INTERVIEW

 

1. INTERVIEW

     i.          Meaning

Interview is an interpersonal communication that may happen either face to face or on telephone. now a days online interviews are also added to this category. The person who starts communication is called interviewer while who responses to the question/queries is called interviewee. There should be at least one or sometimes a board as an interviewer. 

It is a procedure designed to obtain information from a person through oral responses to oral inquiries. in professional interviews the interviewer seeks replies from the interviewee for choosing a potential human resource. Though interviews are always not for the purpose of finding a job but most of the time interviews are attached to the job.

     ii.          Definition

According to Gary Dessler, “Interview is a selection process 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”.

   iii.          Characteristics of an interview

a.      Interview always has a purpose.

b.     It has one or many interviewers.

c.      It has one interviewee.

d.     Every  has a predefined structure or pattern.

e.      Every interview has an open communication environment for better end result.

2.     TYPES OF INTERVIEW

There are several types of the interview;

      i.          Unstructured (Nondirective) Interview

In unstructured interviews, there is generally no set format to follow hence the interview can take various directions. In this interview, follow-up questions, Probing, open-ended questions are asked. It involves a procedure where different questions may be asked to different applicants.

     ii.          Structured (Directive) Interview

In structured interviews, the interviewer asked pre-decided  questions and may even rate and score possible answers for appropriateness. Generally, a series of job-related questions are asked consistently from each applicant for a particular job is known as a structured interview. A structured interview typically contains four types of questions.

a.      Situational questions: 

b.     Job knowledge questions: 

c.      Job-sample simulation questions: 

d.     Worker requirements questions: 

   iii.          Situational Interview

In a situational interview, you ask the candidate what his or her behavior would be in a given situation. Candidates are interviewed about what actions they would take in various job-related situations.

   iv.          Behavioral Interview

In a behavioral interview, applicants are asked to describe how they reacted to actual situations in the past. Candidates are asked what actions they have taken in prior job situations similar to situations they may encounter on the job.

    v.          Job-related Interview

In a job-related interview, the interviewer asks applicants questions to past experiences. It is a series of job-related questions that focus on relevant past job.

   vi.          Stress Interview

In a stress interview, the interviewer makes the applicant uncomfortable with rude questions. The aim is to spot sensitive applicants and those with low or high stress tolerance. Stress interviews may help to reject hypersensitive applicants who might overreact to mild criticism with anger and abuse. It intentionally creates anxiety to determine how an applicant will react to stress on the job.

 vii.          Panel Interview (Board Interview)

A panel interview, also known as a board interview, is an interview conducted by a team of interviewers, who interview each candidate and then combine their ratings into a final score.Each panel member then rates each interviewee on such dimensions as work history, motivation, creative thinking, and presentation.

viii.          One-On-One Interview

In a one-on-one interview, one interviewer meets one candidate. In a typical employment interview, the applicant meets one-on-one with an interviewer.

  ix.          Mass Interview (Group Interview)

Many interviewees are grouped and a question is thrown to discuss. It is a procedure for the discovery of leadership. Several job applicants are placed in a leaderless discussion, and interviewers sit in the background to observe and evaluate the performance of the candidates.

    x.          Telephonic interview

When interviewer and interviewee talk to each other on phone for a particular purpose is called a telephonic interview. Here, neither party needs to worry about appearance or handshakes, so each can focus on substantive answers.

3.     PURPOSES OF INTERVIEW

Interview are conducted for various purposes. Some are given below-

    i.      For employment: Generally, interview are done for job purposes.

   ii.      For Orientation: interviews are also conducted to introduce a new worker or           entrants to the company or the institute.

  iii.     For Counselling: if a problem persists then the purpose of interview is                    counselling to solve the problem.

   iv.     For Appraisal: one of the purposes of the interview is to give appraisal to               someone.

    v.     For making Complaints:

   vi.      For making Modification:

  vii.     Exit: if someone wants to leave a job or an institute then exit interview help him to state his reason of exiting.

viii.    Information collection: one of the main purposes of an interview is to collect information about someone.

4.     STRUCTURE OF INTERVIEW

An interview is a formal communication event, and its objective and outcome are known to both parties. It has a well-defined structure which include opening, middle and closing part.

       i.          Opening/start

a.      Introduction

b.     Statement of objective

c.      To strike a rapport with the interviewee and make him relaxed. comfortable and relaxed.

d.     To make the atmosphere

     ii.          Middle or the Body

a.      Objective of the exchange of communication.

b.     Point-wise discussion

c.      To listen carefully with patience.

d.     Eye-contact

e.      To answer the questions carefully, without hesitation

f.      To concentrate on the subject matter

g.     Beware of barriers

h.     To provide explanation, if necessary.

   iii.          Closing

a.      To give last touch to discussion

b.     To give opinion

c.      Avoid abrupt closing of the interview

d.     To close the interview with favourable comments

e.      Thanking for the interview

f.      To confirm the necessity of such interview.

