INTERVIEW TIPS : JUST-IN-TIME HOT TIPS FOR INTERVIEW

interview tips

It is interview season once again. After Civil Services (Main) Examination, results the air gets full of expectations. We are here with small interview tips that may effective.

Let me tell you, the interviews are composed of one most important ingredient and that is “you”. Everything else that goes on in an interview is peripheral or secondary.
Talking about oneself is not easy for any one in such a situation. Yet that, precisely, is what you are required to do in an interview.
Your past achievements, present inclinations and vision for the future are what you must be ready to talk about in a clear-headed manner in an interview for any job. An interview is a celebration of “you” from start to finish. So, at least the main theme of the interview is not covered by any amount of fog or mist.
The preparation for an interview, therefore, should begin by keeping yourself at the centre. In fact, viewed from a social perspective, we all love to talk about ourselves and we never tire of telling others how we feel, what we think, why we acted the way we did and when we felt stumped or clueless, who then rescued us and where all that finally led us to. We are usually full of ourselves, if not self-obsessed.

The interviewers have two major concerns in their mind:

(a) the personality issue and
(b) the knowledge aspect of the candidate.
Now, in case of the Civil Services, the knowledge aspect is taken care of by an elaborate written examination, which has already been done. What remains to be evaluated is the personality aspect of the candidate. It is for this reason the interview has been, at times, also called “die Personality Test”. In a situation like Civil Services, the personality aspect worries the selectors more than the qualification aspect, since the Civil Services do not require any critical technical qualification for the day-to-day administrative business of the Government.

The personality of a person has been variously defined to include a vast number of qualities of head and heart. The personality of any person is the sum total of what he/she has experienced, seen, heard, read or felt from the very moment of his/her birth onwards. In short, what the Government is looking for in a candidate is a man of substance who possesses the mind and courage to take on any job and gives his/her best to it, without flinching even for a moment. Ultimately, it is the contents of his/her character that any employer looks for in a new employee and not just his/her outer persona.

We all do have some fear at the time of going for an interview and that is quite natural, so this is acceptable. However, what is not acceptable is fear morphing into panic, which can diminish a performance in many ways.

It is, therefore, perfectly natural to be a bit nervous before an interview, but there is an element of energy present even in this nervousness and if properly harnessed, this energy can help you to present yourself with agility, passion and conviction. It can give you the edge that you need to perform well.

But in order to do so you need to control your nerves in a positive way. Believe me, you have done it many times earlier, so you can do it again, when required. Before the interview, you should try to visualize an enthusiastic interviewer, who is reacting positively to your responses.

Picture yourself delivering a clear and interesting presentation, admit to yourself that you may be nervous, but you are going to convert your nervousness into energy, in a positive way.

Here are some last minute interview tips

You will do well to keep in your mind to enhance your performance in front of the Interview Board.

  1. Intelligent Listening: Eye contact should be maintained to show that you are listening attentively.
  2. The eye contact can be a little relaxed while speaking.
  3. Low Peripheral Movement (LPM): It shows that you are used to people listening to you carefully, when you talk to them.
  4. Cut your answers short to the required patience shown by the members of the Board, talking to you.
  5. They usually like to talk more, so listen carefully and think for a few seconds before you start answering. This will show, you are organising your thoughts in your mind, before starting to speak.
  6. Bring in qualifiers while talking, so as to leave some room for difference in opinion.
  7. Do take a stand, but do not be adamant or unwilling to appreciate the Board’s opinion.
  8. Use a couple of words from the question while answering it. It shows you have listened to the question very carefully.
  9. Carefully use of limited number of technical jargon.
  10. Do not rely upon guesses or speculation, if you are not sure about something.
  11. Listen very keenly, reply with respect, in brief. Do not go in for introductions, come to the central issue of the inquiry immediately.
  12. Even if there has been some initial mistake, keep playing with confidence and do not think you have already lost the game. They are looking for warm, sensitive, respectful and attentive youngsters and not a quiz master.
  13. Talk humbly about your achievements and hobbies, though you may not be a great expert in those fields. You may have mentioned some of your hobbies in the Interview/Personality Test Form, without a serious background in them.
  14. Say less to convey more. Less is more these days, as per the minimalist creed.
  15. Argue logically and generalize correctly, if you have to and add a rider (other things being equal as they do in economics).
  16. Do not try to “read too much between the lines”.
  17. Civil Services Examination interviews are not content driven but form-driven. Yet, you must speak sensibly about your knowledge.
  18. Do not start evaluating your performance while still sitting in the Boardroom.
  19. Remember, while answering any question, what is “easy to see” is “easy to miss”.
  20. We often tend to miss the obvious and go for some non-crucial aspects of the subject.

Remember that the interviewers are not your adversaries and they are not attending the interview in order to pull you apart. Their interest lies in what you have to say and show them about yourself.

You may also like reading:

IAS Exam Preparation Strategy for beginners by Rachit Raj, UPSC Exam Topper

How to prepare for IAS Exam? by Rachit Raj, UPSC Exam Rank 3

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