HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

With the global financial crises having a cascading impact on the global economy, the job market too has been gloomy. In such an environment, it is even more important for aspirants to do well in campus interviews to grab the jobs they desire.

And being mentally fit and alert is important to be able to do well in interviews. It will also mean that you will be mentally prepared to handle interviews that have very short notice periods.


A few things to remember


1. Ensure that the resume has been checked for typos and is structured in a way that makes it easy to read. Highlight your skills and experience relevant to the job.

2. Interviews are used as a tool of judging whether you fit the job as well as the company.

3. Know yourself, inside out. Only when you understand yourself completely can you make the panel understand you.

4. Take time to understand how you want to project yourself during the interview.

5. Everything you say or do makes an impression whether positive or negative. Be it the way you sit, the way you talk or your choice of clothing. Everything matters!

6. Remember, an Interview is like a sales pitch in many ways. So ensure that you present yourself well.

Preparing for the unexpected

In some interviews you may be asked to solve a case-study. You can be asked to give an impromptu presentation or recite a poem. Or, you may get the silent treatment from the panel or a stress interview may come your way. You can even be asked to leave the room.

Whatever happens, be mentally prepared for any eventuality. These situations give the panel an opportunity to assess how you behave in stressful or unexpected situations. They just want to get to know the real You. They want to find out if you can handle the job, if you are interested in the company and if you are the person they want to have during tough and stressful times.

Stay calm, remain positive and think logically.

Before the interview


Research the company


Being well informed about the company and industry provides you with a competitive edge. It also conveys a clear message to the interviewer and that is:

1. You are career oriented and want to build a career within the industry

2. You understand the intricacies of the industry

3. You are wholeheartedly interested in working for the company

Read up as much as possible about the company and the industry. You can also talk to people who work in the company or the industry to get a first hand feel about what drives the company and the industry.

Appearance


First impressions are made within the first few minutes and are very important for a successful interview. Most employers prefer candidates wearing formal attire (Indian or western). Dress soberly and neatly. It is better to be conservative in the choice of clothes. Avoid flashy clothes or strong perfumes. Jewellery should be at a bare minimum.

Have your clothes ironed and keep it ready in advance, so that you do not waste time in selecting a dress on the day of the interview. This also avoids last minute problems like a stained shirt, wrinkled tie, missing buttons or unpolished shoes.

Looks matter! Pay a visit to the salon, to get an appropriate haircut. Trim your nails. Remember, a professional look is the first step to making the great the first impression.

The interview tool-kit


The day before the interview, collect all your material and keep them in a file. Keep extra copies of your resume. Carry letters of reference, reference list, transcripts, certificates, other supporting documents, passport size photos, a writing pad, pen and a calculator.

Relax


Ensure that you sleep well the day before the interview. Stay calm and relax; only when you are relaxed will you do well.

During the Interview


1. Stay focused; put away any worries

2. Switch off your cell phone before an interview starts

3. Eye contact conveys confidence

4. Introduce yourself clearly with your first and last name

5. Smile at appropriate times

6. Take time to understand the question and then answer it. It is not a question of how fast you answer but how well you answer

7. Be expressive, talk crisply and slowly. Do not mumble, stammer or use a monotone

8. Keep the answers to the point. Avoid rambling

9. Be forthright and direct. Do not be evasive or beat around the bush

10. Never lie in an interview

11. Never blame or badmouth anyone during an interview

12. Never argue, always give polite responses

13. If you do not know the answer be frank, admit it

At the end of the interview


Generally, the panel will indicate the end of the interview by asking: Do you have any questions for us? Use this opportunity to ask intelligent and relevant questions, to summarize your skills & experience related to the job and indicate your interest in the job.

Conclusion


It is essential to be confident in an interview. If you have practiced your answers and done your homework, most of the questions can be answered without difficulty. Ensure that you take the time to understand what they are looking for by asking the question. Remember to study the relevant topics before the interview. If you have an interview for an equity research position, know what has been driving the markets, who are the major players, etc. If you have an interview for a marketing position in a FMCG company know what has been the recent trend, what new products have been launched recently, etc.

Keep in mind why you want to go into the industry (Telecom, Banking, Auto, etc.), why you are interested in the job and the company. Make sure you have a good grasp of the basic concepts and convince your interviewer that you have the capacity and interest to learn complex aspects of the job.

Finally ensure that you dress and act professionaly. Show up on time and make eye contact throughout the interview.

