An Approach to Interview!!

A lot of people know how to write a resume and talk their way into an interview. But when they get into the make or break dialogue, they stumble upon tough questions. Below, is some advice on approaching the tough questions that interviewers like to throw at job applicants:

Why did you leave your last job?

Real answer: It sucked.

What you should say: I felt my talents and abilities were underutilized.
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What are your biggest weaknesses?

Real answer: I can't concentrate for more than five minutes, hate all forms of authority and tend to fall asleep at my desk.

What you should say: I'm a workaholic. I just don't know when to put down my work.
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You don't seem to hold on to a job long. Why should we think you'll stay here any longer than you've stayed elsewhere?

Real answer: My employers have always had a hang-up about keeping only competent employees..

What you should say: I'm at a point in my career where I am tired of moving around. I really want to feel part of a team, a long-term enterprise, where I can make a contribution.
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For all those of u aiming for job switches.... ......... ..

How do you handle change?

Real answer: I deal with it everyday, unless I'm out of clean underwear.

What you should say: I think everyone knows that today the only constant is change. I thrive on it.
*************************************************************************************How do you get along with others?

Real answer: Fine, as long as they stay out of my face.

What you should say: I think the interpersonal dynamics of the workplace can be among the most satisfying aspects of any job.
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What does the word success mean to you?

Real answer: It means that I don't have to drag my sorry ass out of bed to kiss yours.

What you should say: Success, for me, would be knowing I am making a difference working with a team of people to make a more profitable enterprise.
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Do you get along with your current boss?

Real answer: I get along fine, considering what kind of a malicious person he is.

What you should say: I don't think I'd call him a boss; he's been more of a mentor to me.
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Do you ever get angry with co-workers?

Real answer: I don't get angry, I get even.

What you should say: Nothing angers me more than to see a co-worker not pulling his weight, goofing off or stealing. Yes, sometimes I do get angry with co-workers.
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Can I contact your references?

Real answer: Sure, but they won't know who I am.

What you should say: Some of them are out of the country right now. Maybe I can arrange to have them contact you.
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Guidelines for Group Discussion!!

GROUP DISCUSSION

A group discussion (GD) is a simulated exercise, where you cannot suddenly put up a show, since the evaluators will see through you easily. In this page you can find tips on GD and how to handle them to ensure a positive outcome.

Here's how most group discussions work

Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyze and discuss within a given time limit. The group may be given a case study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem. The group may be given a topic and asked to discuss on the same.

A panel will observe the proceedings and evaluate the members of the group.

OBJECTIVE
Lets start from the basic. One needs to know what one's objective in the group is. A good definition of your objective is - to be noticed to have contributed meaningfully in an attempt to help the group reach the right consensus. What does this essentially mean?

The first implication is that you should be noticed by the panel. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough. You have to be seen by the evaluating panel to have made the meaningful contribution. What does that mean in practice?

• You must ensure that the group hears you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator. That does not mean that you shout at the top of your voice and be noticed for the wrong reasons.
• You have to be assertive. If you are not a very assertive person, you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those 15 minutes. Remember, assertiveness does not mean being bull-headed or being arrogant.
• And most importantly, you have to make your chances. Many group discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact is that in no group discussion will you get a chance to speak. There is nothing more unacceptable in a GD than keeping one's mouth shut or just murmuring things which are inaudible.

Participate in as many practice GDs as possible before you attend the actual GD. There is nothing like practice to help you overcome the fear of talking in a GD.

• The second important implication is that making just any sort of contribution is not enough. Your contribution has to be meaningful. A meaningful contribution suggests that
• You have a good knowledge base
• You are able to put forth your arguments logically and are a good communicator.

The quality of what you said is more valuable than the quantity. There is this myth amongst many group discussion participants that the way to succeed in a group discussion is by speaking loudly and at great length. One could not be more wrong. You must have meat in your arguments.

Therefore, think things through carefully.

Always enter the room with a piece of paper and a pen. In the first two minutes jot down as many ideas as you can.

When you jot down points, keep these pointers in mind.
If it is a topic where you are expected to take a stand, say for example, "Should India sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?" note down points for both sides of the argument. It will be useful on two counts.

One, if you do not start the GD and are not amongst the first five speakers and find that everyone in the group is talking for the topic, then it makes sense to take the alternate approach and oppose the topic even if you initially intended to talk for the topic.

Second, it helps to have a knowledge of how group members who take a stand diametrically opposite to yours will put forth their argument and to be prepared with counter arguments.

Everybody else will state the obvious. So highlight some points that are not obvious. The different perspective that you bring to the group will be highly apprecaited by the panel. Some pointers on being relevant while having a different perspective are:

Be careful that the "something different" you state is still relevant to the topic being debated.

• Can you take the group ahead if it is stuck at one point?
• Can you take it in a fresh and more relevant direction?

