How to Face Interview

How to Face Interview People feel stressed as they hear about INTERVIEW. Most of them focus only on the questions to be answered in the Interview. But the interview is the test of not only knowledge but behaviour and honesty too.Go prepared Interview
Be articulate when you answer the questions - 
       

Research the Company

·         Do some homework, e.g. Find out about the company’s vision, goal, strategy, products, finances, departments, competitive advantages, competitors, the work culture and the management from the website. It will  impress your interviewers and show them how much you care.

·         You can find ways to show that you know your stuff during the interview.

Be thorough with your CV

·         You should be familiar with whatever is mentioned in the CV. Read it thoroughly so that you’re not puzzled by any question regarding your past employment and education.

·          

Prepare to answer common questions.

·         Though each interview is different, there are some common interview questions and if you’re prepared for them,:introduce yourself

Prepare to ask at least two questions.

·         At the end of most interviews, your potential employers will ask you if you have any questions you want to ask them. You should prepare at least a handful of questions and pick the ones that are the most relevant to ask; this shows that you’ve done your research and are excited about the position.

·         Asking what your daily work life on the job would look like,

·         Asking about other ways you can get involved at the company in addition to the job description. For example, if you’re applying for a teaching job at the high school, you can ask if you can be involved in extracurricular activities too.

Dress professionally

·         The way you dress makes a statement about yourself. Avoid bright colours and loud jewellery.

·         Make sure to groom yourself well and to pay attention to your hygiene, too. If you don’t put time and effort into your appearance, it will show.

Facing an interview

·         Introduce yourself with confidence - “Self-introduction?” Prepare your Introduction & Key points. The introductory speech is your two minute opportunity to enlighten the interviewer about yourself and what you have to offer.   Smile, be natural and speak with confidence.

·         Even if you don’t feel confident, act as one emanating confidence. Your body language should be accurate and you should be making a positive impact during the interview.

·         Sit straight on the chair and look into the eyes of the interviewer. Remember, you’ve nothing to lose and go with that mind-set. This causes less palpable stress.

·         

Speak as clearly and confidently as you can and make eye contact when you share your thoughts and ideas.     Practising saying what you have to say aloud can help you gain the confidence to be articulate during your interview. That said, you should make sure your words sound natural, not rehearsed.

·       

  Identify Achievements - 

Employers want to know how hiring you will make their organisation better and contribute to their overall success. (Assuming you did your homework as suggested in point 1 you can offer examples of innovations, process improvements or revenue saving ideas that may be of interest).

·         Be Open and Honest - 

When responding to the employer's questions, tell the truth! If you made a mistake, say it in a positive way, accept responsibility for it,

·      

   Avoid sharing overly personal information. 

- Don’t talk about your significant other, your kids, or your personal problems at home; this shows that you’re not focused on the job and that you’re unprofessional. 

·    Make sure to thank your interviewers in person.

·         When the interview is over, show that you’re grateful for the fact that your interviewers took the time to meet with you and to get a chance to talk to you about Just say something simple like, “Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. This has been a wonderful opportunity and I really appreciate it.”

·         Don’t ask about the perks of the job before you’ve been given an offer. This will make it look like you’re more interested in vacation days than in working.

Even if your boss is a rude,    When asked a question, do not just jump to an answer just to avoid silence. Think, and then reply. It should appear that the answer is well thought through, rather than uncomfortably cobbled together. Lies can be caught if the interviewer pushes you a little

 mock interview of IAS

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Group discussion

"Group" is a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction and who work together to achieve a common set of goals. 

"Discussion" is the process whereby two or more people exchange information or ideas in a face-to-face situation to achieve a goal. The goal, or end product, maybe increased knowledge, agreement leading to action, disagreement leading to competition or resolution or perhaps only a clearing of the air or a continuation of the status-quo.

Group discussion is a new trend that has come up in order to evaluate student personality. A group of participants are made to discuss on a topic or subject for a limited time and then assessed accordingly. It is a chance for you to be more vocal.

There are a lot of advantages of a group discussion:

1.It helps to shed away the shyness of a candidate and brings his viewpoint amidst all. 

2.It stimulates to think in a different, new way.

