How to face interview

To help you face the interview with confidence, here's a list of tips:

1. Be yourself: Do not try to be someone you are not. The interviewer is an expert of his
job and will immediately catch hold of any dishonest statement or action you portray. Do not
pretend to be someone you are not.

2. Maintain an eye contact: One of the best to project confidence is to maintain an eye
contact with the person who is interviewing you. Do not look here and there or up and down
for it shows nervousness.

3. Body language: Most of the communication that we do during an interview is non-

verbal. Sit straight. Do not shake your legs or tap your feet in nervousness. Do not fiddle
with your hair or rub your hands. After all, the interviewer is also just another human being.
He is sure to have some flaws too.

4. Dress appropriately: Remember, you are going for an interview, not a fancy dress
competition or party. Dress smartly and neatly. Do not wear a lot of jewellery. If ladies are
wearing a saree, pin it properly. Do not walk in for the interview shabbily. Tuck your hair
properly. Do not wear any uncomfortable dress. Wearing formals is always suitable for
appearing in an interview.

5. Know you CV, job and company: Have a firm grasp on your CV, the job you're
applying for and the company. Be specific about your achievements and your growth so far.
Set examples of events that set you apart from others. Think of a reason why the
interviewer should hire you. Give them a reason to choose you. Also, know the company
well. You are required to work for them; therefore they expect you to be well-informed of the
organisation, its products, services and industry as a whole.

First impression may or may not be the last one, but it definitely is a lasting impression.
Make sure, you get it right.

1. Just Breathe
While waiting to be greeted by your interviewer, take a few moments to do
some breathing. (Yes, like a pregnant woman in labor!) By doing this, you can
redirect the troublesome emotion youre experiencing (e.g., nervousness or
fear) and be able to focus on something else (in this case, the amazing job that
youre hoping to land). Holistic health expert Andrew Weil, MD praises
breathing exercises , saying, Since breathing is something we can control and
regulate, it is a useful tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind.

To do this most effectively, take a deep breath through your nose (really feel
your stomach expand) and then slowly blow it out through your mouth.
Repeat this three times, while concentrating on centering your thoughts. The
best thing about this technique is that you can do it anywhere (and quite
unnoticeably), so if you feel your nerves start to swell during the interview,
simply take another breath.

2. Dont Fidget
Nervous fidgeting is one of the most telltale signs that youre nervous, so this
is an incredibly important skill to master. My go-to trick is to keep my hands
clasped together on the table or in my lap to avoid any subconscious table
tapping, hair twirling, or otherwise noticeable squirming. Im also a leg-shaker
but keeping my hands in my lap and applying a bit of pressure to my legs
helps remind me to keep the shaking to a minimum.

If you think you dont have any fidgety habits, you might want to think again
most people arent aware of their own nervous tendencies because theyre such
an ingrained part of their natural behavior. To double check, try doing a few
mock interviews with a friend who can call you out on any fidgeting. Once you
know exactly what to avoid, you can practice controlling it.

3. Make Eye Contact

One of the best ways to fool a hiring manager into thinking youre more
confident than you feel is to keep steady, natural eye contact throughout the
interview. Mary Griffin, a Human Resources Director for a national healthcare
company says, A key giveaway of a nervous Nellie is a lack of direct eye
contactlooking down, looking away, and not looking the interviewer directly
in the eyes. A more confident interviewee appears to be engaged with the
interviewer .

One way to remind yourself to make regular eye contact is to focus on a spot
between the interviewers eyes. You can even imagine a colorful bulls-eye
therewhatever it takes to keep your eyes from wandering too much.

On the flip side, you dont want to stay so intensely focused on making eye
contact that you end up sending out a creepy vibe ! So remember to take
natural breaks, like looking down at your resume every once in a while. Its a
balancing act, so just keep practicing until it feels comfortable.

4. Press Pause
Some of us (myself included!) tend to ramble when were nervous. This can be
dangerous because once we start talking, its incredibly easy to veer off topic
and say more than whats neededor worse, more than whats appropriate .

