Atharva Kulkarni

SE computer

Roll no- 22027

Assignment No.10
MOCK INTERVIEW
Title: Student will write one formal letter, and one application. The students should learn how to
write the letter and application by using standard format and layouts.

LEARNING OUTCOME-:

To learn to write various forms of latter and application i.e. formal and informal in
standard format.

THEORY:

INTERVIEW SKILLS

THE PURPOSE OF AN INTERVIEW

An interview is a mutual exchange of information between an employer

and you, as a candidate for a position. The primary objectives are to:

•Supplement resume information

•Show that you understand your strengths and weaknesses and

have a sense of direction

•Enable the employer to evaluate your personality and attitudes in

terms of the demands of the organization and the position

•Allow you to gain information about the organization and the job
that is not available through other sources

•Give you and the employer an opportunity to discuss the

desirability of further contact or an offer of employment

INTERVIEW PREPARATION

KNOW THE COMPANY/ORGANIZATION

You must be familiar with the position and the organization so that you

can demonstrate your interest in and fit for the job. Refer to the

research notes you made as you reviewed print and online materials,

spoke with people about the position, and prepared

your resume and

cover letter.

INTERVIEW CHECK LIST:

Polished Resume

Professional Attire

Portfolio, Pen

Positive Attitude

A commonly asked interview question is: "What do you know about our

company?" If you are unable to answer this question effectively,

employers will see this as a sign of disinterest.

ANSW
ERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The next phase of the interview consists of the interviewer asking you

questions to try to determine your fit. Having knowledge of potential

questions helps you to prepare points to include in your answers. Think

about why a quest

ion is being asked. What does the employer really

want to know?

Behavior

-based and situational/hypothetical questions are increasing in

popularity because they are considered to be more valid predictors of

on-the

-job performance.

BEHAVIOR

-BASED QUESTIONS

Behavior

-based interviews are designed to elicit information about how

you have performed in the past because past behavior is a good indicator

of how you will function in the future. Interviewers develop their

questions around the traits and skills they c

onsider necessary for

succeeding in a position or organization.

These questions usually begin with phrases such as:

Tell me about a time...

•
Describe a situation in which...

Recall an instance when...

Give me an example of...

Some applicants find the form

at of these questions difficult to understand

and have trouble responding. However, if you have done your research

and prepared for the interview, you will have work, academic, and life

experiences ready to share. You can prepare for behavior

-based

questio

ns by recalling specific actions that demonstrate your

accomplishments, abilities, and fit for the position.

Be certain to tell the truth, get to the point, stay focused, turn negatives

into positives, and be consistent with your responses.

COMMON BEHAVI

OR

-BASED INTERVIEW THEMES

INCLUDE:

Working effectively under pressure

Handling a difficult situation with a co

-worker
•

Applying good judgment and logic in solving a problem

Thinking creatively

Completing a project on time

Persuading team members to do

things your way

Writing a report or proposal that was well received

Anticipating potential problems and developing preventative

Making an important decision with limited facts and information

Making a quick decision during the absence of a supervisor

Making an unpopular decision

Adapting to a difficult situation

Being tolerant of a different opinion

Using your political savvy to promote a program or idea that

Dealing with an upset client

or customer

Delegating a project effectively

Explaining complex information to a client, colleague, or peer

Surmounting a major obstacle

Prioritizing the elements of a complicated project

By analyzing the questions asked of you, you will discover fur

ther details

about the position. Does the interviewer seem to be emphasizing

certain skills, knowledge, personality traits, and attitudes? That insight

can help you tailor your answers more easily to the employer’s position.

ANSWERING BEHAVIOR

-BASED QUESTI

ONS: W5 MODEL

The W5 model is a useful method for answering a behavior

-based

question. The answer should take approximately 90 seconds (the length

of a typical attention span).

70 seconds
- Identify the skill/knowledge/ability and give an example of

how y

ou applied or developed it by explaining:

What, Who, When, Where, Why, and How

What the successful outcome was

20 seconds

- Re-state the skill and outline the benefits transferable to

the interviewer’s organization

For example, in response to the query

"What experience do you have

organizing projects?" you determine that the qualification being

evaluated is organizational skills. Your statement could be, "I have

developed excellent organizational skills by working on two major

projects. The one I would like to tell you about ended successfully six

months ago."

Every statement you make must be true! Don’t lie or embellish. Ideally,

the illustration you choose to confirm your statement should be a

project that required similar competency to the typical pr

oject the

prospective employer wants you to organize. If you do not have a

similar experience to relate, try to choose a relevant story from your

academic, extracurricular, or volunteer activities.

Choose words that will help the employer visualize you in

experience. Whenever possible, include positive feedback from

supervisors, colleagues, professors, and others to reinforce your

accomplishment.

