Hello Friends. Here are some tips for facing the Interview in Good Manner -
Dress appropriately in simple - comfortable clothes that reflect your personality.
Avoid wearing new shoes (squeaking noises) and do practice wearing your tie.
Be punctual - don't be late or even too early.
Read up about the company - what business they are into, growth trends, diversification etc
Read your own resume - be sure that you don't have to look into your resume to recall details during the interview.
Carry extra copies of your resume and testimonials - you never know when you may need them.
Make sure you know the full name and designation of the person interviewing you.
Keep your references ready.
Remember to make a note of your previous or current salary with all its components.
Make a good first impression.
Wish the interviewer(s) cheerfully and with a smile.
A firm handshake is an indicator of how you are feeling. If you are a lady, then some male employers might not make the first move, but go ahead and initiate the handshake.
Wait till you are asked to sit down.
Look the person in the eye.
Do not appear too nervous or overconfident - Your body language usually conveys more than what you are saying. Don't slouch or lean forward too much.
Try to curb nervous mannerisms [eg. fidgeting or biting your finger.]
Appear comfortable, confident and interested in securing the job.
During the interview -
Start the interview with a pleasant smile.
Always remember to give a firm handshake. If there are women in your interview panel, wait for the other person to extend the hand while shaking hands.
Listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
Stress on what you can contribute to the organisation.
Remember that the employer is in control of the interview.
Don't be too long-winded, say what you want to convey in crisp sentences and use terms that would convey your job & achievements.
Complete your sentences - don't answer just yes or no.
What you don't know can be learned, tell them if you don't know something. But give instances of how quick a learner you are.
Do not boast. People on the other side are shrewd and can generally see through you. At the same time talk about achievements giving due credit to others.
When talking about yourself and your aspirations, do not sound vague or do not say that you don't know something. You should be very clear and precise about what you want to do, where you want to go etc.
If you don't understand a question, ask for clarification, don't answer vaguely.
Don't talk about your personal problems, why you need the job etc.
Don't get personal, even if you know the interviewer personally.
Don't be overconfident or too nervous.
Don't badmouth your previous employer - you could do the same in the case of the prospective customer.
Don't complain about politics, a bad boss or a poor salary - your reasons for change should be higher responsibilities, location etc.
If the interviewer is interrupted during the course of the interview, don't pick up papers on his/her desk and read them.
Don't ask about salary before the offer is made.
Strike a balance between what you actually are and what you want to be, don't paint a picture of yourself as somebody who is not concerned about money, social status etc.
Don't be in a hurry to complete the interview.
Ask questions at the end of the interview, it could be about the company, the job or the next stage of the interview process. It will be an indicator of your interest in the position.
Send a thank-you letter, outlining your interest in the job and why you are qualified for it.
Be Positive and Confident - And the Job is yours. Best of Luck!
Showing posts with label Informative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Informative. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
How to become a successful businessman
Last week, a good friend -- Ajay Sanghani, the CEO of ITvidya.com -- invited me to an idea camp for entrepreneurs at IILM, a business school in Gurgaon. Venture capitalists Alok Mittal and Sanjay Bhargava chaired the camp, which was organised by Sanghani's company.
At the camp, I asked several entrepreneurs to share their initial struggles and success stories. They spoke with passion, and I learnt a few lessons:
Believe in yourself
Being an entrepreneur is a lot more risky than the conventional job routine. There is no regular salary; you have to find customers on your own. Marketing your product/service and financing the project are also of concern. I noticed that most entrepreneurs use a combination of due diligence and gut instincts while evaluating their product/service. They are good at spotting a need in the market and then backing themselves up to believe that their idea can fill that void.
Lesson one -- Believe in your idea. Never underestimate what you can do. You may surprise yourself.
Hire the right people
Most entrepreneurs highlighted this as the toughest aspect of building a business. Sanjay Bhargava, who co-founded Paypal, recommended entrepreneurs to bring in people who are really good at what they do and also to focus on ensuring the team members get along with each other.
Some entrepreneurs confessed they made the initial mistake of hiring friends and people they liked, but soon realised that friends were not always the best employees.
Lesson two -- Build your team with people possessing complementary skills, not 'yes men' who are always showering praise. You need employees, partners and mentors you trust, who will give you honest feedback and take your company to the next level.
Be money wise
While some entrepreneurs went in for conventional sources of funding from a venture capitalist or banks, etc, quite a few started out with their savings or by borrowing money from friends and family. Most entrepreneurs said they focused on increasing efficiency and optimising costs and overheads. One entrepreneur shared that he consciously stayed away from non-essentials like an extravagant office, equipments, etc. The focus was on superior execution and high quality service.
Lesson three -- It's tempting to dream of a corner office, a pool table and expensive chairs, but give it some time. Start small and start efficient. Being better is more important than being bigger.
Concentrate on the message
"As a small business, most of our marketing is word-of-mouth. Our clients appreciate the kind of work we do and our reputation for delivering results," said Vidhanshu Bansal, founder of an information-technology company called Pixel Webtech.
Most entrepreneurs said that in the early days, their tendency was to focus on sales activities and as they grew, they started looking at various marketing initiatives, as that is the cement that gels customers, vendors and employees together. Their strategy kept changing, depending on what worked -- direct mailers, e-mail marketing, presentations at seminars, etc.
