BY DR.

RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

MODULE 2
Interview Skills:
Types of Interviews;
Open & Closed Ended Questions;
Hypothetical Questions; Mock Interviews





 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

INTERVIEW

AN INTERVIEW IS A PROCEDURE DESIGNED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM A PERSON THROUGH ORAL

RESPONSES TO ORAL INQUIRIES. AN INTERVIEW IS A FACE TO FACE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE
INTERVIEWER AND THE INTERVIEWEE, WHERE THE INTERVIEWER SEEKS REPLIES FROM THE
INTERVIEWEE FOR CHOOSING A POTENTIAL HUMAN RESOURCE.

-
-
 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

DEFINITIONS:

According to Gary Dessler, “Interview is a selected procedure designed to predict future job performance based on applicants’ oral
responses to oral inquiries.”

According to Scott and others, “an interview is a purposeful exchange of ideas, the answering of questions and communication between
two or more persons”.

Bingham and others define an interview as a ‘conversation with a purpose”.

According to Thill and Bovee, “An interview is any planed conversation with a specific purpose involving two or more people”.

According to Dr. S. M. Amunuzzaman, “Interview is a very systematic method by which a person enters deeply into the life of even a
stranger and can bring out needed information and data for the research purpose.”

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

• Why Interviews?

• Employers use interviews to learn more about candidates to narrow their search for
the best t for the job opening. During an interview, the hiring manager will ask you a
series of questions to test your competency and learn more about your experiences
related to the role. Though many employers use a traditional one-on-one interview
format, some companies nd that other kinds of interviews help them evaluate
candidates better. 
fi
fi
 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

Open & Closed Ended Questions

Open-ended questions:

Open-ended questions are questions that allow someone to give a free-form answer. Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be
answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and instead require the respondent to elaborate on their points. Open-ended questions help you see things
from a specific perspective.

Closed-ended questions:

Closed-ended questions can be answered with “Yes” or “No,” or they have a limited set of possible answers (such as: A, B, C, or All of the
Above). Closed-ended questions are questions that can only be answered by selecting from a limited number of options, usually multiple-
choice, ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or a rating scale (e.g. from strongly agree to strongly disagree). Closed-ended questions give limited insight.

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

Open-Ended Questions and Closed-Ended Questions:

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

LET’S PRACTICE:

GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OPEN ENDED AND ONE CLOSED ENDED QUESTION.

-
 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

What are hypothetical interview questions?

Hypothetical interview questions test your skill-level at identifying and addressing commonplace situations in the
workplace. The quality of your responses gives the interviewer a glimpse of the way you think about problems that
approach you, preexisting assumptions you have, the curiosity you exhibit when presented with the question and follow-
up questions you may ask. In other words, navigating the questions can serve you well in comparison to the answer based
on your willingness to solve the problem and display the right attitude in the process.

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

Advantages of hypothetical interview questions:

1.Gives you a chance to de ne your core values

2.Allows you to demonstrate your collaboration skills

3.Provides the interviewer a scenario when you overcame adversity.

Disadvantages of hypothetical interview questions:

1.Answers can be faked.

2.Answers can be time-consuming

3.The interview can be unnecessarily long.

fi
 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS:

• How would you make a great impression with a client during a meeting?
• If I tell you that you failed, what would be your first reaction?
• What if a coworker is slow to respond to the information you need to carry out a certain task?
• If you are stuck in a traffic jam and will surely get late for a very important meeting, how will you manage?

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

Mock Interview:

A mock interview mirrors an actual job interview. It gives you an opportunity to practice what to say
and do during an interview and get feedback. Whether it’s face-to-face, online, or through a webcam,
a mock interview is useful in reviewing your answers to common interview questions and assessing
other factors such as your out t,  mannerisms, and body language. As the saying goes, “practice
makes perfect.” Doing a mock interview will show you your strong and weak points and boost your
self-con dence.
fi
fi
 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

H.O.T
Question of the day.
Think!

YOUR COWORKER HAS FALSELY ACCUSED YOU OF SENDING LEWD MESSAGES AND HENCE, BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THE CHARGE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT. HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT SITUATION?

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

WORD OF THE DAY:

ANTISTALKING

 BY DR. RAVI BHATT (SST2002: SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS II)

ANTISTALKING

LEARNING A PERSON’S ROUTINE IN ORDER TO AVOID THEM.

* I AM ANTISTALKING HIM THESE DAYS.

* I GOT RID OF HIM AFTER ANTISTALKING HIM FOR A WEEK.