27 Interviews

Dr. Mani Shreshtha

1. Module 27: Interviews

2. Learning Outcomes:

· conduct an effective interview

· handle a job interview

3. Introduction:

An interview is generally the last step for a candidate in selection process to get a job. Successful performance by the candidate at the interview ensures a final placement. Every interview has two parties involved in it. First is an interviewer, who conducts the interview and the other is an interviewee, who appears for the interview. As interview is one of the most important steps in the whole selection process, it should not be taken lightly. An interview provides an opportunity to the interviewer and interviewee to interact with each other. It is a two way process wherein both employer and the candidate try to evaluate each other. During an interview, a candidate gets a chance to explain more than what is mentioned in the cover letter or the resume. Through an interview, interviewer tries to collect maximum information about the candidate in a systematic manner. This information is further used to make a decision about hiring the candidate or not. A more focused discussion can be conducted during an interview. It also provides an opportunity to the interviewer to observe non- verbal behaviours of a candidate.

4. Purpose of an Interview:

The broad purpose of an interview is to seek information from the interviewee. The information is further used to take various decisions. An interview can be conducted to get the information about:

Candidate’s suitability for the job
Employee’s counselling requirements
Reasons of an employee for leaving the job
Reasons to get a promotion
Performance of the employee during the year
Reasons for opposing the decision of the management
Solutions to the problem faced by a company

It can be observed that interviews are conducted for different purposes, right from the hiring to exit of the employees. Keeping in mind the relevance of issue for the candidate, only job interviews will be discussed further. During a job interview, interviewer tries to find out whether the interviewee possesses the required qualification (in terms skills, experience, and knowledge)

for the job. Also, the candidate carries a personality to fit in the company’s culture.

5. Types of Interviews:

Interviews can be of different types depending upon the requirement of the interviewer. It is the purpose or the situation that decides which type of interview would be conducted. Each type is having its own pros and cons. Having information about the type of interview would help the interviewee to prepare in a better manner. On the basis of kind of information is sought through the interview process, an interview can be termed as promotion interview, performance appraisal interview, exit interview, and job interview. Apart from that there are some other types of interviews such as:

5.1. One-on-one interview: In a one-on-one interview, there is only one interviewer for a candidate. Everything regarding the suitability of the candidate for the job is checked by that single person. It is the most common type of interview.

5.2. Board interview: A board interview is also referred as a panel interview. In this kind of interview, a candidate is interviewed by more than one person at the same time. This group of interviewers is termed as board or panel. The result of the interview depends upon the judgement of all the members of the panel.

5.3. Group interview: A group interview is like an extension of board interview. Here a group of candidates is interviewed by members of the panel. Generally this kind of interview is conducted when numbers of candidate are more and time available to select a candidate is less.

5.4. Discussion interview: A discussion interview is strictly not an interview but it serves the same purpose. In this type of interview, a candidate is invited in a more informal environment such as over a lunch or coffee. The candidate and the interviewer discuss on various jobs related issues in comfortable surroundings. Focus is more on the arguments made by the candidate than on formality of structure of the interview. A discussion interview is more popular when a company is hiring for middle to senior positions.

5.5. On task interview: This kind of interview puts the candidate on real organizational task and the decisions and actions are being observed by the interviewers. On task interviews are more popular for technical positions.

5.6. Telephonic interview: A telephonic interview acts as a filter before inviting a candidate for a face to face interaction. It saves lot of time and money for the interviewer and the candidate. In this interview, few structured questions are being asked over a phone to judge the prima facie suitability of the candidate for the job. Once the interviewer is satisfied with a telephonic interview. The candidate is generally invited for the next round of interview at the company.

5.7. Multi- Round interview: Many times companies choose not to conduct a panel interview to select a candidate; instead they conduct a series of interviews with different interviewer. Getting a next round interview means the company is serious about your candidature. Generally these rounds include preliminary, non technical, technical, and personality.

6. Stages of an Interview:

Every interview passes through certain phases or stages before coming to an end. These stages can be described as:

6.1. Preliminary stage: It is the initial stage and includes getting an interview call wherein time and date for telephonic interview is fixed. It is followed by a telephonic interview. This stage is helpful in checking the basic communication skills, voice quality, and confidence level of the candidate. Details mentioned in the cover letter and resume are also checked in this stage. After this stage, interviewee is called for a face to face interaction at given time, date, and venue.

