How To Get A Job?

How to use contacts for getting a job?

Contacts do matter.

No matter how great your grades are, it always helps to have a couple of references in your resume.

About to go on a job interview?
Your contacts can help you even here.

The first idea is – If you know someone with a position, in the company you are aspiring for, put it subtly.
Just mention it humbly in your resume or during the interview. In your resume, just mention about your contact under – “REFERENCE” section.

Don’t highlight this fact and in no case, brag about it. It just shows that you have nothing else to boast of.
Bragging about it simply means that you are covering up for your lack of acumen and certainly, etiquettes.

The difficulty lies when you have to mention it during the interview. Because, any wrong choice of words not only creates a negative impression about you, but also about your “reference.”

So, the million dollar question –  How to mention about your “reference” in a polite manner?

Let me give you a couple of ideas.

a)      When they ask you why you want to work with them, you can tell them that you have been told by Mr. X (Here X is your patron) that it is a great company to work with.

b)      When they ask you why they should hire you, you can tell them that you are interested in the job and that you have already done your homework.
Tell them that you have taken your time in learning about the work culture and the job profile of the company. And in all this, you were helped by Mr. X, who also happens to be your family friend.

So far, so good. But, what if you have no contacts?

Well, in that case you can “create” contacts. 

If you are still a student, request the placement cell of your college to give you the contacts of your college alumni working with that particular company.

You can exercise this option even if you are working, but being a working professional gives you an added advantage. You  can ask your friend circle if they have any contacts in the company you are planning to switch to.

In the worst case, you can search LinkedIn, and find out if someone from your alma-mater is working with that company. 

Does this mean that you use tell everyone in the panel about that contact of yours?

A big no.

Be honest.
Because references are cross-checked.

The question arises - what is the point in putting so much of effort to find out about a possible "reference", if you can't even brag about it?
The answer is simple – To  help you sail through the interview and get the job.

But there are procedures to be followed, isn't it?

Mail the person asking if they can manage some time and talk with you.

If the reply is in affirmative, call them at that time. Tell them that you are aspiring to work with them and that you are looking for their advice. Ask them about the work culture of the company.

But in no case, ask them to refer you. They themselves will mention it if they are willing to. At the end of the conversation, thank them for their time.

This not only helps you in learning more about the company, but  also the expectation of the company from you. This in turn helps you prepare for the interview in a more focused manner.

BEST OF LUCK!

How to prepare for an interview

I know that group study never works. 
You start with a good intention to complete the chapter, but then you end up playing the video game. Mock group discussions are even worse. 
You start with some serious discussion about “European Union” or “Syrian Crisis”, but this lasts just for 10 minutes.
Before you even know, all the discussion turns into just one topic – tits.

Sorry! But, true story.

So natural question – Will a mock interview work? 
Depends.

.

It depends how serious you are with your job hunt. But let me assume that you are pretty serious.

So, let me cut the crap and come to the point.

To begin with, the first thing that you need to do is to – 
Form a group.

Form a group, consisting of students seeking the same type of job.

Say for example, you are an engineering graduate. Then, your group should consist of engineering students only, unless you are preparing for general exams such as banking.

Even in such cases, make sure that your group consists of students who not only share the same dream job, but also the same branch. After all, how can you mix a bunch of mechanical engineering students with those from computer science – right?

Next, take these interviews very seriously.
Make it a point to meet at least once in a week.

The important point to remember is that, the interview should be as similar to the real life interview as possible.
Dress in formals, bring your resume, wish your friend in the same way as you would wish the panel, and most importantly, be in time.

In fact, it’s even better, if you act as if your friends actually represent the very same company which you are aspiring for.
Say for example, you are preparing for T.C.S., pretend that it’s an actual T.C.S. interview. Include the questions that T.C.S., panel is likely to ask.

Where do you get those questions?

Come on! Just Google it dude. I know that you are that smart.

Better still, you can even short-list the best candidate from your group. (And don't forget to take a treat from the short listed guy)

Happy Interviewing!

Interview Tips

Nonverbal Communication During An Interview.

Let’s start with the cliché – Stay calm.

