INTRODUCTION

Have you ever faced an interview? What was the interview for - a job, a
visa or

for admission to a course or a programme? Apart from these we can also

have

promotion interviews and celebrity interviews. Usually interviews are one

to one,

but sometimes you may have group interviews, especially when there are
many

applicants for the same job or programme. There are also panel interviews
were

a board or panel consisting of more than three persons may interview you.

Sometimes interviews are over the telephone. Many software

professionals are

interviewed by the heads of companies. They may have their office in

some other

part of the country or in another part of the world. These are usually
telephonic

interviews. And if you do get a big job and become a celebrity, there will
be many

people who would like to interview you!

The interviewer, who conducts the interview, asks questions to evaluate

the

interviewee, who takes the interview, and selects a suitable candidate

to fulfil a

purpose.

THE PURPOSE OF AN INTERVIEW

Interviews are conducted for one or all the purposes given below:

To verify the interviewee's qualifications and experience.

To find out the interviewee's knowledge of a topic in depth.

To determine the interviewee's, communicative abilities.

To determine the interviewee's way of thinking

To follow up any responses to questions given earlier, e.g., to further

understand

the candidates' responses to a questionnaire.

Before an interviewer starts to design the interview- the questions and the
process-,

(s)he focuses on the problem or the need to be addressed in the interview.

Let us

now try to understand the intention of some common types of questions

in interviews.

You might have realized by now that questions can be asked about your

Background - standard questions about age, educational qualifications,

goals and

ambitions. Work experience, family

Knowledge – What a person knows about a topic

Opinions or values - how a person feels or what she thinks about a

topic

Behaviour - about a person's actions in the past, present or future

An interviewer may judge the answers to these kinds of questions not only
in terms

of their content or information, but also in terms of your communicative

abilities.

For example, the interviewer may take note of where and how the
interviewees

communicate their own thoughts or feelings, and the phrases they use for
this, such

as I think, in my opinion, I believe that ... The interviewer looks for

how clearly

you can differentiate your knowledge from your opinions or values: that is,
the
difference between the generally accepted ideas on a topic, and your own
viewpoint.

Evaluation

The evaluation of an interviewee by the interviewer may depend on the

type of the

job applied for.

 Job Requirements Influence Evaluation:

The interviewer's assessment depends on the type of job you are
applying for. For a marketing role, aspects like dress and
appearance are given more weight compared to a Research &
Development position.

 Role-Specific Emphasis on Skills:

Interpersonal and communication skills are especially crucial for
managerial posts. Today, even technical professionals are expected
to demonstrate both technical expertise and communicative
competence because of teamwork needs and public interaction
requirements. Neat dress and appearance are now important for
everyone.

 Confidence and Awareness:

Confidence and presence of mind significantly impact impressions
during evaluation. Some interviewers may test observation skills or
attentiveness with questions such as, “On which floor are we
seated?” Awareness of current affairs and significant national events
can also be evaluated.

 Attitude and Long-Term Potential:

Traits like loyalty, commitment, and trustworthiness are assessed.
Interviewers may look beyond current suitability and evaluate your
potential for a lasting career within their organization.

 Career Growth Perspective:

In some organizations, interviewers may explicitly consider whether
the candidate can grow within the company, exemplified by
questions like, “Where do you see yourself five years from now?”

These key points summarize how both technical abilities and non-
technical attributes—such as dress, communication skills, presence of
mind, awareness, and attitude—play a significant role in interview
evaluation, often reflecting both immediate suitability and long-term
potential.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS.

1. The informal, conversational interview. In this type of interview,

the questions

to be asked are not fixed or predetermined. The interviewer "goes with the
flow”, remaining as open and adaptable as possible to the interviewee's
priorities during

the interview.

This type of interview is relatively uncommon in job interviews which have

a

number of first-time applicants. It is more common for job interviews

within an

organization, especially, e.g., for placement after short training courses.