To preempt any rambling, I try to answer each question with only one thought
or idea at a time. For example, if youre asked to describe a trait you disliked
about a previous supervisor, you could say, I found that her tendency to
micromanage conflicted with my productivity. Then stop. This will save you
from unnecessary add-ons like She was a total control freak whose inability to
let me make my own decisions made me want to run down the hall screaming
obscenitieseven if that may be the most honest answer.

The key to mastering this technique is to keep your tone sincere, so that even if
your responses are brief, they dont come off as curt or dismissive. Its more
about sticking to one main topic per question instead of going off a nervous
tangent. And dont worryif the interviewer wants you to elaborate on a
certain topic, shell ask.

5. Think Positively
Finally, calm your nerves by reminding yourself that you deserve to be there.
Hey, you wouldnt have been invited to interview if you werent being seriously
considered as a candidate! Use this knowledge to your advantage to mentally
pump yourself up before the interview. It can take the edge off enough to allow
you to approach the situation with a burst of self-assurance and poise.

Most importantly, remember that while you certainly need to be calm,

collected, and confident in order to score the job, an interview is not a life-or-
death situation. Hiring managers are humans, tooand theyll understand
and forgive a few minor nervous blips.

So with that in mind, relax, gather your strength, and walk into that interview
with a newfound confidence (at least on the outside!).
Steps for a Successful Interview
YOU are the overall package you are selling. To be successful, you need to know: WHO you are, WHAT
skills are important to the client, and WHY a company should invest in you.

To ensure that your interview presentation is smooth and concise, compose and practice giving a two-
minute talk about yourself.

Interview Preparation
This is one of the most important steps in interviewing. Before each interview, FAST will coach you and
provide detailed information about the client and the available position. However, you need to take
additional steps in this process:

1. Conduct your own research about the company.

2. Review your own accomplishments, skills, and experience.

3. Prepare an explanation about your career and reason for making a change.

First Impression
Initial impressions are made within the first minute of an interview. To make a positive first
impression:

1. Be immaculate in your appearance.

2. Wear color-coordinated professional attire.

3. Give a firm handshake.

4. Provide fresh copies of your resume to the interviewer.

5. Maintain good eye contact throughout the interview.

Highlight Strengths / Skills

Most interviews will follow a basic pattern in which the client determines your strengths and
weaknesses. You need to:

1. Highlight the strengths of your individual qualities as well as your ability to work on team
projects by giving specific examples of each.

2. Address the interviewers concerns sincerely and share a self-improvement plan.

Enthusiasm and Confidence

Being enthusiastic about your abilities, the client, and potential opportunity helps convince the
interviewer that you are a viable candidate. Throughout the interview:
 1. Be confident--but not egotistical.

2. Answer interviewers questions thoughtfully and in detail.

3. Prepare answers to anticipated questions about your experience and interests.

Ask Questions
The interview should be a two-way process. In order to determine if the opportunity will be the right
career move for you, ask questions about topics such as responsibilities, expectations, training,
support, evaluation, and company goals.

Do not Discuss
Typically you should NOT discuss salary: FAST will negotiate the best possible compensation package
for you. You must decide how to approach the salary question with your recruiter before the interview.

Ask for the Position

Before you leave the interview, explain why you are interested in the position and how your abilities
will benefit the company. Ask how to proceed to the next step in the hiring process.

Steps to Take After the Interview

Send a brief note of thanks after the interview.

Use your listening skills to your advantage

Interview success isnt about randomly singing your own praises ad infinitum in fact,
thats a big turn-off with recruiters. If youre an introvert, your superior listening skills are
your secret weapon.

Follow your natural instinct to listen carefully to the questions, clarify if youre not sure
what interviewers are asking and pay attention to any new information they give you
about the job or the company. If you can find a way to bring this back into conversation
later in the interview so much the better it shows you have taken it in.
Rest assured that overconfident candidates are likely to shoot themselves in the foot by
thinking too much about what they want to say and not enough about what they are
being asked.

Developing long term confidence

These quick tips should help you succeed at imminent interviews, but why not think
about increasing your confidence levels long term?

Alexandra Watson likes to use the term superconfidence to describe genuine self-
confidence that cant be faked. If you are superconfident, people cant help but notice
you, she states clearly a big advantage in any recruitment process.