Am I fucking kidding?

It’s your job at stake, and I want you to stay calm?
No, that's not how things work. 

Let me show how you can make it work.
First of all, when you enter, find out possible time for your turn and then, find your place and sit. 

Feeling anxious?

Well, it’s natural. 
Get a glass of water.
They have a coffee counter?
Get one for yourself.
But resist your temptation to smoke, no matter what.

Start a light conversation with other candidates. 

However, don’t compare yourself with them or discuss possible questions. It will just make you more tensed, nothing else.

Coming to more important stuffs, check the order of name and stay prepared. Once, your name is announced, gently knock the door and ask for the permission.
Never enter the room unannounced.

When you enter the room, your whole personality should be oozing with confidence.
Make sure that your shoulders are not lumped or your neck isn't low.
And most importantly – SMILE!

Wish them good morning or afternoon or evening as per the time. Now, approach the interviewer/s and extend your hand. Look right into their eyes and shake hands with them.
Here again, smile when you do all this. 

If I am asked the most important thing needed to swim across the interview, it would be – smile.

Now, there must be a chair for you in the room. No, don’t sit there yet. First, you ask for the permission to be sitted. Or better still, just approach the seat and stand right behind it. The board will automatically take pity on you and ask you to sit. (This is in fact, is the best way to ask for a permission to sit.)

Now it’s time for the real interview.

Don’t shake your legs. Don’t look around the room. Just relax and sit straight. Maintain an eye contact. However, this doesn’t mean staring right into their eyes. Because a continuous stare will just make your interviewers uncomfortable. Sure, you don't want that.
Just look into their eyes and then drift your eyes for a few second.

Now, all you have to do is to answer their questions. More about that in the next post.

Interview Tips

What not to do at an interview.

Interviews are not get together, where you give a high-five and say – “Hey buddy! I am looking for a job. You wanna hire me?”

Interview are organized to select PROFESSIONALS. You have to look, act and sound professional. Not cool, not hot, just professional; period.

Don’t go to an interview, listening to an i-pod or texting.
Of course, you wouldn’t do all this, while entering the interview room.
But I am talking not just about the interview room, but even the venue. You think sipping a coke or chewing a gum is cool?

Save it for some other day.

Talking or texting on your cell phone while sitting in the waiting room for your turn can be the reason; why you were not there in the final list, when everything went so wonderfully.

They are looking for some serious (read - boring) guy for the job, who can manage two hours without talking to his girlfriend.

And one more thing, do you find the receptionist to be hot?
Control!

Don’t you dare to flirt with her.
Anything which you do. can spoil your prospects of getting selected.

I hope, I don’t need to remind you for being there in time.

But an added caution – Prepare for reaching there an hour before.
Anything from a traffic jam to a flat tire can steal away your dream job from you. 

Even if it’s a campus interview, there is always a chance of a form, which you forgot to get printed. Being prepared for such situations, lets you face these difficult situation calmly.

One more thing, keep a pen and a couple of papers, along with the resume. In case, they ask you to explain an idea, in an interview; a pen and a paper always help.

Of course, they can provide you with that. But it is always better to stay prepared – isn’t it?

Interviews gives you a chance to shine.
What you say and what you do, is going to either get you your dream job, or knock you out.

It doesn't take much to make an impression – good or bad.

Remember, if you haven't taken your time to dress appropriately or if you say the "wrong" thing, or act in an “inappropriate” manner, it will be over before you know it.

How To Answer Interview Questions

How To Crack An Interview?

Relax! It's just a job interview.

And, there is no reason, they won't hire you, if you do well.

Afterall, it's their job to hire people, and they know their job very well.

The question is - How well you know about your job?

Because, when you enter into the room, the first question they ask you is to tell about yourself.

Remember, "Tell me about yourself" or for that matter, any other question, are just ice breakers.
But you can utilize even these questions to your advantage, with proper answers. (More about that in another post.)

When they are asking questions, listen to them. Tilt your head  slightly and nod.

It shows that you are paying attention.

