Things You Need to Know About Attending an Interview

chillibreeze writer — Sangeetha Chakrapani

'I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.’ These words conjure up the image of a straight-backed individual, standing tall, resonant with will power and confidence. This is the spirit with which a person must be infused when meeting a prospective employer. The way you carry yourself is the single most powerful way of making an impression in an interview. That kind of confidence is infectious and makes a positive impact.

Do Your Homework

After a two year gap in service, I was soaring high at being considered for a job in client servicing in a top advertising agency. I agreed to meet them that very day and breezed off to meet the regional head at the agency. The first question ‘What is the thickness of this newspaper’ was basic information which even an advertising greenhorn would have known. I was blank. The second on media deadlines was slightly more complex. I dithered for a reply. The regional head was the soul of courtesy and personally escorted me to the exit door. I spent the next fifteen days in printing studios and with media houses till I was razor sharp with facts and figures. I called the same agency but opportunity rarely knocks twice, does it? Go over your prospective employer’s website, visit their office in advance and pick up brochures or mission statement leaflets which are normally kept in the reception area for visitors, visit their factory if they have one, check out their competitors. Be knowledgeable. There is no substitute for it.

Clothes Reveal the Person You Are

Anita attended an interview with a media house, straight from an engagement ceremony. She was splendidly dressed in silk clothes with trendy accessories. She never made it to the second round of interviews. Fussy dressing is for social engagements. Make a smart appearance at an interview. Clean cut clothes, crisply ironed, and no trailing scarves. Subtle perfume, discreet make-up and accessories will round it up beautifully.

Do Not Fidget

Speak clearly and concisely. Avoid any mannerisms and do not be self-conscious. Someone clasps and unclasps his hands. Another pulls at the ears. Yet another fluffs the hair at the crown of the head. Worse examples are fiddling with one’s tie, coughing before speaking a new sentence. Rather than concentrating on your reply, the interviewer gets distracted with the mannerism on display.

Pay Attention to Details

God is in the details. Check and double check your papers before attending an interview. The head of an NGO managed to get a long sought after appointment with the state chief minister. The objective was to present an appeal for allocation of land for a hospital. Imagine her state of abject embarrassment when the chief minister returned the appeal, gently pointed out that she hadn’t signed it and gave her a pen when her handbag yielded none. Carry two copies of your resume, duplicates of work and education certificates (not originals, in case the file gets misplaced), a small diary and pen.

Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate

'In business, you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate’. Know the industry standards on compensation packages. Check out salary structures in similar organizations and make discreet enquiries about the prospective organization too. This way, you will be ready to negotiate a fair compensation package for yourself.

Be a Good Listener

'For there is a time to talk and a time to be silent’. While it is nice to show off ones abilities and potential, know when to stop. A touch of humility does no harm. Also listen and do not interrupt when the interviewer is getting a point across. You may pick up some information which will be useful later on in the interview.

Rock Solid and Dependable

The woods are lovely…. And I have miles to go before I sleep’ Nothing pleases an organization more than to know that someone wants to be with them for the long haul. Do not hesitate to let them know that you nurse many ambitions but emphasise that you would like to go a long way with them.

There are milestones for everyone to conquer and if not in one place, there is another waiting around the corner. While one is understandably eager to gain entry into a desirable place, know that options beyond always exist. Good luck!

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