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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy articles from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
The interview is meant to probe and evaluate your personality and not merely your knowledge. The application of your knowledge to reveal your personality in a positive manner will guarantee your sure success in die interview. This means, to begin with, you must acquire and have the knowledge in your possession. Knowledge never goes to waste. Knowledge is power and ideas rule the world. Without adequate knowledge you cannot hope to win in an interview. You cannot bluff; dodge or talk your way out by discussing irrelevant or superfluous things in an interview. You must acquire die knowledge by preparation, study, discussion, reading and thinking after carefully going through the syllabus. Now, let us see how your knowledge should be applied or put to use in the right way to attain your goal. The next requirement is free and fluent power of expression. No one will be able to know
and appreciate the extent and depth of your knowledge and ideas unless you communicate and convey them to others effectively, coherently and convincingly. In an interview, your ability to speak is of paramount importance for success. Ability to speak, thus, becomes the short cut to distinction.
Last, you must remember that the Board is going to assess your personality and leadership level from what you say and how you say it, when you respond to the questions. You must remember both what you say and how you say because these are very important. The questions asked of you are the opportunities you get to project your personality to the Board. Generally, there is no such thing as the correct answer to most of die questions which would be asked during the interview. The Board would, instead, seek your views, ideas, comments, opinions, justifications, etc. It will also observe and note how you react to their questions, comments and even criticisms at times. You can and must be free and frank and speak out your mind. But you should also be tactful. In other words, you should not be arrogant, rigid, offensive or quarrelsome. Neither you should appear artificial and overcareful. Be natural, confident and cheerful. Substantiate your stand or conclusions with logical, rational and convincing reasons with necessary expert comments.
The subject of die essay is a proverb which means that no work worth doing can be accomplished either easily or quickly. The city of Rome which became the wonder of the civilized world was not built in a day. Rome, the magnificent city, required many years and thousands of workers to construct it. The tremendous amount of resources, human labor, money and time were involved in erecting die city that became the envy of the world. In the same way, all great and brilliant works cannot be achieved in a day. Slow progress must not make us impatient. Every great work requires time and energy. A great work cannot be finished in a day. Patient labor is necessary for many years to finish it. Hence, patience combined with perseverance is the key to succeed in life.
There were things in the world which took a considerably long time to mature. It is the nature of a task that determines the length of time it would take to be accomplished. Some people are in the habit of getting impatient when a task takes a little longer than usual to complete. They do not understand or rather deliberately forget the nature of the task and start losing heart. This maxim is used to tell the impatient people that great works are not done/accomplished overnight or in haste. Such things require requisite time, patience and continuous effort. It is applicable not only in the case of studies but also in the case of success in life itself that one needs steady and continuous work.
Civilizations did not develop in a country or two. Neither science nor technology is the result of the efforts
of one individual or a single experiment. It is because l| hundreds of people zealously worked for generations together that we now enjoy easy and comfortable life. Most of the people who had so toiled are not known to the history. They die,people, who never cared for fame; their sole aim was to go ahead steadfastly in their work. They are the people unwept and unsung. It is certainly because of the undaunted efforts of these unknown heroes that we stand at the place where we I today find ourselves. And, it is the case with every human i endeavour—be it in science, art, religion or related to 1 the growth of civilization. Patience is required in accomplishing any great task. A short cut, no matter I how promising it may seem to appear, cannot lead one f to success.
Mahatma Gandhi did not coin the term “non-violence” h or “civil disobedience”. Ahimsa has been preached for generations by eminent souls and, in fact, it had become our way of life when we claim we are vegetarians; and I for centuries of foreign rule, the only expression of I discontent had been non-violent disobedience; the grand I culmination of these principles and practices was in L India’s attainment of independence. But when the struggle was on, people were not daunted; they solidly stood I behind Mahatmaji, which resulted in our country’s I independence.
When we turn to nature and watch a bird making its nest, we will certainly be amazed at its patience and perseverance. A bird like a crow brings dry sticks and twigs from a tree in its beak, puts them at the joint of two branches, arranges and rearranges them till it finally takes the shape of a nest the crow wants it to be. The crow does not give up its job—a stick may fall now and then, and the wind may blow off its parody built nest—till it is complete. This is the kind of perseverance we need to cultivate. We have got to realize that obstacles will certainly come on the way: and the path to success is always strewn with stones and thorns.
We must keep our spirit alive and upright until we reach our desired destination. The jungles are dark and daunting. But when once, we cross these woods and reach the other end, the joy will be boundless and the journey will become worth all the trouble.
