Recruitment

7 Frequently Asked Questions in an interview

2006-05-22T15:57:00.000+05:30

Well all of us know the basics to attend the interview. Like Dress well; Shined shoes; Crisp shirt; No bulky brief cases; Cell phone turned OFF; Arrive 15 minutes before the start of the interview; Have copies of your resume with you; Hair combed; Not too much perfume or cologne; Simple jewelry.

Once you are in the interview room then, you got to look at the interviewer in the eyes, smile, and with a FIRM handshake, tell them how happy you are to be there. Once you start talking to the interviewer, keep your physical gestures minimal.

I have tried to bring up a set of 7(its my lucky number)very Frequently Asked Questions and sample answers for them.

1. How would you describe yourself? / Tell me about yourself ?

This is the most frequently asked or should I put it as, the first question that any interviewer would ask the candidate. The interviewer prefers to know about you from your perspective. Need not give personal details, until or unless asked for. Start with describing what you want to become? Your previous work experience if any, your academic background to support your job? What are your strengths? What will be your contributions to the company? Etc.,

Sample reply
My background to date has been centered on preparing myself to become the very best Recruiting consultant. Let me tell you specifically how I've prepared myself. I am a graduate in MBA (HR) from the prestigious university.... My past experiences have been in Technical Consulting Company and Internal recruiter for a leading blue chip company. Both aspects have prepared me well for this career…

2. What are your strengths?

This seems to be a easy question to be answered, right? Assure that you do not miss out pointing the strengths that will present you to be the best fit for the position applied.
So to know what your skills are first assess your skills, and you will identify your strengths. This is an exercise worth doing before any interview. Make a list of your skills, dividing them into three categories:

a. Knowledge based skills: Acquired from education and experience (e.g., computer skills, languages, degrees, training and technical ability).
b. Transferable skills: Your portable skills that you take from job to job (e.g., communication and people skills, analytical problem solving and planning skills).
c. Personal traits: Your unique qualities (e.g., dependable, flexible, friendly, hard working, expressive, formal, punctual and being a team player).

When you complete this list, choose three to five of those strengths that match what the employer is seeking in the job posting. Make sure you can give specific examples to demonstrate why you say that is your strength if probed further.

Sample reply
I am technically very strong in Java, XML, etc.
I posses good written and oral communication, have participated in various debate competitions and won awards
I have the ability to identify potential problem areas, skill to solve them and produce result.
Team member to the core and have the ability to lead the team.

3. What are your weaknesses?

Probably the most dreaded part of the question. Everyone has weaknesses, but who wants to admit them, especially in an interview?. The best way to handle this question is to minimize the trait and emphasize the positive. Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome your weakness. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate more on professional traits.

Sample reply
"I pride myself on being a 'big picture' guy. I have to admit I sometimes miss small details, but I always make sure I have someone who is detail-oriented on my team."

4. How do you handle pressure?
To survive in this competitive world we need to develop the ability to handle pressure. Firstly give your view on stress and then explain a situation where you handled pressure well.

Sample reply
Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive. Then give an example of a time when you handled stress with ease.

5. What do you expect to be doing in five years?
Wow this is a 90% sure question that I end up answering in almost all the interviews I attend. I remember having given some bizarre answers to this question. Once I told my interviewer that I would like to be in his position in this company in next five years, which brought a smirk on the otherwise dreary interviewer. Always think BIG here, tell him that you have always wanted to climb up the career ladder at good pace and you would be in a senior or Top management level, provided there are opportunities for growth prospect in the company.

Sample response
Although it is hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I will become a very good Recruitment Manager. I believe that my abilities will allow me to excel to the point that I can emerge as an entrepreneur and may even end up opening my consulting company. My ultimate goal continues to be, and will always be to be the best at whatever level I am working.

6. Evaluate your ability to handle conflict?
Honestly I know, I have not had any conflicts in my career. But then the interviewer will not accept my answer if end up telling the truth. So I have to weave a story to convince him that I do have the ability to handle conflict with ease, if any would arise in future. You need to provide couple of points that can convince the interviewer that you have skills to solve problems and conflicts.

Sample response
I am good at handling conflict. Working in a team, there are times when members of a team have difference of opinion. Being a good listener, I make sure that the member is given opportunity to defend his opinion. My decision-making skill helps me to hanle the conflict and solve the problem. I would always make sure that I fully explained the situation, the policies behind my decision, and why those policies exist. Usually by the end of the conversation, the person could see the other side of the situation.