Importantly, she stresses that its possible to develop superconfidence. Know what you
want and how to get it, she advises. Alexandra is a big believer in understanding what
makes you happy. Then challenge yourself regularly and be the proactive one. A series
of small breakthroughs makes a massive difference to how you feel about yourself.

Use Power Postures

We all know that our minds control our actions and our movements. But
did you know you can actually use your body to trick your mind into
feeling a certain way? Slouching or slumping and crossing your arms are
all examples of closed off postures, and when we feel small, we tend to
exhibit these poses. If you spend a little time opening yourself up and
exhibiting the postures of the confident, you can build a sense of
assurance just by your actions. Spend several minutes practicing power
poses, or opening yourself up, spreading your arms, walking tall, and
looking the part.
Practice Speaking Out Loud and Smiling

We often spend the hours before our interview at home alone going over
our perfect answers for the questions we anticipate. We havent spoken
out loud all day, and without noticing it, we feel holed up and nervous.
Public speaking and enunciation are skills and we need to hone these
skills in order to master them. Once the interview starts, its extremely
difficult to correct our speaking problems because we may be too
nervous or we just plain dont notice them. Practice speaking your
answers out loud so you can hear your voice and correct any nervous
intonations, pitch problems, or pacing issues before you go to your
interview.

And dont forget to smile. Smiling is contagious, even for yourself. Smile
often before your interview to get in the habit of doing so, and youll feel
more comfortable offering a genuine smile while youre greeted and
when youre being interviewed.

Listen to Upbeat Music

When youre in your interview, you want to sound excited and

enthusiastic about the position, and not downtrodden and beaten up by
the job search process. Do whatever you do to pump yourself up and put
yourself in the mood to win, whether its listening to upbeat music or
watching motivational YouTube videos, or just reading inspirational
quotes. Think about a time in your life when you succeeded to get
yourself motivated.
Leave Your Hang-ups at the Door

So you had your dream job interview the previous day, and now youre at
your backup job interview. If only you could know beforehand whether
or not youll be offered the dream job, because then you wouldnt have to
keep interviewing. Yesterday you were at your best, but today doesnt
really matter.

Whatever you feel about the job youre interviewing for, treat it like its
your only priority. Bring enthusiasm with you to every interview you go
on, because nothing is set in stone, and no matter how confident you are
that you aced the dream job interview, you can never be sure until youve
signed the contract. If youre anything but excited about the position, it
will show. And you never know, the backup job could end up being
perfect.

Dress For the Feeling You Want

Job searching sometimes only happens every few years, or longer. If your
last interview outfit has gone out of style, youll feel outdated and boxy
while wearing it and this could result in awkward behavior on your part
because you dont feel comfortable. Dont dress in clothes you feel
ridiculous wearing. If you take some time to pick out a
professional and stylish outfit you feel confident in, youll be more likely
to exude this assurance and everything from your posture to your
attitude could change for the better.
Do One Extroverted Act Before Your Interview

Smile at a stranger. Start small talk with the barista. Chat with the
receptionist or the people in the elevator in a friendly manner.
Interviewers arent just looking for the person who has the perfect
answer for every question, theyre also searching for someone who can fit
the team dynamic. Employers strive to create a motivated, friendly
environment with high company morale, and if you come across as
someone whos shut off and impersonal, no matter how well you answer
the questions, youre doing yourself a disservice by not letting your more
lively personality show a little.

Always remember that the small talk that occurs at the beginning of the
interview is equally important as the interview itself, so put yourself in a
friendly mood by being an extrovert for a few minutes in the morning.
(True story: a friend of mine was once so friendly to the people in the
elevator after her interview, that one employee rode right back up to tell
his boss to hire her immediately. Every action counts, even if your
interviewer isnt present.)

Get Your Nervous Tics Out of the Way Before You

Enter the Building

So you crack your knuckles. You bite your nails on occasion, you tap your
foot when youre feeling excited. We have nervous tics because they offer
a feeling of release, and it can be relaxing to give in every once in a while.
You dont have to tell yourself to abandon your habits completely, but
make sure youre not doing them in front of a future employer. Make a
point to get it all out of the way when youre still at home or in your car.
Go ahead and crack your knuckles and tap your foot if it calms your
nerves, then make a mental note to hold off for the few hours youre in
the building (Do be careful when biting your nails, you want them to look
nice and well-manicured for the interview).

