The interview is actually a very simple process if you are prepared.

This is your time to demonstrate your aptitude to perform the job that you are interviewing for. 1. Be professional, confident and look your best. The first impression is a lasting impression. Unfortunately most hiring authorities draw conclusions about candidates way too early in the interview process. 2. Bring a pen and pad (notebook) with questions written down pertaining to the position. (i.e. What is expected of me? What happened to the prior incumbent?) 3. Make the interviewer talk 60% - 70% of the time by having a list of probing questions pertaining to the job responsibilities of the position, division and company goals, company culture, etc. Answer questions with a question. For example: If you are asked about a specific qualification, answer the question fully, then inquire as to how that fits what the company is looking for. Dont be afraid to probe into the duties of the position. When a requirement is mentioned that fits one of your strengths, bring it out. An excellent question to ask is: If you have two candidates with almost identical backgrounds what quality or qualities would make you choose one over the other? Or, you might say: If the perfect candidate was standing in front of you, reporting for work, could you describe that candidate? 4. Energy, Drive, Initiative Dont ever compromise on this one. It is the universal trait of success. The key to personal success is to do more than you have to, so give the interviewer some examples of your initiative and personal successes and extra efforts. 5. Trend of Performance Over Time Indicate the impact you have had with your current and previous employer's) over the past five to ten years. This would include: Major accomplishments and organizational changes that you have implemented. This is a good time to share what you can do for the interviewers company. HAVE A PLAN BEFORE THE INTERVIEW! 6. Experience, Education and Industry Background Use this along with the Past Accomplishments category: Strong education and experience can sometimes offset a weaker accomplishments rating. 7. Problem Solving and Thinking Skills Express that you have the ability to solve job-related problems and anticipate what needs to be done. (Elaborate) 8. Management and Organizations (If going in for a management position). Let the interviewer know that you have the ability to persuade and motivate others. Team leadership is a component of both management and personality. Share management ability and style, and organizational skills. 9.Team Leadership (If going in for a management position). The ability to persuade and motivate others. Explain how you motivate your immediate subordinates and people who work in different departments. 10. Character: Values, Commitment and Goals - Summarize your integrity, honesty, responsibility, openness, and fairness in dealing with others. Express your commitment to the organization, and have a plan as to what you can do for the Company. THIS TOPIC SHOULD BE SAVED FOR THE END OF THE INTERVIEW, OR WAIT FOR THE SECOND INTERVIEW. 11. Watch your body language. Maintain good posture, leaning slightly forward indicates interest. Maintain eye contact. Leaning back could give the impression of a lax attitude. The interviewer gives body language as well. You can determine if you are keeping the interviewers interest by reading his or her body language. This holds true to some extent for a telephone interview as well. Although you cannot see the interviewer, you can detect from voice inflections whether you have his or her attention. If the interviewer is on a speakerphone and you hear their voice fading in and out, it means that he or she is probably walking around the room and you may not have his/her full attention. If that happens, ask the interviewer to pick up the receiver as you are having difficulty hearing and dont want to miss anything he or she says. At that point, you will again have the interviewers full attention. 12. On your pad, have a list of your strengths. Let the interviewer know why you are the perfect fit for the position.