ALL THE BEST

Meaning of Placement (Literally)

Meaning of Placement (Literally)

Noun 1. placement - the spatial property of the way in which something is placed; "the arrangement of the furniture"; "the placement of the chairs"

arrangement
formation - a particular spatial arrangement
spatial relation, position - the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; "the position of the hands on the clock"; "he specified the spatial relations of every piece of furniture on the stage"
columniation - (architecture) the arrangement of columns (especially freestanding columns) in a structure
composing, composition - the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art"
fenestration - the arrangement of windows in a building
proportionality, balance, proportion - harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design); "in all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance"- John Ruskin
alignment - the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines
misalignment - the spatial property of things that are not properly aligned
ramification - an arrangement of branching parts
spatial arrangement, spacing - the property possessed by an array of things that have space between them
tandem - an arrangement of two or more objects or persons one behind another

2. placement - contact established between applicants and prospective employees; "the agency provided placement services"
contact - close interaction; "they kept in daily contact"; "they claimed that they had been in contact with extraterrestrial beings"

3. placement - the act of putting something in a certain place
locating, positioning, emplacement, location, position
activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"
stratification - the placing of seeds in damp sand or sawdust or peat moss in order to preserve them or promote germination
juxtaposition, collocation, apposition - the act of positioning close together (or side by side); "it is the result of the juxtaposition of contrasting colors"
interposition, intervention - the act or fact of interposing one thing between or among others
orientation - the act of orienting
planting - the act of fixing firmly in place; "he ordered the planting of policemen outside every doorway"
implantation - the act of planting or setting in the ground
repositioning - the act of placing in a new position
set - the act of putting something in position; "he gave a final set to his hat"
superposition - the placement of one thing on top of another
fingering - the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument
superposition - (geometry) the placement of one object ideally in the position of another one in order to show that the two coincide

HOW TO ENHANCE PERSONALITY?

HOW TO ENHANCE PERSONALITY?

1. Spend time on your daily routine for yourself. Many of us give our time and efforts to other people need or to one’s job. Therefore just try to spend some minutes of yours to focus on you which will bring a great change to yourself in long run.

2. Think about and find if you are really doing what you want. Most of us due to circumstance are not able to do what we want, but let us put of these kinds of excuses and start doing what we want. This will create a new energy level in you when you are doing something which you really wanted to do.

3. The most important reason which stops us from doing something on our own is our mentality towards mistakes. Never get scared of mistakes, don’t ever let failures stop you from what you really want to do. Every one of us has learnt in our earlier stages that “Failures are the stepping stones of success” but no one follows.

4. You should also be flexible to change the way you go when things are not working in the way you want. When you set up your mind towards something, things may not run smoothly the way you want, in such cases you must get ready to approach it in a different way.

5. Finally, in your daily routine find some time in your daily life to read/listen through some personality development articles which gives you some inspirational lessons which will provide you some positive energy for improvement.

6. Our brains mostly respond to pictures more than words. So have some pictures of your goals and visualize them on a daily basis. You can follow this by sticking a picture in the wall front of your bed and this will help you in knowing your goal as soon as you wake up

7. Keep your body and mind fit to fight over your negative thoughts. Yoga will surely help you in doing this. Wake up early in the morning, do some breathing exercise which will refresh your mind and will give you a bright day ahead

8. Take a diary and note all your positive and negatives things you face on your daily life. Looking back at those jotted points in the diary will help you measure your progress and it will even help you learn lessons from your own life.

9. Whenever you achieve something do not just keep it to yourself, share it with your near and dear ones and celebrate it. This will motivate you to achieve more achievements in your life.

Hope the above tips will help you in improving certain things in your life.

