Page 80 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Unit 3: Interview Skills

To avoid a negative impact, you should take certain precautions; these are listed below: Notes
1. Do not give irrelevant information.
2. Do not give excessive details about the topic under discussion.
3. Do not try to change the topic of discussion.

4. Avoid hasty generalizations.
5. Do not give any evasive reply in a bid to hide your ignorance.
6. Avoid long pauses while speaking.
7. Do not keep smiling all the time.

Guidelines for the Interviewee
1. Be prepared for the interview: Just as the interviewer has to plan out the event in advance,
in much the same way, the interviewee has to be prepared for it too. As he has no control
over the event, he has to be more careful at every step. He has to face an interviewer or a
board of interviewers. He must therefore, be very clear about the purpose of the event. If
it is going to be a interview, he has to be well prepared for questions in his area of interest,
his present position, the position he has applied for, the nature of the organization, its
history, current activities, etc. His knowledge on all such questions will impress the
interviewers, However, he must be prepared for the unexpected.

2. Have presentable appearance: Everybody appreciates a pleasant personality. In an interview
the concerned person’s appearance is a part of the message. Since an interview is a formal
occasion, the interviewee must be formally dressed. Anyone having conventional standards
of neatness is likely to have a definite advantage over one casually dressed for an interview.
3. Show interest by making effective use of body language: Keeping eye-to-eye contact with
the interviewer at once, shows that the interviewee is genuinely interested in the event
and is keen to participate in it. He should also sit in a correct, confident posture, be
straight, balanced and not stiff in the chair offered. The hands should be neatly locked in
the lap or be comfortably placed on the arms of the chair.

4. All the questions must be correctly and completely answered: Since the primary aim of an
interview is to exchange information, it should be done effectively.
5. Never try to bluff: If the interviewee is not clear about a suitable answer to a question,
there is no harm in admitting it. One must never try to bluff. Be honest.
6. Be polite: Politeness is indispensable in every situation.
7. Avoid talking too much or making boastful statements: The interviewer is intelligent
enough to find out the interviewees intelligence and suitability for the job.
8. Avoid criticism of the previous employer or anybody else: Negative statements are usually
registered.
9. Do not forget to thank the interviewers for having spared time for you: Granting an
interview is indeed a favour.

10. Do not hesitate to ask any questions to seek clarification regarding the company profile,
service, conditions etc. It will not only satisfy your curiosity but also give the interviewer
an idea of your confidence and interest in the organization. But such questions should
come only towards the end of the interview and when you feel, you are likely to get the
job.

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