6.2. Cooling- off stage: In this stage, interviewer tries to comfort the candidate by asking very basic and open-ended questions. The purpose of the interviewer is to relax the candidate and remove any kind of undue nervousness. These questions are also termed as comfort questions. One of the most popular comfort question is ‘Introduce Yourself’

6.3. Information sharing stage: In this stage the interviewer shares general information with candidate. This information pertains to general introduction of the company and various positions open for the candidate. The purpose of this stage is to make a candidate aware about the business and culture of the organization and conveying the performance expectations from a potential candidate. Information is also provided regarding various job openings for which interview is conducted. Such information acts as guiding tool for a candidate to generate appropriate answers.

6.4. Focused stage: In this stage, the interviewer starts asking question specifically related to the position advertised. These questions might relate to a candidate’s qualification, work experience, key responsibilities held, major achievements so far, strengths, and weaknesses etc. The purpose of these questions is to check the specific suitability of a candidate to job under question.

6.5. Closure stage: This is the end stage of an interview. In this stage, the interviewer provides an opportunity to the interviewee to ask any question. The purpose of this stage is to clear the basic queries of the candidate regarding further process of selection. After this stage, an interview ends.

7. Appearing for an Interview:

Appearing for an interview is one most challenging situation you face during your professional career. The reason for this is its dynamic nature. The conduct and result of the interview varies with the change in interviewer, company, position etc. For a candidate, an interview can be divided into three broad phases namely pre- interview, interview, and post interview phase. Every candidate has to perform well in all the phases to increase the chances of getting a job offer. Every stage demands a different level of effort from a candidate.

7.1. Pre- interview phase: This phase is termed as preparation phase. In this phase the candidate has to do homework for the interview. A good preparation makes you more confident and prepares to give your best. Following are few of the do’s and don’ts while preparing for an interview:

7.1.1. Do a self assessment. Sincerely done self assessment make the life of a candidate much easier. A self assessment is gathering information about oneself. It is concerned with having an in-depth knowledge about work experience, personal beliefs and values, strengths, weaknesses, education, skills and expertise you have to offer, current and future goals, salary expectations, location preferences.

7.1.2. Gather information about the company. Gathering information about the company where you are appearing for the interview can give you an edge at the time of interview. Company’s website could be considered as a useful source of information. You must gather information regarding businesses of the company, mission and vision, number of employees, annual turnover, basic financial performance, future projects, reputation in the market, products offered, major competitors, and recent news about the company. Such information helps you out in answer one of the common question asked by the interviewers, ‘What do you know about our company?

7.1.3. Know the position you are applying for. You must go through the job description and get familiar with tasks required to be performed, minimum qualification required, and other physical and mental capabilities that required for the position. Try to create a fit between what is being sought and what you have to offer. Also identify the areas where you are lacking or unfamiliar. Devise strategies about how would you handle your shortcomings. Also research anything which is new to you in a job description.

7.1.4. Review your resume. Just go through the cover letter and resume you have mailed while applying for the job. If in the meantime, new developments occurred then incorporate them in your resume. At the time of interview an updated resume is an asset. Also check for any spelling or any other grammatical mistakes. Read your resume many times to get a feel about the information mentioned by you. Never misrepresent anything in resume as interviewer generally carries your resume at the time of interview. If any information mentioned by you is found incorrect, a question of integrity arises.

7.1.5. Get information about the interviewer. In the corporate sector, it generally known that who would be interviewing you. So, if name and designation of the interviewer is available to you then you must gather information about him or her. The purpose of this effort is to know about the career graph of the interviewer, major responsibilities handled, interest area. In the era of technology, obtaining such information is not a difficult task. Various social networking and professional linking websites like facebook and linkedin could be used. The obtained information can be used understand the interviewer in a better manner.

7.1.6. Know the interview format. If possible, ask about the interview format. Such information guides you in preparing for the interview accordingly. The preparation for one to one interview would be different from a panel interview or a discussion interview.

7.1.7. Anticipate questions. Although future is unknown still an intelligent guess about the future is always appreciated. Questions asked by the interviewer are not known in advance but it is advisable to anticipate interview questions. Make a list of questions that might be asked. Go through various resources, read books or surf internet and prepare a list of most asked questions matching to the job for which you have applied. After having your list of questions, prepare best answers for each question.