The last implication is that you must be clearly seen to be attempting to build a consensus.

Gaining support or influencing colleagues is the mantra adopted by many a successful Business Leaders.

Nobody expects a group of ten intelligent, assertive people, all with different points of view on a controversial subject to actually achieve a consensus. But what matters is "Did you make attempts to build a consensus?"

Avoid these six Interview mistakes!!

Tip #1: Don't discuss pay too early
As the manager of a software store for 10 years, I can honestly say that questions about pay in the first interview from anyone other than a temporary applicant always bothered me a little. Temp jobs aside, if you are not really out there just for the money, asking this question right out of the gate is going to make any other questions you ask sound conniving and insincere. Unless the subject comes up, don't wade into the issue of the pay in the first interview. You can talk about it after you impress the employer enough for a second interview.

Tip #2: Talk tech to techies only
Feel free to discuss what you know, but remember: If you are talking to a nontechnical manager or human resources representative, you are not going to impress them with talk about life in the trenches. My previous supervisor was totally unimpressed with anything to do with technology. A sure way to put the man to sleep was to begin any story that had to do with computers.

When I interviewed for a previous position, the department manager actually had a technically savvy person participate in the interview to ask and respond to questions she would not understand. When I saw this tactic being used, I knew it was not a time to try to impress with a lot of techno babble.

Answer questions about your work history briefly and keep the tech comments to a minimum until you know the history of the company and the people involved in the hiring process. If you have questions about the technology in use at the site, keep your questions specific and relevant to the position for which you are applying.

Tip #3: Keep your philosophy to yourself
If you hate Bill Gates, Windows XP, and the whole Office Suite, keep it to yourself. Ranting about your tech philosophy can ruin your chances at the position.

I once interviewed a young man for a retail sales position in a software store. When I asked about his opinion of the then-new Windows 98, the applicant ranted about "the revolution of UNIX" and loosening the grip of Microsoft on the PC market. I am not exaggerating; the man sounded like he was ready to sign on to a paramilitary group. I almost didn't have the heart to tell him my company was a Value Added Reseller for Microsoft.

Chances are, you will work with many people who need your help with one of the Microsoft products, so you don't want to blast the tools you will likely be using and supporting. If you are asked about how you feel about a product, be honest, but don't preach. The interviewer probably just wants to see how you respond to such questions.

Tip #4: Don't climb the advancement ladder in the interview
If you are joining the ranks of a new company, the last thing the interviewer wants to hear is, "How fast can I get out of this job?" Do not ask about opportunities for advancement until the second or third interview. If you are joining a company just to advance into another position, silence is golden. Keep it to yourself unless the interviewer asks or unless it is somehow already known that you'll be advancing quickly. Remember that what you say now can come back to haunt you later. You don't want to brag to someone who might be under your wing after a promotion.

Further, you never know what may happen if you actually get the job. Learn to accept and adapt and, above all, be happy you have a job. Due to downsizing, a former coworker of mine did not move into the network administration position she wanted and was expecting to get. The bitterness fostered by her broken expectations eventually caused her to resign. In the tight job market of the time—similar to the one now—and with her lack of certified qualifications, she ended up seeking work at a local restaurant.

Tip # 5: Avoid the dreaded electronic interruption
Cellular phone and pager etiquette might seem a trivial thing to those that are hooked up, but you can kiss any job opportunity goodbye if you interrupt an interview to take a telephone call, especially if the human resources representative has a low tolerance for personal digital devices. Only if you are exchanging information by invitation should you reveal the fact that you carry a PDA. If you wear it on a belt loop or somewhere that is exposed, lose it, along with any other electrical device hooks and loops, and store them in pocket, purse, or briefcase. If you can't spare the time away from the rest of the world to do an interview, why are you applying for the job?

I have conducted training classes with people who, when asked to turn off their phones and pagers during class, place their devices in silent mode. When giving a lecture to a class or holding a discussion, watching a person being silently buzzed is terribly distracting and also aggravating.

If you think getting rid of electronic communications devices isn't important, just ask any human resources rep who has had a person answer a cellular phone during a job interview. Then ask if the person got the job.

Tip # 6: Remember to say thank you
Beyond thanking your interviewers for their time as you leave, it's vital that you follow up in written form. If the competition for a position is tight, a follow-up thank you note can mean a lot. If the manager is slow to hire, the arrival of a thank-you note can serve as a reminder about the candidate who's awaiting the manager's next move.

Just after you've completed the interview, take note of anything specific you discussed and make a point of referencing it in your thank you letter. Even a nice greeting card is better than nothing.

It may seem like a small detail, but the experts will tell you that this tried-and-true tactic really makes an impact. A coworker of mine, who successfully worked as a job coach, used to keep a stack of generic notes in her desk. When a participant in her program applied for a job somewhere, she would give the person one of these notes to have them drop in the mail on the way home.