Know your interview etiquette

We are going through hard times and interviews are becoming tougher day by day. Gone are the days when you wait for the appointment letter a week after the interview. When I attended an interview about 50 years ago, there was hardly any competition to get a job. Even with your SSC (equivalent to today's GCE O/L) qualifications you could easily get a Government job. The private sector was not so developed at that time and many youth wanted to do a Government job. Most of the vacancies were advertised in the Government Gazette.

Today's interviews are nerve-racking affairs. The very thought of an interview gives you jitters. When you enter a room for an interview you know that somebody or a group of people are waiting there to pass judgement on your abilities and character as well. Interviews are becoming tougher because today's employers cannot afford to make mistakes in picking the right person to a particular job.

Like examinations, interviews are also not a very reliable method of finding the right person for a particular job. However, until somebody comes up with a better method of recruiting, interviews will remain to haunt us. Therefore, the prospective interviewee has to know how to market themselves at interviews.

The biggest mistake is to know nothing about the organization you are going to work for. It is always advisable to check information available in the company's annual reports and newspaper articles. Every employer wants to increase his profits by hiring you. Therefore, always plan ahead what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.

Image consultants tell us that the first impression goes a long way to hire a person. In order to create a good impression the interviewee has to be well dressed. This gives him confidence to face the interview. The bottom line is that he has to feel comfortable so that he can forget about how he looks and gets on with selling himself!

Sometimes, you have to wait for a longer time than is necessary to face an interview. The organization may have asked you to be present at 9 a.m. However, you will be called for the interview around 10.15 a.m. You must be ready for such delays.

This is no excuse for you to attend the interview late. It is always good to reach the place about 15 minutes before the interview. If the interview is to be held at an office situated in an unfamiliar location, it will be advisable for you to visit the place before the interview. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time trying to find the office!

When you are interviewed by a panel of interviewers, they will be introduced to you in advance. Try to remember their names and designations. There is no need to shake hands unless they offer to do so. Look at the person who is questioning you and maintain eye contact. Never interrupt their questions with your answers. Never ask for clarifications at this stage. Keep your answers short and do not show any signs of nervousness or lack of experience.

The first four minutes of an interview are crucial. That means the interviewer will form an opinion of you during that brief period. Meanwhile, be aware of your body language. Most interviewees fidget in their seats and put their hands close to their faces. This shows their insecurity. If you maintain steady eye contact, you show respect and security.

Without asking for your experience, the interviewer may ask you: "Have you done this kind of work before?" This is a make or break situation. If you have no experience, be frank about it. Any lie you tend to utter can be checked and verified. Another tricky question is: "Why are you leaving your present job?" Never say you are unhappy in your present job. Instead tell the interviewer that you enjoy your work but you are looking for ways to apply your experience gained in the field. Once an interviewee told the interviewer that she had some problems with her former boss. She was branded a troublemaker and was not hired.

"Are you married?"

"Do you have children?"

These questions have to be answered truthfully because your prospective employer can ask anything job-related. Once an interviewee when asked whether he was married blurted out: "That's none of your business!" The poor fellow didn't get the job.

Unlike in the past, today most interviewers will ask you: "Do you have any questions?" However, be tactful in asking questions about the salary and other perks. Do not ask a series of questions and limit your questions to three.

After the interview, leave a lasting impression. Say something like this before leaving: "I really enjoyed discussing this job with you. Thank you very much for inviting me to attend the interview."

Such words will leave a lasting impression. If you get up from your seat and leave the place, the interviewer will simply forget you!