EXAMPLE: If interviewing for a supervisory position, one major weakness may be the tendency to do everything yourself. This is a very common problem that indicates a lack of willingness to delegate work. The best way to overcome this is to step back from your desk, look at the project you have for the day and determine which REALLY requires your personal attention. Anything that can be delegated should be given to subordinates who can then use them as a learning tool while your time is freed up to attend to the more urgent and sensitive issues. What you have done at this point is turn a negative into a positive. One of the toughest interview questions that you can be asked is Tell me about yourself. Rather than guess where the interviewer wants you to begin, use this very simple response: Id be happy to. Where would you like me to begin? Once you have the interviewers reply, you have a point of reference and can begin answering the question. 13. STAY POSITIVE! Even if you decide that you dont feel the position is right for you, never communicate that during the interview. Once you get home, you may change your mind. After you have considered it, if you still feel the position is not a good fit for you, let us know and we can withdraw you gracefully, but keep the door open for future consideration. 14. VERY IMPORTANT! At the conclusion of the interview, state that you are very interested in pursuing this position, and then ask, Where do we go from here? or What is the next step? If you really think you hit a home run, ask: When do I start? What you are doing is asking for feedback on how well you did. Another excellent closing question would be: Is there any reason that you could not offer me this position (job) today? 15. Do not discuss salary or benefits. If asked about your current salary, advise what it is but indicate that you wouldnt want to comment on the salary without knowing all about the opportunity. Just like you wouldnt want to buy a car without knowing all about the options available, you wouldnt want to commit too early on your price. You might say: Compensation is extremely important to me, and I will consider your best offer, but frankly what is most important at this point is what I can offer your company and what the future will hold for both of us in a long term relationship. 16. Have available a list of references that you can present if requested. These references should include names of former supervisors in previous jobs who would be willing to discuss in detail your work performance, usually for positions covering only the last five years. Be sure that you have checked your references thoroughly so that you can be assured that they will provide positive feedback to the inquirer. If you feel it may be necessary, have a friend call them to see what they will say about you. If desired, your recruiter can call your references and provide you with feedback on their responses. 17. Bring two to three additional original copies of your resume, each in presentation folders (the number of copies depends upon how many people you are going to see). This has the effect of setting your resume out above the others. In addition, bring a copy of your most recent performance review (if applicable) and a sample of any written material prepared by you in the course of performing your duties (again, if applicable). Take care to make sure that the write-up does not contain any proprietary information such as names of the customer or any other items that may lead to the customers identity. 18. Call your recruiter as soon as possible right after the interview to advice of how things went. We will then call our client for their feedback and advise you of their impression. Remember: Preparation is everything As soon as you can, write down what happened in the interview. Note such things as what was discussed, who you met with, what strengths/weaknesses of yours were discussed, what positives/negatives about the company and position you perceived and anything else you see as being relevant. This will come in very handy if additional interviewing is required. You should now be prepared to Follow Up the interview

Dress for the Interview Always dress according to the occasion & going for an interview demands Formal Dressing. Make sure you are wearing tidy clothes. Dressing conservatively helps. Be there on Time For a any interview always keep a few minutes spare & reach well before time. Try and use the washroom & freshen yourself up before walking in the room. Entering Always seek permission of the interviewer while entering the room. Make a firm hand shake and wish the interviewer. Radiate your confidence with smile. Be prompt while answering the questions with aplomb. Body Language Take the sit thanking the interviewer. Sit erect & alert. Maintain soft eye contact with the interviewer. Speak with confidence and assurance. Be enthusiastic and responsive. Be precise & upfront While answering questions, be precise. Hit the nail on the head. In minimum words, let the interviewer know that you know what he is asking . Avoid lengthy argument or discussion. If you do not know a particular thing, best be upfront. Beating about the bush with a good interviewer will get you nowhere. Show your interest Give due respect to the interviewer & constantly keep yourself alert & interested. Do not smoke or chew gum during interviews. Do not slouch in the chair, tap your feet, play with eyeglasses, pencil, or fidget nervously. First things first & Last things Last While asking questions, do not ask direct questions about salary or other benefits at the beginning of the interview. Rather ask questions on Job profile, responsibilities, growth prospects initially. Do your homework before the interview Learn about the company as much as you can. Visit their site, see the products, name of founder etc& then relate to the job requirement. Don't forget the basics Prepare and rehearse common questions and answers. For example - Tell us something about yourself? What was the nature of your job? What can you do for this company? Three reasons, why should we be hiring you? What special skills did you acquire? What where your Targets? What did you achieve? What was your day was like on your job? What were your strengths? Weaknesses? Why are you considering leaving your present job? Why are you interested in this company and how can you contribute? AND lastly but not the least Industry References. Have the names & contact numbers handy. Talk about your achievements If you have done better than others, worked hard, make it count. Highlight your achievements. If interested, show it. If you are keen for the job, let the interviewer know that you are keen for the job. That way he will surely give you a priority & over others who he is not sure of. Always keep your option open Even if you feel not interested in the job, do not tell it to the interviewer. Be courteous. It will only help you. You can thank him & tell him that you will need to sleep over it & will revert soon. Who knows you may actually change you mind the next day. Say THANKS While concluding the interview, thank the interviewer for the time and consideration given you. Ask when you should meet again to discuss the position further. It often takes several interviews to obtain the job offer. Ask for a business