CLASSIC QUESTIONS:

In addition to asking the other types of questions, many employers rely on a series of standard
questions, and you should prepare for them:

Tell me about yourself

What are your short-term goals?

What about in two and five years?

How are you preparing to achieve

them?

What is your vision or mission statement?

What do you think you will be looking for in the job following this position?

Why do you feel you will be successful in this work?

What other types of work are you looking for in addition to this role?

What supervisory or leadership

roles have you had?

•
For you, what are som

advantages and disadvantages of

working in a team environment?

What did you like/dislike about

your last job?

What motivates you to do a good

job?

What are your

strengths/weaknesses?

What kinds of problems do you

handle best?

How do you reduce stres

s and

try to achieve balance in your life?

How did you handle a request to

do something contrary to your

moral code or business ethics?

•
Why did you apply to our

organization and what do you

know about us?

What do you think are

advantages/disadvantages o

joining our organization?

What is the most important thing

you are looking for in an

employer?

Why should I hire you?

The next step is the one that most candidates forget. Tell the

interviewer what specific benefits or competitive advantage you can

bring to the position because of the experience you have just described.

For example, "As part of the team, I would be able to coordinate...."

Avoid generic statements such as "All organizations need people with

leadership ability."

SITUATIONAL/HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS

An interviewer will use situational/hypothetical questions to establish

how you would react to and handle real

-life situations on the job. For

situational/hypothetical questions, candidates must have a good

equirements.

Here are some examples of this type of question:

If you had met your project deadlines and your direct supervisor

was unavailable, describe how you would remain busy.

You are the manager of a small marketing team, and one

individual is conti

nually late for work and taking extended

breaks. How would you approach the issue?

During construction, a contractor unexpectedly finds a very

large object in one of the trenches where he is about to dig. He

requests that you tell him how to proceed. How would you deal

with this situation?

You plan a workshop to teach newcomers to the country how

to use word processing software. Unfortunately, only four

people have registered and you are required to have a class of

ten. It is five days before the class is

scheduled to begin. What

do you do?

You have a conflict with someone who is senior to you and is

ANSWERING CLASSIC QUESTIONS-

PAWS MODEL

The PAWS model is a useful method for answering classic ques

tions

such as "Tell me about yourself." The answer should take

approximately 90 seconds (the length of a typical attention span).

When an employer asks this question, the employer is looking for

those aspects of your life that are relevant to the job, such

as how

you became interested in the field, related experience, and courses

taken.

The "PAWS" acronym stands for Profile, Academic, Work, and

Skills. Include all or as many of the four (in any order) to reinforce

your fit for the job. As with any interview

response, limit your

answer to a maximum of ninety seconds.

Here are some examples of what to discuss in each of the four

areas:

QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK:

Your questions should be

pertinent to the position and

show your enthusiasm and

knowledge. By asking intelligent,

well-
thought

-out questions that

genuinely matter to you, you will

convince the employer that you

are serious about the

organization and the position. If a

question has been answered

during the interview, do not ask

it again; such repetition will

suggest that you were not

listening.

What

do you see as the

priorities for someone in

this position?

Please describe a typical

day on the job

What training programs

do you have available for

your

employees?

•
What level of

responsibility could I

expect in this position

Is there a typical career

path for a person in this

position?

What are the company's

plans for the future?

What do you see as the

greatest threat to the

organization?

What/where are the

greatest opportunities for

the organization?

How would you describe

your organization's

mana

gement style,

culture, or working

environment?
•

What do you like most

about your organization?

How are employees

evaluated and promoted?

do so may imply a lack of confidence or, worse, cause the employer to

question your truthfulness.

Sit comfortably, without slouching. Don't put anything on your lap or in

your hands if it will restrict your natural body movement or if you may

be tempted to play with it. Keep your clipboard, note pad, briefcase, or

portfolio on the floor beside your chair for easy retrieval.

Respond to questions specifically and concisely but give sufficient details

to enable the interviewer to evaluate your credentials. Interviewers

become frustrated when they have to listen to long, rambling answers.

Think before you speak. It is quite acceptable to pau

se before talking in

order to organize your thoughts. Avoid verbal fillers such as "um," "ah,"

"you know," or regularly repeating the question to provide thinking time.

Use business language.

Avoid slang.

Speak clearly. Watch the

interviewer for clues on

how the interview is progressing. Is the

interviewer's face or body language telling you that your answers are
too long, not detailed enough, too boring? If in doubt, ask the

interviewer if more or fewer details are needed.

Prepare in advance to talk about any topic that you are concerned or

feel uncomfortable about. If there is something that you don’t want an

interviewer to inquire about, it will likely be raised during the interview.

Practice your answer out loud often enough to feel confident. Maintain

poise and self

-control. Consider a difficult issue as a learning opportunity

that has made you a better person.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

The most common interview format is one interviewer interviewing one

candidate, either by phone, via

video, or in person.