7. Given the investment our company will make in hiring and training you, can you give us a reason to hire you?
You can always expect this question to be fired, if you attend an interview at some MNC’s. They invest to hire and train you, if selected. So they demand to hear the answer from you as to why should they hire ‘you’?

Sample response
I sincerely believe that I'm the best person for the job. Not only do I have the ability, but also bring an additional quality that makes me the very best person for the job, my attitude for excellence. Not just giving lip service to excellence, but putting every part of myself into achieving it. I think my leadership awards from my college, and my management positions are the result of possessing the qualities you're looking for in an employee for this position.

These are some of the very frequent questions i have confronted in various interviews i attended. Will come up with another set of 7 FAQ's very soon.

Intertview Body language

2006-05-10T12:39:00.000+05:30

Handshake: A warm and firm hand shake reflects a strong personality and is what most employers are looking for. Limp, sweaty hands are definitely a no. This is the first body language in the interview that your interviewer will observe.

Hands: Do not exaggerate hand gestures when you are talking. Try answering an interview question in front of a mirror to help you understand how much you move your hands while talking.

Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact but do not stare. If you are uncomfortable with this kind of body language look at the interviewer's nose as it has the same effect. Do not let your eyes wander away from your interviewer.

Posture: Reflects energy, enthusiasm and self control. Stand and sit erect. Slouching does not reflect a positive attitude in interview body language.

Fidget: Simple rule 'do not fidget'. Avoid playing with you hair, clicking pens and the like.

Group Interview

2006-05-10T12:34:00.000+05:30

The group interview is more stressful than the panel interview. You will be "interviewed" in a group. All the candidates/job seekers will be in the same room during the interview.

The group interview will show

Leadership qualities
Hanling stress
Communication with possible team mates
How the candidate will face the public and customers
What level of knowledge candidates have
How knowledge is used in a discussion

Show your opinion but let the other candidates speak. Ignore any candidates who are too aggressive or make any personal remarks. Try to avoid getting in one to one conversations.

It is always a good idea to have the final statement in a group interview. Generally this is not the final interview and short listed candidates will have a panel or one to one interview

Panel Interview

2006-05-10T12:32:00.000+05:30

This kind of interview is conducted by an interviewing panel (comprising more than one interviewer), which is made up of the senior executive and some members of the team. The interview panel can also consist of top level CEOs although this depends the kind of position you are applying for.

The panel interview is stressful and this is why organisations use it: to see the candidate's reaction to stress. You will be asked questions from all the panel members, sometimes the same question by different panel members. It is difficult to build the kind of connection with the interview panel as you can in a one on one interview.

You can buy time by asking questions. You should always remain calm and composed during a panel interview. Take a breath and even count to five (in your head), if you see the situation getting out of hand.

One to One Interview

2006-05-10T12:24:00.000+05:30

The most common interview is the one to one. The One to One Job Interview is a test/conversation and both parties will end the conversation with an opinion. The interviewer: if the candidate is right for the job and the interviewee: if the organisation is right for him.

Here the interviewer is going to conduct an 'investigation' in order to see if you are fit for the job vacancy and whether you are better at the job than the other candidates. The interviewer will ask questions of a technical nature and of a general nature. General questions will analyze your problem solving abilities and your ability to socialize with the rest of the team. Always use previous achievements to back any facts you mention. Even if such achievements were at the school newspaper, employers under stand that school leavers have to start from somewhere.

Interview preparation is very important. Make notes of your achievements and practices how you want to put them to the interviewer. Apart from trying to see if you have the experience and qualifications for this job, interviewers also want to see how you fit in the work environment, the team and how you relate to your immediate supervisor. Therefore, if you have a one to one interview it is very likely that you will have several other one to one interviews. This is a disadvantage over a 'panel interview'. Each time the interviewer is satisfied you, move a rung up in the corporate ladder until you're interviewed by the departmental manager (this depends on the kind of job you are being interviewed for). Treat each one to one interview with great attention.

Do not assume that the next interviewer knows what you told the first one. You will need to mention your preparation and qualities each time.

