Dated July 07, 2004
In one of the interviews I was asked: "Do you have the required qualifications to handle this job?" Apart from saying the obvious "Yes!" what should I have said?
MAHAVEER PRATAP SINGH
Gurgaon
If the job is technical in nature, you may be required to demonstrate in-depth technical knowledge at the interview. Be prepared to verify and back up any claims you make regarding qualifications, experience and so on.
Employers are increasingly using the services of data agencies to verify details furnished in the CVs and application forms. Avoid 'little white lies' such as upgrading your college or school results.
A small fib will undermine your credibility totally.
You cannot show that you have the requisite qualifications for the job unless you know what those qualifications are. Meanwhile, we strongly suggest that you study the "Basic Qualifications" listed in the recruitment advertisement(s) that interest you.
SAILESH BHATTACHARYA
Midnapore
Your job is to make sure you highlight how your experience and qualifications match the job you are targeting. Think about what they are looking for before the interview, and make a list of your key selling points. Relate your previous job experiences to the current job search and how your approach would help reach your targets. In your answer, emphasise the positive behaviour, experience and achievements (ideally backed up with examples and evidence), which will impress the interviewer because of their relevance to the role requirements. The interviewer is looking for the same capabilities and behaviour you espoused in your college (or university or previous job) life. Your emphasis should be on your achievements, on how you achieved them and most importantly their relevance to the job. Interviewers with special interest in behaviour and personality may also use a question like this to assess your self-awareness and maturity. In this backdrop, you consider your answer and relate it to your own experience and development.
I have heard of KRAs (Key Result Areas). What Are KSAs and what value do they hold?
SACHIN HANDA
Rajkot
Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) are the basic requirements needed to perform a job and are demonstrated through qualifying experience, education or training.
Each vacancy announcement will list the KSAs required in terms of "specialised experience" or "selective factor" requirements. To determine whether you qualify for a position, reviewers will evaluate your education and experience against the KSAs for each position. Because each position is different, the requirements for each will be different. When you apply for job positions, it is important for you to show that you meet the "specialised experience" and "selective factor" requirements for the position in your application package. You can do this by either including the information in your basic application or by addressing these requirements separately from your application. If you choose to address your KSAs separately, you should keep your responses brief and to the point. You need to relate your responses to the requirements of the job for which you are applying and should give examples that clearly demonstrate how your knowledge, skills and abilities meet the requirements of the position.
If you choose to rely on your basic application rather than write separate responses to the KSAs, you should be sure your basic application covers all the KSAs so that the reviewers don't have to read between the lines to connect your basic application to the KSAs. As an applicant, you are responsible for showing how your education and experience meet the requirements of the position.
I was asked recently how marketable the experience, that I already had was and whether I had any experience relevant to them. Since I thought this was quite plain, why would anybody, even an HR person, ask me something like this?
SUJIV NAIR
Alleppy
The interviewer probably thought you needed to show that you were motivated, flexible and culturally sensitive, and could adapt to new circumstances and cultures. Your answer would also have demonstrated your communication skills
Different degrees and types of experience make you more marketable to some employers and less to some others. While it is often tempting to speak in generalities, your concern shouldn't be what may end up being most marketable to most employers, but rather one that will end up being most marketable to the employers that you are targeting. The best way of determining that is also the easiest: Ask them. If you have developed contacts in those organisations through your networking efforts, pick up the phone and ask them.
What are the biggest mistakes job seekers make that your advice could correct or prevent?
RANVEER DUTT
Gwalior
Basically, every job seeker is unique and special, and should market himself in a special way. Lack of a clear and realistic career focus is the major problem. This is a two-fold problem. Either a job seeker is desperate and "will take anything" and responds to any job whether it suits him or not. Or a job seeker doesn't know what he wants to do and, using a vague me-centred objective, expects that a company can figure out where he could be accommodated. A clear career goal that focuses on the value a job seeker brings to an organisation is critical to the job search success. Which leads to Mistake #2. Failure to identify and quantify marketable skills - A clear career goal alone is not enough. An employer looks at a job seeker's "documented track record" in relation to his bottom line.
The question a job seeker needs to answer is, "how have my contributions positively impacted my employer." Delineating and quantifying those accomplishments, versus a chronology of your responsibilities, will position you ahead of the competition. Approximately 80% of job applicants are screened out at the paper stage. Job seekers who fail to understand the power and importance of compelling marketing documents - resume, cover letter, application, follow up letters, etc. - significantly lose the chance of getting through the initial screen and therefore, increase the time they remain unemployed.
It is not unusual for a job seeker to attend 20 to 40 interviews before getting "the" job. In order to get interviews, your marketing documents have to sell you as a valuable commodity. If you aren't getting interviews, perhaps it is time to take a fresh look at your paper impression. Poor references - How much thought have you put into choosing and prepping your references? More than 90% of prospective employers do reference checks. Inadequate and vague responses from your references can kill your job opportunity; so, choose your references wisely and prep them on what you feel is most important to the prospective position and/or the company. Flunking the interview - 90% of interviewees can't answer even the most basic interview questions with confidence. Common sense tells us that if you want to win the job, you need to face the interview. Winning the offer requires thorough research, preparation and practice. Using one single résumé for every company when all companies are different. Networking to gain information about a company: Networking is fine, but job seekers overly depend on this strategy. The basic problem is they start with HR or personnel department of a company. HR people are not the hirers (unless one is looking for a job in personnel); they are gatekeepers. They're always on the lookout for reasons to reject. Don't provide them with any!
The faq column deals with career concerns addressed to The C&K Management LTD. PO Box 2178, Secunderabad 500003 or emailed to faqs@cnkonline.com
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