NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KARNATAKA, SURATHKAL

Professional Communication
Course Code: SM110
B.TECH FIRST SEMESTER
INTERVIEW(S)
One of the most vital ways of formally knowing each other is the Interview. An
interview often includes active participation of one and more people where an
interviewee is assessed on different parameters or according to requirements.
Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma have in their book, Technical
Communication Principles and Practice elucidated various technical as well as
conceptual definition of an interview. They are as follows:
A)“An interview is a psychological and sociological instrument”
B)“It is a systematized method of contact with a person to know his/her views
and is regarded as the most important method of data collection”
C) “Interviewing a person gives an idea of how effectively the person can
perform a particular task.”
 TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma in their book, Technical Communication Principles and Practice have categorized
ten common types of interviews on the basis of objective and nature of interview;
a) Job
b) Persuasive
c) Evaluation
d) Conflict Resolution
e) Termination
f) Information
g) Exit
h) Counselling
i) Disciplinary’
j) Media
On the basis of ‘involvement and contribution of interviewer and interviewee’, it could be further categorized in
three types;
k) Telling
l) Telling and Listening
m) Problem Solving
 JOB INTERVIEW AND ITS TYPE

One of the most crucial interviews in today’s time is the Job Interview, where
the candidates remain largely perplexed and baffled as what to say and not to
say, how to say and not to say and what not! The reason behind such anxieties
is very obvious and are mostly psychological or at times lack of proper
knowledge. In general Job Interviews are classified into four types:
A)Campus Interviews
B)On-Site Interviews
C)Telephonic Interviews (Has become Redundant)
D)Video Conferencing Interview (Vogue of the Time)
 STAGES OF INTERVIEWS
The general perception of Interview is that it is a complete one process, which makes it even more complex and the
approach to overcome it becomes haphazard rather than smooth flowing. One has to understand that during an interview
simultaneously several qualities, skills and personality is adjudged. The hirer does not only prioritize one single thing
where one had done extraordinarily good. Rather, the hirer or interviewer look for an overall candidate who shows
positivity, integrity and upheld other unmentioned situational issues from time to time. Considering all these factors,
Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma in their book, Technical Communication Principles and Practice has jotted down
eight stages that functions in an interview.
i) Appraisal of Resume
ii) Tests
iii) Group Discussions
iv) Presentations
v) Face to Face Interviews
vi) Negotiations
vii)Medical Test
viii)Video Conferencing
The above order is generally followed in a standard job recruitment interview, but depending on the number of candidates,
nature of work, and other situational factors these stages of interviews are rearranged or dropped or another stage is
created.
 What Does Interview Evaluate?

As mentioned before, the purpose of Interview is to assess and evaluate multiple sets of skill, attributes and knowledge in a
candidate.
i) Knowledge and Technical Skills
ii) Analytical Skills
iii) Mental Agility
iv) Management/ Organisational Skill
v) Communication Skill
vi) Adaptability
vii)Career Objective
viii)Leadership Role
ix) Determination
x) Honesty and Integrity
xi) Socialising Skill
xii)Strength in Decision Making
xiii)Alertness and Promptness
xiv)Professionalism
xv) Openness towards Learning.
 WHAT LEADS TO UNSUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWS?

Lacks mostly in various interpersonal as well as intrapersonal skill leads to an

unsuccessful interview. Few of them are as follows
a) Arrogance and Apathy
b)Nervousness
c) Equivocation
d)Lack of social skill, crispness, concentration, firmness
e) Poor qualitative/ quantitative/ analytical skills
f) Unqualified Personality
 GETTING READY FOR INTERVIEWS
To have a successful interview, one needs to prepare for it, like all other things.
Only excellence and expertise do not help one to get success in an interview.
Key things that everyone should do for a successful interview are:
a) Preparation of Resume according to Job Profile
b)Personal Attributes
c) Participating in Mock Interview
d)Research and Gather Information of the Prospective Employer
e) Awareness of Job Description
f) Recapitulating the Basics and Fundamentals of Subject
g) Provide STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples
h) Maintaining Dress Etiquettes
i) Questioning the Employer. (Whom I will be working with? When will you make a final
decision? What training opportunities are there?)
j) Punctuality and Knowing the Resume
k) Maintaining Calm and Composed Attitude
l) Prepare possible Questions that may arise out of the content delivered or cross
questioning. There are in general following questions that are asked:
i) Open/Close Ended Questions
ii) Experience Questions
iii)Credential Questions
iv)Opinion Questions
v) Creative Questions which require innovative response
vi)Behavioral Questions
vii)Tough Questions
Process of Interview:
a)Establishing Rapport and Amicability
b)Gathering Information
c)Closing
d)Using Body Language Effectively:
i) Facial and Personal Appearance
ii)Posture
iii)Gesture
iv)Eye Contact
v)Personal Space
Answering Techniques:
a)Behavioral Answering Technique
b)Compelling Story Technique
c)Parroting Technique
d)Reframing Technique
e)Abraham Lincoln Technique
Overcoming Nervousness and The Rowboat Technique:
Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma note this technique in their book as, “(T)he Rowboat Technique is the simple
contraction of abdomen in combination with rhythmic breathing that will allow you to fully overcome your nervousness in
any situation.”
The steps to the Technique are as follows:
a) “Sit forward in a chair, with your arms outstretched as if you are grabbing oars in a rowboat.
b) Take deep breath.
c) Slowly pull back your arms and contract the abdomen muscles just below the rib cage.
d) As you continue to let out air, roll the contraction of muscles downward, just above your pelvic region, centering your
naval.
e) Keep your muscles tight until all the air has been expelled.
f) Count to three (do not breathe in yet), and then inhale deeply.
g) Repeat this two/three times”