A Presentation On

INTERVIEWING
TECHNIQUES
By Dr. Inderjit Singh
 Introduction
 What is an Interview ?
 Types of Interview
 Prerequisites for an Interview
 Strategies For Success at Interview
 How to Interview Candidates ?
 Conclusion
 Doubts and Queries ?
 What is an Interview ?
 Oral tool to test a candidate
 Procedure to find out skills, knowledge
and ability
 Types of Interviews
 Telephonic / Computer / Video Conferencing Interview
 One-on-One Interview
 Serial interview
 Sequential Interview
 Panel Interview
 Group Interview
 Situation or Performance Interview
 Audition Interview
 Stress Interview
 Informational Interview
 Directive or Structured Style Interview
 Meandering Style Interview
 Mealtime Interviews
 Follow-up Interviews
 Behavioral Interview
 Exit Interviews
 Prerequisites for an Interview
 Arrive early
 Dress up properly, Take care of mannerism, and
communication
 Prepare for interview in advance
 Collect information about the company
 Stationery for the interview
 Work your portfolio
 Client testimonials ,References
 Relax and Freshen up
 Take in the Atmosphere
 Bring extra copy of your CV or Resume
 Strategies For Success at Interview

 First Impression
 Body language
 Know yourself
 Know the company
 Know the job profile
Before the Interview:
 Use the 3 P’s - Plan, Prepare, and Practice
 Prepare for the interview; research the company and prepare
questions based on your research.
 Do mock interviews in order to prepare for all questions,
especially uncomfortable ones.
 Dress professionally even if the company dress code is
business casual.
 Arrive early! (12-15 minutes before the interview)
 Give your interviewer a firm handshake. A powerful
handshake and a genuine smile will get you off to a good
start.
 Beware of your Body Language; sit erect, stand and walk with
confidence, lean forward toward the interviewer.
 Build rapport - use powerful, effective communication
techniques.
 Be a good listener. Answer only what’s asked, in a
brief but effective manor.
 Show enthusiasm and sincere interest. Don’t act
desperate.
 Take notes. You may need to refer to them later in the
interview.
 Communicate your skills, qualifications, credentials
and the benefits you offer.
 Demonstrate your accomplishments; how you
improve sales, reduce costs, improve productivity,
solve organizational problems, etc.
 Make eye contact. It demonstrates confidence, trust,
and power.
Dealing with interview stress
Pre-interview tips: 
 Practice mock interviews with family or in front of the mirror so that
  actual interviews don’t scare you.
Know your resume thoroughly. Be prepared for questions on work
experience, job responsibilities and education.
 Research thoroughly about the background of the company and
industry. Prepare questions you would like to ask at the end of the
interview. Plan your attire in advance. For more on that, check, dressing
for interviews.
 If you are still unwell or not at your best, it is better to re-schedule
your interview. 

Facing the interview tips:

 Timing is important: Don't cause undue stress before a big interview.
Arrive just 10-15 minutes before the scheduled time. Arriving early
makes you worry more and arriving late may find yourself racing, your
heart pounding from the last-minute dash. A pre-interview break can
help you to catch your breath and acclimatize you.
  

 Relax: Only if you are relaxed, you can exude confidence.
Show that you're calm, composed and in command during
the interview. Breathe deeply and slowly; sitting straight
without crossing your arms or legs. Your hands and jaws
should be relaxed with no clenching.
  
 Speaking slowly but clearly with pauses for breath. Do
not run with your answers to make them look like a pratcised
speech. Be clear, take appropriate pauses, smile often and
don’t look grim and serious.
  
 Facing a tough question: Don’t flub or grapple for words.
Pause but don’t panic. Not everything goes as per your plan.
Tackle it smartly taking deep breaths and re-focus and
continue with the interview.
  
 First Impression
“you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  
Matt Lauer (American Journalist)

“Halo effect”
“Devil effect”

 Your appearance is all wrong

 An obvious lack of confidence
 Nothing much to say
 Get the Basics Right - Body Language
 Handshake
 Body Posture / Gestures
 Eye contact
 Facial Expression
 Arms
 Posture
 Legs
 Reinforce what you are saying – examples
 Be positive about things
 “So, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

Follow the four easy steps outlined below to ensure your response will grab the
interviewers attention.

 Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that are key to the open
position.
 Provide a career summary of your most recent work history.
 Tie your response to the needs of the hiring organization.
 Ask an insightful question. 
 There you have it – a response that meets the needs of the interviewer and supports
your agenda.
 “So, tell me about yourself?” isn’t overwhelming. In fact, answering the question
effectively gives you the opportunity to talk about your strengths, achievements, and
qualifications for the position. So take this golden opportunity and run with it!
"Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?"

