Whenever I'm interviewed, I can't elaborate on my experience. I get blank. I have read interview techniques and tips, but to no avail. I always practice before appearing in the interview, but nothing helps me. Please advise.
From Pakistan, Karachi
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Dear friend,

What questions were asked during the interview? Did you take note of the questions? Please provide details of the questions. Without sharing those questions, it is not possible to offer any comments.

Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar

From India, Bangalore
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Well, I agree with Dinesh that we won't be able to help you out much. But generally speaking, I think in an interview one has to be natural instead of putting on some image.

So a general suggestion from my side to you - Stay calm and take the interview as a candid talk, and simply try to answer the questions posed to you as you would naturally do.

From India, Gurgaon
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Have you ever practiced interview infront of mirror? if No then try it! trust me it will help you alot.
From Pakistan, Karachi
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Thank you for your feedback.

One of the interviews in which I have recently appeared asked personal questions, like do you have a forces background, what does your husband do, where does he exactly work. I wrote in my CV that I have good observation skills, so he asked me what have you observed when you were coming here. I mentioned a couple of things and also that your receptionist and one other person were eating paan. The HR manager immediately called the receptionist and scolded him on the phone for eating paan. I got confused as I wasn't expecting an immediate response from him. I was interviewed for Assistant Manager Administration.

The HR manager then asked about my salary and if it can be negotiable. I said yes. During my interview, he kept on writing and we had very little eye contact.

He asked about my father, his business, my mother, and her profession. I had read somewhere that it's unethical to ask personal questions and the interviewee has the right to oppose it.

I have started believing that maybe luck is not on my side, that's why I'm not being hired. I have an MBA in Marketing, a diploma in HRM, plus 5 years of working experience, with 3.5 years in the admin department.

Please help me out.

From Pakistan, Karachi
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Why am I not being called for an interview? If they called, why am I not being called for a second interview? The HR manager also asked me, "Do you agree that admin is not a female field?" I was about to say, "If you believe that it's not a female field, then why have you called me for this interview?" but I controlled myself and said, "No, I don't believe that anything a male can do, females can't. You just give me a task and see the result."
From Pakistan, Karachi
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Anonymous
72

Hi RAWK, I feel you need to have some hand-holding in facing interviews and answering questions. You can undergo a training session, and the trainer will give you some key points to handle this kind of situation.
From India, Delhi
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Dear RAWK,

In the list of questions you have provided, I do not find any professional question per se. The quality of questions shows the quality of the interviewer. I do not find the interviewer to be that professional. In fact, this company itself appears to be unprofessional. How can a receptionist have the temerity to chew paan during office hours? Therefore, have no regrets and continue your search for a better company.

In the future, when quoting examples of your observation skills, I recommend quoting some positive examples and not negative ones.

Lastly, some feedback about the quality of your writing. Why have you written your posts in SMS lingo? In these HR forums, how can you use informal language, especially when asking queries to learned HR professionals?

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

From India, Bangalore
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Puneet sarin I try to b as natural as possible,I hav received some gud feed back so will try to apply n share the experience with u if I find any change.
From Pakistan, Karachi
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Hello Rawk,

One of the reasons why some HR professionals ask personal questions is to learn about your family background. This should be done objectively. However, the interviewer in your case approached it subjectively. I have interviewed several applicants with challenging family backgrounds; some from broken families, some abandoned and raised by grandparents, and some from families without college-educated parents. However, none of these factors influenced my decision or perception of the individuals based on who they presented themselves to be on their resumes.

In your situation, it was the HR professional who created an intimidating environment, not you. They set the tone that made you forget your preparation. It's essential to establish an environment where you feel comfortable. Take the initiative in conversations; don't allow HR to steer it all the time.

I hope this advice is helpful.

Rabel

From Philippines, Cagayan De Oro City
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As highlighted by Mr Divekar, I also would like to start with that you must not communicate in SMS language which is not professional and ethical. And also this can lead to misunderstanding/miscommunication by many ways, so please avoid SMSing...

Now what I found by your queries is that you are not just lacking confidence, problem with "Interview dilemma" but are also distracted and misguided in your career life actually.

-You are “MBA in Marketing and Diploma in HRM with 5 years of working experience including 3.5 years with admin department”, do you really feel you are at right career path?

-What made you feel to go for PGDHRM after MBA in Marketing?

-What is your aim of professional life?

-What are your present role and responsibilities with your present employer?

-Share about your first 1 and 6 months of working experience and

-Are you happy with your present work functions?

Please answer the above questions which will enable us/ community to know more about you and your present situation, so that; we can direct you appropriately and help you in your career/professional life.

