Consider trivial yet vital aspects before an interview
Are you ready for your first interview? The very thought of an interview arouses ambivalent reactions including excitement and butterflies in the stomach. It is very important to prepare well in your subject areas for the first interview. You also need to consider trivial yet vital aspects of interviewing before you are all set to face the interview.
• Interview before the interview: Mock interviews help you gain confidence and get a hang of how the actual process works. Refrain from making assumptions and work on mock interviews. Most educational institutions conduct mock
interviews. Students prefer to ignore mock interviews; some even consider them to be a waste of time. You realise the importance of a mock interview only after you have attended your first interview.
• Learn from the feedback: The constructive feedback that you receive from your mock interviewer helps greatly in improving your presentation style. Some professionals might critically comment upon your presentation style, rea
lise that it is time to change. Learn from those who are doing well and coping better.
• No excuses: Avoid being defensive during the mock interviews. There are many lessons that you need to learn about your conduct during the entire interview. Try to take feedback and change your interview style. Jot down the o
bservations and advice of the mock interviewer. Also ask for solutions to combat problems you are encountering.
• Practise your answers: Rehearsing in front of a mirror might not be of much use. Get into the interview mantle and mood and practise professionally. Record the entire interaction, if possible, in a video format. You can then
determine the changes you need to make to fare well in the actual interview.
• Pretend that you are not nervous: Interview jitters are quite common. Display a confident attitude. Interviewers are shrewd and identify the slightest signs of nervousness, so your attempts to hide them too will get noticed.
• Not the first and last interview: If it has been a long cherished dream to join this reputed company, consider the fact that most companies allow candidates to apply again after a period of six months. You have nothing to lo
se. Clearly understand the underlying facts and it will be to your advantage as you can easily sail through the interview with confidence. Even if you fail in this interview, you can learn a trick or two to excel in the next. Simply put, do not give in to the pride of emerging victorious from your very first interview.
• Let not the ambience awe you: If your first interview is scheduled at the corporate centre, ensure that you are not overwhelmed by the corporate ambience. You might like the atmosphere too much and want to succeed in the int
erview at any cost. You add to the existing stress and that might also act detrimental to your efforts. This though will not be a problem if it is a campus interview.
• Observe the culture of the organisation during your very first interaction with the representative of the company. You can gather a lot from each interaction. The way employees address you and the etiquette of the employees
can give you a clear picture of the organisation. Every interview is a two-way process and the interviewer also goes through a lot while interviewing. You need to identify the interviewer’s expectations and deliver the message concisely. Interviewers are likely to get irritated by candidates who just have a single word answer for every question or those who talk endlessly.
Time your answers appropriately and ascertain that you are aware of your goals, aspirations and priorities. How can you communicate these to the other person if you are confused? Hence, prepare, practise and deliver without ambiguity or vagueness.
CHAKRAVARTHY TENNETI
faqs@cnkonline.com
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