World Colleges Information

The Interview

Interview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information. The employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will fit in with the organization's current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans. The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.

Job Interview:

It is a structured conversation with the specific purpose of finding the best available person to fill a vacant job. A job interview is a fact-to-face meeting between two or more people-employer(s) and prospective employee.

Basically, interviews give employers the opportunity to find out whether candidates possess the qualities that they are looking for.  It also enables the interviewee to gauge if he is suitable for the job.  Both persons will be trying to learn as much as possible about the other. So to win in job interviews you need to know the Dos & Donts. Some of the Important Dos and Don’ts are:

Dos:

Confidently introduce yourself to the receptionist stating your name and the scheduled interview time.

• Be polite at all times.
• Look around you in the room – you might glean some information about the company from the circulars or notices put up on the various notice-boards.
• Think about the interview at hand-build up a mental picture.
• Think about what you have prepared regarding the company.
• Think about your good points that you don’t want to miss.
• Think about what you are going to say.
• Think about why you are the right person for the job.
• Go to the toilet, if you are nervous, once you get to the waiting room but before your name is called.
• Be patient and try to relax.  You have prepared well so now just take things as they come.
• Wait for your name to be called before you enter the interview room.
• When your name is called out, take a good deep breath, relax and knock on the door politely before entering; or follow the receptionist into the interview room.
• Walk in a usual manner to the seat positioned opposite the interviewer for you.  Don’t be afraid to smile.
• Shake hands only if the interviewer offers his/her hand.  Otherwise just sit down calmly without dragging your chair.
• If you do shake hands, do it firmly and look the person in the eye; establish eye-contact.
• If you have a file with you, place it gently and carefully on your desk.
• If you are carrying a  bag or briefcase, place it on the ground next on your seat.
• Take your time in making yourself  comfortable – sit upright and lean slightly forward, indicating you are sitting attentively to listen.
• You are nervous-that is natural; but try your best to overcome it slowly.  Make an effort.  Remember you are well prepared!
• Watch out for your body- language – interviewers know a lot about us through these non-verbal tell-tale signs.
• Be confident especially if you have done your research on the company and on the job.
• Look confident – show the interviewer that you know enough about the job at hand.
• Show the interviewer that you are the right person for the job.
• Demonstrate to the interviewer when questions are asked that you have the initiative and leadership qualities, and that if selected, the company will benefit from these qualities.
• Show through your responses that you can find solutions to many problems, though there could be one or two that are more challenging and would need your experience and on the job training.
• Develop a confident self-assured style of speaking at the interview, and make this part of your personality.
• Display positive attitudes throughout the interview.
• Remember you have been short listed because you have the qualifications for the job.
• Be natural at all times during the interview.
• Be friendly, but not to the point of being over-friendly and informal.
• Be calm and relaxed so that you can show your interest in and enthusiasm for the job.
• Be realistic in your responses.
• Use all the public speaking skills you have knowledge of.
• Speak clearly and audibly – effective communication skills are an asset.
• Give simple answers; don’t exaggerate; and wherever necessary, substantiate with examples and illustrations.
• Speak slowly so that the interviewer can understand what you are trying to say.
• Voice modulation is essential so that you do not put the interviewer to sleep; remember interviewers are busy people, so do not ramble on and on.
• Always look in the eye of the interviewer when talking although you should not stare hard and make the interviewer uncomfortable.
• Always appear interested in what is said.
• Show interest in company/job/field/questions put to you although you might think them irrelevant or too demanding.
• Be yourself – the interviewer is human like yourself.
• Show that you have done your home work by talking about the company/job whenever an opportune moment comes during the interview.
• Remember that interviewers probably know something about body language.

Dont’s:

• Don’t be noisy.
• Don’t be clumsy.

• Don’t start chatting with everyone in the room.
• Don’t start smoking.
• Don’t interrupt a conversation while waiting.
• Don’t ask leave to go to the toilet only when your name is called – do this beforehand, once you arrive there.
• Don’t start frantically looking through the papers you have brought with you.
• Don’t enter the interview room until called.
• Don’t enter without knocking – knock audibly thought not too loudly.
• Don’t rush to your seat-take your time
• Don’t offer a hand if no hand I stretched as a gesture of invitation for a handshake.
• Never drag your chair when about to sit.
• Never look at the ground when shaking hands.
• Don’t place your handbag or briefcase on the ground; it is distracting.  Wait until you sit down.
• Don’t take too long to get comfortable – interviewers are busy people and others are waiting.
• When seated, don’t slouch.
• When seated, don’t support your head with your hands.
• Never lie – always be honest.
• Never be too reserved or sound too arrogant; no employer likes to hire a conceited person or a recluse!
• Don’t talk too much especially at the beginning of the interview when the interviewer begins  with “small-talk” to make you relax; know when to stop – don’t get too friendly.
• Don’t talk too fast – there is no hurry; remember you waited all this while for this interview – so take your time.
• Never place your hand over your mouth or somewhere near your face or mouth when speaking; it is distracting.
• Don’t gaze at the desk or ground.
• Also never stare at the same person for too long.  It is embarrassing!
• Never be too passive during the interview; how will the interviewer know about you if you don’t talk enough?
• Never be sarcastic.
• Never argue even if you don’t agree.
• Never give your opinion if you are not asked to.
• Never monopolize the entire interview so much so that the interviewer can’t even put in a word – listening is as important as speaking at an interview.
• Don’t appear anxious to get away – enjoy the interview and take your time.
• Don’t fidget – don’t play with the pen or your spectacles.