All great things have been built up through years of preparation and hard work. As legends have it, wThat is now the great city of Rome was in the long past a marshy tract of land. Two brothers, Romulus, and Remus, laid there the foundation of a city. Then Rome became one of the wonders of the wTorld, not overnight by the magic of Aladdin’s wonder lamp, but by steady and strenuous efforts of its rulers and people. Step by step, Rome was built up and once became the capital and nerve-centre of the great Roman Empire, where all roads of Europe once led to. It took a long time for this city to develop into a grand city. Similarly, nothing great can be achieved all at once or overnight.
The great inventions and discoveries of the world were the result of the labor and efforts of many men for many years. Behind a great discovery, there were years of devotion and patient work of a scientist. Simply by one jump, however high, we cannot reach the top of Mount Everest. Indeed, with proper patience and perseverance, a mountain can be scaled. Lives of great men show that they attained greatness by the hard way of their determined efforts. What is required in the technologically advanced world of today where everybody is busy doing multitasking, is to have patience and perseverance, and not haste.
Great discoverers have shown the wonderful tenacity of purpose and commendable endurance in their pursuits. They never showed any sign of discouragement even after successive failures. Had they been hasty or had they shown signs of disappointment, they would not have been remembered today with great honor. We are aware of the perseverance that enabled Tenzing Norgay to reach atop Mount Everest. Milton took almost a quarter-century of years to complete his great epics Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. Tulsidas took several years of constant labor in creating his Ramcharit Manas. Great men did not become great in a day. They labored hard for many years. The fruit of their labor was their success in life.
A close look at the maxim will make it evident that the word ‘Rome’ represents a great, noble or a monumental task. And the word ‘in a day’ indicates the amount of time. The position is now very clear that monumental or great tilings cannot be done in haste, they require not one day, but a long period of time. It is an advice to those who after having put in a little work or labor want excellent result immediately. They would be committing a mistake by doing so. It is a lesson for those who want to do big or great things in life so that they can be prepared to work hard continuously for a long time without losing patience. Patience is crucial in this process. Impatience will lead us nowhere. It will waste the labor or efforts we have already put in. Therefore, it is advisable to learn this lesson and translate it into action. We should have a firm determination and should sincerely works hard. We cannot achieve success unless we put in the required amount of work in a specified period. The period of time is as important as the amount of labor. Therefore, the key to the accomplishment of any big task is labor, patience, and perseverance.
Suppose a man is not keeping good health. He wants to improve his health. Can any exercise, medicine or tonic has the power to improve one’s health overnight? The answer is obviously ‘no’. For improving one’s health, the man will have to take regular exercise and medicines for a period of time, before he can find any improvement in his health. Patience is the essence of it.
We may fail in our attempts to accomplish a task, but w7e must try again and again until it is finished. If we are in haste, we cannot do our work. If we are impatient, we cannot reach the goal. It is like climbing a tree. A man cannot reach the top of a tree at once. He climbs up from the lowest part and then gradually reaches the top. Men have no wings like birds. They cannot soar. They must go up step by step to reach the top of the mountain. Hard-working men alone can rise to eminence. Great men have toiled day and night. They have faced many difficulties. Even, they have met with failures. But they have not lost heart. They have continued their work in the long run and have won the prize for their effort.
Life is not a bed of roses. There is no royal road to success. We must go on working. We must not stop. We must not be dejected after initial failures. Then only it is possible to do great works. Palatial buildings were not built in a day. For example, the Taj Mahal is a marvel of architectural workmanship winch took seventeen years to complete. Shahjahan got this finest piece of architecture constructed with great patience and with huge expenditure over such a long span of time. If we want to leave behind us a monument of glory, we must be patient, hard-working and honest. We must always remember the proverb that ‘Rome wars not built in a day and we must apply the meaning of this proverb to our tasks. Then we are bound to succeed.
There Are No Speed Limits On The Road To Perfection
If you want to do something, in all likelihood you will have some hesitation at the outset, because a first-timer has no experience. Hesitation is the result of no or little experience. But you need not worry, because your lack of experience is not going to pose any problem, if you are determined to set out for the attainment of your goal. It is your willpower which will help you throughout your journey to your goal. The greatest wit and one of the greatest playwrights of modern times, George Bernard Shaw has said, “Men are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their capacity for experience.” In other words, if you have capacity for adding experience while you try to do things, you get wiser. Every experience only adds to your wisdom that leads you on the right way to the accomplishment of your task.
In order to get over the difficulty your lack of experience may pose at the outset, you should identify someone who has done a work similar to yours’ and get in touch with him/her. As you will interact, you will be surprised at how easy it is to find out how he/she started out and what he/she learned along the way. It is learning along the way which leads one to perfection. Every trifling thing you learn along the way helps you in accomplishing your task in the best possible way. In the words of the great artist, Michelangelo—”Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.”