Understand and Have the Best Possible Answer to

the Question Why Do You Want This Job?

Depending on how you answer, this could potentially be the most

important question of the interview. It can make or break your prospect
of landing the job, and if asked in the beginning of the interview, it can
set the tone for the rest of the meeting. Knowing the answer to this
question means knowing all about the company and the companys
mission, and it requires a deep understanding of your own career values
and desires. It also addresses not only why youre enthusiastic about the
position, but how your specific skill set can be of use to the company.

If the interviewer doesnt ask this, answer it anyway. When its your turn
to ask questions or add something, say that youd like to add what
motivated you to apply for the position at that particular company, and
why you were excited to be contacted for the interview. Talk about how
you believe your values and ambitions are in line with the companys,
and why you feel passionate about the work they do. Think of this answer
as your chance to impress and spend a lot of time researching and
rehearsing what youre going to say in this moment.
Your Chance to Shine
Always remember that the interview isnt just a session to figure
out what skills and experience you possess, its a chance for you to let
your personality show and to prove that youd be a good fit for the team.
Dont pass up any opportunity for friendly conversation, and be more
wary of short and curt answers than loquaciousness (but try not to
ramble too much, of course). Have confidence in yourself, believe that
youre capable of landing this job. After all, they called you; they decided
your resume and cover letter were worthy of an interview. So practice
potential questions and your answers, but also work on building
confidence in yourself and having a positive outlook.

Being confident from the moment you walk through the door will always give you
a better chance of landing the job. The good news is that self-confidence can be
generated and regained. Heres how:

Power Posing

In Amy Cuddys video, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are, she
asserts that not only does body language affect how others see you, but how we
see ourselves. Her studies show that power posing standing in a posture of
confidence, even when you dont feel confident affects your brains testosterone
and cortisol levels, and makes you feel more confident. Her research concludes
that changing your body positions does influence how others see you and even
alters your body chemistry.

Power Posing before an interview or before any event where you are in need of
a confidence boost will greatly improve how you feel and appear to others.

The Confidence Mirror

In a Radford University publication, Behavioral Interviews: It's Not What

You Know, It's What You Did, confidence is strongly correlated to
attractiveness. Multiple studies also conclude that attractive job candidates
get more offers and make more money. Making yourself attractive during an
interview with a comfortably firm handshake, direct eye contact, good posture,
relaxed but passionate communication style, and a genuine smile will give you an
edge over other candidates.

Body Positioning

You can naturally adjust your body for confidence by asking, If I was really
interested in what my interviewer was saying, how would I sit? You will be
surprised how often you need to readjust your body and how much more
confident you feel afterwards.

Affective Memory

As a theatre director, I used a technique called Affective Memory to help my

actors connect with their characters and generate a consistent, real and confident
performance. This process is a central part of Method Acting, a system
pioneered by the late Russian theatre director and actor, Constantin
Stanislavski, which requires actors to call on personal memory details from a
similar situation to those of their characters. Used with positive personal
experiences, this same technique can be effectively applied to rehearsals for job
interviews, especially when rehearsing for the critical first four minutes.

Close your eyes. Recall and experience a time you gave a firm and confident
handshake. See the eyes and face of a friendly and kind person you know or
interviewed with before. Hear their reassuring words. Feel the energy of a
positive and successful interview, meeting, or exchange you had in the past. Pay
attention to what your posture, breathing, and heartbeat were like. Rehearse and
experience this interview in your head, heart, and hands live it.

Done completely, this exercise will give you confidence for your upcoming
interview by connecting it to positive and successful experiences you have already
had in your life. You will no longer be walking into an unknown and perhaps
scary circumstance, but one you have successfully already experienced. In fact, if
done correctly, your mind will not be able to distinguish the difference between
the two.

Mastery
As you grow in your career, knowledge, and expertise and have more successes in
life, you will naturally become more confident when interviewing. Experience and
confidence usually go hand in hand.

If you are early in your career or short on the experience, knowledge, or successes
you need to feel fully confident for the job you are interviewing for, seek
assistance from relevant books, the web, training courses, and a mentor. Good
resources and a commitment to study will give you all the confidence you need.

