this brilliant engineers used to fumble when it

came to appearing for a face to face interview. They used

to perform very well in the written test but fared poorly in

the interviews. I was surprised that these techies who

could solve the most complex problems were unable to

decipher the solution for a simple face to face interview.

They used to be nervous, got blank and forgot the answers

during the discussions.

Looking at their dilemma I thought of a sharing a few tips

which could be useful to them as well as other Graduate /

MBA students.

Grooming for the interview

It is important that you are well groomed physically for the interview.

It gives you a pleasant appearance, increases your confidence as well as creates a favorable first impression on the interviewing panel.

Body Language

Be energetic & enthusiastic.

It conveys the message that the candidate is willing to take

up the assignment in right earnest.

Smile

It immediately sends positive vibes to the interviewer.

This is one of the most simple but effective action.

A smile relaxes both the interviewee & interviewer. It

may also unknowingly sober down a harsh interviewer.

Dont be in a hurry, take your time

Most of the times the candidate is in a hurry to answer

the question. Instead he should wait for a moment,

reflect on the question & then answer. The chances are

that it would be a better reply.

Focus on your breathing for 2 minutes before the

interview. Take a deep breath before entering the

cabin. Gather your thoughts.

Relax

Honesty is the best policy

Be honest & truthful. Dont try to beat around the bush.

Give honest answers.

It is better to admit that you do not know the answer or

have the necessary information rather than giving a

false reply.

Keep in mind that the interviewers are well experienced

& can see through any information which is false.

Wrong answers

In case you give wrong answer or are unable to answer a

question, dont be too perturbed. You are not supposed

to know all the answers.

Stay calm & be ready for the next question.

Many a times one right answer can clinch the post for

you.

Preparation

Generally the areas on which the questions will be asked revolve around the following three areas:-

Curriculum vitae (CV/ Bio data)

Prepare it in an impressive manner. Take guidance from others & draft it in a logical & sequential manner.

Area of specialization/ Domain area - Subject knowledge

This is obviously your sweet spot. But dont be over confident. Prepare thoroughly on this aspect. The way you answer to questions in your area of specialization will have a high weightage.

Prospective employer / company

A candidate is supposed to know few details about the recruiting company. Nowadays ample information is available on the internet. It would be prudent for the candidate to gather information about the company.

Prepare answers for a few common questions:-

Tell me about yourself, your family etc.

What are your Strengths & Weaknesses?

What are your achievements & failures?

Explain your project.

What do you know about our company? Why would you

like to join it?

Preparation

Fear

Its quite natural to feel fearful in the first few minutes. The candidate has to consciously overcome it as the interview progresses.

Be aware & conscious of the situation by being in the present moment.

Normally the candidate is asked an open ended question like Tell me about yourself. The candidate should utilize that opportunity to stabilize himself & for overcoming the fear.

Communication in English

Good communication in English is very important.

Many students from vernacular medium are unable to express themselves & hence loose out to other candidates in spite of being intelligent then them.

Some companies may consider the candidates who are not fluent or are weak in English communication but are technically strong if the role is purely technical & requires less interaction with people.

But most companies would prefer to have a candidate with good English communication capabilities.

A student shared with me how she improved her English

conversation skills. She did it by reading a lot of English novels

aloud in her room.

Few suggestions Read Times of India or any other English

newspaper (it helps you to be well informed also), watch

English cartoons, news etc.

Join an English speaking course if required.

Communication Experience of a student

Questions

Its important to ask questions.

Ask about the post, the company, job profile etc rather

than just asking about the salary.

It shows that you are interested in the job & also have

done some preparation.

Role play

One of the best ways to overcome the jitters is to do a role play.

Ask your friend to be the interviewer & ask you as many tough

questions as possible. It can give you some taste of practical

experience.

A story

Finally I would like to share a true story about my friend Atul.

He went for an interview. The interviewer had a very strong & over bearing personality. Atul was almost selected for the post.

The Manager asked the final question in a dominant way, When can you join? .

Atul said, In 30 days.

The Manager said nonchalantly, We cannot wait for that much time. So what do you have to say?

Atul answered coolly without getting flustered, Then you may lose a good candidate.

The Manager was taken aback by his response but was also impressed. Atul was selected.

Moral of the story

Candidates should not be too worried about getting the job. They should know that when they are good enough to be Engineers / MBAs then they are good enough to get a good job. They should not plead for a job nor should they be defensive. It reflects in their body language.

One more story.

A student came for an interview. He had a smile on his

face & was composed during the interview. I asked him

the reason for his confidence & composure. He said that

he meditated regularly.

Yes, meditation can influence the actions of a human being. Regular meditation can do wonders to your life &

not only the interview.

For a free lecture at the campus contact:

gaonkarrajan@yahoo.co.in

The views expressed here are the authors own & in no way

reflect the views of the company he is working . The author is

fully responsible for the content & views expressed by him.

Many of the pictures have been taken from the internet. My appreciation & thanks to all the

websites.

Always remember that your desires are first fulfilled in consciousness, and then they come forth in the outer

world clothed with materiality so the secret is to be thankful while your good is still invisible!-

John Randolph Price