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Interview success in the present market is a bit difficult.
Important is preparation and planning as one has to create a
good impression within the allotted time.
To make a good impression, essentially one has to anticipate
the questions apart from knowing what the interviewer is
expecting out of you and what they are testing you on.
Rude replies, bluffing, being defensive, unprepared
responses and lack of interview strategy can end up
portraying a person’s personality in an unappealing manner.
Rude replies
Short, curt, arrogant or confrontational comments and
replies are of course a strict no-no. You might want to pay
attention to peer review about whether you come across as a
genuinely friendly, amicable person or otherwise. Besides
the obvious fact that the interviewer is all powerful when
it comes to deciding your fate regarding the job, also keep
in mind that they are not sitting there with the sole
purpose of antagonizing you.
"The objective of putting you in a spot is usually to
observe your behavior under pressure. Getting agitated
easily would betray a lack of coping skills. On the other
hand, dealing with such 'tests' with grace not only saves
you trouble but also immediately scores you points," says
Lahiri.
Bluffing
If you hesitate to admit something that you don't know, you
will be forced to continue bluffing until you either get
caught, or are forced to do what you were supposed to do in
the first place - say "I don't know."
This statement can help you move away from topics you don't
know much about and possibly salvage the interview by
starting a new conversation thread. Of course, using this
statement too often would lead to the interviewer assuming
you don't know much.
Getting defensive
If you happened to make a mistake and were rightly
corrected, then make sure that you gracefully admit your
error and allow for the discussion to be carried on in a
polite tone. Leave the 'offense is the best defense' theory
outside the door along with excess ego that could seriously
hamper your chances of success.
It is also necessary to clarify the interviewer as they
can also be wrong about something. Maybe the mistake on
their part is actually deliberate conducted, to test your
knowledge or relevant social skills.
"In such a scenario, wherein you are absolutely sure of your
view, stick to your guns, but (again) gracefully. Be polite
but firm while presenting your case, and after a while, you
might want to agree to disagree and free up the conversation
to on to the next topic," informs Lahiri.
Unprepared responses
There are certain questions that are taken as granted to
appear in any interview - questions related to your goals,
about yourself, your reason for applying to the particular
job, your interest in that company and so on.
To earn a favourable impression, the answer to these should
be thoroughly prepared, clear and precise, leaving no
ambiguity in the interviewer's mind.
"This does not mean you have to have a rigid 10-year plan
for life or be aware of exactly what you are going to do
when. Rather, your thinking process and general direction
should be organized and clearly presented to the
interviewers. Doing your homework early on can guarantee you
a certain number of points even before you walk in the
interview room," said Lahiri.
Lack of interview strategy
In a selection process, the interviewer is required to
analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. For
this, he/she has to steer the conversation and investigate
various aspects of the candidate's personality. Learn how to
steer the interview on your own, by giving open ended
answers that lead to more question in those specific fields
that interest you and in which you command decent amount of
knowledge, you would make the interview a smoother process
for the interviewer and a more rewarding one for yourself .
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