Interview

1. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early. This will give you ample time to catch your breath, gather your
thoughts and make a quick trip to the washroom to give your appearance one final check. To avoid
unnecessary stress, choose your interview attire the night before.

2. Greet the interviewer by his or her last name. If you are unsure of the pronunciation, do ask the
employer to repeat it. Or better still, check it with the front desk personnel or receptionist before
walking into the interview room.

3. Let the interviewer lead the conversation but try to get him/her to describe the position and duties
to you early in the interview. This will allow you to apply your background, skills and achievements to
the position.

4. When asked: "Tell me about yourself?", focus your answers on your background and a few
professional and personal accomplishments.

5. Stress on your achievements. For example: your sales records, the processes you have developed
or systems installed, projects that you initiated, etc.

6. Show enthusiasm. This can be demonstrated through verbal and non-verbal cues (for example,
appropriate body language like nodding can be used to support your interest). Enthusiastic feedback
can enhance your chances of being further considered.

7. Answer questions by speaking in terms of the position. Emphasise what you can do for the
company. Mention specific accomplishments that show your abilities and determination to succeed in
this job. Your answers describe the position and duties to you early in the interview. This will allow
you to apply your background, skills and achievements to the position. should tell the employer why
you would be an asset to the company and not why you need a job.

8. Bring an extra copy of your resume.

9. Explain whenever possible; don't answer with a simple "yes" or "no."

Be prepared to answer questions such as:

* Tell me about yourself.
* Tell me about your background and accomplishments.
* What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
* How would you describe your most recent job performance?
* What interests you about our company?

Also, be prepared to ask questions such as:

* What would I be expected to accomplish in this position?
* What are the greatest challenges in this position?
* How do you think I fit the position?

Remember, your lack of questions may be mistaken as lack of interest in the job.

Summary

If you are interested in the position, stress this to the interviewer. If you get the impression that the
interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected, do not let your discouragement
show. Once in a while an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you may seem to discourage you
as a way of testing your reaction. Remember to thank the interviewer for his/her time and end the
session with a confident and firm handshake.

Bodylanguage in an interview

You might unknowingly minimize the chances of getting into a job that fits your profile
because of faulty actions. Lets look at a few 'wrongful actions' commonly committed during
interviews so that you can try to avoid them in your next interview.
Face is the index of mind. Your face is the most transparent medium in your body and every
expression will send out large volumes of signals, both positive and negative. Eye contact is
another very important aspect. Always maintain direct eye contact. Fickle eye movements
suggest insincerity. However make sure that in an effort to maintain eye contact, you do not
come across as offensive and intimidating.

Positioning your arms can convey confidence, arrogance or defensiveness. Use arm
movements to emphasize your verbal statements. It will give added stress to what you
want to convey without actually saying it. Here again make sure your arm movements are
not too exaggerated so as to distract the interviewer.

Crossed arms, closed palms, clenched fists etc send out negative ripples.

Here are some more interesting interpretations of the body language:
Chewing or biting nails/Patting or fondling hair/Fiddling with jewellery etc project insecurity,
nervousness and lack of self-confidence. Rubbing your eye, looking down and turning your
face away conveys disbelief and doubt. Stroking your chin, pulling or tugging at your ear etc
indicates indecisiveness. Tilted head shows your interest while tapping your fingers is a sign
of impatience. Pinching the bridge of your nose signifies negative evaluation. Open palm
symbolizes sincerity, openness and innocence and in contrast touching your nose or rubbing
it in between a conversation conveys that you are not being true. Rubbing your hands is a
sign of anticipation while resting your cheek in your palm casts an image of thoughtfulness
and evaluation. Your arms crossed on your chest communicates defensiveness.

If you are aware of these body traits, you could use it to your advantage to evaluate your
recruiter, If the recruiter's eyes wander away in search of something more interesting, then
it means that your communication is not up to the mark and that there is a level of
discomfort. If he nods in acceptance as you are conversing, it's a positive vibe and it also
indicates that the person is listening to you.

Smiling also is a positive sign but make sure he isn't smiling at the wrong time, which could
indicate a negative influence. If the interviewer has his legs crossed with his hands clasped
at the back of his head, it's better you think twice before taking the offer as this posture
exaggerates extreme arrogance and superiority.

Remember to be relaxed during an interview, your hands on either sides in front of you and
maintain positive eye contact. Do not be over casual and lean right back on your chair, but
position yourself in such a way that you face the person directly and show a keen interest in
the opening and the company

HR Interview Questions and Tips

Introduction

Okay, so you have managed to hold your nerves in control and brave the questions of the HR. You are
now at the end of your interview session. What next? The answer is, there are a few more steps to go.

For instance, the HR person may ask you if you have anything to ask of him/her. How do you respond to
that? It is quite likely that you are stressed out and nothing comes to your mind. This article deals with this
situation and gives you a few intelligent questions that you may ask.

The Rationale

First of all let us try to understand why the HR person puts you in such a situation. Is he/she simply being
nice to you or is there more to it? One possible reason is that the company wants to project an image of
transparency. The company wants you to know that it encourages two-way communication between the
top management and the subordinates, an atmosphere where everyone can ask relevant questions and
expect to get answers. In other words, the company respects the employee’s need to know about matters
that affect him, no matter where he is in the hierarchy.