3.It helps the candidate in understanding his/ her own strengths and weaknesses.

4.It acts as an aid in expansion of the knowledge of the participant. 

5.It helps to analyse the social or economic issues more logically. 

Here is a list of what should be done and what should be avoided at a Group Discussion (GD)

1.Be as natural as possible. Do not try to be someone you are not. Be yourself. In an attempt to be someone else, your opinions will not be portrayed. 

2.Sit with a straight and confident posture. 

3.Be assertive yet humble. You need to stick to your values and beliefs, but learn to respect the values and opinions of others too. 

4.Grab the opportunity to speak first, i.e. to start the group discussion with your opinion. It generally leaves a good impression on the evaluator, but take the move only if you have complete knowledge of the subject.

5.Do not repeat a point, or be lengthy or irrelevant. Also intervene, if someone else is going on an irrelevant track. 

6.Facilitate contribution from others. Do not just go on and on and on with only your opinionated view. Remember, it is a group discussion. Allow others to speak too.

7.Make an eye contact with all the participants. It creates more room for conversation. Also keep nodding, when others speak, it shows receptivity. 

8.Be an active and dynamic participant. The examiner wants to hear you speak. So do put forth your views. 

9.Be positive and prepare your thoughts well but do not be over-confident. 

10.Think well before you speak. You are being heard and judged upon. 

11.When raising an objection to a point kept by another speaker, back it up with a solid reason to get the point across. 

12.Use quotes, facts and figures, statements, everyday life examples to express a clear chain of thoughts. Also it might leave a good impression on the examiner and help you score well. 

These are some basic yet very vital tips that will help you feel a bit more confident about yourself and make you ready to appear for that group discussion trend. 

Group Discussion", popularly labeled as GD, is a methodology used by an organization (company, institute, business school, etc.) to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits. 

1. ·         It is very important to dress formally and arrive on time. The way you walk to your allocated seats speaks about your personality. Be confident but not arrogant.
2. ·         Take a pen and a notepad. It makes you look organized.
3. ·         Listen to others carefully, jot down the relevant points and list down your own points.
4. ·         Organize your thoughts before you speak. This will help you express with confidence and clarity.
5. ·         Pay attention while others are speaking. This will enable you contribute to the discussion in a positive way.
6. ·     Do not to deviate yourself from the topic. Talking about unrelated things puts a bad impression.
7.         Do not interrupt the speech of other participants and wait till they complete.

8. Maintain a balance in your tone while objecting to the points made by other participants. Avoid raising your voice too much or shouting.
9  9. Respect the opinion of others. Agree and acknowledge what you find good points expressed by others.    
         10. Express your disagreement in a polite, dignified and convincing manner.

1. 11.  Do not use negative comments like ‘‘this point is wrong" or "your argument doesn't make any sense." Instead use phrases like “You have a good point but there’s another aspect to it…
2. 1         Do not try to dominate other participants. It is a discussion and not an argument or debate.
3. 14.   Keep your body language positive. Table thumping, pointing fingers, looking here and there, etc, are negative gestures.
4.  If  someone becomes openly antagonistic to you, and says things directly contradicting your points of view or makes personal attack, stay calm and relaxed. A situation like this is a good opportunity to demonstrate your conflict handling skills and maturity.
5.  If the attack is directed against you as a person, then the best strategy is to just ignore it and get on with the discussion, without any animosity towards the attacker. This is hard to do but if you manage, it will be the best advertisement for your maturity.
6.  Be Yourself:  The most important mantra to ace GDs is “Be Yourself”. The more you change things about yourself, the more trouble you would find yourself in. The best way to go about things is to be natural and make sure all your responses are natural and spontaneous..
7. A  Group Discussion is not a seminar: The most fundamental principle of participating in a Group Discussion is that you need to speak; there is no escape to this bare minimum requirement of a group discussion.
8.   Repeating the topic at the onset : Repeating the topic is an indication of your need to buy more time to think. 
9.   Speaking for the sake of speaking : This is a superficial way of participating and both the panel and the group will realize the lack of content in your speech.
10.      Getting into a conflict with a parallel speaker : Getting into an undesirable conflict without any logic, may be of detrimental consequences. However, it should not hold you from constructive arguments. 

