General Tips To Overcome An Interview

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So what if you are not a mountaineer. Or a keen hiker. You still cannot treat your interview like a careless morning trot along a jogger's path. Your jaw-jaw at the interview table is nothing less than a cautious climb up a mountain trail--which begins around your early childhood and meanders through the years at the academia before reaching a new summit in your career. And as you retrace your steps down memory lane make sure that you post flags at important landmarks of your life and career, so that you can pop them before the interview panel scoops them out of you. You don't want to be at the receiving end, do you? Face the panel, but don't fall of the chair in a headlong rush-and-skid attempt to tell your story. Take one step at a time.Don't go into unnecessary detail about how you aced your business math midterm in your sophomore year at accounting school. Here are a few preparation tips from the Team of Freshersworld.com that books on interviews sometimes overlook. Remember, as a fresher you do not have anything to loose but to gain. TYPICAL QUESTIONS THAT AN INTERVIEWER WOULD ASK 1.Tell me about yourself The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work/Study-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done well at your college and how you wanted to perform in the first job. 2. Why Should We Employ You? For this question, your answer should list out strengths that you feel are relevant to the job. Given below are some answers which could help you with your answers. However, structure them to suit your requirements. I have good co-ordination skills Good analytical skills I can persuade people to see my point of view, and get the work done My greatest asset is my ability to motivate people Even during emergencies, I do not loose my cool I have good entrepreneurial skills I have consistently met my deadlines and targets Can say no to people when required to do so! I am very co-operative with my sub-ordinates, and would like to see them grow I am a good team player I am very flexible, and have the ability to work hard under difficult work conditions I have the experience and knowledge relevant to this job (Here, give appropriate details and examples) 3. Do You Have Offers From Other Companies ? This is of course a difficult question to answer. Obviously, you must have applied to other companies if you are looking for a job or would have some offers from other companies already. Therefore, do not lie that you have not. However, you are on thin ice here! The interviewer could be checking your honesty. On the other hand, he/she may also be trying to find out how focused you are - are you applying randomly, or is there a well-planned strategy? Whatever your answer, it should match your career goals. 4. What Salary Are You Expecting? Try not to get into salary details early in the interview. If pressed, you could say that it all depends on the job, and would like to talk about it after a job offer. Say this in a convincing tone. In case you are asked this question in your latter interviews, give a direct answer. Do not sound apologetic while quoting the figure you have in mind. SALARY EXPECTATIONS : 1. How much do you expect? If you have done your homework, you would know how much other people in similar jobs are paid. Quote the range upfront.

2. How much do you think you are worth? Work out how much you should be paid, given the market value of the job and your skills. If you can bring some extra skills to the table, do not hesitate to ask for more than the market value. 3. What kind of a culture are you comfortable with? It is better to be frank about your preferences. Your interviewer will get a clear idea about your expectations. 4. Which is more important to you-salary, perks or growth opportunities? This one will reveal the real you. So be sure what you are going to say. Above all, be true to yourself. If you think this is a negotiation move, then say clearly that you will never sell yourself short. 5. What do you know about our company? Do not give your opinions about the company. Stick to reported facts that you have gathered from newspapers and so on. Talk about the product portfolio, size, income, and market perceptions of the company. Also it is better to refer details about each company before going for the interview from Freshersworld.com or PlacementWeek.com 6. Why should we choose you over someone else? Talk clearly about problems that you have solved in your College/Project Team and highlight the quality required. 6. Your qualifications are excellent, but you may be overqualified for the position we have to offer? Point out that more experience can never be a drawback. If you are multi-skilled, then highlight the fact that a company on the fast-track needs multi-skilled people. It needs people within different departments to work together. Also emphasise that the company's future growth will be an exponential function of your experience. QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK : Interviewers usually round off by giving you an opportunity to ask questions. Treat it like a welcome opportunity. You could ask questions like. a) Tell me about your company. b) Now that I have outlined my career goals, do you think you can offer me the opportunities I need? c) What kind of training and learning can I expect in your company? d) Describe the work culture and the management style of your company? e) What is the long-term vision of your company? As a fresher, current position and status can impact the way you are interviewed. Fresh Out of College The basis on which you will be judged is your academic background, family background, and interests. If looking for your first job, ensure that your previous experience, even if it is part-time, is noticed. Mention projects or responsibilities you may have undertaken. This will indicate your area of aptitude. You should be willing to put in regular hours, in line with the company's policies. The interviewer needs to know whether you can be punctual and put in full-time work. In case you have applied for the post of management trainee, you should display an ability to adapt, and indicate all-round interests. Moreover, you should have good interpersonal skills. You should be enthusiastic to learn, and show commitment towards the organization, as the company will be spending a lot on your training. Bring with you : a) Copies of your resumes b) References and letters of recommendations. First Impressions : There is a common saying that minds are made up within the first 5 minutes of an interview. So keep in mind these important first impression indicators. Walk in the door as if you already work there, carry yourself as though you feel perfectly comfortable with the situation. Arrive on time or a little early. In the waiting area, politely tell the receptionist who you are meeting and in a friendly way, ask where you should sit. Take slow, deep breaths to help you remain calm and focused. When introduced to the interviewer, have a firm, but not painful, handshake. Smile. Have good posture when sitting or standing. Introduce yourself in a relaxed, confident manner. Have a well-groomed, professional appearance.