Next, and more important, this situation checks your presence of mind and ability to form intelligent
questions. So far you have been simply answering questions asked of you. How do you behave when you
are in a position to ask questions? What kind of questions do you ask? It also shows how serious you are
about the company and the job.

Let us get on to some questions now.

Some Useful Questions

Before you set out to ask questions, keep the above reasons in mind. It would be good to sincerely thank
the HR person for such an opportunity. You can start with something like “I have really enjoyed this
opportunity to meet you and your team at .. (the company name). Yes, there are a few things I would like
to know, thank you for asking” However it is not wise to ask the HR a volley of questions and turn it into a
counter interview. Consider the questions below and choose one or two from them that you find the most
useful to you.

What do you personally find the most enjoyable part of working for this company?
May I ask why or how you joined this organization? / What brought you here?
I would like to know about the work atmosphere here…
Would you be able to tell me about this company’s vision/philosophy?
How would you evaluate this organization’s strengths and weaknesses?
I would like to know a little about my day-to-day responsibilities.
Is this an immediate requirement? How soon would you be taking people on board for this position?
I would like to know how my skills compare with the other people who have applied for this position.
I am really interested in this opportunity and I feel I have the required skills for this position. What would I
have to do next?
Now that our interview is coming to close, is there anything you would like to know about my ability
towards this job?
Would you be able to tell me a little about what the company expects from its employees? What are the
most important assets and skills for this company?
Does the company follow a structured path in promoting the employees? How does it go?
If the company finds me good at the job, how would it advance me? What would be the next step in my

career growth?
If I performed well in the current position, what are the additional likely opportunities for me within this
company?
Are there any special areas in this company that the top leaders emerge from?/ Are there special areas
like say sales or engineering that have more prospects for growth within this company, or do the leaders
come from a cross section of different areas?
The company has decided to recruit for this position from outside. How does the company choose
between recruiting from within or outside?
How far does this particular position contribute to the bottom line?
What advice would you give to someone selected for this position?
What are the current challenges of this position/department within the company?
Before I leave, can I have a formal/written description of the position? This would help me to review the
activities and evaluate what is expected of me.
Is this job likely to lead to other positions in the company? What is the usual route?
Would you be able to tell me a little about the people I will be working with?
Before I take your leave, let me check my understanding of the position. The designation is …., the
responsibilities are …., it is in the ….. department, and I would be reporting to ……. Please correct me if I
have got it wrong anywhere.
How does this company promote equal opportunity and diversity?
Would you be able to tell me who the company regards as its stars? What have been their most important
contributions?
How do the subordinates address their seniors in this company?
Could you tell me about the management style of this company?
If you selected me for this position, what assignment would I be starting on?
Does this company have a formal mission statement? Am I allowed to see it?
What are the most important parameters along which this company evaluates an employee’s
contribution?

Some Usefull Question Answers

1. Tell me about yourself?

I am down-to-earth, sweet, smart, creative, industrious, and thorough.

2. How has your experience prepared you for your career?

Coursework:

Aside from the discipline and engineering foundation learning that I have gained from my courses, I think
the design projects, reports, and presentations have prepared me most for my career.

Work Experience:

Through internships, I have gained self-esteem, confidence, and problem-solving skills. I also refined my
technical writing and learned to prepare professional documents for clients.

Student Organizations:

By working on multiple projects for different student organizations while keeping up my grades, I've built
time management and efficiency skills. Additionally, I've developed leadership, communication, and
teamwork abilities.

Life Experience:

In general, life has taught me determination and the importance of maintaining my ethical standards.

3. Describe the ideal job.

Ideally, I would like to work in a fun, warm environment with individuals working independently towards
team goals or individual goals. I am not concerned about minor elements, such as dress codes, cubicles,
and the level of formality. Most important to me is an atmosphere that fosters attention to quality, honesty,
and integrity.

4. What type of supervisor have you found to be the best?

I have been fortunate enough to work under wonderful supervisors who have provided limited
supervision, while answering thoughtful questions and guiding learning. In my experience, the best
supervisors give positive feedback and tactful criticism.

5. What do you plan to be doing in five years' time?

Taking the PE exam and serving in supervisory/leadership roles both at work and in
professional/community organization(s).

6. What contributions could you make in this organization that would help you to stand out from
other applicants?

In previous internships, my industriousness and ability to teach myself have been valuable assets to the
company. My self-teaching abilities will minimize overhead costs, and my industriousness at targeting
needs without prompting will set me apart from others. Additionally, one thing that has always set me
apart from my scientific/engineering peers are my broad interests and strong writing abilities. I am not
your typical "left-brained" engineer, and with my broad talents, I am likely to provide diverse viewpoints.

7. What sort of criteria are you using to decide the organization you will work for?

Most importantly, I am looking for a company that values quality, ethics, and teamwork. I would like to
work for a company that hires overachievers.

8. What made you choose your major?

My academic interests are broad, so I sought civil engineering to achieve a great balance of mathematics,
chemistry, biology, physics, and writing.

9. Have your university and major met your expectations?

The College of Engineering at MSU has exceeded my expectations by providing group activities, career
resources, individual attention, and professors with genuine interest in teaching.

My major has met my expectations by about 90%. I would have enjoyed more choices in environmental
courses, and would have preferred more calculus-based learning.

10. What made you choose this college?

I chose this college for the following reasons: my budget limited me to in-state schools, I was seeking an
area with dog-friendly apartments, the MSU web site impressed me, I saw active student groups, and the
people were very friendly

Interview

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