 Think of the things you as an employer will do for an

employee:
 From this question, your potential employer wants to
know your long-term professional plans and whether
hiring you will suit them or not.
 Where you see yourself in the company?
 If you’re a nerve wreck, settle for a quasi-pat answer.
 Say, “I want to see myself advancing in my career goal, learn
new things and take on new responsibilities.” Or maybe, “I
will take advantage of the available opportunities and
contribute handsomely”
 Injecting a little humor works at times depending on the interviewer’s
mood. Judge that first. An answer like, "I want to be in your position" might
stump the interviewer and make him/her speechless. But follow up with the
explanation that with everyone doing a good job, it’s just logical that
everyone moves up in the corporate ladder. The optimism and confidence
might work.
 Sometimes being honest helps as truth has its own advantage. Honesty
works better than the best prepared scripts with its element of uncertainty. If
you are a fresher, you can say, “I’ve no specific plans except that I want to
work sincerely in the current profile but be open to opportunities within the
organization to advance even if I’ve to switch roles. At this age, I can learn
fast and adapt, which are my strengths. I am flexible and will acquire new
skills to contribute to the organization's success.” Or as a pro you can say,
“I’ll strive to refine my skills and be an expert. After proving myself in all the
roles, I adorn, I would like to continue contributing in a challenging
environment.”
Making the most of the first 5 minutes!

 The key things to keep in mind are that you project the appropriate
image and substantiate that with well-thought out, confident answers.
 Dress in appropriate clothes and shoes, “A man came dressed in jeans
and shirt for a formal interview. I was so irritated that he didn’t even respect
the job enough to wear trousers, forget tie. Obviously, I didn’t give him the
job!” shared an HR Head.
 Walk confidently and introduce yourself clearly. Dragging your feet and
mumbling your name is not going to make you appear at all eager or
capable.
 When seated, maintain good posture and keep making eye contact.
This will make you look more engaging and professional. As any body
language expert will tell you, looking down at your feet when talking
suggests poor self esteem and lack of interest.
 Be prepared to discuss anything from your CV or job application form
at length. “I like to gauge interviewees based on how they respond to a few
initial questions about their interests or school or something. Only if they can
answer comfortably and generate a positive vibe do I start asking more in-
depth questions” explained a campus recruitment officer.
Highlight just what the employer wants
to know!
 Prepare your answers well by doing enough research early on; speak with
people in the industry, go online, especially the company website, read
relevant periodicals and talk with career guidance officers.
 Your reason for choosing the specific job and whether you have the
necessary skills and experience to be able to complete the requisite
responsibilities?
    
 Your rationale for choosing the organisation.
   
 Whether you will be a good fit with the organisation and its culture?
    
 By focusing your research on just what employers want to hear, you’ll be
saving precious time, creating goodwill and certainly paving your path to
clinching the job!
 Know ●

●
Who am I ?
What are my Skills, Strengths and
Weaknesses ?
your self ●
What are my Goals ?

Company Size
Know your
●

●
Core Values
company ●
MISSION and VISSION

Know ●

●
Your role
Your Responsibilities
your job ●
Are you ready to take that ?
Tell me about you last Boss ,College or
company
Whether you leave on your own will or have been fired, you have to answer and
tailor your response to meet this particular situation. Here are some tips to
help you prepare face even sceptical interviewers.
 Be concise: Give a 2-3 sentences brief and honest response. Rambling
may seem that you are trying to justify your reasons. Always be direct and
focus your answer based on the future, sounding positive and clear about
your goals.
 Don’t badmouth your employer: Criticizing your employer is an obvious
faux pas showing a lack of maturity that reflects poorly on you. The golden
rule to see you through this tough answering is - never badmouth your boss
or your old organisation, even if the boss was pesky and the organisation
meted you a bad deal. Regardless of the reasons, make it a personal issue
and speak highly about the place. No potential employer wants to hear
your gripe about a prior boss, even if the reasons for leaving are justified.
Keep in mind that your interviewer is looking for a positive, motivated and
hardworking candidate. Moreover, it raises concerns that you are difficult to
get along with.
 No clichés please: No overused phrases like “there is no room for growth”. Though
it’s a positive answer as you are ready for more responsibilities, employers may read it
as de-motivated. Without stating grievances, talk about opportunities you're seeking
out.
 Don’t raise red flags: Steer clear of citing money or a shorter commute as your
reason for seeking a new job. These answers are like alarm bells to recruiters and they
might get put off thinking that you are fishing for a counteroffer to win a higher salary.
Also, talking about commuting time means you are not responsible enough and non-
committal.
 Prepare well: Any question can throw you off balance during the interview, but the
most plausible one of leaving your old company is very pertinent. Experienced
recruiters often probe this for a better understanding of you. You will be confident and
focused if you script and practice answering this question before it is asked. If your
leaving wasn't under the best of circumstances, prepare some answers to keep the
employer's interests ahead of your own during the interview. (Read:
Explaining job hops and work gaps)
 Be up front about a job loss: If you are laid-off as a result of the larger
circumstances in the company, emphasize on the overall picture. Try to give the exact
number of job cuts, if available. If you are the only one to suffer the misfortune of a job-
cut, leave it at that. Don’t explain if not asked for, but never try to do a cover-up act as
"You don't want to be caught in a lie."
 Instead of trying to build reasons in the air, just say, "It’s a career move,"
without going into the specifics. Always resort to the truth as it's best to base
the answer on real reasons, putting a positive spin on it. So how you deal
with it depends on how you have resolved it with yourself first.
  