Now, think about this.
They ask you a question, from a field, in which you are an expert.
You know the answer, every bit of it.
Congratulations! But just don’t answer it yet.

First listen to the question completely.

It's always better to take some time and answer a question, than to jump to the answers.

If you don’t know the answer to a question, just admit it.

If you are in a doubt, tell them that you are not sure. But if you think that, you can befool them by pretending that you know the answer, but you have just forgotten it; seriously dude, you are heading towards a suicide…..

They are just looking for an honest, committed person for their firm.
There is nothing wrong in not knowing an answer. If they wanted to hire, “Mr. All Knowing” they could have just hired encyclopedia Britannica.

Now, suppose that you don't know the answer and you admit it. They, would for sure then answer it for you. In such a case, thank them.

When one panelist asks a question, respond directly to him/her. But, turn your head, even for a second, towards the rest of them as well.

Don’t make it a mechanical question answer session. It’s an interview, not a viva-voice from your school. Engage in a Conversation. Say funny things and laugh with them, as long as you don’t use slangs.You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian for that.

Just be your natural self.
The more comfortable and relaxed everyone is, the better are the chances of you moving to the next round.

This was all about answering questions. How about asking questions?

What do you do, when they say, “Any questions?”

This might be just a routine, but again, if you know the trick, you can use even this to your advantage.

Ask them a question that shows that you are interested in working with them.
Ask about their transfer policy, or an upcoming project, or their expectations from you, in case of your selection.

This shows that you are looking forward to working with them.

Trust me, an employer loves such candidates. Again, when they answer your query, thank them.

Once the interview is over, shake hands again. 

Thank them for their time and say that you look forward to work with them.

And most importantly, don’t forget them to wish them a good day or a good night.

How To Crack An Interview

Dressing for an interview 

Everyone knows that they should wear clean, well tailored clothes during an interview. Yet, when it comes to interview, they are totally clueless. Allow me to make the task easier for you. –

a)      Your attire should reflect your profile.

Applying for a hot-shot law firm?
Keep that black suit of yours ready.

 Don’t go for a well tailored suit unless you are in for a managerial profile.
The interview is for an internship?
Don’t bother about a suit. A simple shirt and a tie will do.

In short, don’t overdress.

b)      Your friends told you that, you look awesome in that black shirt?
Be warned  – don’t wear it for your interview.
It’s an interview dude, not a new year party.

Wear a light shirt and a dark pant instead.
Sounds like a cliché?
Well, just stick to it.
You can't afford to experiment with your interview, dude.

Your girlfriend has gifted you with a red tie and you are thinking, "Why buy a tie, I already have one?"
Well, it's time to move your ass and get a new tie.

Don’t risk your job. Get a tie with blue or grey or black print.

One more rule, don’t you put on anything with red or pink or orange shade.  It’s the easiest way to screw your job interview.

c)       Your girlfriend says that you look sexy with those stubles?
Don’t listen to her.

Shave yourself clean.
And don’t do it on the interview morning.
Clean shave is appealing, but only after 5-6 hours. Do it the night before.

d)      If you are a girl, don't wear anything revealing, unless you are applying in a modelling agency. The board will simply judge you as unprofessional, period.
And would you yourself, like to work with people who are more interested in your curves,  than your credentials?

e)      You love your Reebok shoes? Well, you can save it for another day.

For now, just a pair of well polished black shoes. Nothing else.

f)       Ah! Now it’s time for some fresh air. Yes, we are talking about perfumes.

Thanks to Axe ads, guys know the importance of deodorants.

A word of caution here though, don’t you ever pour the whole bottle on your body. This never works, not even for picking up chicks.

So, no strong perfume. And never too much of it.

This however never means that you enter into the room all smelly and stinky after your basketball match.

Apply a mild deodorant, preferably cologne.



By the way, did I forgot to to tell you to tuck your shirt in?

Well, now you have been warned.

BEST OF LUCK!

Importance Of Teamwork

If you paid attention in your middle-school classes, then you must be well aware of the fact that most of the birds fly in “V”- Shape formation, because this somehow makes it easier for them to fly.

