Introduction

Interviews are petrifying. No matter whether you have given thousands of interviews you always tend to feel a little nervous. Let's start with a question. What is an interview? In simple words, an interview is a structured conversation where one person asks questions and the other person provides answers. It is a one-on-one conversation between interviewer and interviewee.

Interviews can be of several kinds. Interview for job, interview, for school or college admission, interview for reality shows etc. The interview usually takes place face-to-face, but due to emergence of work from home or online working, interview started to take place through online modes as well, such as zoom, google meet, normal video call videoconferencing etc.

Interviews are sometimes scripted and sometimes prompt without any prior arrangement. For example, if there are ten openings for a single job then the questions asked to every candidate will be somewhat similar. Because the company's demand from a candidate remains unchanged. This can be an example of a scripted interview. Talking about the prompt interview, on the spot questions are framed and asked. The prompt interview can be tough or easy, it depends on the mood of the interviewer. For example, if students are giving interviews for different courses to pursue, then the questions will be dissimilar.

Perhaps, the interviewer records each and every answer of the interviewee. Their extraordinary skills, working time, experience, salary expectations are a few things that an interviewer keeps the record of.

Traditional Interview

Traditional interview questions focus on job seekers, skills and values. Traditional interviews are descriptive in nature. The job of the interviewee is to answer every question impressively, answering must be unique and something which amuses the interviewers. Second is honesty, each and every question should be answered honestly, especially if they are research based.

Some common questions of traditional interviews are:

1. Why should we hire you?
2. Tell us about yourself.
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses
4. Why do you want to work for this company?
5. What change will you bring to this company if we hire you?

Tips for traditional Interview

1. Start with the introduction of yourself, from where you belong and what you do prior to this. Use your CV for introduction and basic start.
2. Prepare and answer, let the answer go in free flow. Answer in a way that shows you are stable and positive.
3. It should be effortless; it should not look like you are putting emphasis on answering. Let it be natural
4. Start from the start. Try giving every answer with a start and end note, you can click here to take a hold of. Give references, how it started, how it went and how it ended.
5. Give reasons. When answering a question try to give a reason, mention how and why. You are a suitable candidate.
6. Highlight your strengths and abilities. Your strength and ability are a plus point in every answer you give. Never fail to mention them.
7. Mention positives. Try to explain that you can bring out a positive outcome under pressure.
8. Close with a closing statement. Give an overview of yourself and how you will be a perfect candidate for a job.

Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interview questions are based upon the past performance of the candidate. The past performance and experience of a person is asked, to know how the candidate will perform in a similar situation. Past performances and candidate's experience help to evaluate future success.

Some common questions of behavioral interviews are:

1. Give us an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish failed?
2. Tell us about your best and worst team experience and your role in it.
3. Gie an example of difficult situation you faced and how you handled it?
4. Have you ever had a disagreement with your boss? How did you handle it?
5. How do you work under pressure?

Tips for Behavioral Interview

1. Start with a situation. Explain the situation throughout and how you came out of it.
2. Highlight behavioral qualities, like self-control, patience, dedication and improvise.
3. Communicate the impact of a person's behavior on you, your team and organization.
4. Have some professional stories from the past in your mind. Prepare them.
5. Own up to past mistakes and mention not repeating them again. This is the best thing you can do, because many people try to show only positives in them rather, we all have negatives too. Mention them and own up.
6. Study the job description. Go through the job description thoroughly that you are applying for. Research about the tasks mentioned in the description. Analyze yourself whether you have relevant skills.
7. Stay calm and composed. This is the most important point. Because we feel anxious during the interview and tend to give irrelevant answers, which can fail to satisfy the interviewers. Stay relaxed.

Conclusion

In outline, interviews take place to know the true and real abilities of a candidate. Your personality and way of speaking and explaining say a lot about you. One must have self-confidence; to answer every question smartly, having no self-confidence and getting nervous can ruin a situation for you.

It happens quite many a time that a person is well versed with skills and has relevant abilities. But he/she fails to explain. Where all the effort goes to waste. It is certain that we do a lot of practice before appearing for an interview, we try to make our CV outshine with words. But we fail to express ourself. Therefore, to attain this, think positive, in a way that you are capable of and acquire good experience from the past. Think about your strengths and abilities, have faith in yourself.

Before the interview figure out the type of interview you are going for, analyze your skills and the required skills for job, think if they keep a match research job, description and do the preps accordingly.

Conclude your interview politely add phrases such as 'I'm grateful to you for taking my interview.' I think my experience and accomplishment will bring laurels to this organization.