About Yourself...

Date: 25-Mar-2011
Any Idea why this question is asked so often in most job interviews? Because, this question
is actually an ice-breaker. Asking this question starts the conversion. So one better be
prepared for an answer. This question gives the interviewer a chance to know about the
interviewee. Once you start talking about yourself, interviewer starts preparing his/her next
question. So there are high chances that the next question that would be fired on you will be based on the
answer of this question. As the answer for this will be based on you, you think and prepare it before the
interview.
While preparing for the answer consider including following points.
1. You! Tell them your name and which place you are from. Do not start with “Myself Jayvardhan
Patil”, start with “I am Jayvardhan Patil”. This is a very common mistake. Not acceptable in interviews
especially in call centre jobs.
You may talk about your family (cover up in short), you may talk about your how you came to the city, etc.
2. Education- Tell them about your education i.e. graduation/post-graduation.
If you are a fresher then tell them the grades you got. If you have done something different than others
then tell them. It surely adds a value!
3. Experience- Talk about your whole experience. Start from early years and gradually come to
recent years. If you have a long experience then you must not be doing same thing all years. Then
exactly what you were doing? This is what your interviewer wants to listen.
If you are a fresher then talk about your projects.
4. Experience regarding to the post you have applied for- This is of most interest to your
interviewer. You may be having lot of experience but how much experience you have regarding current
job post is very very important. If you do not have it then you can talk about some related experience. Or
if you do not have related experience too then say it clearly. Buy along with it give them confidence that
you can do it and you have genuine interest to do it.
Fresh candidates who do not have any kind of experience, you should show some positive attitude and
exhibit willingness to learn and do new things. Be ready to do new things. Don’t worry that you will make
mistakes. Fresher candidates are expected to do mistakes and your employers are well aware of it so you
don’t have any reason to be afraid. Believe me no one will give you more work than you can handle.
5. Do not describe your salary or pay scale at this point of time.
6. Avoid giving unnecessary details. Value your interviewer’s time.
7. The idle answer should not last more than 1 minute.
 

9990677353
Why do you think should we take you for this job? Go prepared to
answer it.
Date: 21-Mar-2011
When you are called for a personal interview, many types of questions spring
across your mind, specially if you are an inexperienced job seeker.
Here are some tips on answering the most frequently asked questions
in a personal interview :
Q: Tell me thing about your self.

A: Go prepared for this question, as this is the most frequently asked question in the interview.
Answer it covering your work experience, educational qualifications and a little information
about your family background.
 
Try to focus on key areas of your work while talking about your professional experience.
This is an open ended question and can help you in taking the interview in which ever
direction you want it to go.
 
You should know where to put a full stop to provoke the desired question from the
interviewer.  
 
Q: Why does this role interest you? Or why have you applied for this job?

A: Keep the focus of the answer to this question on your skills, experience and personal
qualities.
 
Link the job requirement to your skills rather than talking about the challenges, career and
progression.
 
Q: Why do you think should we take you for this job?

A: Don't panic if you are asked this question. Make sure that you have understood the job
profile well before you go for the interview.
 
Relate your qualifications and work experience with the job requirements.
 
If there are any new things that you are expected to perform in the new job, say that you
are always open to learn the new things and take up the new challenges.

Q: What motivates you at work?

 
A: You can say that competition and new challenges motivate you at work.
 
Q: What is your greatest strength?
 
A: Interpret this question as, what is your greatest relevant strength? Or Why should we hire you? Tell
them a strength that they want to buy. For this you will need to properly understand the job profile
and keep your answer ready.
 
For example, if the job needs you to have convincing answers ready for the any type customer’s
questions, you can sell “your presence of mind” or if you are required to change you sector or industry
you can offer “your adaptability” as an answer.
 
It is important to keep ready at least 2 examples of the mentioned strength. 
 
Q: What is your greatest weakness?
 
A: Interpret this question as, why shouldn’t we hire you? There 3 ways to tackle this question. Judge
the situation and use one of them.
 
First way: Use your sense of humour. If the interview is proceeding in the light way and you have
built up a good rapport with the interviewer, you can get out of it by saying “Icecream”. Accompany it
with a right body language.
 