Exercise & Dress

Staying fit and dressing appropriately for interviews are helpful practices. Both
will give you more confidence and regular exercise always provides you more
energy and makes you feel better about yourself.

Focus On The Positives

We tend to focus our energies on the negative things that happen to us. Despite
buckets full of positive experiences, it only takes one or two nasty comments to
knock someone off their horse. In fact, meanness is at the root of all confidence
issues. Being laughed at when you make a mistake, being harshly rejected by
someone you like, or being taunted on a schoolyard all play a part in a persons
self-confidence. To overcome negative experiences in life, focus on positive ones.
Most people can count only a few really bad experiences in life, while positive
ones are abundant.

Even better, extend this positivity to others. Dr. Maya Angelou once said, At
the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will
remember how you made them feel. We have the ability to give the gift of
confidence to everyone we meet by being constructive and kind in all our
interactions. I encourage you to be a champion of confidence for others. It not
only feels good and helps others, but gives you greater confidence as well.

Rewrite Your Self Talk

What are your low confidence triggers when interviewing? (e.g., entering the
building, shaking hands with your interviewer, sitting down to start the interview,
starting to speak, answering questions) Write them down now. Then write down
what you say to yourself when these events occur and how it makes you feel.
Cross out any negative self-talk and re-write the statements in a positive and
assertive manner a way that makes you feel confident and good about yourself
when you read and say them. Turn, I will never get this job into I am the best
person for this job. This company needs me.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, the renowned self-help guru advises, If you change the way
you look at things, the things you look at change. And there lies the secret to how
you reverse the impact of low confidence triggers in your life.

By re-writing your self-talk, you will change the way you feel and how you behave.
Negative self-talk will generate low self-confidence and self-esteem issues while
positive self-talk produces the opposite effect. Practice positive self-talk
throughout your life and your confidence levels will soar.

Be Present

The key to confidence when interviewing is coming prepared and staying present,
connected and fully engaged in the process and what you need to convey about
yourself. Connect with your interviewer by providing helpful answers to
questions and being actively interested in what they have to say. The more
focused you are on what you trying to accomplish; the less room insecurities,
nervousness, and self-doubt will have to creep in

Prepare and Arrange Your Folder Properly

Before going to attend the interview, you have to check and arrange all your
certificates and testimonials in your folder properly. Most of the organizations
require a particular set of documents like, copies of your educational and
experience certificates, your bio-data, and the application sent to the
company. Also go through the call letter for interview to know the exact
documents you have to carry with you while going to attend the interview.
Remove the irrelevant documents from your folder while arranging the folder
for the purpose of the interview.

Dress Properly

Knowing how to dress for an interview can help you make the very first
impression. Dont wear outlandishly while appearing for the interview before
the interview board. While the dress code may vary from one interview to
another, often its safe to consider the position youre going to appear the
interview for. For example, wearing a jacket may be
considered inappropriate for an interview meant for the position of a senior
office executive. Always wear formal dress to woo the interviewer and make
sure that your dress is clean and ironed properly. Also polish your shoes and
make them shining.

Dont be Nervous

Even the most talented of the candidates can falter during interviews, with
little control over their psychological disposition. Nervousness can freeze your
mental energy which is most required during the interview. While preparing for
the interview, prepare yourself psychologically without shifting your focus to
any other topic. Small details like dressing appropriately or reaching the place
in time will contribute to your confidence significantly, allowing you
to familiarize yourself with the ambiance. Even eating something light may
help you feel relaxed. Some career experts also recommend candidates
taking a couple of deep breaths in order to avoid the interview anxieties. Also
avoid the last-minute rush and reach the place of interview at least before 20-
30 minutes of the scheduled time.

Recommended Reading: 8 Vital Body Language Tips for Interview

Speak Like a Pro

Good communication skills are always an asset to a candidate appearing for

an interview. However, despite having excellent communication skills, many
candidates still fail to pull it off. The reasons can range from nervousness to
bad grammar. To clear an interview successfully, you must have good
command over language which may include your pronunciation, vocabulary,
and grammar. Try to answer the questions elaborately enough and avoid
giving brief answers, especially to the queries that are posed to evaluate your
communication skills in particular. For example, you might want to avoid being
tactic while introducing yourself to the interviewers. Always be sure to include
some important lines in your introduction such as name, age, qualification,
experience, strengths, and your future goals.