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Dont show Desperation Never show your desperation for the job. You may lose the job & even if you get it, you will definitely lose your negotiating power. Besides the company is looking for achievers & not beggars

a) Negotiate With Understanding Remember when the negotiations are over, youll have to work with the person with whom youre negotiating. Besides your future success may depend on that person. So, while you want to negotiate the best possible deal, you need to do so in a way that doesn't damage your image. At the same time, the employer's primary concern isnt negotiating the least expensive compensation package it can get away with. Rather, their focus will be on getting you to accept the job. b) Understand Your Needs and Those of the Employer To be successful in this type of negotiation, you need to examine your priorities. What do you really want? Are you comfortable with a low salary and lots of perks? Understanding your needs will also help you determine the type of company you want to work for. For example, a family-owned company may be able to offer a competitive salary and a large bonus based on results. A start-up new venture company, on the other hand, may not be able to offer market salary, but could be in a position to offer you stock options. By recognizing what an employer can and cant do, youll be able to determine what issues you should press. c) Set Your Price Expect employers to try to purchase your talent and experience at a discount. That's what employment and compensation negotiations are: a simple "buy-and-sell" matter. And as the seller, you must set an asking price going in. Some interviewees carry along a lot of money in their wallets to feel valuable during negotiations. d) Be Strictly Professional Even if you admire the person you're negotiating with, remember that it's a business transaction, not a personal exchange. Separate the salary and employment issues you're discussing from how you feel about the person who wants to hire you. Remember that the outcome of your discussion will affect your family's well-being. Some executives put a family picture in their shirt or suit pocket and touch it occasionally during meetings as a reminder to stay on track, no matter how persuasive the employer is. e) Understand The Dynamics Of The Particular Negotiations Sometimes youll have skills that are in great demand. And sometimes, you may be one of several qualified candidates the company would be happy to hire. Sizing up the situation and understanding the relative position of each party will help you determine when to press your advantage and when to back off. f) Never Lie, But Use the Truth to Your Advantage Its not only wrong to lie, but in employment negotiations, its ineffective. If you lie during negotiations, sooner or later youre likely to be caught. Once you are, even if you don't lose the offer, youll be at a tremendous disadvantage, and your credibility will always be suspect. On the other hand, total candor wont be rewarded. Youre under no obligation to blurt out everything you know. You can determine what you want to say and how you want to say it, and try to put everything in its most positive light. Rehearse it the night before in front of the mirror. g) Use Positive Language Never say "never" or "no" to an employer's offer. If the company is resisting your requests, use neutral-sounding words to describe your position by saying that you find the offer "disappointing," "unfortunate," "surprising" or "unacceptable." You also might try asking an employer to reconsider its offer, or ask for additional time to consider the terms to keep the door open to favorable changes. The point is to avoid words that make you sound angry or unwilling to negotiate further. The process should continue until you arrive at a satisfactory agreement, unless you blow it prematurely. Remember negotiations should leave you and the prospective employer happy, ultimately you will have to work together, and all this will have bearing on your future relationship. h) Use Uncertainty To Your Advantage The more information you convey to a potential employer about your bottom line, the more likely it will limit what you get. Before making an offer, a company typically tries to determine what it will take for you to accept the position. With that information, the prospective employer will be able to determine the minimum package it needs to offer. While they may not offer you as little as they can get away with, if youve divulged too much information, they likely wont offer you as much as they might have otherwise. By disclosing exactly what your current compensation is or exactly

what it would take to get you to leave your job, youll force a potential employer to make its best offer. i) Focus On Your Goals Not Victory Many times in negotiations, the act of winning becomes more important than achieving your goals. And its also important not to make your future boss feel as if hes lost in the negotiations. Youll have gained little by negotiating a good deal if you alienate your future boss in the process. j) Know When to Quit Bargaining The one sure way to lose everything youve obtained is to be greedy. There comes a point in every negotiation when youve achieved everything you could have reasonably expected to gain. While most companies will want to treat you fairly and make you happy, few companies want to hire a greedy hanger on. This may even cause the offer to fall through, or mar your image. Employment is an ongoing relationship. Job negotiations are the starting point for your career with a company. Get too little and youre disadvantaged throughout your career there; push too hard and you can sour the relationship before it begins. k) Get Written Confirmation Getting something in writing provides closure and prevents any misunderstandings between you and an employer. Take charge of this process by writing a letter spelling out the details of the deal you've agreed to while they're fresh in your mind after the interview. It prevents misunderstandings that might result from poor memories, changed circumstances or, at times, bad faith on the part of an employer.