Second Way: If you have to answer this question seriously, give a weakness which doesn’t relate to
the job under discussion. For example, you can say, I have been using a camera since childhood but I
still don’t know how to mend it. If it is spoiled, I will need to take it to an expert.
 
Third way: Understand the requirement of the role under discussion and say that others accuse you
of having that weakness but you think that it is important for your work.
 
For example, if the job needs a detailed study and leaving a single step might need you to re-run the
whole process say that “My colleagues accuse me of having a too much eye for detail but I have
experienced that to do this work you need to go into details rather than cutting corners. I have
worked with people following a shorter route and doing the whole exercise again, which I would not
prefer to do.”

Q: What is your greatest achievement?

A: The underlying agenda is to know what personal qualities were required to achieve it. Don’t go
back too far to answer this question as this might give an impression that you have not achieved
anything since then.
 
Find a relevant answer in the recent past for this question. If you are a fresher and have been a
topper of your college or university, you can say that during the interview.  
 
Q: Are you ambitious?

A: You can say that I am very ambitious in the way that I don’t like to get to get a feeling of
stagnancy. I want that I should always be getting new experiences and learning new things. 

Q: What qualities would you look for, if you were recruiting someone for this position?
 
A: To answer this question, you need to analyze the requirements of the job profile before appearing
for the interview.
 
The answer to this question would estimate your understanding of the role under discussion.
 
Q: Are you speaking to some other companies? Or how is your job search going on?
 
A: This question gives you an opportunity to let the interviewer know that other companies are also
interested in hiring you and gives you leverage while negotiating the salary.
 
You can say, Yes, I am in the final round of discussion with two other companies. Approach the
interviewer as a “Problem Solver” and not as a “Job Beggar”.
 
Q: Which companies are you talking to?
 
A: You can maintain your integrity by refusing to disclose the names. You can simply say, they haven’t
notified these openings so I believe they would not like their names to be revealed.
 
At times, taking the competitor’s names might increase your chances of being hires. Analyze the
situation and answer accordingly.
 
Q: Are you ready to relocate?

You can say, for a right position and right company relocation should not be a problem. Do not close
the discussion at the earlier stage by saying “No”.

Q: What was your biggest mistake?

 
A: There’s nothing wrong in admitting a mistake. A human being is bound to commit mistakes. This
time it is advantageous to go back as far as possible in the past and find an answer.
 
The advantage of doing this is that a youngster is expected to commit more mistakes than a mature
and seasoned person. This would give an impression that since that time you have committed
mistakes but not that big.
 
Take the word “mistake” as liberally as possible and go back to your student life to answer this
question. Probably you can say, if I could go back to my student life, I would have studied Biology
instead of Math.
 
Q: Why haven’t you got a job yet?
 
A: This question will usually arise if it has been sometime since you finished your studies and are still
in the market without a job.
 
You can say that, I have been offered some tempting positions in the last few days but had to turn
them down as I did not find them right for my candidature. You can follow it up with some examples.
 
Q: You do not have all the experience we are seeking for this position.
 
A: To answer this question, you again need to analyze the requirements of the role properly and
match them to your candidature.
 
If you meet most of the requirements, you can say that you have most of the qualities needed for this
role and for the remaining you are always open to learning them.
 
You can follow this up with an example from your last job where you learnt and did things that you
didn’t know earlier. Stay confident while answering this question.

Q: Would you like to work in a team or on your own?

 
A: The agenda behind this question is to understand if you are a team player or a solo performer.
 
It might be risky to choose any one of them as the role for which they are considering you might need
you to be a team player but the career progression which they might consider for you down a year’s
time may need you to handle a more autonomous position.
 
It is better to answer this question by saying that “I don’t have any such preference. I can comfortably
handle both the situations, as the need arises.” Now back it up with examples where you successfully
worked in a team and where you performed an autonomous role.
 
Q: If your last boss was present here, what do you think he would tell us about you?
 
A: This is again a question which can be answered in two ways.
 
First way: If the situation is light, you can say that, “I am the diamond of his team, you must pick
me up”. This needs to be accompanied by a right body language.
 
Second way: If the discussion is proceeding in a serious manner, you can pick up a formal appraisal
he gave you and say that I think he would repeat it here.
 
Q: Has your career developed as you had liked?
 