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Emotional Intelligence!

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. 

It is generally said to include three skills: 

1. emotional awareness; 
2. the ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and 
3. the ability to manage emotions, which includes regulating your own emotions and cheering up or calming down other people.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Our emotions largely relate with  our personalities and needs.  Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize our emotions,   and realize how your emotions affect people around you. It also involves your perception of others: when you understand how they feel, this allows you to manage relationships more effectively.

The concept of emotional intelligence has been around since 1990, when Yale psychologists John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey presented the concept to the academic world. 

1. They’re change agents.

People with high EI aren’t afraid of change. They understand that it’s a necessary part of life—and they adapt.

2. They’re self-aware.

They know what they’re good at and what they still have to learn—weaknesses don’t hold them back. They know what environments are optimal for their work style.

3. They’re empathetic.

The hallmark of EI, being able to to understand what co-workers or clients are going through.

4. They’re not perfectionists.

While extremely motivated, people with EI know that perfection is impossible. They roll with the punches and learn from mistakes. 

5. They’re balanced.

Their self-awareness means that they naturally know the importance of and how to maintain a healthy professional-personal balance in their lives. 

6. They’re curious.

An inborn sense of wonder and curiosity makes them delightful to be around. They don’t judge; they explore the possibilities. They ask questions and are open to new solutions.

7. They’re gracious.

People with high EI know every day brings something to be thankful for—and they don’t see the world as “glass half-empty” as a lot of people do. They feel good about their lives and don’t let critics or toxic people affect that. 

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CAREER GUIDANCE

Objectives

—To introduce the students to a variety of careers from which one can choose
—To know the various factors one has to consider before choosing a career
—To focus on the 4-step process of selecting a career: self, options, match and action
—To assist them in choosing a career that best suits them
—To prepare the students for interview 

• Brainstorming Session

• If you could choose one friend to trade jobs with, whom would you choose?  Why?
• What would you like to do the most? 
• Why is it interesting?
• If you had the right education or skill set, what would you try?
• If you had to go back to school tomorrow, what would you major in?
• What do your friends say you are great at? Why?
• If you had a free day that had to be spent “working” on something, what would you choose? Why?
• When you retire, what would you want to be known for?
• Theoretical input

Meaning of career guidance

• Guidance is necessary to choose a career
• It may be personal, educational and vocational in nature
• It is a phase needed mostly by children, youth and adults

Counselling & Guidance

1. Guidance is the total program engaged in by an educational institution primarily aimed at assisting an individual to make and carry out adequate plans and to achieve satisfactory adjustment in all aspects of his/her daily life - Tolbert
2. Counselling is a scientific process of human assistance extended by an expert in an individual who is in need of seeking help

Characteristics of guidance

1. It is a process to help an individual to recognition and use his/her inner resources
2. It is a continuous process needed from early childhood to adulthood and even in old age
3. Choice and problem points are the distinctive concerns
4. It is an assistance to the individual in the process of development rather than direction
5. It is a service meant for every student

1. Principles of guidance philosophy

According to Hollis

1.Dignity of the individual is supreme
2.Each individual is unique
3.The primary concern is his social setting
4.His actions are based on his attitude and personal perceptions
5.Every individual acts to enhance his self
6.Every individual has innate ability to learn and can be helped to make choices
7.Need continuous guidance at every stage
8.Requires assistance by competent professionals

Components of career guidance

1. Career choice

• What type of profession to choose?
• Every job has drawback but some jobs are most suited to our personal interest, ability and aptitude

Factors determining career choice

—Self concept and need,

—Psychological trait,

—Cultural and social factors

—Family influence

—

2. Career planning

Raise these questions to be clear while planning your career:

1.What type of life do I want?

2.Will work be the primary focus of my life?

3.What do I value most in my life and will my job help me achieve these values?

4.Will my career afford me other options or changes?