Telephonic interview tips

2006-05-08T17:42:00.000+05:30

Very recently I took up a telephonic interview, at the end of the interview, the interviewer asked me if I had any questions for them. Since it was a long time that I attended an interview, wanted to know their feedback on the interview conducted. The interviewer didn’t take time to answer, and instantly came the reply ‘your answers seemed mugged up and well prepared’. I had to control my laughter, as honestly there was no effort put in to answer these questions. I was baffled and told my interviewer that no such preparation has gone in, to attend the interview. He told with a smile ‘I am sorry but it seemed so’.

So I decided to do some search on this, come up with list of most frequently asked questions and the answers to them. The FAQ’s will be available in my next blog.

To start with here are some tips to attend a telephonic interview. Remember for an applicant, the goal of a telephonic interview is to secure an in-person meeting. For recruiters, it's to narrow their list of prospects.
You can increase the chances of passing this initial screening if you follow the tips below.

Before taking up a Telephonic interview

Keep your resume in front of you.
Keep all of your employer research materials within easy reach of the phone.
Have a notepad handy to take notes.
Turn off your stereo, TV, and any other potential distraction.
Warm up your voice while waiting for the call. Sing an uplifting song to yourself.
Have a glass of water handy, since you will not have a chance to take a break during the call.
Speaking of breaks, if your phone interview is at a set time, make sure you answer nature's call first.

Do’s

Do take telephonic interview as seriously as a personal interview.
If the call is unexpected, ask for a reschedule. It is always OK.
You need to have enthusiasm and sound confident while answering the questions.
Always put across the details on your experience, skills and your strong points.
Answers need to be precise to the questions asked, at the same time do not miss out to list out your strengths.

Don’ts

Avoid / Minimize distractions. Always take a telephonic interview in a quiet place.
Avoid using mobile as there can be some signal problem and it may be problematic.
If using a mobile do not switch on the voice message.

After Telephonic interview

fter a phone interview, send a thank-you note by email that recaps your best selling points.
You can also follow up to know the result of the interview.

Resume Writing Links

2006-05-02T12:46:00.000+05:30

Check these out websites for articles and samples on resume writing

http://www.resume-web.net
http://www.resumelogic.com
www.quintcareers.com/action_verbs.html
http://www.bestsampleresume.com/

Resume Writing II

2006-04-29T15:11:00.000+05:30

Create a Winning Resume

In the first part of Resume Writing, I have tried to bring about the points to be kept in mind while writing a resume. Here in this Part II of Resume Writing you will find step-by-step process to create a good resume and ensure that you do not miss out on the important points that sell your resume.

Many of us want to create a good resume, but find it difficult to start writing one. The following questions would arise, and its simple, just answer them honestly and you end up writing a winning resume as they call it.

How to start?
What should be included?
What format to choose?
What are the contents?
What points need to be assessed?

1. How to Start?

The first and foremost step to write a resume is to gather information. To write an effective resume, you need to understand why you are writing one. Start writing an Initial Data File without any specific job in mind, including all your credentials and experience. Once you are through with this initial resume, you can later tailor the resume for specific job description in future.

List down all items that could be important to your resume in the initial data file. Gather information or write notes about previous work experiences, educational background, job descriptions, performance reviews, previous resumes, certifications, awards, presentations your have delivered, volunteer programs, honors… whatever you feel is relevant to your work. If you are just out of college, you might want to think about extracurricular experiences, volunteer work, internships, etc.

This initial resume is an important step in managing your career. Continue to update this resume, as you take on new jobs; attend seminars, honors, etc. This will make it much easier in the future to keep your updated resume.

2. What should be included?

This will vary from job to job, so keep the Initial Data File accessible. With relevance to a particular job, start answering these questions thoughtfully. This will make the task of creating a resume much easier. Then organize the materials available in the data file to answer the below questions. There could be some overlap but then that’s fine.

· What do I do the best?
· What Skills do I possess and have developed?
· What are my satisfying work experiences?
· What is important about my education?
· Any unique talent or experiences I want to share?

3. What format to choose?

There are two types of format that you can choose from: skills based resume, reverse chronological resume. Both these types have their own advantages and disadvantages. Some characteristics of each are combined to form a combined resume. This is what works out most of the time, as it brings best of both the formats. It is better to create one of both types and check out which one is powerful depending on the type of job applied for.