Seeking Jobs on the Internet

Seeking Jobs on the Internet

In today’s uncertain job market, individuals of all ages and backgrounds are having difficulty finding employment. The truth is, if you know where to look, the jobs have never been better! Instead of hunting through the classified advertisement section of the morning newspaper and circling the jobs of any interest, consider conducting an online search of available jobs in your area.
Many newspapers have put their classified advertisement section on the internet. This allows individuals to directly contact the employing agency’s website and access all necessary information. You can quickly and easily decide if the available job is a fit for you without having to make telephone calls or visit the business directly.
Online job search engines are the perfect opportunity for anyone looking a job. The majority of these websites allow you to post a free resume for potential employers to review. If an employer sees something he or she likes, that employer will contact your directly. These sites serve as a headhunter agency without any fees required.
Additionally, you can access these internet based job search engines in order to find the job that best suits you. There are thousands of jobs on these websites, each one waiting patiently to be filled by someone with your expertise. You can contact these employing agencies directly and find out the specific process for potential employment. Usually, any necessary forms are available online.
Freelancing is another option that you can explore with so many websites on the Internet on a lookout for qualified people. The websites on the internet prove to be resources of immense importance as they help you kickstart your work as a freelancer and supplement your income. So whatever the reason you want to build up funds, this sure is an option worth a look.
Craiglist.org is a useful website for not only finding some great deals on furniture, tickets, automobiles and real estate but also has a classified section for employment. Thus chances are that you might just hit the jackpot by getting a perfect job on this website.
The very first step to begin the online job search is to have a well-revised and updated resume. The reason behind this is that all potential recruiters look for the best-written resumes. These days apart from having a paper copy you can also email the resume to the recruiters for that particular job.
Whereas landing with a job in the past was no less than an arduous journey due to the fact that the potential employees had to scout a lot in order to come across any good opportunity. However, this generation has it easy with the jobs proverbially, "Just a click away." Looking out for a job just means settling in front of the PC at your home and browsing through that job waiting for you. So, show the way out to that old classified advertisement section!!

How to Find a Good Job in 14 Days or Less

How to Find a Good Job in 14 Days or Less

Develop a blueprint that takes advantage of the on-line job searching tools available today and avoid the mass mailing approach that worked better in a a time when companies has someone on staff that could read your letter. This 21st Century alternative job search is a requirement for working at any company weired to internet

Steps
Be realistic about the job market. You may be able to get a minimum wage job in two weeks. But plan on spending 1 week of searching for each $4000 in annual income you expect to earn. Assuming you are qualified to do the job, a $100,000/year job will average about 6 month to find.
If you are taking longer than this, you may not be working at your job search full time.

Avoid the mass marketing approach. There is no one to read through the thousands of resumes that arrive at large companies each day. The pressure of being unemployed can be intense, and some job seekers resort to mass mailings or desperate postings on job websites like monster.com or hotjobs.com. Or they start making useless phone calls hoping against hope that they will run into someone who will want them. The bottom line is there is no one out there waiting to discover you. You have to sell yourself as someone that can resolve problems for others.

Develop a sensible blueprint for the real job marketplace. Know the working conditions that are acceptable to you (location, salary, travel requirements, working hours, physical demands, and training requirements for that job). Don't waste time looking at positions that don't meet your needs. It is better to spend 8 hours sending your resume to one potential employer that meets your needs, than to send 1000 resumes to employers that do not have the job you want.
Utilize alternative and non-traditional methods. Ask friends and contacts to help you network your way to the people that need your skills.
The secret blueprint boils down to this. A) Know what you want. B) Identify who has what you want C) Identify their requirement D) Demonstrate that you can serve your next employers needs and communicate that to the decisionmakers

Tips
Without a clear target or set of targets, the average resume-pushing job seekers have condemned themselves to an endless cycle of disappointment. The reasons are very simple. A hiring decision-maker will have an interest in you only if you are perceived as a candidate who’s taken the time to learn something about the organization and its goals. And then can come forward with ideas or a proposal that specifically shows the contribution you can make to the bottom-line or what you can do to make their job easier.

The Basics of Freelance Jobs

Freelance jobs have attracted the masses due to their benefits such as being able to be their own boss, flexi time working schedules, spending valuable time with the family, and income can be unlimited.

Before taking up freelance jobs, the person has to decide if his business needs an Internet connection. The best known home based jobs are by selling home made products.

Once it is decided to go for an online job, he or she has to choose a freelance job, which compliments his experience, knowledge and expertise. Internet has created umpteen opportunities for freelance professionals in almost all the fields like web development, telemarketing, copywriting, proof reading etc.

Time management is very important in freelance jobs. The person needs to be very organized and focused to deliver the services and goods on the said time. Although doing a freelance job will facilitate spending a valuable time with the family, it should not hinder with the execution of the job.

The basic requirements of the freelance jobs are the resources and tools. They need to be in place like the high speed internet connection for downloading and uploading information etc. The person has to set a target to achieve the monthly income desired and work towards attaining it.

When working independently doing freelance jobs, there is a possibility to get diverted easily; as there is no manager or boss to monitor the actions and behavior. This calls for self discipline and finishing the job before the deadline to succeed as a freelance professional.