Now I would like to state that there is nothing like "interview dilemma" but “Interview fobia or fever” which you have to accept first and this is because you are not getting what is actually wrong with you and have not recognized your mistakes that you have done so far.

And about your Interview Fobia/Fever, first I would like to buy the suggestions by Mr. Puneet Sarin as quoted above.

You must stop revising and studying interview Q&A immediately (if you are doing) which are not helping you but making you more confuse with the interview situation. You and other candidates who are doing so, must not look for the possible interview questions asked by interviewer/recruiters and but to be in an interview what you/they are in actuality.

Be honest with your earned experience, knowledge and present yourself.

For example: One who is an educated and skilled person having good experience and knowledge of his/her work functions, just need to answer the questions of interviewer /recruiters his/her own by applying/applying knowledge and experience. Interview questions always be related to past and present experience, knowledge and to judge the skills one having and whatever mentioned in the profile, which basically to identify whether you are according to your profile (CV/RESUME) or not.

Questions about family, rightly expressed by Rabel (#12) -- is really appreciable.

Like you shared your recent interview experience where you asked some personal and other questions, so you are now more experienced with the interview situations but here you made a mistake. You were asked about your “Observations Skill” but there you have to be wise with the things or what you have to speak about or what not. You must not have spoken about the receptionist but other things.

To be candid and honest or to tell them the truth is not bad but not a good thing too and to be wise with the things/situations and words/statements which are actually important here.

Coming back to your “Interview Fobia” and questions asked by interviewer, I would like to say that you have to recognize your weakness and work with your qualities and mistakes that you have done so far. You answered the questions asked by interviewer recently which says that you can answer the questions to the best of your knowledge but with lacking confidence in you and of your professional experience and knowledge, you are not able to answer which is actually your problem.

Also you have to work with your profile, improve your knowledge, presentation skills and attitude which will boost your confidence and make your profile strong...

From India, Gurgaon
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I would suggest you follow these steps every day for 15 minutes. Stand in front of the mirror, look into your eyes, and start speaking in English. This will boost your confidence in speaking and help you develop flawless speaking skills.

Thanks,
Deepa

Blogs - Famous Great All In One

Famous Great All In One

From India, Mumbai
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Dear Rawk,

You should be thankful to Mr. Anil Arora. He has not only given guidance but it is quite lengthy. He must have spent at least an hour or maybe more to type the whole reply. Seniors like Mr. Arora invest their precious time in guiding junior members even if they are from "terra incognita." They do it in the HR community as a whole. This is the major strength of Citehr. Hope you will derive benefits from this as well as replies by other seniors.

Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar

From India, Bangalore
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Just an addendum to the insightful suggestions and advice provided by our senior members here.

In case one is faced with an awkward question during an interview, the interviewee can always redirect the question to discuss their professional profile.

For example, if an interviewer had asked me to provide an example of my observation skills, I would have responded, "The building is located in a posh area. The rent for the building should be around 2L per month, totaling 24L per year. This is just one component of the overhead. The rental expense should account for only 40% of the total overhead, which should be around 60L. Based on my research on the team's profiles, the salary expense is expected to be significant. Considering the industry's sales forecast adjusted by your market share and subtracting the anticipated expenses, I estimate a net figure of around 20L, a portion of which should be allocated to your staff. Overall, this appears to be a promising company to work for."

I am not sure if this approach is correct, but our senior members here can provide guidance. However, this method has consistently proven effective for me.

---
I have corrected the spelling and grammar errors in the text provided. I have also adjusted the formatting to ensure proper paragraph breaks and maintained the original meaning of the message.

From India, Gurgaon
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Hi RAWK,

Being a behavioral skill coach, I would advise that you practice mock interviews with a senior friend or colleague who can give you good feedback. In case you need further hand-holding, you may get in touch at neeraj@careerapps.org.

From India, New Delhi
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Thank you everyone, especially Mr. Anil Arora, for your detailed answer. I would reply to you in detail later.

Right now, I just want to say when I was doing my MBA, only three majors were offered in my university: finance, information technology, and marketing. As I had no interest in finance and IT, I chose Marketing. Though HR was my first choice, the job offers I received were mostly sales roles and fieldwork, which my family did not allow me to pursue. The first good job offer I received was in administration with a good salary package. I accepted the offer with the intention of moving into the HR department from administration, but unfortunately, this dream could not be realized.

The organization where I was appointed was acquired by another company, and all hiring and internal transfers were put on hold during the merger process. After one and a half years, we moved to another department where I continued to work in the administration department.

Just two months later, the head of administration transferred me to another department because he believed that administration work was not suitable for females and there were no other female staff members.