A: The agenda behind this question is to understand if there had been times of dip in your career and
if you lay the blame for them on others. There’s nothing to be ashamed of if there have been short
gap in your employment.
 
You can justify it by giving a convincing reason. Look at your qualifications and social environment and
relate your achievements to them, to answer this question.  

Q: What would you do if your team ceased to perform?

A: The agenda behind this question is to understand your management style. A good answer to this
question could be, I will try to establish the reasons for non-performance of the team and try to
eradicate them.
 
Q: Would you take up this job if we offered it to you?
 
A: Again there are two ways to handle this question.
 
First Way: If you have built up a good rapport with the interviewer by now you can ask a more direct
question, Are you offering it to me? (with a smile and right body language). If they say “Yes”, you can
say that off course, based on what we have discussed till now I am enthusiastic in taking up this
position. How soon would you be able to get me a written offer?
 
Second Way: Alternatively you can say, based on what we have discussed till now, I will be happy to
take up this position but there are still certain things that need to be discussed.
 
Q: Your expected salary?
 
A: Don't jump at a figure when you are asked this question during the personal interview. Try to turn
the ball back into the interviewers court and ask him the type of salary the company offers for a
position like this.
 
Still, if you are required to answer this question, mention a range rather than talking about an exact
figure but don't keep the range too vast, you will be offered the one at the lower end.
 
Probably you can say, I should be comfortable with something in the range of mid fifties.
 
Q: What will you do if you are offered a job with a salary higher than this?
 
A: By asking this question the interviewer tries to analyze if the candidate will leave the job for a
couple of thousands.
 
Recruiting a candidate costs money to the company so they would like to hire somebody who has
some loyalty towards the company. You can answer this question by saying that though you know the
attraction of money every job offers but you would first try to analyze the growth opportunities with
both the jobs.
 
If your present company can offer you the desired growth with the industry trend, you would not
switch. You will discuss the issue with your senior and ask his views on your growth in the present job
and if you see that there is a potential to grow in the present job, you will stick otherwise you will
politely inform him about your decision to move ahead in life.
 
Q: Do you want to ask us something about the company?
 
A: When you are going for a job interview, go prepared. Try to find out the latest information about
the company.
 
When you are asked this question, you can ask interesting questions like the opportunities for you to
grow in the company, the expansion plans of the company and the chances for you to grow there.
 
If the company has been in news recently, you can ask questions related to that also.

As your personal interview progresses, the interviewer usually gives you a chance to ask him any
questions that you may want to. This is not only one of the golden opportunities for you to
demonstrate your interest in the company and the job but also a chance to address any concerns the
interviewer might have about your candidature. If you simply sit like a dumb and say “No, I don’t
think I have anything.” Or “You have already answered all my questions”, believe me you will dig your
own grave.
By doing this you not only lose an opportunity to prove your suitability but also make the recruiters
think twice before hiring you. Interviewers do expect some intelligent question from the candidates
and when they get a dumb sounding reply at the end of an interview which they thought to be
successful, their heart sinks. The recruiters also need people to fill up the vacancies and keep the work
moving. They are continuously on a look out for good candidates. If towards the end of the interview
they get a feeling that the candidate is probably not interested or not suitable enough to carry out the
work properly, they also feel bad, as they again have to go through the whole process of finding
another candidate. So, prepare yourself well in advance to ensure that you are ready to ask some
intelligent questions during the interview. Here are some questions which you can ask the recruiter
and the advantage they can fetch you.
1. Now as we have discussed my candidature in detail, do you have any concerns about me
being able to meet the responsibilities of this role?
Advantage: If the recruiter has any concerns about you being not able to meet the responsibilities of
the role, this question would provoke him to put it into words. It will give you a chance to address his
concerns and convince him that you are a good candidate for the position under discussion.
2. What are the opportunities for me to grow in this role and with the company?
Advantage: This question gives you a chance to analyze the growth prospects for you with the
company. At the same time, it gives the recruiter an impression that if you are an ambitious candidate
but if you get proper growth opportunities, you will stick to the company.
3. Is this a new position or has fallen vacant by the separation of the last employee?
Advantage: This question would help you in understanding if the position is available because of the
expansion or due to the separation of the last employee. If it is vacant after the separation of the last
employee, it would e good for you to know the reason. This would also give the recruiter an
impression that you are careful in selecting the job.
4. What are the major goals that would need to be accomplished in this role?
Advantage: This question would help you understand the role better and give the recruiter a
confidence that the candidate is interested in taking up this job.
5. How many members would be there in my team? What will be my position amongst
them?
Advantage: This question would help you in understanding the break up of the team and your
position.
If the company has been in news during the last days and if you have any queries related to it, it is a
good time to ask them.