The work place for doing freelance jobs has to be quiet to do the work in a focused manner and free from distractions. Also, it should give a feeling of a work area than of a home atmosphere. Cluttering of materials should be avoided, as it has a tendency to irritate the person doing job.

When doing freelance jobs, the freelancer should be on a lookout for new projects constantly. Also accepting too many offers beyond the capability should be avoided. Projects which can be completed within the time frame should be selected to be got and delivered on time and then he can accept new projects. Work should be comfortably done rather than done in a stretched manner.

Tips for Private Placement Brokers

10 Tips for Private Placement Brokers

1. Define your Goals: You will always be more successful if you create goals, and have plans on how to attain them. Though this is a very basic concept, most private placement brokers simply “wing it”, expecting to close the deal of a lifetime. If you are organized and well spoken on the phone, clearly stating your goals, most brokers will “pass you along” to the next person without hesitation, or tell you they can’t help from the beginning.

2. Education is Everything: If you are NOT educated in the fine details of private placement, you will NEVER be able to know what is real. In addition, if you are improperly educated, you could easily meet one of the few traders in the world, and not even know it. Whether you are an investor or broker, education is the key to determining which brokers are wasting your time, and which may be on to something. If you call brokers out with the facts and get straight to the point, they will part like the “Red Sea”, and you will eventually be DIRECT with a “trader”.

3. Find a Trader you Believe In: If you are promoting a private placement program that you don’t truly believe in, you are wasting your time. People can sense confidence and shakiness over the phone, and in the private placement world, that is your main method of communication. Do yourself a favor and don’t try to put deals together until you are completely sure that you are representing something, or someone that is real. Once you find someone you truly believe in, and you emit that confidence to other brokers in the private placement world, you will usually get places much quicker.

4. Be Confident and Calm: As we have said before, all you really have in the private placement business is your ability to communicate effectively over the phone. If you are educated, calm, collected, and confident, you will be far more efficient in your private placement efforts than someone without these characteristics. Despite the fact that this approach is far more effective in gaining a favorable response from other brokers, most brokers you will meet are anxious, undereducated, and living on a prayer. Define yourself, your knowledge base, and your confidence first, and you will be direct to a real program before you know it.

5. Creative Networking is a MUST: The most common way for private placement investors and brokers to meet is via the Internet. Whether you search through investment discussion forums, or other similar sites, private placement websites can be very limiting unless you get creative. Though this may be a good place to start, it will NOT lead you to your dream of riches. To be effective, you must use a far more aggressive approach that focuses on contacting everyone in the private placement business at once (hint: email spiders), with a goal of establishing a large contact base to network within. Once you establish a large network, and gain some experience, you can start to develop relationships with the select few individuals that you feel are real, and start to put deals together. Remember, if you network aggressively, you should always have leads to work with 24/7.

6. Organize and Follow Up : What good are leads if you don’t assess and extract the full potential from them? When you meet a new private placement broker, investor, or trader, always note their contact information, and what your gut feeling is on them. Also, it can help.

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

1. Keep updating your resume
Often / Always keep your resume updated. 

This serves two purposes 

a) If you get a call from a very good company; you can immediately provide your resume and you don't have to spend your time updating it, 

b) You never forget your small achievements. It's always the small achievements that are forgotten. But various small achievements could mean a big thing to some employers. Therefore, always keep your resume updated before you forget some of your achievements.

Here is another secret of how search engines of job sites work. If you keep updating your resume; your resume is featured higher in the search result as compared to if you update it after a while. Therefore, if you are desperate to seek a job and have nothing to update either, I recommend that you log into your account and just hit the update resume button. This will ensure that your resume is always in the first three pages of search results (depending on the keywords used)There are other things that you should update as well on your resume, i.e. your contact information. Whether or not you look out for a job; keep updating your contact information. Ask yourself, what if a big company wants to meet you and offer you a job? If your contact information is out of date, then you lose a good opportunity!!!

2. Think like an employer
The last secret is to think like an employer. Once you have finalized your resume; leave it for a week or so and send that resume to yourself. See your resume from the eye of an employer; would you call yourself for an interview looking at your resume? Or, would you ignore your own resume. Be very honest and carry out this exercise. I know this sounds a bit absurd, but try it; you will soon start identifying shortfalls in your own resume. The moment you find shortfalls; fix them.

7 great sample interview questions and answers!

Interviews can be nerve racking and tortuous if you are not prepared. While the interviewer can ask anything there are always a few questions out there that are difficult to answer or can trap you into saying something you do not really mean. With a great sample interview question and answer you can prepare yourself for these tough points in an interview and come out looking like a star! So let’s look at these 8 great sample interview questions and answer them with style!