INTERVIEW WITH TWO OR MORE PEOPLE

It is also common to be interviewed by a panel of people. Although it is

important to have good eye contact with the person who asks you a

question, also look at the other interviewers frequently to include them

in the discussion. Try to remember each person's name and use his or

her name during the interview.

GENERAL/GROUP INTERVIEW OR INFORMATION

SESSION

This approach is intended to provide applicants with a large amount of

information about the or

ganization and the job. The format is used to

process is usually followed by an individual interview. A well-

timed and

intelligent question may help the employer remember you positively.

COMPETITIVE GROUP INTERVIEW

In this interview format, one or more people interview many candidates

at the same time

. This type of interview is sometimes used when a

position involves teamwork and the interviewers want to see how you

interact in a group setting, when the company wants to see who

emerges as a leader within the group, or when people are being

interviewed

for several similar roles within the company. It is important

to thoughtfully and intelligently contribute, be attentive to the

contributions of others, and not to monopolize the conversation.

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

Telephone interviews are an effective way t

o quickly and cost

-effectively

screen or hire candidates. If there will be more than one interview, the

first may be conducted by phone. Candidates being seriously considered

may be invited to a subsequent on-

site interview.

If you are not ready for an interview when called, politely request that

the interviewer call back at another, mutually convenient, time. This

consider what points you want to make.

All of the advice about interview

skills still applies. Your attire is your

choice, but you may find that dressing professionally increases your

confidence and allows you to perform better. Keep your resume,

company research, points that you want to highlight, and list of

questions handy;

in fact, keep these in front of you during the interview

for easy reference. (Don't shuffle your papers though!) Have a pen and

paper available to note any comments or questions that may occur to

you during the interview.

Choose your words carefully and be succinct. It is also important to vary

your voice tone, tempo, and pitch to keep the employer's attention.

Ensure that you are in a private setting to eliminate distractions and

background noise.

VIDEO CONFERENCING

In this type of interview, recruiters use video technology to conduct

interviews at a distance. Use the same strategies you would if you were

meeting in person; clothing, body language, and dialogue are important.

Depending on the sophistication of the technology, you may experience

short tran

smission delays.

Make eye contact with the camera, which, to the employer, appears as

direct "eye contact." Remember to check the monitor periodically to

If speaking on camera makes you nervous, try to practice in

front of a

video camera or mirror before your interview.

SECOND INTERVIEW

When interviewing you for a long

-term position, a prospective employer

may invite you and other finalists to visit the organization. The visit can

take from one hour to an entire day. One purpose is to allow you to

meet other staff. The second is to give more people an opportunity to

interview you in greater depth to determine whether a good match is

developing.

Do not assume that a second interview will lead to a job offer; ensure

you actively listen, ask relevant questions, and collect specific

information about the company so you can elaborate on how your

strengths match the organization's requirements. Use the opportunity to

observe the work environment (physical space, relations between

employees, work pace) to determine if the setting matches what you are

seeking.

APPROACHES TO INTERVIEWING

Structured Interview

The goa

l of this approach is to reduce bias and assist the employer in

making an objective decision. Typically, each candidate is asked the same

set of questions, responses are recorded, and ratings are assigned to

Unstructured Interview

In this format of interview, questions are based on the applicant's

resume, so different questions will be posed to each applicant. Without

structured guidelines, the conversation can be free flowing, thus making

this method of interv

iewing the most prone to bias. Although this type

of interview may seem more casual, you must still be well prepared and

know the points you want to make. Be careful not to provide

information you would not have communicated if the interview was

more structured.

Ending the Interview

Wh

en it appears that the interviewer is about to end the interview, you

should make sure you have covered certain points before you leave the

room. Make sure you understand the process that will occur before a

candidate is selected for the job (another inter

view, meetings with other

individuals in the organization, etc.). Ask the interviewer when you can

expect to hear about a decision or ask when you should make an inquiry

as a follow

-up.

Enthusiastically express your interest in the position (unless you are

sure

that you are not interested) and thank the interviewer for interviewing
you. Ask for a business card or ensure that you have the interviewer's

name, title, and address so that you can send a thank you letter. Make

sure your letter is sent within 48 h

ours of the interview. In addition to

being a standard business courtesy, a thank you letter may tip the scales

in your favor if you are in close contention for the job.

Interview Evaluation

If you do not receive a job offer and you felt that the fit was very good,

consider c

ontacting the interviewer for feedback on your performance.

Did the interviewer hire someone better qualified for the position? If so,

what additional qualifications might you need to be hired for a similar

position? Did you adequately present your qualifi

cations? If not, stay

motivated but learn from any feedback and make necessary changes for

your next interview.

For further assistance please contact our center to set up a

30-minute Mock Interview appointment with our Career

Resource Assistants.

CONCLUSION-:

We learnt to write various types of official & unofficial letter.