Career planning is a life-long process which includes:

1.Choosing an occupation

2.Getting a job

3.Growing in our job

4.Possibly changing careers

5.Eventually retiring

Career planning is a 4-step

  process

3. Sources of career placements

4. Preparation for employment

• Part I – Getting ready
• Preparation of job application
• Part II – Looking for opportunities
• Check advertisements, employment exchange, employment news regularly on a daily basis
• Part III – Preparing for the interview

Activity Session

Introduce magazines, newspapers, periodicals to students

Ask the students to go through them

Find out how they help in choosing a career

1. Preparation of application cover letter

2. Preparation of bio-data/CV/resume

3. Preparation for the interview

Should be done carefully, patiently, looking for any mistakes, aiming perfection

“A job well begun, is half done”

“First impression is the best impression”

Details to be incorporated in the application cover letter

Your name and address

Company’s name and address

Salutation

Subject (post applied for)

Reference

Text (body of the letter)

Closing

Courtesy (yours truly/yours sincerely)

Signature

Date of application

Enclosures (resume, photocopies of certificates, photograph)

Details to be incorporated in the biodata

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Age and Date of birth
• Academic qualification
• Technical qualification
• Extra curricular activities
• Career objective
• Experience
• Strengths
• References
• Additional skills
• Date of bio-data
• Signature

Preparing for the interview

• Walk-in requests
• Preparation few days ahead of the interview
• What to carry for the interview?
• Preparations on the day of the interview
• Techniques to follow during the interview

Outcome

The student

Gathers information about himself, his interest, his values, skills, etc.,

Identifies possible occupations he/she is interested in

Searches jobs

Writes application letter and resume

Prepares well for job interviews

LIFE SKILL DIARY

List out the careers around you.

• Which one do you prefer the most? Why?
• Who inspired you to choose this career?
• How would you accept your parents getting involved in your career planning?
• Where would you like to be in your work in five years?
• What type of life do you want?
• Will work be the primary focus of your life?
• What do you value most in your life and will your job help you achieve these values?
• Will your career afford you other options or changes?
• What do you want to be known for when you retire?

Source : Dr. S. Mabel Parimala, Assistant Professor,Department of Zoology

St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai

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DEPRESSION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. ——To understand the meaning and nature of depression.
2. —To develop coping skills to deal with and to know the ways and means of overcoming it.

BRAINSTORMING SESSION:

1. What is depression?
2. Can i recall a situation of depression in my life and how I responded to it?
3. What are the symptoms of depression?

DEPRESSION

1. Severe despondency and dejection, accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy. 
2. A condition of mental disturbance, typically with lack of energy and difficulty in maintaining concentration or interest in life.

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

Illness that involves the body, mood and thoughts.
Differ from one person to another.
Vary over time.
Some have few symptoms.
Some have all at once.
Trouble concentrating
Lack of motivation
Crying, feeling of sadness
Constant worry
Sleep disturbance (hypersomnia or insomnia)
Continuous fatigue and tiredness
Headache
Feeling of irritability and excessive crying

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

—Loss of appetite
—Vague pains in the body
—Fluctuation in weight
—Loss of interest in any activity
—Constipation
—Decrease in sexual urge
—Poor concentration
—Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness and guilt

WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?

—No apparent reason, either life-changing event or medical illness.

—Run in families, biological vulnerability can be inherited.

—Chemical imbalance in the brain.

—Two chemicals – Serotonin and Norepinephrine

—Neurotransmitters- affect symptoms of depression.

—Medicines that affect neurotransmitters may play a role in treating depression.

—IMPACT OF DEPRESSION

—Affects the lives of not only suffers, but also their families and friends.

—Prevents a person from continuing a normal life.

—Increase the risk for subsequent physical illness, disability and premature death.

—Depression world’s leading cause of disability.

HOW TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION AND REGAIN A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

—Be aware of the cause of depression.
—Be optimistic about future.
—Be aware of negative thoughts.
—Replace with positive ideas.
—Make weekly list of positive accomplishments.
—Get socially active.
—Find a hobby or two
—Make weekly schedule of daily activities
—Include social activities.
—Exercise daily.
—Set realistic goals.
—Know and develop your strengths.
—Be assertive when you are expressing anger.
—Get professional help if symptoms of depression persist.

HOW TO HELP A DEPRESSED PERSON?