1. Tell me about yourself.
Often used as an opening to an interview and is scary because it is so open ended. You could keep the answer short, or long. You could be brief or detailed. You have so much choice of what you can put into this answer it can be confusing and flustering ... which is exactly how it is designed. This is usually just the first question however, they have many more to come so putting everything in would be foolish. What the interviewer wants if a quick summary of why you are the best person for this position. Use it as an opportunity to sell yourself and humanize yourself to the interviewer at the same time. Keep it short and to the point and let the interviewer get the other information out of you by other questions.

2. What is your greatest weakness
Don't you hate this one! What do you do? Do you say you have none? Surely a sign of an out of control ego. Do you say you are a workaholic? Surely a sign of a liar or someone who considers working hard a weakness!? Fumbling with this question really shows a lack of understanding of what an employer is looking for. No person is without weaknesses and interviewers understand that, what they are looking for is some honesty and introspection. You can do this and still look like a great candidate for the job by presenting them with something that actually is a weakness of yours but also explain how you plan to fix this shortcoming. This shows honesty and a drive to better yourself and will make you look much better than any glib answer you can make up to avoid letting a weakness out!

3. What are your long term plans?
This can be easier for some than others, if you have a good long term plan for your career you can probably let fly with your prepared objectives. For some though the future can be less clear. However in either case what the interviewer wants to know is how is your long term goals going to help his business, not your own. If you’re long term plan is to own your own business that is not what he wants to learn, he wants a good employee with plans to improve his company. Always focus on a long term plan that is beneficial to your interviewer’s long term plans too.

4. Do you work well in a team?
No one in their right mind answers 'no' to this question but the interviewer is actually looking for proof of you being a team player more than a straight yes or no answer. Give the employer some examples where you have worked well in a team, especially focus on those times where working well as a team has given some success. Team sports, other workplaces working in teams, interest groups you may be involved in. If you name more than one or two it truly shows your ability and enthusiasm for working with others and being a sociable person which will be easily integrated into the workplace.

5. Have you ever had a conflict with other co-workers or your boss? How have you resolved this?
Conflict is always a part of life and is no different in a workplace. The interviewer wants to know your social problem solving skills but also wants to know if you are a combative person. Answering no to this usually encourage the interviewer to dig deeper looking for any conflict you may have had even if minor. It is best to pick a single example and show how you skillfully solved the problem to everyone’s advantage. It is best not to give too many examples lest the interviewer thinks you are a trouble maker however.

6. How would you describe yourself?
This is an interesting question and the tone of how you answer it often has more to do with the content of the answer. You want to appear friendly and confident without being too egotistical not too shy. Be honest with yourself and tell them your personality strengths not your weaknesses and present them clearly and quickly, you do not need examples unless they ask for them.

7. How has your education and previous work prepared you for this job?
This is a question where they want concrete examples of how you would fit the role they are offering. It is also important to show behavioral examples on how your general attitude would be good for their business not just your job specific skills. Give them a few examples that showcase your skills, attitude and work ethic. If you do not have much experience concentrate on your attitude and examples from life or study that could be modified to show applicable skill.

NECESSITIES OF SUMMER INTERNSHIP

NECESSITIES OF SUMMER INTERNSHIP

The summer internship process in most business schools in India fuels three thought processes in every student.

i. It is a welcome break from the academic curriculum and pressure of assignments, with a fat stipend at the end we are lucky. 

ii. We intern with a firm to maximise our chances of getting a final offer from the very same firm. Such an offer, when it is made, is called a pre-placement offer or a PPO. A PPO is a job offer made to those interns whom the firm wants to recruit as full time employees due to their good performance during the summer internship. It is often declared before the final placement process takes place in a management institute. In a way, a PPO makes life easier. Now that we know we have a job up our sleeve we can always opt out of the hassles of the final placement process. It also brings us into the radar of other good firms who might want to us. This is primarily because a PPO we have proved yourself in the industry. Thus, the PPO route may be a good option, but it could increase the pressure on us during our internship.

iii. Getting a PPO might become an end in itself.
The more advisable strategy, though, is to learn as much about the industry, company or function we are going to perform as an intern and evaluate whether it is interesting enough for we to come back to this industry or company after graduation.
This strategy reduces the pressure on us. In the bargain , we make a more informed and correct decision about the company and industry.