Project a feeling of confidence. Bring extra copies of your resume, some thing to write on and something to write with.

How to write that Winning Resum e for your Dream job

If you are a new entrant in the job market, you need to perfect your resume before applying for your 1st job Since you are fresh out of college, use your education as your strong point. Aggregate %, CGPA, accolades, club participation, etc. will be your focus. "Do I really need a resume? What should I write in my resume?" These are questions which worry every college graduate looking for his/her first job. Welcome to the real world! Yes you really need to make your resume and how you present yourself in that resume will go a long way towards getting you your first job. It's a myth that resumes of entry-level graduates are unimportant because they lack the 'pull' of experience. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is a well-made resume important for every job seeker, it is more critical for entry level graduates. A resume is a mirror of your professional identity. A well-defined resume impresses a recruiter. A sloppy resume immediately proclaims the candidate to be sloppy. Here are some do's and don'ts on what makes a great resume for graduates seeking entry-level positions in industry. OBJECTIVE One of the most frequently heard complaints made by recruiters about entry-level resumes is that they lack a specific objective. Resumes of fresh graduates have fuzzy, general objectives or no objective at all. Mentioning a specific objective is by far the most important feature of an entry- level resume. Without goal clarity you are bound to drown in the sea of mediocrity. The only thing worse than the absence of an objective is a vague objective. Something like "My objective is to work with a dynamic company which will fully utilise my talents" is a complete no -no! This objective is worthless because it gives the potential employer no idea about your goals or your direction. Your objective should be clear, well-defined and short-not more than 10-12 words.. It should be aimed towards getting a particular position in a specific industry. Thus your objective should talk about the following: 1. Position wanted 2. Functional area 3. Industry wanted Examples of good objectives: Example 1: "Junior management position wanted in PROGRAMMING/ engineering field in IT industry.' Example 2: GET in position in the manufacturing field. Example 3: Entry level programmer in a software development company. Example 4: Marketing position in the FMCG segment of a Multinational Company. Example 5: Multimedia software development position. Open to Relocation. Example 6: "A position as a Production supervisor with a petro-chemical company." SUMMARY Summary is the second most important factor that is conspicuous by its absence in resumes of entrylevel graduates. It is a good idea to include a summary of your resume after having mentioned your objective. This sums up your resume in a nutshell and gives you an opportunity to highlight your strengths. It invites the recruiter to read your detailed resume. The summary should consist of 4-5 specific points-either bulleted or in one paragraph. Sample Summary 1:

y y y

B.E (Computer Science) from IIT-Delhi, in 2000. Course in Computers Database programmes Oracle 8I & VB6 from PENTASOFT in 2005. Consistently good academic record.

y y

Good analytical and communication skills. Have worked on a curriculum project "XXX XXXXX XXXX"

Sample Summary 2: "Masters in Computer Application with specialisation in J2EE/Web Technologies. Great operational, communication and computer skills. Good academic record throughout. Among the top three students out of a batch of 120 students.Undergone Industrial training in a top petrochemical Company. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Most fresher resume doesn't suffer from space constraint . However it is a good idea to include only those educational and professionals qualifications which are relevant. Put your qualifications in a reverse chronological order. i.e. the recent ones first followed by earlier ones. Entry level resume should also mention the names of their school and college, years in which they passed their board examinations. However, include your marks only you have shown a good academic performance. WORK EXPERIENCE An entry- level resume cannot compete with resumes of experienced workers in the area of work experience. But don't forget to list internships, voluntary work and summer training that you have undertaken. How you present these is very important. Make sure you clearly define your duty and responsibilities during this training. E.g.: "Worked as a summer trainee in India's largest Oil Refinery. I was working for the system control department. Wrote quality reports as well as ISO features for the company." Any projects done for your school or your college should also be mentioned.