5 things you should avoid in resume

 Date: 04-Mar-2011
In the last week interview tip we have shared 10 tips which needs to be followed while
preparing resume but then this time we have things which you should avoid in your resume.
There are some practices which even experienced people used to follow while preparing
their resume. Those are actually the myths which we are not aware of. 

We have come across with an article which will make you aware of the myths which people have while
making their resume. 

Myth 1: Make up that degree -- no one will know 

Lying on a resume is the worst mistake a candidate can make. Even if you pass the background check
(very unlikely considering how sophisticated background checks have become), a savvy employer will
discover the deception within days, if not sooner. 

Apart from the legal ramifications, we live in a professional world that is influenced by social media. At the
touch of a button, HR managers across the country can discuss their experiences. Maintaining a good
reputation is more important than ever.
 Myth 2: It's all about the number of pages 

The one-page rule is probably the most common myth about a resume. Candidates, even senior
executives, use microscopic fonts, leave off important information, use 0.1 inch margins, and resort to a
myriad of unhealthy practices -- all in an attempt to restrict their resume to just one page. 

Many well-meaning college counselors advise their students to be concise and limit their resume to one

page. That was important when you were a student with little or no experience, but why subscribe to the
same wisdom after rising to the ranks of a senior executive? 

There is an opposing viewpoint. Some job seekers mistakenly believe that if they can somehow balloon
their resumes to four or five pages, they will probably be considered for higher-paying positions. What?
Will someone offer me $250,000 simply because my resume is ten pages and redundant to the point of
boredom? 

Content rules. The quality of experience should influence the length of the resume, not hearsay. If you
have held only one job, then don’t try to create a five-page resume, but if your background merits a
lengthier resume then don’t use eight point fonts in a desperate attempt to fit everything on one page. 

If you are too concerned about the length of your resume, consider creating a one- or two-
page resume with additional pages serving as an appendix or addendum. I have done that for many
researchers and academicians. The first few pages focused on their background, while their publications
and presentations were presented as an appendix. 
 Myth 3: Your resume must have an objective 

“Seeking a position that will be beneficial and mutually rewarding and will make use of my experience and
education ” If that is your idea of an objective, don’t bother using one. Every inch of resume space is
precious. Don’t waste it on generic information that can be found on almost every other resume. Every
word, every character that appears on your resume must position you as the perfect candidate for
the job.
Write your objective according to your profile and interest. 

In the case of a clinical researcher, for example, a generic objective would be as follows: 
“Seeking a mutually beneficial position that will make use of my 10+ years’ experience in clinical
research.” 

An improvement would be: 

HARVARD-EDUCATED CLINICAL RESEARCHER WITH 10+ YEARS’ PROFESSIONAL

EXCELLENCE
Worked with top five pharmaceutical companies. Leveraged clinical expertise to manage three
blockbuster, multi-billion dollar molecules from Phase I to Market.

The generic example does almost nothing to position the candidate but the refined version, in addition to
serving as an objective, brings out three to four prominent strengths and an overall value proposition. 

Whether you decide to use an objective or a positioning statement, refrain from presenting generic
arguments. 

Myth 4: Your references must be listed on the  resume itself 

Normally, a separate page is used as a reference sheet. This not only protects the privacy of your
references (imagine posting their contact information on every  job board), but also makes the screening
professional’s job a little easier.

Myth 5: I can use the same  resume for multiple job targets

 Recipe for disaster. If your current resume focuses on your laboratory background, please don’t send the
same resume for marketing positions. It is understandable that you may qualify for multiple positions or be
interested in pursuing alternate careers. If so, try to create a customized resume for each job target.
When it comes to a resume, never follow the “one size fits all” approach.

