Self-help articles by Deepak MR

How to prepare for a job interview

The job interview is without doubt the most important stepping stone in an individual’s career. It is a test of one’s knowledge, skills and presence of mind. An interviewer would meet many candidates and select probably just one of them. So success in the job interview needs careful planning and preparation. This article discusses practical tips to prepare for a job interview.

Planning

The interview is just like any other activity and needs to be planned properly to achieve desired results. The first step in planning is to know the organization. Thanks to the internet and social media, information about the company can be found out easily. One needs to understand what the company does, its vision, its goals, products offered and also about the management. Understanding the organization would help the candidate to prepare well for the interview.

Apart from knowing about the company, being well-versed about the industry and the company’s competitors is an added advantage. An interviewer would definitely be impressed with a candidate who is knowledgeable about the industry as also present trends.

The Intro

The first few minutes of the interview acts as the clincher. As they say, first impression is the best impression. The first few minutes of interaction where the interviewer in all likelihood asks the candidate to introduce himself/herself would determine the candidate’s fate. The introduction must be powerful and must clearly convey the candidate’s knowledge and skills and showcase his/her confidence. Proper preparation for a self-introduction is vital. A candidate would do well to write down a self-introduction, which explains how he/she is suitable for the position applied. The self-introduction must not take more than two minutes and should focus more on the qualification, skills and aptitude rather than dwelling on personal and family details. The candidate should remember that the resume is in front of the interview, so repeating what is already given doesn’t help. The introduction should be a crisp and precise summary of the entire resume.

Practice

Practice makes a man (and a woman) perfect. Practicing answers to the questions with friends or in front of a mirror helps to improve one’s confidence. The self-introduction needs to be practiced thoroughly, making sure that it is not learn by rote. Effective preparation involves making a list of possible questions that could be asked and preparing answers for these questions. The combination of preparation and practice helps to gain confidence.

On the interview day

One the big day arrives, the candidate needs to firstly ensure that he/she knows the venue for the interview and leaves home well in advance to reach on time. A well-dressed and presentable candidate would always make a good impression on the interviewer. Being properly groomed is important. Research on the organization would tell how to dress – formals or ‘business casuals’. Nothing would be more embarrassing than going for an interview in t-shirt and jeans and finding the interviewer decked up in a suit and tie. Dress matters and so also personal hygiene.

Preparing an interview docket with copies of resume and other credentials (educational certificates, training certificate, experience letters, testimonials, etc) is essential. Candidate must carry this during the interview. It would be advisable to include copies of sample work, project reports, etc. in the docket.

On reaching the venue, the candidate must make sure to report to the front desk so that the interviewer is aware of the candidate’s arrival on time. And in case the candidate is late, the candidate must apologize without trying to give excuses and hope for the best.

Confidence is the key

Practice and preparation are the two mantras to gain confidence. Practicing deep breathing techniques just before entering the interview room would help to relax the body and mind. During the interview, listen carefully to what the interviewer is asking and think and answer calmly. Self-confidence, composure and demonstrating a positive attitude go a long way in succeeding in an interview.

10 Life Skills Everyone Should Have

Skills are the abilities needed to do work. To succeed at work, you need to have certain skills. But to succeed in life, you need life skills. Life skills are those characteristics, experiences, and learnings that people need to possess to cope up with life’s challenges. Everyone, including adults, needs to possess certain life skills. Let’s examine 10 such essential life skills

1) Communication

Be it at college, work, or home, we communicate to express ourselves. Communicating well with others and making them understand what we want to say is a vital life skill.

2) Self-confidence

Confidence, many a time, is the difference between success and failure. A talented sportsman lacking confidence may easily lose to a novice brimming with confidence. Self-confidence is the inner feeling that we can do no wrong and that which boosts us to do well. This is absolutely essential in life.

3) Interpersonal relationships

We are a part of society and have to get along with others. Ability to relate to others and live with them requires skills. Social skills help you get along with your neighbours, teachers, and friends, making you accepted by others. A successful person always has good social skills.

4) Empathy

Empathy is the ability to feel for others genuinely and understand their problems, feelings and connect to them. When you empathise with someone, you put yourself in their position. This helps you to understand situations and handle them more effectively.

5) Decision making

In life, we take many decisions. The decisions we take decide the future course of our life. Crucial decisions like career, life partner, family size, etc. need careful thinking and analysis. Skills to take decisions are crucial and are something everyone needs to have.

6) Problem solving

Life is not a bed of roses. We are likely to face problems at every stage. The ability to confront the problems and solve them satisfactorily is important. The ability to calmly and dispassionately understand a problem, find out ways to solve it and then decide on one method to solve the problem is an important life skill.

7) Healthy living

Health is wealth. Understanding what good health is and how one can stay healthy is actually common sense. Sadly, not many possess this. Drug abuse, alcohol addiction, addiction to junk food, lack of exercise can lead to serious health problems including diabetes, obesity, and cancer. So understanding how to be healthy to live a long and happy life is an absolutely vital life skill.

8) Creative thinking

Creativity is what enables us to break free and reach the sky. Ability to think creatively and apply the thinking in life plays a major role in the success of people. Creativity leads to innovation and invention, and one who creates something new will be a grand success in life.

9) Resilience

When a child walks and stumbles, the mother is on hand to help it get up again and walk. But sadly in life, someone may not always be there to pick us when we stumble. Resilience is the ability to face difficulties and look for light even in the darkest hours. It is a very significant life skill needed to face the battles of life.

10) Ability to learn

Learning is also a life skill. It is not easy to learn something. You need to have the interest to learn. If you need to pick up all the life skills discussed above, the ability to learn is that life skill, which you need to have first.

Skills needed for a job may vary, but everyone needs the skills listed above. You must do your best to acquire these fundamental life skills, so you can lead a happier and better life.