What is your greatest weakness?

 We all have aspects of our job we prefer not to do. What aspect of your day-to-day
responsibilities do you dislike?
 In hopes of making you feel comfortable, interviewers may ask questions that start with “we.” The
psychology behind this is to make you feel as though you are with a friend, which can cause you to
let your guard down.
  
 Think back to your last review. What suggestions did your supervisor have for improvement?
 The chances are extremely high that your supervisor offered suggestions for improvement.
Interviewers are aware of this and anticipate that you will disclose the details of your most recent
evaluation.
 Describe a project you worked on that didn’t turn out as well as you expected.
 Interviewers find that job seekers reveal more when they are asked to tell a story. The assumption is
made that the more you talk, the more likely you’ll disclose your weaknesses.
 In what area of your work do you think you can be more effective?
 This question is very similar to “greatest weakness” question. However, interviewers believe the way
the question is phrased will make you feel less threatened, and therefore more likely to answer freely.
 Bottom line: Whether or not you want to divulge sensitive information during an interview, an
interviewer is going to try his or her darnedest to dig for skeletons in your closet. Interviewers want to
uncover any reasons why they shouldn’t hire you, and they hope those reasons will come straight
from you. So be prepared.
10 things recruiters won’t tell you

 Your interview attire is outdated/ messy/ too tight/ too revealing/ too
flashy.
 Your physical appearance is disheveled/ outdated/ sloppy/ smelly/
overpowering (i.e. too much perfume).
 Your eye contact is weak/ shifty/ intense.
 Your handshake is limp/ too forceful/ clammy.
 You say ah/ um/ like too much.
 You talk too much/ use poor grammar/ say inappropriate things (i.e.
swearing) when you answer interview questions.
 You appear overconfident/ pushy/self-centered/ insecure/ aloof/
ditzy/ scatter-brained/ desperate.
 You talk too fast/ too slow/ too loud/ too soft.
 You giggle/ fidget/ act awkward/ have facial tics/ lack expression.
 You lack sincerity/ self-confidence/ clarity/ conviction.
Dressing up for interviews

 By now you probably know that dressing conservatively; yet maintaining

your innate style is the right mix for getting that perfect look on the D-day.
However, many are often at a loss on how to achieve this. While you needn’t
be a trend setter, you must definitely spend some time on planning
beforehand what you will wear as you face the sharks.
    
 Remember that even before you open your mouth to enthral them with
your wisdom, your looks have already given them a cue to your
personality and they are probably half way there to hiring you or
writing you off. Dumbfounded with this revelation? Most psychologists say
that 50-55% of the impression a person will make the first time, depends on
the clothes he wears. Practically speaking, if the clothes you wear have so
much potential, why not let them do the initial talking. If you are well
dressed, you will find yourself relaxing while your confidence zooms up
further at their admiring glances.
 There are some basic rules for men and women to follow while
dressing for an interview:
  
 Wear well tailored clothes that are not too tight or revealing and convey
taste and elegance.
 Pay special attention to grooming your hair in a neat out-of-the-way
style.
 Keep nails short and clean with light varnish for women.
 Avoid dangling eye-catching ornaments and tattoos.
 Smell fresh and clean. A light perfume will do.
  