5.     BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER INTERVIEW

Giving an interview needs a lot of preparation. Preparation is started before an interview. We should be well organized and proactive to clear an interview.

       i.          Before the interview

a.      Company information

The most important step is to read and research the company from all the sources like company website, blog, and social media pages to assess its products, services, and client-base. Review the organization's background, mission statement, revenue, strength, offices, etc.

b.     About the interviewer

If you know the interviewer’s name already, research about him/her. It may help you to understand the environment of an interview.

c.      Evaluate job description

Sincerely go through the job description so that you are aware of the expectations the company has for the position.

d.     Fit in skills and qualities

While you analyze the job description, outline the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the post. It will help you to prepare questions related to job profile.

e.      Mock interview

For preparing question create mock interview ask your friend or family member to play the role of an interviewer. Practice answering all the questions on the list.

f.      Organise documents

Keep two copies of all the important documents such as your resume, cover letter, degrees, mark sheets, identity proofs, photographs, etc., ready. Organise all the documents neatly in a folder.

g.     Check your social presence

In the current environment of internet recruiter may check your social status; hence update your status.

h.     Interview dress

Choose a neat and wrinkle-free formal outfit for the interview. If you are not sure about the color, wear black formal trousers and a crisp shirt (preferably in white, blue, pastel etc.) a pair of black formal shoes, clean socks, and a black belt.

i.       Check directions

Distance and directions should be checked so that you can plan accordingly.

j.       Be stress free

Don’t look tired, fussy, unsystematic and puzzled. Eat, sleep and take rest. Don’t haste be calm and cool.

k.     Inform your references

Inform your references that they might receive a call from the company you interviewed for. Speak to them about the position and emphasize the points that you would like to be recommended for.

     ii.          During the interview

a.      Timing

Reach 20-25 minutes prior to the interview time. It will give you time to relax and prepare.

b.     Interview body language

While waiting remember to sit properly, maintain a good body posture, be polite to the guards, receptionists, and other candidates. Be natural. In the interview room, sit and answer questions confidently. Be firm, yet polite.In case you do not know an answer, be honest about it and pass on to the question.

c.      Questions for interviewer

If interviewer ask - 'Do you have any questions for me?'. Ask smart questions regarding work-culture, company profile or job profile etc.

d.     Ending the interview

At the end of the interview, thank and greet your interviewer, shake hands if possible.

   iii.          After the interview

a.      Analyze the interview

It is one of the most important exercises to do after an interview. Sit down for a few minutes and write down the questions that you were asked during the interview. Review your answer and think how can you make your answers better. This will help you prepare better for future interviews.

b.     Inform your references

Inform your references about the interview.

c.      Follow up

If you do not hear from the interviewer within the expected number of days, do not hesitate to drop an email and ask for an update.

6.     DON'TS OF INTERVIEW PREPARATION

     i.         Do not arrive late for the interview.

    ii.         Do not arrive for the interview without a copy of the resume.

   iii.         Do not speak loudly on the phone while waiting for your turn.

   iv.          Do not laze around or hunch while sitting in the waiting area.

    v.          Do not ask the interviewer any personal questions.

  vi.       Do not use bad words about your previous or current company/employer in your social media posts.

7.     TOP SKILLS TO BE MENTIONED IN AN INTERVIEW (WITH EXAMPLES)

    i.          Communication

   ii.          Business acumen

  iii.          Collaboration or teamwork

  iv.          Adaptability

   v.          Problem solving

  vi.          Positivity

 vii.          Organization

viii.          Leadership

  ix.          Negotiation

   x.          Confidence

   xi.          Perseverance

  xii.          Self-motivated

xiii.          Ability to work under pressure

xiv.          IT skills

8.     PROCESS OF AN INTERVIEW

       i.          Introduction

One of the most important steps in the interview process is the introduction session.  The way a interviewee enters the room, sits and start speaking creates the first impression. After greeting, candidate introduces himself to the interviewer.

    ii.          Small informal Talk

After introduction a bit of small informal talk with the candidate makes an interview a good experience. It is one of the best methods to foster a healthy working relationship and build rapport. It is an easy way to connect with a candidate on a personal level. It also helps to understand the mindset of a person.

   iii.          Information Gathering

The third step is very crucial as it is used to gather information about the knowledge, skills, experience etc. It showcases just how prepared or unprepared the candidate is and tests the ability of the interviewee. Here interviewer carefully noticed the style and knowledge of the interviewee. For example-

a.      whether the answers are well structured or not;

b.     whether the answers are concise or not;

c.      whether the candidate sounds confident about his abilities and qualifications or not.

d.     What’s the body language of the interviewee when he speaks.

   iv.          Question-Answer

It a very important session where both the parties exchanged their information if there is any. Both, interviewee and interviewer ask questions from each other. These questions are related to their queries about each other. Interviewer may ask about the time required to join, location of job etc while interviewee may asks about the profile of the company, location, major policies etc. Salary negotiation is also done in this step.

     v.          Wrapping Up

Closing out an interview is just as important as the other stages. Just as having a great first impression is important, leaving the candidate feeling good about the company and its culture is key to hiring the top talent in your industry. At the very least, always end the interview with a handshake and thank the candidate for their time.