7.1.8. Enquire the location. It might happen that you have to attend the interview in a totally new city. In such cases, it is always advisable to search out for the venue of interview in advance. This will help you in avoiding last minute hassles and chances of reaching late for the interview. You can also search out for the alternative routes and mode of transportation to the venue of the interview. If time and situation permits, visit the location prior to the day of interview. Overall, this effort will help you in managing time.

7.1.9. Preparing folder. A candidate generally carries a folder for the interview. This folder contains documents. You should carefully prepare a list of things that you might carry in your folder. Few suggestions are; arrangement of documents mentioning your experience and qualification in reverse chronological order, extra copies of your resume, atleast five photographs, interview call letter, address and phone number of the company, and basic stationary items such as pen, pencil, eraser, stapler, tags, flags, and blank white papers. This effort of yours will make you self reliant at the place of interview.

7.1.10. Practice. Practice is an integral part of preparations for an interview. More you practice better you feel. Confidence makes you perform better at the time of interview. Rehearse your answers to the anticipated questions.

7.1.11. Dress professionally. Your attire helps you in creating a first positive impression on the interviewer. Always wear formals for the interview. It displays your sincerity towards a profession. When in doubt about what to wear, always dress-up conservatively. Also keep up an excellent personal hygiene.

7.1.12. Arrive on time. Try to reach to the venue fifteen minutes before scheduled time. This gesture displays your punctuality trait. It also gives you time to settle down and gain composure. Reaching venue in a hurry results in hasty decisions and unplanned answers.

7.2. Interview phase: This phase is termed as performance phase. In this phase the candidate actually faces the interviewer. It is the time to exhibit all the preparations in a best possible manner. Following are few of the do’s and don’ts while attending an interview:

7.2.1. Ask permission to enter into the interview room.

7.2.2. Greet the interviewer with confidence.

7.2.3. Take permission to be seated.

7.2.4. Be brief while answering a question.

7.2.5. Support your views with proper arguments.

7.2.6. Be honest while answering a question. Faking doesn’t work. Admit politely if you do not know the answer.

7.2.7. Carefully listen to the questions. This becomes more important in case of panel interview when more than one person ask questions.

7.2.8. Always maintain an eye contact while answering a question.

7.2.9. Focus on your body language. Remember, non-verbal cues are also noticed at the time of an interview.

7.2.10. Display courtesy while speaking.

7.2.11. Exhibit enthusiasm for the job opportunity.

7.2.12. Speak in clear voice and appropriate tone. Maintain your energy level while answering questions.

7.2.13. Be calm and composed during the interview.

7.2.14. Talk about relevant things only. Irrelevant information might irritate an interviewer.

7.2.15. It is ok to think a little before answering a question.

7.2.16. Do not try to influence the interviewer by giving names of references.

7.2.17. Do not try to change the topic of discussion.

7.3. Post interview phase: At the end of the interview, an interviewer might offer you an opportunity to ask questions. It is important to encash this opportunity. Simply by mentioning ‘No Question’ does not create the best impression. An interviewer might think either you are not prepared or you are not interested in the position. It is always advisable to prepare few questions in advance. Some of these questions might be:

· What would be the further process of selection?

· What to do if I hear nothing from your side?

· What kind of initial assignments would I get?

· If selected, would there be a training program for me?

· Do your company promote higher studies for employees?

8. Conducting an Interview:

If you are already working in an organization then you might get a chance to conduct interviews. Although conducting interviews seems a simple task but it requires skill and preparation. As it is already known by now that interview is a two way communication process. Interviewee is also judging the interviewer. As an interviewer you are representing your company and it is your responsibility to create a positive image of the company in the mind of an interviewee. Following are few of the dos and don’ts for an interviewer while conducting an interview:

8.1. Go through each candidate’s resume prior to the start of interview proceedings.

8.2. Read the job description carefully and identify the parameters on which a candidate’s performance is checked.

8.3. Always reply to the greetings by a candidate.

8.4. Offer a chair to sit.

8.5. Give time to a candidate to warm up for the interview.

8.6. Must gain basic legal knowledge about the rights of employers and employees.

8.7. Structure your questions in advance. It would help in organizing the interview properly.

8.8. Stay focused. Do not ask irrelevant or uncomfortable questions.

8.9. Give adequate time to interviewee to speak. It is not your performance but the performance of the candidate that matters.