In the new department, I worked for around eight months before resigning due to my marriage. After getting married, I took a break for a couple of months and then started searching for jobs in administration/HR. Whenever I was called for an interview, male candidates or individuals with a military rank were preferred for administration roles. I also applied for HR positions, but the mandatory requirement was an MBA in HR, which I did not possess. To fulfill my dream, I am currently pursuing a Diploma in Human Resource Management (DHRM) with plans to obtain the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation. I have been searching for a job for the past year. Please tell me, what is my fault?

I hope I have answered some of your questions.

Thank you.

From Pakistan, Karachi
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I was not guided properly by my elders as they were simple people and mostly in business, so whatever I thought was best for myself I did. My parents supported me financially but couldn't guide me in my career. I had no elder sibling who could do the same.

I am very clear about my career goal; I want to start my career in HR. I am trying and will keep on trying.

From Pakistan, Karachi
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Hi,

Firstly, an interview is a process whereby you market yourself and demonstrate your skills. When you go for an interview, the employer or the interviewer doesn't know you personally, so they would definitely ask questions to learn about you, assess if you are suitable for the position, and understand the conditions you can work under. This is because every company has a different work atmosphere and work pressures.

Questions asked by interviewers could be anything, ranging from personal to professional or even general questions that may not be directly related to work. This is to evaluate your abilities, patience, and knowledge about various subjects.

While it is beneficial to refer to tips and tricks for interviews, one should focus on their own skills. Tips and tricks often draw from personal experiences and may not consider that each individual has a unique way of communicating and different skills.

Therefore, even if you fail in an interview, it is not a problem; it can make you more resilient and better prepared for the next interview.

From India, Mumbai
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Rawk,

Setting aside the example you have given, which is totally unprofessional as Dinesh has pointed out, there is no reason why you cannot go into an interview fully prepared.

Study the position description carefully and assess the type of questions you are most likely to be asked. Do not prepare rote answers to these possible questions. Instead, make some notes in bullet point form about your experience and jot down examples from your previous work that will demonstrate your skills and ability. Take those notes into the interview so that you have an aide-memoire to assist you. That way, you ensure that you will not forget things in the stressful environment of an interview.

There is no shame in having notes. I would regard that as being professional and being able to answer questions comprehensively to assist the interviewers in deciding your claims to the position.

Having notes to assist you also allows you to "take charge" of the interview when it is running off track, particularly with an inexperienced interviewer. You can use your skills to talk yourself into the job by keeping the focus solely on what you can do to help the company achieve its goals and mission.

This also allows you to competently answer the "tell me about yourself" question, so beloved of poor and incompetent interviewers. Stick solely to championing your skills and ability to do the job; nothing else is important.

Another bit of friendly advice - when you arrive at a business for an interview, be polite to everyone you meet, including the receptionist. No matter what they are doing, it is none of your business. Smile sweetly, take a seat, read your notes, and wait patiently. NEVER EVER make any disparaging remarks about staff. If you are asked a question about staff, merely reply that you were treated courteously, and you didn't really notice anything as you were preparing for the interview to present yourself as a suitable candidate for the position. Should you have been successful in this job, how would you have felt having to face that receptionist every day after what happened?

As for personal questions, you have to find a way to deal with those. I am not sure what the laws are in India, but in many countries, they are now illegal. But, illegal or not, it does not stop interviewers from asking them. In a country like India where people are desperate to find jobs, interviewers think they have the upper hand and can do what they like because the candidate is powerless to argue if they want a job. This is one area where being fully prepared and confident in yourself can pay dividends because you can politely steer the interview back to your skills and abilities and negate those improper questions.

One final thing, please do not use SMS language in your postings. We are professional people here at CiteHR, and correct use of language helps many of our members who are keen to improve their English language skills.

From Australia, Melbourne
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Cracking interviews is not difficult if you have the 3 Cs - cool, calm, and collected. You need to prepare for the interview thoroughly and give it your best shot. It's even about your body language - if you are nervous or do not answer with consistency, you may be rejected.

Asking about your family background may be personal, but it is necessary for the interviewer. So, there is no need to feel offended.

All the best! Rekha

From India, Chennai
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Thank you for your feedback. This is the first site I have ever joined, so I didn't know much about SMS language. Please do not repeat it as I am not using it anymore.

Now, coming to your suggestion that I must not memorize or ratify common interview questions/answers, when did I say I have done it? I said I have gone through the interview tips, that's all. No one can memorize interview questions/answers; it will seriously put the interviewee in hot water.

Yes, I understand the norms of the organization. I am not there to humiliate anyone but to seek better job opportunities.