4. What are the contents?
All resumes typically contain sections that highlight education and work experience. Often a profile or summary of qualifications section is used to provide the reader with an overview of your competencies. Also, many people find it helpful to begin a resume with an objective so that the reader has a reference point by which to understand your strengths and experience. Additionally, some people include a section to highlight community or professional involvement, and presentations or publications. Tailor your resume to bring out your strengths!

Resume contents
· Contact information
· Objective
· Profile of summary of qualifications
· Education
· Work experience
· Skills
· References

Contact Information
At the top of the resume you need to include Name, Address, Contact Numbers, E-mail address.
Make sure that all the contact information is provided properly. Use professional email address in your resume. Avoid using hotdude@yahoo.com this will not work.

Objective
There is some debate over the inclusion of an objective. Some believe it is unnecessary while others see it as a framework for the reader to assess your resume.
The objective of any resume contains four parts:
· The "level" of the position
· The skills you hope to use in the position
· The title of the position or the function
· The field or industry in which you hope to work

Profile of summary of qualifications
The profile section allows you to state your skills, values and interests to gain the attention of the reader. For some positions, such as scientific or information technology, it is a good place to highlight specific skills such as computer programs, systems or laboratory equipment and procedures.
It is an excellent place to include keywords and requirements that have been stated in a job description. They are words or phrases specific to a particular industry or profession. They imply additional skills and experiences that are vital to someone's success in a position. They can also relate to the particular level of responsibility one has had in an organization. For example, executives may include the following keywords in their summaries:

. Strategic Planning
. Multi-Site Operations
. New Business Development
. Mergers and Acquisitions
. P & L Responsibilities

Keep in mind it is sometimes easier to create this section AFTER you have written your resume. This section is usually no longer than 3 or 4 sentences. It may be written in paragraph or bullet form.

Education
Regardless of the format you use, you will likely have an Education section on your resume. In the Education section, you will want to highlight formal programs and continuing education or on-the-job training.

In writing this section, you will want to be consistent in the layout (listing the college first, then the degree, or vice versa). Start with the highest degree you have earned and work backwards. Include relevant information such as: degree, college or university, location, date of degree, major field of study, minors, topic of thesis, relevant courses, language skills or study abroad programs, GPA, honors.

If you have completed certification programs, follow your formal education section with a short description of these programs and include the dates if it is important.

Work experience

Reverse chronological

This section will include specific information about your accomplishments in each work place. You don't want to just list duties and responsibilities; this doesn't convey your competency or success. Start with your most recent (or current) position. Again, be consistent in how you format each experience.

Look at job descriptions, performance reviews, and awards or achievements that are related to this position. What can you say about your performance? For example, how many people did you supervise? What size of budget did you manage? How many seminars did you lead? What skills did you develop? What was your biggest accomplishment?

You want to paint a clear picture for the reader of the resume in terms of your success and the skills you have developed. They want to hire people who have been successful.

Skill based

You use a Skills-Based Resume; your employment history will take a different format. You will list each job briefly, including the place of employment, location, job title and dates. This becomes a short section, providing the reader with relevant information about where you worked. However, what you accomplished in each position will show up under the Skills section.

Skills
This will be applicable if a skills-based format is used. If you have skills that you have utilized and developed in a number of settings, it may be better to show your competence by highlighting the skill rather than where you worked.

The skills you choose to highlight may vary from job to job, as well as the information you include under each skill. This provides great flexibility for you to demonstrate your competencies.

Highlight achievements in community and professional organizations. Be selective and mention the activities that are related to the position for which you are applying. Leadership positions, projects or events, and professional presentations are some of the items to include.

References
Reference provided on request. Using this phrase at the end of the resume is outdated. The better approach is to generate a prepared Professional Reference sheet, which you can bring with you on interviews and leave with the interviewer when references are requested. Always ask permission from those you wish to reference, this will also prepare them to talk great things about you.

5. What points need to be assessed?

Goal focused: Does the text support the objective?
Length: Could it tell the same story if it was shortened? Is it too short? Is it limited to no more than 2 pages?
Relevance: Is the material sequenced in order of importance and relevance? Has irrelevant material been eliminated?
Format: Is the resume written in the best format (reverse chronological, skills-based or combination) that presents you in the most positive light?
Action Orientation: Do sentences and paragraphs begin with action verbs?
Specificity: Does the resume avoid generalities and focus on specific information about experiences, projects, products, etc.?
Completeness: Is all-important information included?
Bottom Line / Targeted Focus: How well does the resume accomplish its ultimate purpose of getting the employer to interview you? Is it focused enough so that the employer is clear about what type of position you are seeking?
Qualified Results: Are results of your past work experiences quantified when possible?
Sections: Are the headings used for specific sections appropriate?
Spelling and Grammar: Is anything misspelled? Are words used correctly and is the sentence structure correct? Are the verbs and descriptions appropriate to the level of the position you are seeking?