[Link] general interview, guided approach. In this type of interview,

information

is collected from each interviewee that pertains to the same general

areas. This is

called the guided approach. The guided approach provides more focus
than the

conversational approach, but still allows a degree of freedom and

adaptability in

getting information from the interviewee.

3. The standardized, open-ended interview. Here, all interviewees

are asked the

same open-ended questions. An open-ended question is one that requires

something

more than a yes or no or true or false answer. The answers have to be

thought out by

the candidate. This approach facilitates faster interviews that can be more
easily

analysed and compared.

4. The closed, fixed-response interview. Here, all interviewees are

asked the same
questions and asked to choose answers from among the same set of
alternatives.

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PREPARATION FOR AN INTERVIEW

The best possible preparation for an interview is to expect the

unexpected. And

the best way to deal with an interview is to be yourself. What we give

below are

merely some general guidelines.

Focusing on what you say in an interview and how tom say it will give you
more confidence and make you a better communicator. on the other hand,
just thinking of ways to stay calm will only make you focus on your
nervousness.

Dos

Visualise the interview in advance

 Research the company and role thoroughly to understand their

culture, products, and recent developments.

 Know your resume inside out, be prepared to discuss any part

confidently.

 Dress appropriately — opt for professional attire suitable for the

role.

 Arrive on time, ideally 10-15 minutes early to avoid any last-

minute rush.

 Practice answers to common questions using frameworks like

STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

 Prepare questions to ask the interviewer to show your

engagement and interest.
  Maintain good body language — eye contact, smiling, and
confident gestures matter.

 Be polite, respectful, and positive throughout the interview.

 Get a good night's sleep before the interview to be alert and

focused.

 Follow up with a thank-you note expressing appreciation for the

opportunity.

Don'ts

 Don't be late or unprepared with your documents.

 Don't memorize answers word-for-word — understand key points

and personalize responses.

 Don't overdress or underdress; avoid strong perfumes or

distracting accessories.

 Don't speak negatively about former employers or

colleagues.

 Don't ramble or give irrelevant details; keep answers concise

and focused on the job.

 Don't interrupt the interviewer; wait for pauses to ask questions.

 Don't fidget or show nervous habits like shaking legs or playing

with fingers.

 Don't bring distractions like phones or appear disengaged.

 Don’t think about being judged negatively

We can think of preparing for an interview in three ways

 Brush up your knowledge:

 Your knowledge of the subject,
 Your educational background,
 Your own opinions,
 The reasons behind your decisions in life, and
 Your presence of mind,
 Know the exact location and time of the interview.
 PREPARING FOR EFFECTIVE VERBAL COMMUNICATION

The ability to communicate effectively comes from organized and

positive thinking, Confidence and self-esteem. These in turn come from
being well-informed and well-read. For this you need to:

 Watch radio and television programmes of general interest,

 read a variety of good newspapers and magazines,
 think about what you have read and heard, and
 discuss these matters with your friends to improve your fluency in
speaking.

PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Very often, we are unable to decide, what we should wear for a given
occasion.

For an interview, which is usually a formal situation, you need to know

about formal

and informal dress codes and decide what not to wear for .the interview.
Apart from

dress and accessories, you need to: .

 monitor your posture: the way you sit, stand and position your body
while talking
and listening.
 monitor your gestures: the way you use your hands along with your
conversation.
 monitor your facial expression: your eyebrows, lips and above all
your eyes. Your
eyes should 'speak' and show the same feelings that you are
communicating
through your words. You can help yourself by taking suggestions
from friends and
family.
GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Here are the important points to remember for interview preparation

related to researching the organization:

 Gather comprehensive information about the organization including

its history, products, locations, and growth plans.

 Understand the company well enough to confidently answer the

question, "Why do you want to join our company?"

 For large and famous companies, information may be easily

accessible, but requesting brochures or job descriptions can also
help.

 Prepare 4 to 5 thoughtful questions about the organization or the

position that are not answered in publicly available materials.

 Asking these insightful questions during the interview helps

interviewers evaluate your professional and personal needs as well
as your genuine interest.