Dont Try to be Clever

You have to keep in mind that every organization requires employees who are
sincere and hard-working. But that does not mean you can easily impress the
interview board by acting too cleverly before them. If you dont know the
answer to some specific questions, its wise to admit so. Also be clear and
polite while speaking to the interview board and avoid criticizing someone
while speaking. After completing the interview, be sure to leave the room by
thanking the board regardless of your performance in the interview. Dont
assume anything or rate your performance based on your mental disposition
That thing is best left to your potential employers. You never know what they
would be looking for in you.

Enter the interview room with enthusiasm and energy, both of which can
help to mask your nervousness. Smile, make eye contact, and try to maintain an open posture
(line your shoulders up with the shoulders of the person you are meeting) as you shake hands
with each individual in the room.

Remember TENS: Touch (Shake Hands), Eyes contact, Name, Smile Wait for the interviewer to
sit down or invite you to sit down before seating yourself.

When you respond to interview questions, listen carefully to the questions, take time to
phrase your responses, and ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you're not sure
what they are asking.

Be brief and don't ramble when you respond.

Bring extra copies of your resume with you, in case the interviewer needs a copy or you
end up meeting with several people.

Have a list of three references printed out, including contact information for each
reference, ready to offer the recruiter at the end of the interview.

Finally, thank the interviewer for the time they spent interviewing with
you.

Following up with a thank you note is on the list of interview etiquette best practices.
Taking the time to say thank you not only shows that you appreciated the interview, it
also gives you an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the job.

In addition to saying thank you, refer to anything the interviewer mentioned that
enhanced your interest
Remember.....you never get a second chance to make a good impression. So:

1. extend your hand to shake hands with the interviewer

2. don't sit down until asked

Most interviewers decide whether or not they are going to hire you within
the first three minutes of the interview, so you see the importance of good
greeting!

Be polite. Be a good listener.Don't interrupt.

start your interview by making a positive impression

A warm greeting will set the tone for the rest of the interview and provide you
with the right platform to make a lasting impression.

Try opening along these lines: "Hello, I'm Madhav Rabin

Smile and express your gratitude for the interviewer's time. A smile can be apparent
in the tone of your voice

Greet the interviewer with a firm, confident handshake while making eye contact. A
handshake should last two to three seconds.

Take the lead in the conversation to demonstrate your proactive attitude, but be
patient and don't interrupt when the interviewer is speaking.

SELF INTRODUCTION
1. Start with a smile on your face & give details about Name, Place after greeting.
2. If necessary only add your family details.
3. Tell about your educational details.
4. Share about why you want to do JOB so.
5. About your Project in Brief.
6. The person who inspired you a lot.
7. Then about your intrests/hobbies.
8. Also how you will spend your time when you are free.
9. Tell about skills.
10. Then conclude by saying THANKS to the Person who is listining to you.

Good EVENING sir

Firstly I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity and it's my pleasure to
introduce myself.

I am Madhav Rabin, coming from Aleppey , the land of backwaters in Kerala.

I am a student of 10th standard studying in Bishop Moore Vidyapith Alappuzha.

About my achievements, I have won many international, national and state level
scholastic exams. I would like share with you my 1st meritorious achievement that is
becoming the prince of my school. I even remember the day when I was adorned
with a crown.

I like to make everyday great and happy. This gives me the energy to believe in myself
and the confidence that I CAN do it.

I truly follow swami Vivekananda sayingsdo not lower your goal to the level of your
abilities instead raise your abilities to the heights of your goal.

From my 6th standard I have a dream to become an IITian. I wish to take Engineering
Physics for my higher studies and to utilize my time and energy for the technological
advancement of the society.

My hobbies include reading magazines like frontline and week along with following the
newspaper.

In the evening I spend some time for playing games like cricket and basket ball.

About my family, we are four. My father is a doctor and my mother is a homemaker. I

have a younger brother studying in 8th.

Thats all about me sir. Thank you for listening and giving me such a chance to present
myself before you.