Lesson four -- Marketing a start-up business is a 24/7 activity and you need to pay attention to the message you're sending out to existing and prospective clients. Your message has to be tailored to meet the customer's expectations.
Keep the team motivated
Do not indulge in fault-finding or blame games. That was a clear message from most entrepreneurs. Pigeonholing a particular member of the team may spread negative vibes within the team and cost you time and quality. Celebrating every small success and appreciating team members will build a sense of camaraderie.
Lesson five -- Be a coach, rather than the star player. Appreciate and acknowledge the positive behaviours of team members so that the behaviours turn into consistent practices.
Make mistakes
"If you ain't a little bit scared, you ain't driving fast enough," said Deepak Wadhwa, another entrepreneur. Most entrepreneurs agreed. Give your people the license to fail. It's ok to make a mistake as long as they are succeeding 9 out of 10 times, and making sure that they don't repeat those mistakes in the future.
Lesson six -- The worst mistake is the one that gets repeated. Create a culture of learning and experimentation right at the start of the business. This will become a powerful value with the growth of the business.
Be passionate
Most entrepreneurs accepted that the rewards of being an entrepreneur can be terrific but they were also of the opinion that there is no 'secret sauce.' There are a lot of magazines, self-help books and biographies of successful entrepreneurs that one can read, but at the end of the day, it's about execution. What you really need is to be passionate about your work.
Lesson seven -- If you are doing something and the day flies by, if you are surrounded with people you like to work with, then you have most of the ingredients for entrepreneurial success.
At the camp, I asked several entrepreneurs to share their initial struggles and success stories. They spoke with passion, and I learnt a few lessons:
Believe in yourself
Being an entrepreneur is a lot more risky than the conventional job routine. There is no regular salary; you have to find customers on your own. Marketing your product/service and financing the project are also of concern. I noticed that most entrepreneurs use a combination of due diligence and gut instincts while evaluating their product/service. They are good at spotting a need in the market and then backing themselves up to believe that their idea can fill that void.
Lesson one -- Believe in your idea. Never underestimate what you can do. You may surprise yourself.
Hire the right people
Most entrepreneurs highlighted this as the toughest aspect of building a business. Sanjay Bhargava, who co-founded Paypal, recommended entrepreneurs to bring in people who are really good at what they do and also to focus on ensuring the team members get along with each other.
Some entrepreneurs confessed they made the initial mistake of hiring friends and people they liked, but soon realised that friends were not always the best employees.
Lesson two -- Build your team with people possessing complementary skills, not 'yes men' who are always showering praise. You need employees, partners and mentors you trust, who will give you honest feedback and take your company to the next level.
Be money wise
While some entrepreneurs went in for conventional sources of funding from a venture capitalist or banks, etc, quite a few started out with their savings or by borrowing money from friends and family. Most entrepreneurs said they focused on increasing efficiency and optimising costs and overheads. One entrepreneur shared that he consciously stayed away from non-essentials like an extravagant office, equipments, etc. The focus was on superior execution and high quality service.
Lesson three -- It's tempting to dream of a corner office, a pool table and expensive chairs, but give it some time. Start small and start efficient. Being better is more important than being bigger.
Concentrate on the message
"As a small business, most of our marketing is word-of-mouth. Our clients appreciate the kind of work we do and our reputation for delivering results," said Vidhanshu Bansal, founder of an information-technology company called Pixel Webtech.
Most entrepreneurs said that in the early days, their tendency was to focus on sales activities and as they grew, they started looking at various marketing initiatives, as that is the cement that gels customers, vendors and employees together. Their strategy kept changing, depending on what worked -- direct mailers, e-mail marketing, presentations at seminars, etc.
Lesson four -- Marketing a start-up business is a 24/7 activity and you need to pay attention to the message you're sending out to existing and prospective clients. Your message has to be tailored to meet the customer's expectations.
Keep the team motivated
Do not indulge in fault-finding or blame games. That was a clear message from most entrepreneurs. Pigeonholing a particular member of the team may spread negative vibes within the team and cost you time and quality. Celebrating every small success and appreciating team members will build a sense of camaraderie.
Lesson five -- Be a coach, rather than the star player. Appreciate and acknowledge the positive behaviours of team members so that the behaviours turn into consistent practices.
Make mistakes
"If you ain't a little bit scared, you ain't driving fast enough," said Deepak Wadhwa, another entrepreneur. Most entrepreneurs agreed. Give your people the license to fail. It's ok to make a mistake as long as they are succeeding 9 out of 10 times, and making sure that they don't repeat those mistakes in the future.
Lesson six -- The worst mistake is the one that gets repeated. Create a culture of learning and experimentation right at the start of the business. This will become a powerful value with the growth of the business.
Be passionate
Most entrepreneurs accepted that the rewards of being an entrepreneur can be terrific but they were also of the opinion that there is no 'secret sauce.' There are a lot of magazines, self-help books and biographies of successful entrepreneurs that one can read, but at the end of the day, it's about execution. What you really need is to be passionate about your work.
Lesson seven -- If you are doing something and the day flies by, if you are surrounded with people you like to work with, then you have most of the ingredients for entrepreneurial success.
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