DESIGN Follow a simple design, which gives maximum information in the minimum number of pages. Use an easy to read and commonly used font like 'Times New Roman' or 'Verdana.' Limit your font size to 1011. Do not underline heavily. WORD USAGE Simple language, lucid expression with good grammar is the thumb rule. Watch your tenses carefully. Use short and simple sentences. And never-ever make the mistake of using long words just to impress the recruiter. Flowery words are for speeches, keep them away from your resume. OUCH! THE TRUTH HURTS There are many things we would rather not write in our resumes. And while writing a resume the strong temptation to stretch the truth (or simply lie through our teeth) can be quite overpowering. But just stomp on the temptation. Most companies opt for a reference check during recruitment. Your resume is considered a legal document and fudging up small details may cause you great embarrassment in your career. All right! so you've made yor resume. But this is not the time to sit back and relax. There are some important post-resume do's left. CHECK, AND RE -CHECK! The most important post resume step: Read and re-read your resume for any mistakes. Check the facts, the grammar, the spellings. After you have checked it, get you parents, friends, teachers to check it for you. One small mistake may cost you your job. And finally...mom is right you know! Do not procrastinate over anything, specially making your resume. Most fresh graduates prefer to leave the unappealing task of resume making till the last minute i.e the day before their first interview. However, remember that making great resumes take time and effort. And the rewards will last you a lifetime

SAMPLE RESUME

CURRICULUM VITAE

Sanjay Dixit # 512/B, 16th Main, 26th B-Cross, 6th Block, 9thblock,Jayanagar, Banglore-69.

Email : sanjay_dixit@yahoo.com Contact no : +91-9881234567

CAREER OBJECTIVE: Seeking a position to utilize my skills and abilities in the Information Technology Industry that offers professional growth while being resourceful, innovative and flexible. EDUCATION QUALIFICATION:  B.TECH in Electronics and communication engineering (2001-2005) from B.M.S.C.E. with 78% aggregate.  Intermediate:Board of Intermediate Education 73.4% aggregate.  A.I.S.S.E from CBSE board with 76% aggregate. SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY:
j j j j j

Languages DBMS Packages Front End Operating Systems Web Designing

: C, C++ : Oracle 8i : VB 6.0 : MS DOS,Windows98,NT,2000,XP : JAVA,HTML,XML

ACHIEVEMENTS:
y y y y

Stood First in Inter College Group Discussions. Topic: The affect of cinema on the present generation Participated in Electrosoft-2004, a national level event on paper presentation. Participated in college and school level debate and essay competition and received applauds Participated in college and school level debate and essay competition and received applauds PROJECT PROFILE:  Project: Real Time Clock using Microcontroller AT 89C51,IC DS 1307 and I2C bi-directional bus.

DESCRIPTION: The DS1307 is a low powerful binary coded decimal(BCD) clock/calendar plus 56 bytes of NV SRAM. Address and data are transferred serially through an I2C birectionalbus.The Clock/Calendar provides seconds,minute,hours,day, date, month,and year information.The end of the month date is automatically adjusted for months fewer than 31days including corrections for leap year.The clock operates in either the 24-clock or 12-hour format with AM/PM indicator.The DS 1307 has a built in power sense circuit that detects power failures and automatically switches to the battery supply. PERSONAL SKILLS: Comprehensive problem solving abilities, excellent verbal and written communication skills, ability to deal with people diplomatically, willingness to learn team facilitator hard worker. EXTRA CURRICULAR:
y y y

Badminton Champion in Inter school competitions. (1998) Captain of school cricket team. Event organizer in all school and college annual day functions and other technical events.

PERSONAL PROFILE: Name Fathers Name Mothers Name Nationality Date Of Birth Hobbies : Sanjay Dixit : A.N. Dixit : K.Anandam : Indian : 21.Sep 1983 : Making coins new Friends,Travelling,Collecting

Languages Known

: Telugu,English and Hindi

Place: Bangalore.

(Sanjay Dixit)