NIOS Class 12 English: Chapter 31B Summary of- ‘APPEARING for an INTERVIEW’

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• Interviews is an important part of everyone՚s lives, most of us face interview from early childhood as our parents are ask as to perform well.
• And as we grow older, we over-self-wish to do well at interviews.
• Let՚s understand how to face interviews.

Section 31B. 1 Summary of – ‘Preparing for an Interview’

• First thing to keep in mind while appearing in interview is to engage in some pre-interview activities which involves learning something about the company/organisation, analysing strengths and weaknesses.
• Appearance and behaviour play important part in interview.
• Here are some tips to prepare for interview:

Studying the Company

• Its good practice to gather information about the company in which you are appearing for interview which make good impression on interviewer.
• It also saves interviewer time to providing you with information that you should have gathered.
• Sources from where you get information are:
  • The advertisement
  • Employees of the company
  • Other candidates who have been interviewed
  • Newspaper and journals
  • Internet

Study Yourself

• Next step is checking your abilities.

First ask yourself that:

• Do I like to work with people or do I prefer to work on my own?
• Do I like detailed work?
• Can I develop a career plan that I can achieve with the company?

And answers of these questions will provide you with lots of material to use during the interview.

• If you can՚t connect with job or company, it would be difficult to show the interest or enthusiasm for that job which is necessary to market yourself.
• To resolve this problem, make list of the company and job characteristics in one column and place your qualifications in a corresponding column as in the following example:

• It is fact that no one can have job which satisfy their all need or meet their all requirements. But this analysis can help them with each interview.

Plane Your Appearance

• Physical appearance plays key role in interview. And try not to dress in such a way that you do not create a negative impression.
• Finger nails must be neat and clean, Shoes must be well polished and hair must be well groomed.
• Do not wear loud (colorful) or party wear dress.
• If any company follows dress code, then try to match up with that so that you look like the people who already work at the company, the interviewer will find it easier to see you working there.

Plan Your Time

• Not to be on time at interview will make negative impact on interviewer.
• So, make sure you should reach to the interview place before time, because if you reach early you will have time to unwind and prepare yourself for the interview.
• Instead of being nervous and sit at one place move around a little and talk to the other candidates.
• In the case you do not reach to interview at time then inform them and apologies to them.

Section 31B. 2 Summary of – ‘Meeting Face to Face-The Interchange’

• After planning, interview is the next stage. A successful interview means that sell yourself successfully and to make sure you get selected.
• While facing an interview you should be careful in below points:

Opening Formalities

• First impression matters a lot so when you meet the interviewer, greet him/her and address him/her as ‘Sir/madam’ .
• And take your sit when interviewer asks you to take sit.
• Carry your certificates in a file and place them on the table.

Interviewing Guidelines

• Interviewer will already have your most of the information because they already have your resume or company application form.
• So that they will try to find out your attitudes towards work and the probability of fitting you successfully into the organization. So, they probably start interview with following questions:
  • Why do you want to work for us?
  • Why should we hire you?
  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • What is important to you in a job?
• And the interview goes to next level by asking another questions based on your answers to these or other variations of the same questions.
• If you are student and appearing for interview for the first time then your education is your foremost attribute so try to convince them by relating your education to the job.
• Most of the company aspect that their employees should be ready to learn something at job so it is important to point out your success during schooling which indicate that you are better learner.
• Humility is the most important factor for interview.
• Do not make any claims about your previous job or what you will do if you get the present one. Because for example: Anyone who says he will turn the company around in six months it shows his lack of experience.
• So be realistic and make achievable claims.
• When interviewer ask you “Why do you want to work for us?” then in answer refer that information that you have collected about company.
• This will convince the interviewer that you are strongly interested in the company and not just taking an interview for practice.
• Interviewer will not only attempt to develop an impression of you, they will also compare you with other candidates who are already interviewed for the same position.
• The answer of “Why should the company hire you?” of this question will be highlight your education, your ability to learn, and you are enthusiastic about working for the company and do not forgot to relate your skills and knowledge to the job.
• When the interviewer asks about your greatest strengths, then your study of yourself will help you because you already have idea about it and they might be:
  • The ability to learn
  • The ability to work with others and to assume leadership roles,
  • Skill in problem solving.
• Finally, when you are asked about what is important to you in a job?
• The salary should not be at priority list; but personal job satisfaction, the feeling of accomplishment, and making a contribution to society are things will be on list.
• You should look forward to a challenge. A job that will satisfy these needs is important to almost everyone.

Handling Salary Discussion

• Usually salary level of new comers is fixed.
• But for the experienced person salary scales are depends on excellent scholarship records or maturity.
• The salary topic is must to be initiated by the interviewer.
• But a candidate should be aware of general range of salary given to other candidates who are at the similar job status.
• So that the candidate have reasonable answer when interviewer ask them about their salary expectation.
• In case qualifications of candidates are about average for the job, then they should reply that they are comfortable with the normal range.
• Or they are more qualified then they can say that “With my years of work experience, I would expect to start at the upper end of the normal salary range.”
• If candidates have other job offers and they have already offer you great amount then you may suggest to the interviewer that you would expect a competitive salary and that you have been offered X rupees by another firm.

Closing the Interview

• If interviewer rises from their chair or say we will let you know that means the interview is completed by their side.
• After getting clues, avoid long talk unnecessarily.
• Thank the interviewer for the opportunity to meet, and close by saying you look forward to hearing from the company.
• Closing the interview with warm attitude is also important as the first impression you made.

Practising for Interviews

• Anyone from us get nervous whenever they face interview for the first time,
• And the confidence comes with experience. So that it is important to practice.
• You should practice interview with any of your friend.
• And follow each practice interview with a constructive critique of each other՚s performance.
• This mock interview practice will add experience and make the first real interview more effective.