—Do not tell a depressed person that you know what he/ she is feeling. This may make the person become angry with you.
—Be supportive and patient.
—Let the person know that you are concerned and that you will be there for him/ her.
—Encourage the person to seek professional help if symptoms are persistent and seem to interfere with activities for daily living.

—DIARY

—Ask the students to prepare posters depicting depression and its evil effects on human personality.

—Have a group discussion of five to chalk out 5 ways of confronting depression.

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Coping with Criticism

Brainstorming Session

1.  What is the meaning of the term, Criticism? 
2. How do you respond to criticism in life?
3.  Are “criticism” and “satire” similar in meaning?
4.  Have you ever criticized anyone/ anything/ anyplace? (eg.how you criticize the present govt. regarding the demonetisation of rs.500 & rs1000 notes)
5.  Are you sensitive to criticism?
6. What is the difference between ‘critic’ and ‘being criticized’?
7. How far criticism affects our life?
8. What do you mean by constructive criticism?
9.  How do we look at others who criticize us?

Objectives

1. To introduce the students to the sensitive area of criticism in their lives.
2. To respond to it positively and adequately.
3. To have an evaluation of criticism itself.

Definition:

1. 1. Criticism is defined as the part of evaluating or analyzing with knowledge and decorum.
2. 2. “Criticism is disinterested endeavour to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought in the world”- Matthew Arnold.
3. 3. Criticism is the art of interpretation.

Various aspects of Criticism-

10 points

 4. Check whether criticism is valid or invalid 

1. Beliefs about criticism

  Negative- rejection of yourself &   stagnate

  Positive- less stressful & vehicle of         learning

Key terms: 1.Self-Table

   2. Positive self talk vs   Negative self-talk

2.Handling Criticism

1. Build Self confidence

None can make you feel inferior without your consent.

2. ABC method:

1. A-Activating event/ Situation
2. B-Belief about that event
3. C-consequences/outcome

3. Types of Criticism

• 1.Valid/Bonafide criticism (objective)
• 2.Invalid/unjustified criticism
• (subjective)
• 3.Vague criticism (subjective)

1.Do I hear the same criticism from more than one person?

2.Does the critic know a great deal about the subject?

3.Are the critic’s standards humorous and reasonable?

4. Is the criticism really about me?

5. Is it important for me to resound to the critcism?

Note: yes-Valid

    No-invalid

5.Our response to criticism- 3 As

1.Awareness- ( What we do?)counter attacking/ silent victim

2.Assessment- valid/ invalid

3.Action (dealing assertively)-

          i) Fogging

ii) Admitting the truth (no apology)

& iii) Asking for feed back

Key term: Fogging

     

6. Our shortcomings in coping with criticism

• 1. Avoiding criticism( eg. I just don’t know what I am doing wrong)
• 2. Taking unfair criticism to heart.
• 3. Reacting aggressively to criticism

7. Self-Criticism

• *. We – tool (aware of our faults)

8. Giving Criticism

• Be specific
• Acknowledge the positive
• Keep calm
• Keep to the point
• Focus on behaviour, not on person
• Don’t use labels or stereotypes

9. Receiving Criticism

• Negative Assertion
• Fogging
• Negative Enquiry

10. Overcoming Formula

1. To overcome difficult situation=
2. Self esteem + Feed back+ ready to receive the criticism.
3. Activity based teaching
4. Teacher presentation:

Student’s Assignments:

Outcome of this unit

1. self esteem + self evaluation= to overcome criticism

2.Your views about ideal life ≫ What will other people think.

3. Recap the key terms-self table, Fogging negative Assertion, negative enquiry.

4. Transformation in our mindset.

(from unacceptable mindset to acceptable mindset)

Life Skills Diary

• Q.1 Are you put down by criticism? What were your reactions? Share your feeling with one/two incidents?
• Q.2 Have you corrected your mistakes after receiving criticism in your life?
• Q.3 Have you criticized others in a humorous and reasonable way? Explain with your experience?
• Q.4. Have you lost any of your behaviour because of your sensitive approach towards criticism?

Source : S.SUBADHRA,Assistant Professor of English,St.Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai

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