I request everyone not to give me the same suggestions repeatedly.

Thank you

From Pakistan, Karachi
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Questions on the family background are usually asked to make a person relaxed. Before starting job-related questions, which give tension and create a serious atmosphere in the interview room, family-related questions help make the candidate comfortable. Additionally, a candidate becomes more acquainted with the language and tries to adjust with the interviewers. Even if such questions are asked at the end, they aim to make the candidate feel tension-free, which they may have experienced while addressing serious job-related issues.
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Rawk,

These suggestions or advices are more than sufficient for an individual to learn, but that's not it. Most of us start to think about what we have prepared for the interview, which affects your thought flow and you mix up everything.

To make it simpler to understand, I will provide an example that is very commonly used by all of us. Let's assume that to complete a task error-free, we need to focus or you can say you need to have 100% concentration. Now, in your case, 50% of your concentration is on thinking about what should I reply next, and the remaining 50% is on what you are talking about. Here, you tend to miss most of the thoughts as our brain is not designed for multitasking. It's just like a computer; the more commands you give, the slower the computer gets.

So, stop overthinking, have a piece of chocolate or candy before you enter the interviewing room, and give it your best shot... your real best.

Thank you.

From India, Chennai
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Dear RAWK,

Whenever you attend the interview, please go in with a relaxed mind. You need not oblige anyone with any sort of attitude in your replies. When entering the interview hall, greet the panel members and seek permission before entering the room.

Sit in the chair provided to you properly and relax for a few seconds. Answer any questions with a smile. Do not imitate anyone. Remember, the interview is for you, not for anyone else. If you do not understand a question, feel free to ask for it to be repeated. Always respond with a smile. Reading books on interview techniques and tips may help, but remember to focus on the questions and answers during the interview. Keep your mind and body present in the interview hall. Be attentive, concentrate on the questions, and then respond.

With these tips, you will surely succeed in the interview and secure a good placement.

Wishing you all the best.

From India, Kumbakonam
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Thank you for your valuable suggestions.

One more question: Is it possible that some organizations do not give appointment letters to their employees and instead deposit the first month's salary as a security deposit? Besides, they have no leaves, not even sick, casual, or paid leaves, or gazetted holidays. They only provide Eid holidays, and Sundays are off. In this case, if someone has been offered a job in such an organization, what should they do?

From Pakistan, Karachi
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Here's a corrected version of the input with spelling, grammar, and paragraph formatting improvements:

1. Appointment Letter may not be provided immediately upon appointment but at a later date. However, it must be provided as it defines the terms of employment.

2. Salary as a security deposit - That's news to me. Not only is it unfair, but it is also illegal. Even daily wage workers must be paid wages and cannot be kept as security deposits.

3. No Leaves - Well, it's impossible. At most, it could be stated that apart from statutory leaves, no leave is available during probation. However, the concept of having no leaves at all forever is not possible. Various acts prohibit such activity and allow exceptions only with intimation and confirmation from the Labour department.

4. Job Offer - Well, it's a personal decision, so I can't comment on that.

Ensure there is a single line break between paragraphs to enhance readability and maintain a clear structure in the text.

From India, Gurgaon
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One of the organization has such rules no gazatted holidays,no CL,SL or PL,first salary must b security deposit and appointment letter,in.this case wht oné should do?
From Pakistan, Karachi
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It is not for probationary period,only sundays and eid holidays are off otherwise no leaves,no appointment letter even.if someone takes a day off his/her salary would be deducted,minimum wages here is rs10000,but some people are still paid lesa than that.
In this case what oné should do and whom to inform?
This organization has a good reputation.

From Pakistan, Karachi
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The simple answer to this is DO NOT take the job if you do not like the conditions offered.
How can this company have a good reputation if it treats it's staff so badly?
This is a case where you know beforehand what is going to happen, so you can make an informed decision. We read so many cases here on CiteHR where people take jobs which turn out not to be their liking, or have onerous conditions, which the person claims they didn't know about or weren't told.
It would appear that this company may be in breach of Indian laws in regard to some aspects, though I cannot say for certain, as I do not know what the various employment laws are there. By taking the job you are assenting to possible illegal activity.
The only way to stop companies like this from treating staff so badly, IS NOT to take jobs with them.

From Australia, Melbourne
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Hi Would Suggest be impeccable with your word rest will fall in place. Good luck to you kalyan
From India, Bangalore
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Hi,

Can you tell me what you consider a good reputation to be? How did you come to know that the company had a good reputation both locally and internationally? Certificates hold little meaning on their own as they can be acquired from abroad.


From India, Mumbai
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