8.10. Never get biased and avoid halo effect barrier while communicating to the candidate.

8.11. If you wish to conduct another round of interview, inform the candidate about the date, time, and venue for it.

8.12. End the interview on a positive note.

8.13. After the interview, immediately write down notes and comments about interviewed candidates. Delaying this action might result into loss of important information about the prospective employee.

9. Frequently asked interview questions:

As advised in the earlier section that anticipating interview questions and preparing their answers is a must do exercise for the candidates. These questions are asked to check various aspects of a candidate such as behavioural, technical knowledge, ability to handle stress, presentation skills and presence of mind while reacting to a given situation. Following is a list of some popular interview questions:

Introduce yourself
Why you have applied for this position?
Mention your strengths and weaknesses.
Why you have pursued MBA program?
Share your experiences during Summer Internship program.
Which courses did you like best?

Why we should hire your for this position?
What are your salary expectations?
Where do you see yourself after 5 years?
What do you know about our company?
Name any two products in which we are dealing.
How your education will contribute to this job?
Are you interested in furthering your studies after joining the job?
Mention your biggest achievement, so far.
Mention your biggest failure, so far.
Name any task which you can do best.
Are you open to work on any location?
Are you ok with flexi-timings?
Can you work in shifts?
What matters you more—money or job profile?
Tell me about your interest areas.
Name three organizations you want to work for and why?
Why you chose marketing as your major area of specialization?
Would you like to work alone or in a team?
Do you like multi-tasking? If yes, justify.
Mention your long-term and short-term career goals.
What are your views about ethics in an organization?
Name a person, who can vouch for your integrity.
Are you willing to travel 15 days in a month?
Share you learning from your past experiences.

This is not a comprehensive list. New question must be added to the list as and when you come across one.

Summary:

An interview is a two way communication between the interviewer and the interviewee wherein both the parties try to judge each other in order to create a fit. All the interviews are conducted for a purpose. The purpose of an interview can be to get the information about candidate’s suitability for the job; employee’s training requirements, identifying reasons of an employee for leaving the job, appraising the performance of the employee etc. during the year. Interviews can be of several types such as one to one, board, stress, discussion, group, and multi round. Every interview has certain stages like preliminary stage, cooling off stage, information sharing stage, focused stage, and closure stage. While preparing for the interview, an interviewee has to focus on three phase namely pre interview phase, interview phase, and post interview phase. Each phase demands a different effort from the candidate. Sometimes, we get a chance to conduct an interview. In that case it is important consider do’s and don’ts of conducting an interview. It is always advisable to create a list of anticipated questions for an interview and then prepare answer for each question.

you can view video on Interviews

Few important links to learn more about Interviews:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-answer-the-31-most-common-interview-questions
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5212-job-interviews-techniques.html
https://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/hr/Recruitment-Retention/HR_R-R_Interview-Preparation.pdf
http://www.rit.edu/~w-ssp/documents/Interviewing%20Guide.pdf
https://hospitality.ucf.edu/files/2011/08/Interview-Guide.pdf

Did you know?

Importance of Non Verbal cues during an Interview:

According to a survey responded by recruiters, following nonverbal mistakes are some of the reasons why you may be eliminated during the interview:

70% indicated applicants were too fashionable or trendy.
67% indicated failure to make eye contact.
55% the way the candidate dressed, acted or walked through the door.
47% of clients who had little or no knowledge of the company.
38% was a tie – quality of voice and overall confidence; and lack of a smile.
33% for bad posture.
26% because the handshake was too weak.
21% for crossing their arms over their chest during the interview.

(The figures stated above are courtesy of JobVite.com, TheUndercoverRecruiter.com and Work4labs.com.)

Source: http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/25-fun-facts-resumes-interviews-social-recruitment-0975676#rfQL7phd4TJCPjEE.97

Points to Ponder:

An interview is a two way process.
Doing a self- assessment is imperative for preparing for interview.
Anticipate questions to be asked.
Prepare as per the type of an interview.
Always be prepared for a telephonic interview.
Non-verbal cues are also observed during an interview.
Practice is the key for success.
Conducting an interview requires skill and preparation