However, I was amazed to learn that not only they fly in this fashion but in their long journey they also honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Beautiful isn’t it?

Do you know what we do when  someone gets ahead of us?

We  criticize.

This amazed me so much that I went ahead to study all I could about geese.

Surprise awaited me as I learnt that when a goose gets sick and is

unable to keep up, two other geese follow it down to lend help and

protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or

until it dies. And only then do they fly again to join the group.

What do we do when we see someone falling behind? We say – “It’s not my problem”.

Seriously, we need to learn a lot from these geese.

But wait, this is not over. Why V-Formation? After all there are 25 more alphabets to choose from?

The answer lies in physics. As a bird flaps its wings, it creates a drag for the bird immediately following it. This way the “V-Formation” saves about 71% energy of each bird had they travelled on their own.

Surprise awaited me as I learnt that when a goose gets sick and is

unable to keep up, two other geese follow it down to lend help and

protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or

until it dies. And only then do they fly again to join the group.

What do we do when we see someone falling behind? We say – “It’s not my problem”.

Seriously, we need to learn a lot from these geese.

But wait, this is not over. Why V-Formation? After all there are 25 more alphabets to choose from?

The answer lies in physics. As a bird flaps its wings, it creates a drag for the bird immediately following it. This way the “V-Formation” saves about 71% energy of each bird had they travelled on their own.

In case you are an engineer and love physics more than philosophy, there is one more explanation – straight from high school physics.

When a goose, falls out of the formation, the drag and the resistance

created by the goose preceding it and the goose following it makes it

 difficult to get drift away.

Staying with people who share the same goals as you keeps you in track, even if it’s due to external factors.

Staying with people who share the same goals as you keeps you in track, even if it’s due to external factors.

How To Become A Good Orator

Oration Tips – Do’s And Don’ts While Giving A Speech

#1 Know your audience.

Prepare your speech, keeping in mind who your audience is. You wouldn't want to bore teens with facts and data.
Similarly, if you are addressing a group of senior managers, you would like to cut the crap and come straight to the point.

#2 Water

Drink some water before entering into the stage. You don’t want your throat to be dry – do you?

It also keeps you calm and helps you to deliver your idea in a more effective manner.

#3 Smile

Smile – it hides how nervous you are. The fact that faking a smile, actually decreases your stress level; is an added advantage.

#4 Look straight into their eyes.

When you look into their eyes you appear confident. And remember – People love confident people. Moreover, this helps you in connecting with your audience, a key ingredient to any good speech.

#5 Add humour

No matter how serious your topic is, there is always a scope of a joke or two.
Does this mean that, just to make your speech funny, you put any random joke in your speech?

– A big no.

Think of some funny instances related to the topic from your past experience. Put those examples in your speech. Make use of these instances to convey your ideas. It always helps.

#6 Plan your finish

We all prepare for a great start. But in the process, we at times ignore a suitable ending.
An ending without a proper conclusion, defeats the very purpose of a speech. What is the point in delivering a great speech, if it leaves the audience clueless about the final conclusion?

Conclude your speech with the central idea you wanted to convey through your speech.
End it with a popular quote or something which that sticks in their minds.
And never forget to wish them a great life ahead.

#7 Ask questions

Your speech should not be a monologue.  e.g. While delivering a speech on climate change, ask – “How many of you feel that the greenery of the earth is vanishing?”

Asking questions, engages your audience.

#8 Put energy and enthusiasm in your voice

Right from your opening line to the conclusion, your voice should be filled with energy.
When you give your audience an idea that can double their sales percentage, you should not convey it with an emotionless face. You should actually sound excited about the whole idea.

#9 Quote some real life example

Elaborate your point with some real life examples. People connect more to a real life examples than data or facts.

#10 Engage your audience

Before you make your entry to the stage, ensure the availability of mic with the audience as well.

When they ask you a question, ask them to first introduce themselves.

Repeat their question by saying – “So, our friend xyz is asking if  …………….”

This way your audience feel that they are not just being delivered a speech, but they are very much a part of it.

Plus, it gives you time to think of an effective answer – a bonus.

BEST OF LUCK!