The above myths might have made you clear about what you should not do with your resume.
Courtsey: newgradlife

The first impression on a potential employer can make a big

difference
Date: 19-Feb-2011
From checking out the company to sending an interview thank you note, these job interview
tips cover all the basics needed for interviewing success.
Check Out the Company: 
How much do you know about the company that just contacted you to schedule an
interview? It should be plenty, and all the information you need is available online. Here are
tips on how to research a company, get the inside scoop on the company culture, and use connections
who can help you get an interview advantage.
Use Your Contacts:
 Who you know at the company you are interviewing with really does matter. Here's how to use your
contacts and connections to get an insider advantage so you can ace the interview and impress the
interviewer.
Practice Interview:
Taking the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview will
help give you a framework for your responses and will help calm your frazzled nerves, because you won't
be scrambling for an answer while you're in the interview hot seat. Practice interviewing with a friend or
family member ahead of time and it will be much easier when you're actually in a job interview.
Improve Your Interview Technique:

A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to
the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention

Dress For Interview Success:

The first impression you make on a potential employer can make a big difference. The first judgment an
interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That's why it's always
important to dress professionally for a job interview.
Handle a Group Interview:

Interviewing with one person is tough enough, but it's even harder when you have to interview with a
group (or panel) of interviewers. Here's how advice on how to ace a panel interview.

Interview While Dining:

Taking you to breakfast, lunch or dinner provides the interviewer with a chance to check out your
communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your table manners, in a more casual environment
than an office setting. Here's advice on how to handle an interview while dining.

Prepare For Phone Interview:

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment's
notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few
minutes to talk. Review these tips for advice on how to pull off your phone interview without a hitch.
Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces
your interest in the position. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that
came up during the interview.

Treat your resume as an advertisement for you

Date: 23-Feb-2011
It's well known that first impression is the last impression and it's true even in the case of
interview. This is a fact that you can impress the recruiter even when you have not yet
appeared in front of him. 

But that's possible only when you make your resume expressive and well structured and
with relevant information. Following are the tips you should use while preparing your resume

 Pen down your key skills related to the respective job first. Your strengths must be reflected
clearly at the beginning of your resume. List as many directly relevant words as you can which reflect your
knowledge and experience. List all the technical knowledge, languages and platform you know.
 Make sure that your strength lie on the particular requirement of the employer. For example if the
recruiter is looking for an event manager, design your resume in a manner that at a glance he
understands that you can be a good event manager. Do mention your previous activities related to the
particular job.

 Mention your qualification in order of relevance, from most to least. Only list your degree and
educational qualifications first if they are truly relevant to the job for which you are applying

 Begin sentences with action verbs. Portray yourself as someone who is active, uses their brain,
and gets things done

 Don't sell yourself short. This is by far the biggest mistake of all resumes, technical and
otherwise. Your experiences are worthy for review by hiring managers. Treat your resume as an
advertisement for you. Be sure to thoroughly sell yourself by highlighting all of your strengths. If you've
got a valuable asset which doesn't seem to fit into any existing components of your resume, list it anyway
as its own resume segment.

 Be concise. As a rule of thumb, resumes reflecting five years or less experience should fit on one
page. More extensive experience can justify usage of a second page. Consider three pages (about 15
years or more experience) an absolute limit.

 Avoid lengthy descriptions of whole projects of which you were only a part. Consolidate action
verbs where one task or responsibility encompasses other tasks and duties. Minimize usage of articles
(the, an, a) and never use "I" or other pronouns to identify yourself.
 

 Avoid needless items. Leave all these things off your resume: social security number, marital
status, health, citizenship, age, scholarships, irrelevant awards, irrelevant associations and memberships,
irrelevant publications, irrelevant recreational activities, a second mailing address, references,  travel
history, previous pay rates, previous supervisor names, and components of your name which you really
never use (i.e. middle names).

 Be sure to catch all spelling errors, grammatical weaknesses, unusual punctuation, and
inconsistent capitalization. Proofread it numerous times over at least two days to allow a fresh eye to
catch any hidden mistakes.

 Take the print out on plain white paper. Handwriting, typing, dot matrix printing, and even ink jet
printing look pretty cheesy. Stick with laser prints. Don't waste your money on special bond paper,
matching envelopes etc. Your resume will be photocopied, faxed, and scanned numerous times,
defeating any special paper efforts, assuming your original resume doesn't first end up in the circular file.