Hope in this part II of Resume Writing I was able to convey most of the points connected to writing a resume.

I will soon come up with lot of other interesting details about recruitment.

Resume Writing Part I

2006-04-26T13:29:00.000+05:30

Resume Writing Part I

Resume writing plays an important role in deciding the success of your career; be it job search, freelancing or to start a small business. It’s difficult to know where to start or what to include. It can seem like an insurmountable task. Your resume is what will get the ball rolling. You’ll stand a good chance of landing the position or the deal you want by creating a strong and substance resume.

Here are some points to be kept in mind while creating a resume.

Focus the resume on what the potential employer wants to hear. Should address the needs of the employer rather than being your autobiography. The employer should be thinking, "wow, this person has exactly what I am looking for" as they read your resume.

Keep it positive. Employers are seeking people who can contribute, have a positive attitude, are enthusiastic, and have successfully performed similar job skills in the past. Concentrate on communicating these issues and avoid any detracting information.

Make your resume easy to read. An employer will spend approximately 20 –30 seconds scanning each of the hundreds of resumes in front of them. An easy-to-read format enables them to read your whole resume rather than a small portion in those 20-30 seconds.

Select the best organizational format. Choose the format that is best for you. Use Chronological format for crisp and short resume. If you are looking forward for a career change or have extremely broad, related skill sets, a combination format may be best. The combination should be evenly balanced between skill set description, achievements and employment history.

Write a resume with substance & depth. Don't summarize, water-down, and oversimplify your job responsibilities and accomplishments. The result is that a potential employer thinks, "This person is lazy and doesn't do very much". Keep information relevant to the goal of attaining an interview. Eliminate information that is not related and will not have direct impact on winning an interview.

Mention 'Actions' rather than 'job duties'. What makes you stand apart from the rest? What solutions provided made things better, more efficient, or cost effective? What won honors for you. This sort of information will grab the attention of the employer and put your resume on top of the stack.

Do not use personal pronouns. Never include 'I', 'me', 'mine',' our'. Resumes are written in first person (silent), past tense. Fragment sentences are perfectly acceptable on resume as long as the meaning is conveyed.

Be bold but honest throughout your resume. An employer will interview only the 3-5 strongest candidates. Modesty will cause you to lose the interview.

Prioritize the information that the employer seeks. Simplify or omit information of minimal interest to the employer. The most significant accomplishments and jobs need to be at the beginning of the resume, not buried further down the page.

The content in the resume depends on the experience of the candidate.
Senior level: Not necessary to include a objective, as it may look silly. Include all the experiences in detail and so the number of pages can go unto 4.
Middle level: Job objective can be useful in this case, wherein you mention your need to grow to the next level. Keep it to 3 pages, unless you are Technical person, including all the projects that you handled.
Entry level: Stress your immediate career goal, addressing the benefit to the company when they hire you. Keep the pages to not more than 2.

Proofread your resume to eliminate spelling errors, grammatical errors, and formatting inconsistencies. Get the resume checked by a friend to make it error free. Because after you have worked with a document for several hours, you simply no longer see your mistakes.

Be Prepared to face the interview. Remember, resumes do not get jobs, people get jobs. Resumes get interviews. Make sure that you are prepared for the telephone call when it arrives, as nowadays the first round of interview is conducted via telephone rather in person. Make sure that you have a resume that will keep the phone ringing.

The above 12 points will help you to create a resume that help you land up in a interview. These days job search is much more complex. Competition for employment has never been greater. The entire process is often drawn-out and very hard. Resumes are a prerequisite for a job search.

Recruiters, company hiring managers and human resources professionals are all components in your job search, and it is the resume's job to land interviews.

No one knows your background and experience better than you. Most people can get the basics of what they did and when they did it down on paper in a sensible fashion. What most people who write their own resumes, have difficulty with is, making that sell to the reader. The above tips help you make your resume sell.

Will be back soon with more easier steps and samples of resumes for various industries and levels.