Art of Facing Interviews

The most commonly used tools for the selection process is the personal interview. An interview is a conversation with a purpose between two persons or groups of persons. They are done not only for the purpose of recruitment or selection for a post, but also to gather information from someone important.Even through it is a two-way traffic, it is mostly seen that the employed is the one who asks questions and the interviewee is supposed to reply. Different purposes of a personal interview are – to rate a candidate for his physical appearance, education achievement and qualification, level of intelligence, background, interests and aptitude, There are different types of interviews, like:
1. Informal Interview: This is the type of interview that is conducted in an informal setting. The interview can be held at the residence of the managing director for the post of a legal consultant. Similarly, many senior level job assignments are finalized during dinner at some hotel or restaurant.2. Formal interview: This is the interview that is conducted most commonly for recruitment of personnel. In such interviews the candidate is called for an interview at a particular location and time. The candidate is required to answer questions asked, based on the outcome of which he is rated for selection.3. Patterned Interview: To maintain a uniform approach there are few interviews where a set pattern of questions are asked. In such patterned interview the choice of person conducting the interview is restricted and the selection criteria are also limited within a set frame.4. Depth Interview: In such a interview, questions are based upon a specific area of the interviewee’s interest. In a depth interview the person has to answer in detail. The academic competence and knowledge is tested thoroughly in such type of interviews.5. Stress Interview: For the selection of supervisor and executive positions, it is of equal importance to judge the suitability of individual competence based on stress endurance along with knowledge and intelligence. Therefore a candidate is required to appear for the stress interview. In such and interview a person is required to respond to a tress situation and the assessment is done on the basis of the response.6. Group Interview: When we are required to perform a task in a group the selection is done in a group interview and the candidate along with a group is asked to solve a particular problem. The performance and behavior is, however, assessed and rated individually.7. Panel Interview: For a senior level position selection, a panel of experts selects the candidate.
Personality and behavior traits are very important for performing well in interviews. Interviews, at times, become a hurdle between success and failure for persons just out of college. You have to present your competence for a particular job within a short period of fifteen to forty five minutes. The candidate is assessed for his behaviour, mannerism, attitude, IQ, stress enduring, capability, general awareness, knowledge of the subjects studied and mental frame of mind to take up the position for which he/she has applied. For a young student it is important that he prepares well for crossing this hurdle. He must be ready for the competitive written examinations as well as for the face to face interview
Listed below are a few interview do nots and usual reasons for failure in interviews that every candidate should keep in mind:
The candidate should not lack self-confidence or appear shaky.
The hello-effect of the candidate should be impressive to the interviewing board.
Poor communication skills are an absolute put-off.
Body language must not reflect negativity.
The candidate must not lack the relevant subject knowledge.
There is a difference between self confidence and over confidence. Even if the expectation level of the candidate is high, he should not exhibit arrogance.
The candidate’s background and family history are important.
The candidate must have reasonable amount of Knowledge about the company and the industry in which he has applied for employment.
The candidate must not be improperly dressed or lack a sense of hygiene.
If the interview board is harsh, the candidate must not lose his or her cool during the interview.
The candidate must give a focused reply.
Also, at time, the number of candidates is very large and board members are unable give sufficient time to each candidate for answering. Thus, answers should be as precise as possible.
Mostly these are the ten reasons for poor performance of a candidate, but there may be some other reasons that do not need any mention such as a biased board and other factors to influence the selection process.Follow the simple rules listed bellow and perform much better in interview:
10 Simple rules of Interview
Rule I-Behave as you are: A person facing an interview is generally nervous and does not behave as his or her normal self. He tries to follow the set guidelines that he has been told and in the process becomes very stiff and unnatural. Do not act, be yourself.
Rule II-Reach the interview site well before time: The early arrival at the interview venue will give you time to understand the office culture, the local etiquette and the expectation of the office and a chance to adapt to the particular environment. Reaching in advance also gives you the time to make yourself comfortable and more presentable by giving you time to freshen up. The settling time will help you to handle difficult situation properly.
Rule III -Try to know the company: The interview board expects you to know what the company is doing and what the industry norms the company is in are. Prepare from all sources such as the internet, company brouchers and other sources, if any. Try to find out the company’s area of operation and expansion /diversification plans for which they are recruiting people.
Rule IV-Be focused: The purpose of your appearing for the interview is that you are looking for a job. The questions asked by the board will at times derail your prepared answers and will take you to a different direction. Try to be focused about your strength areas and the requirements of the company concerned. Try to be as short and straight as possible while dealing with a controversial issue.
Rule V-Behave as if you are already in the job: When a person applies for the job of a front desk manager, the interview board will like to see him in that pretext and would judge him keeping that person in the mould of a manager. If he starts feeling and behaving like a manager, half the work is done.
Rule VI-Be genuine and honest: Never lie to the board members. It is very easy for them to judge the truth or falsity of any statement or claim. Besides, everyone would like to reward your honesty.
Rule VII-Never answer question about which you are not sure: If you are honest in staying that you do not know the answer, people will appreciate it more than if you guess something absurd.
Rule VIII-Wish all members before and after the interview: It has been noticed that many candidates do not feel it necessary to wish the members and many others skip it due to nervousness. It does not give a good first impression of the candidate if he does not wish the board members.
Rule IX-Mind your body language: It is extremely important to mind your body language in the interview as you meticulously plan the words you utter.
Rule X-Anticipate the probable questions: When we are to appear for an interview we do have a clue as to what questions the board will ask. Say, a person has an education gap of two years mentioned in his CV. The board would like to know what the candidate was doing during that period. Similarly, a housewife applying for a teacher’s post will in all probability be asked about her routine for the day. Well-prepared answers for irritating questions will help you fare better in the interview.