 Alright, now let’s take a closer look how different sectors have their
own style quotients and how you will be able to match those:  
 Top 8  mistakes to avoid
 In order to best prepare yourself for that all-important interview, make sure you
avoid the following mistakes that could prevent you from winning that position. 
 Dressing inappropriately- Know the culture of the company. Don’t dress in
business casual if many of the current employees wear more conservative
clothing—you want to look like you already fit the bill.
 Appearances that are loud, bright, excessive, or extreme- Resist the
temptation to wear perfume, bright colors, or loud nail polish; cover up those
tattoos. You want the interviewer to focus on your skills and accomplishments,
not your appearance.
 Being late to the interview- This mistake pretty much speaks for itself. This
leaves a bad taste in any prospective employer’s mouth. If you can’t be on time
for the interview, how dependable could you be as an employee? Arrive at least
ten minutes before the interview begins. 
 Not asking questions- Do not sit like a bump on a log during your interview.
Show interest in the company by asking the employer what his or her biggest
challenges are; what the average work day for this position is like; or what the
next step is following the interview. The questions you ask are indicative of your
interest in the position. If you don’t ask questions, the interviewer will assume
you won’t accept the job offer if it is extended.  
 Asking about salary and benefits- The appropriate time to discuss issues of
compensation is when a firm offer is on the table. Don’t bring up the topic prematurely.
Take the time to learn about the company and the open position. In the end, money
isn’t everything. Career satisfaction comes in many forms (opportunity for growth, a
collaborative team environment, etc.). Most individuals are seeking positions due to
issues other than financial matters. So during the interview, concentrate on what really
matters—the responsibilities of the job at hand.  
 Lack of resume or vita copies- Don’t assume that the employer already has a copy
of your resume. Many employers now conduct group interviews, so you should always
bring extra copies of your resume to pass around. This will demonstrate that you have
foresight and consideration.
 Being unprepared for the questions- Avoid going blank during the interview by
preparing your answers in advance to some of the most common interview questions.
You will appear poised and confident to the employer.
 Dishonesty-  Never, ever lie to an employer to get the position. You undermine your
own strengths and abilities and the trust of the interviewer. If you can’t get the position
based on current and potential skills and accomplishments, then you probably
shouldn’t be applying for that particular position.
 Make a great impression
Now that you are aware of the most common interview mistakes, you can take
proactive steps to ensure that your interview is the best that it can be. Review the
above list before each interview and formulate your plan to make an outstanding

impression .
 How candidates are Interviewed ?
What the Interviwer does?
 Defines his objectives before you start
 Selects questions in advance
 Builds an interview team
 Lays out Process
 Legal and Illegal Inquiries are undertaken
 Creates a Positive Image for the
Organization
Employer to Define the objectives
before interview starts
 Describes the position's duties and the technical
knowledge and skills required to do the job

 Identifies success factors: How did previous top

performers in this job behave?

 Establishes performance expectations: What he

expects this person to accomplish?
 Types of questions you face

 Icebreakers
 Before we start, would you like a cup of coffee or glass of ice
water?
 Tell me about yourself?

 Traditional Questions
 What are your greatest strengths?
 What is your experience with [competency, skill, function?
 Why do you want to work for us?
 Situational Questions
 How would you deal with an irate customer?
 If we were to hire you, what is the first thing you would
do?
 How do you deal with stress on the job?

 Behavior-Based Questions
 Tell me about a crisis you could have prevented. Did
you do anything differently after the crisis had passed?
 Tell me how you resolve crises by deploying your team
members. Give me a specific example?

 Culture-Fit Questions
 What gave you the greatest feeling of achievement in
your last job? Why was this so satisfying?
 Why did you choose this type of work?
 What motivates you to work hard? Give me some
examples?
 The Interviewers are used to tell
 Before the Interview
 Put yourself at ease
 You are not judged on first impressions
 During the Interview
 Tells the candidate a little about the job
 Don't be afraid to improvise
 Listens
 Takes notes
 Invites candidates to ask questions
 After the Interview
 Lets candidates know what they can expect
 Compares notes and reach consensus
 Legal and illegal inquiries

 Affiliations
 Age
 Alcohol or Drug Use
 Criminal Record
 Culture/Natural Origin
 Disability
 Marital/Family Status
 Personal
 Race/Color
 Religion
 Creates a Positive Image of the
Organization

“The job market is always competitive when

looking for good people. We need to realize
that we're selling ourselves as much as
candidates are trying to sell themselves. It's
important to treat people well during the
interview process. A good employer never
wants to lose a potential customer or cause a
candidate to have a negative impression of
the company.“
Joan Woodward, AVP and Senior HR Business
Partner .
 Conclusion
Things which both interviewer and
interviewee should keep in mind

 Dress Properly
 Do your homework

 Listen and try to understand things