Tips for Successful Placement..

Success in the Interview
In today’s competitive era, Recruiters are looking for the employees who are versatile, confident and not afraid to lead and manage.
The most difficult task for the students of professional courses is to get themselves placed in a job which matches their qualification. The main problem being faced by the students nowadays is that they are either UNEMPLOYED or UNDEREMPLOYED.
The answer lies in the fact that the students have to make themselves presentable and impressive at the time of the interview, so that the interviewer can evaluate the actual worth of the candidate.
Now let’s get started on what you NEED to do to experience a perfect interview session. To your surprise, most prospective employers give 20 - 30 seconds of their time to scan the resume to see if the candidate fit to their requirement. Else, they are least interested in you.
The interviewing process is like a transaction. Here, you are the product, and the employer is the buyer. During the interview, you have to try to sell yourself by discussing all your good qualities and unique characteristics that will make you the perfect candidate for the advertised position.
Talking about the most important element of the interview that is Resume. The length of the Resume should not exceed 2 pages so that it doesn’t leave you a lot of space to put down all of your duties, key skills, achievements and contributions.
Have a specific section for every full-time job, part-time job or summer job you have ever had.  For each job, note your specific duties as well as your responsibilities, including significant accomplishments, awards and special recognitions.
Under your activities section, list all of the activities that you do. For example, list all the sports, clubs and organizations you have participated. Just like before, write down your duties, key accomplishments, awards, leadership, as well as reasons to why you did them.
You should also have a separate section for any volunteer work you have done. Employers definitely like to see people who take initiative to contribute to the betterment of society in their spare time.
Here comes the biggest and toughest of all. What next? You will only have 15 to 20 minutes to sell your knowledge, experience, personality, attitude and skills to the employer - most likely without knowing what the employer wants to hear from you.

Here are several things that are to be practiced and kept in mind for cracking an interview.

Before this, a candidate must be aware of several types of an interview like telephonic, personal, stress, HR, Technical, panel, group, etc.

The student should prepare on several fronts as follows:
1.      EXPLORE: The candidate should gather essential information about the company, its policies, Vision, Mission, products and services. These days there are so many sources available to collect such a data.
2.      REHEARSE: The best way to crack an interview is that a candidate must practice the possible answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) whilst knowing the unexpected questions that might also be asked. Practice in front of a mirror to avoid unusual body movements and fumbling. (Mirror being your best and true friend)
3.      Presenting Yourself On The Day: Visual appearance has a powerful impact on interviewers - in fact, many start making up their mind about you in the first thirty seconds! 90% of the decisions about who finally gets the job in any company are made at interview, because companies trust what they see and hear much more than what they read.
4.      Perfect attire for Perfect Impression: Next comes the outfit. The perfect and smart dress always boosts your confidence level. Formal apparel is always an answer to such a situation. Male candidates should make sure that a collared button-down shirt with a neck-tie, formal trousers, polished shoes, a proper haircut and no beards would do. Avoid funky accessories. Female candidates should avoid wearing excessive jewelry, perfume and flamboyant clothes. Good personal hygiene is also important.
5.      Interview Etiquette: This list could go on forever – there is literally an endless array of “dos” and “don’ts” for an interview. There are, however, some basic “interview etiquette” tips that are important to remember.
·         Be on time for your interview. This is, perhaps, the most important. Employers expect employees to arrive on time to work.
·         Be aware of your body language. When shaking hands, make sure your grip is firm and confident. Have good posture, but avoid appearing like you’re as stiff.
·         Even the most experienced professionals get nervous in an interview – it’s normal. However, if you appear too nervous, the interviewer might draw the wrong conclusions about your ability to do the job.
·         Maintain an eye contact with your interviewer to convey confidence. When speaking, be polite and professional and avoid using slang and profanities. The more confident and polished you appear the more likely you are to leave the interviewer with a positive impression of you.
·         Keep the interview positive. Avoid making negative remarks about any previous jobs or employers. Also, refrain from complaining about any job-related tasks or responsibilities you were given in a previous position. Employers want to hire
someone who is positive, enthusiastic, and able to meet and deal with challenges.
In rejecting candidates, interviewers will often mention quirks or odd habits of applicants which put them off. Some interviewees who thought they did quite well are often puzzled as to why they didn't get an offer. Reasons being:
·         Don't be overbearing, overaggressive.
·         Don't show a lack of interest or enthusiasm.
·         Don't emphasize money as your main interest in the job.
·         Don't expect too much too soon - be open to the idea of starting at the bottom and working your way up.
·         Don't make excuses for unfavorable factors on your record.
·         Don't condemn past employers or institutions of education; keep comments positive.
·         Don't be indecisive.
·         Don't be late to the interview.
·         Don't state specific geographic restrictions.
·         Don't forget: YOU control the content of the interview.
·         Don't glorify your past experiences - getting into a job for which you are under qualified is not recommended.
·         Don't smoke; chew gum, etc. even if offered or if the interviewer does so.
At the end, make sure you let the interviewer know how pleased you were to have the chance to interview with him or her. Immediately after the interview, thank the interviewer for taking time to interview you. This is not only proper etiquette and a common display of appreciation, but it also allows you to reaffirm one or two key points of the interview. It also lets the interviewer know how interested you are in working for the company. Being polite and professional always makes a good impression. All of this advice comes down to three important things to remember when you're interviewing: being prepared, professional, and polite is the best way to make the right impression!

Gaurav Khanna
Dy. Director
CT Group of Institutions