Passing and legacy

Within months of his retirement, early in September 1962, his wife Rajvanshi Devi died. In a letter written a month before his death to one devoted to him, he said, "I have a feeling that the end is near, end of the energy to do, end of my very existence". He died on 28 February 1963 at Sadaqat ashram, Patna with 'Ram Ram Ram' on his lips.
His legacy is being ably carried forward by his great grandson Ashoka Jahnavi-Prasad a scientist and a psychiatrist of international repute who introduced sodium valproate as a safer alternative to lithium intreatment of bipolar disorder and a member of the elite American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Because of the enormous public adulation he enjoyed,he was referred to as Desh Ratna or the Jewel of the country. He wrote a number of books including "Satyagrah at Champaran", "Bapu ke kadmon mein", "India divided" and "Atmakatha". Dalai Lama in his autobiographical book Freedom in Exile described him as a "true Bodhisatva" and said that his humility brought tears to his eyes.

During the Independence Movement

He was drawn into the Indian freedom struggle soon after starting his career as a lawyer. During one of the fact-finding missions at Champaran, Mahatma Gandhi asked him to come with volunteers. Rajendra Prasad was greatly moved by the dedication, courage, and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi and he quit as a Senator of the University in 1921. He also responded to the call by the Mahatma to boycott Western education by asking his son Mrityunjaya Prasad, a brilliant student to drop out of the University and enroll himself in Bihar Vidyapeeth, an institution he had along with his colleagues founded on the traditional Indian model. [1].He wrote articles for Searchlight and the Desh and collected funds for these papers. He toured a lot, explaining, lecturing and exhorting. He took active role in helping the affected people during the 1914 floods that raged in Bihar and Bengal. When the earthquake of Bihar occurred on January 15, 1934, Rajendra Prasad was in jail. During that period, he gave the entire responsibility on his behalf to his close colleague and eminent Gandhian Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha.[3]. He was released two days later. He set himself for the task of raising funds. The Viceroy had also raised a fund. However, while Rajendra Prasad's fund collected over 38 Lakhs (Rs. 3,800,000), three times of what the Viceroy could manage. During the 1935 Quetta earthquake, when he was not allowed to leave the country, he set up relief committees in Sindh and Punjab.He was elected as the President of Indian National Congress during the Bombay session in October 1934. He again became the President when Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose resigned in 1939.After India became independent he was elected the President of India. As the first President, he was independent and unwilling to allow the Prime Minister or the party to usurp his constitutional prerogatives. However, following the tussle over the enactment of the Hindu Code Bill, he moderated his stance. He set several important precedents for later Presidents to follow.His sister Bhagwati Devi died on the night of 25 January 1950, a day before the Republic Day of India. She doted on her dearly-loved younger brother. It was only on return from the parade that he set about the task of cremation. In 1962, after 12 years as President, he announced his decision to retire. He was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award.

Early Life

Prasad was born in Zeradei, in the Siwan district of Bihar near Patna. His father, Mahadev Sahai, was a Persian and Sanskrit language scholar; his mother, Kamleshwari Devi, was a devout lady who would tell stories from the Ramayana to her son. At the age of five, the young Rajendra Prasad was sent to a Maulavi for learning Persian. After that he was sent to Chhapra Zilla School for further primary studies. He was married at the age of 12 to Rajvanshi Devi. He then went on to study at R.K. Ghosh's Academy in Patna to be with his elder brother Mahendra Prasad. Soon afterward, however, he rejoined the Chhapra Zilla School, and it was from there that he passed the entrance examination of Calcutta University, at the age of 18. He stood first in the first division of that examination. He joined the Presidency College in 1902.His dauntless determination towards the service of nation inspired students like Bihar Kesari Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha and Bihar Bibhuti Dr.[1]Anugrah Narayan Sinha who came under his tutelage.[2]He passed in 1915 with a Gold medal in Masters in Law examination with honors. He went on to complete his Doctorate in Law.

HASTI OF INDIA

Dr Rajendra Prasad with Jawahr lal Nehru

Dr.Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad (Hindi: डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद) (December 3, 1884 – February 28, 1963) was the first President of India.
Rajendra Prasad was an independence activist and, as a leader of the Congress Party, played a prominent role in the Indian Independence Movement. He served as President of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the constitution of the Republic from 1948 to 1950. He had also served as a Cabinet Minister briefly in the first Government of Independent India.