These points emphasize the importance of thorough company research

and proactive question preparation to leave a positive impression in an
interview.

Know What's Expected of You.

- Review the job advertisement for what's important for the position:
situation,

responsibilities, requirements, practical problems and their solutions.

 Have your strengths and weaknesses written down.

 Check your CV for possible gaps. Prepare a one to two-minute
explanation of

each important aspect covered in your CV.

Organize your Thoughts

Assimilate your overall thinking and write down points. Discuss

them with a friend.

REHEARSE AND PRACTICE

 Decide on the points you want to present and focus on how to start
strong and end clearly.

 Practice your presentation thoroughly in front of a mirror and with

family or friends to get constructive feedback.

 Rehearse using any equipment, handouts, or visual aids to ensure

comfort during the actual presentation.

 Organize physical materials (e.g., photos) beforehand to avoid

mishaps while distributing them.

 Speak clearly and ensure your voice reaches everyone in the room.
Practice by varying distance to adjust your volume and tone.

 Monitor your tone to avoid sounding unfriendly or aggressive.

 Structure your presentation clearly with a beginning, middle, and

end.

 Use concise slides or speaking points; avoid reading directly from

slides.

 Incorporate multimedia, like graphs or images, if relevant to keep

the audience engaged.

 Practice good body language: maintain eye contact and use open
gestures.

 Arrive early to set up equipment and calm nerves.

  Stay within the allotted time frame.

 Be prepared for interruptions or questions during your talk.

 Relax and try to enjoy the experience to present more naturally and
confidently.

Following these tips will help you deliver a polished, confident, and
effective interview presentation.

Guard your Health

 A good night's sleep is also very helpful before your interview. This
will make you

refreshed, alert and cheerful when meeting your interviewers.

Prepare yourself

with the stamina you need to have to endure a day or two of extended
interviewing.

 Carry any usual medicines and some pain reliever in your briefcase
or purse, just

in case.

Dress Appropriately

 Dress professionally in order to be taken seriously. Your appearance

should be

neither careless nor overdone. Shirts rather than T-shirts, and trousers (or
skirts)

rather than jeans, if you dress in the western style-; you may decide to
wear a tie

or 'not, depending on the organization. Use whatever information you

have about

the organization to find out their "dress code", stated or unstated, to help
you

dress appropriately.

 You're safest in subdued colours, styles and patterns of clothing.

Don't let your
clothes distract attention.
 Wear clothing that you are comfortable in. You'll be more
confident if you don't
 have to think about your clothes. Never try out a new item of
clothing
(particularly new shoes!) that you have not worn earlier.
 Don't wear gaudy jewellery, or heavy perfume or cologne.
 Try to carry just one bag or briefcase which has space in it for your
wallet and
important papers.

Here is a detailed summary based on the information about interviews:

 Interviewer and Interviewee Roles:

The interviewer conducts the interview, asking questions,
evaluating, and selecting candidates. The candidate or interviewee
responds and is assessed.

 Purpose of Interviews:
To assess personal and professional qualifications and skills,
depending on job requirements.

 Types of Interview Questions:

Questions cover background knowledge, opinions, values,
behaviours, qualifications, goals, experience, and personal aspects.

 Evaluation Criteria:
Communication skills, confidence, presence of mind, career
potential, and attitudes like loyalty and trustworthiness are
examined.

 Interview Types:

 Informal or conversational

 Guided/general topics

 Open-ended (common in job interviews)

 Standardized/fixed-response and closed type

 Preparation Tips:

 Brush up on your specialized subject knowledge and key

educational points.

 Reflect on your opinions and life decisions.

 Maintain good posture, gestures, and facial expressions.

 Dress formally and comfortably, keeping accessories minimal

(e.g., subdued sari colours, minimal jewellery).
  Develop organized, positive communication skills grounded in
confidence and knowledge.

These points summarize comprehensive aspects of interview process,

preparation, and evaluation that are important across various job
interviews.