In- fact, when you proceed on your way to the accomplishment of the task, you get armed with knowledge of the pitfalls involved and get better prepared and able to navigate your way around your first successful step towards your final destination. If you have some expert coach or an experienced senior to help you achieve yo^jr goal, he/she will start from the belief that you already have the solutions to the things that are challenging you or preventing you from realising your dreams. He/She will tell you to focus your attention on the things you want. It is the degree of your attention which determines the depth of your desire for the thing you want to possess. Always remember that there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so. In other words, never think that any of your endeavours was bad or a waste of time, because it did not succeed. In fact, failures are the pillars of success. They act as the guide that leads to the right way. There is a wise saying—Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
Never forget to draw upon your resources in full measure. Always try to find out all your resources, as they are helpful in your pursuit of a goal of your choice. The moment you decide to use your resources, you will find that you rarely need to look outside the network of friends and acquaintances or other contacts you already have to help you achieve your goals. You will find that none of the resources you need is beyond your grasp.
You were ignorant of your resources because you had not previously concenra*ed on looking for them. When you become aware of what it is that you want to achieve, you will certainly be in a better,position to zero in on the things and people you want or need *o realise your dreams with the help of. This realisation of yours will be your best guide on the road to excellence. You will march ahead very confidently. To quote David W. Johnson—”There are no speed limits on the road to perfection.”
Wishing you perfection in whatever you do,
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.
Intelligent Listening: Eye contact should be maintained to show that you are listening attentively.
The eye contact can be a little relaxed while speaking.
Low Peripheral Movement (LPM): It shows that you are used to people listening to you carefully, when you talk to them.
Cut your answers short to the required patience shown by the members of the Board, talking to you.
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.
Bring in qualifiers while talking, so as to leave some room for difference in opinion.
Do take a stand, but do not be adamant or unwilling to appreciate the Board’s opinion.
Use a couple of words from the question while answering it. It shows you have listened to the question very carefully.
Carefully use of limited number of technical jargon.
Do not rely upon guesses or speculation, if you are not sure about something.
Listen very keenly, reply with respect, in brief. Do not go in for introductions, come to the central issue of the inquiry immediately.
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.
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.
Say less to convey more. Less is more these days, as per the minimalist creed.
Argue logically and generalize correctly, if you have to and add a rider (other things being equal as they do in economics).
Do not try to “read too much between the lines”.
Civil Services Examination interviews are not content driven but form-driven. Yet, you must speak sensibly about your knowledge.
Do not start evaluating your performance while still sitting in the Boardroom.
Remember, while answering any question, what is “easy to see” is “easy to miss”.
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.
Albatross: Large sea birds. Alpaca: South American mammal giving long, silky wool.
Amoeba: A microscopic fresh water animal. Its body has simplest struicture consisting of jelly like protoplasm and a nucleus.
Bat: Fat mammals whose wing consisting of a membrane of skin stretching between the fingers of the fore limbs.
Beaver: A vegetarian fur-bearing mammal, found in Asia, America and Europe, lives in burrows on river banks and cut down trees to dam streams to raise the water level in order to cover the mouth of its burrows.
Kangaroo: Mammals of Australia and New Guinea having small fore legs and very strong hind laga, which give it great leaping power.The female has a pouch (marsupium) in front, in which she carries her baby.
Koala: Grey, the furry mammal of Australia having marsupium, eats leaves of Eucalyptus.
Kiwi: Wingless bird of New Zealand having a hair-like feather.
Laimpreys: Fish like creatures with no jaws but having large round mouth by which they attach themselves to fish,upon which they prey.
Leeches: Worms living in ponds and streams, live by sucking blood of animals.
Lion: Large,strong carnivorous mammal found in Africa and S.Asia.
Llama: South American mammal somewhat like a camel, but smaller and without a hump.
Musk deer: Small horniess deer of Central Asia, the male of which has a gland containing strong scent of musk.
Mustang: A wild horse of America.
Nightingale: A singing bird of India.
Octopus: Sea mollusc bearing eight tentacles.
Okalpi: Mammal found in West Africa forest, nearly related to Giraffe but with shorter neck.
Ostrich: A tall African and arabian bird with large feathers, runs swiftly but cannot fly.
Pelican: Large,fish-eating water bird with a pouch for storing food.
Penguin: Sea bird found in southern hemisphere.
Puma: Large American wild cat carnivorous in habit, also called mountain lion.
Rein Deer: A large deer having branching horns, found in Siberia.
Rhea: Large bird of South America that is much like the Ostrich but smaller.
Rhinoceros: Large thick, skinned mammal of Africa and Asia with one or two upright horns on the snout.
Salamandar: An animal shaped like a lizard but belonging to the group of amphibia.
Salmon: A large fish with silvery scales and yellowish pink flesh which is edible.
Sea horse: Small fish with a head like that of a horse.
Seal: A sea carnivorous mammal.
Sea Lion: Large seal of the Pacific coast of America.
