Tips for Jobs

Understand - What is your direction?

Ever stared into your tea and realized you're not sure what you want to do with your life?
Self-knowledge can be important in making an informed career choice, and let's face it - you're more likely to find work satisfying and rewarding in a role and environment that best suits you and your temperament.

 -- THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE --

How do you rate in the top 20 needed skills in the top information technology companies of the country?

As technology reshapes the traditional workplace, the skills required in the job market will also continue to change. So how do you rate your 'ability to adapt' or to 'think outside the square'?

 Curriculum Vitae

E-mail or post cv and interview time carried cv must have the following and must attract the company where applying:

 -- LESS IS DEFINITELY MORE! --

This is a bloat alert! It is noticed that some resumes are getting bigger again, and employers and recruiters do not appreciate it.

Large files and attachments clog up systems, slow them down, and can even bring along uninvited viruses for free; so if examples of your work are crucial for your particular occupation, then offer to email details on request.

Our suggestion is keep it simple, and put your effort into crafting a tight covering letter that clearly matches your skills to the advertised role - this will do more to get you over the first selection hurdle than any photo or groovy attachment.

CV must have the following AND MUST ATTRACT THE COMPANY WHERE APPLYING:

Two pages, Double Spaced, Body Text 12 Points, Formatted but Simple not cramped

Name, Father’ Name, e-mail ID, Telephone number(s), Address for correspondence, Passport Number and Place of Issue

Academic Qualifications

Software Skills and Certifications in Software Skills

Hardware (Microprocessor, DSP, Microcontrollers, Digital design, VLSI, Embedded Systems) Skills and Certifications in these Skills

Project Experience

Work Experiences

Hopes (for what opportunities and what positions and salary, etc.)

Future Plan and ambitions

COVERING LETTER ADDITIONAL NEEDED FOR E-MAIL OR POST CV

A tight covering letter that clearly matches your skills to the advertised role - this will do more to get you over the first selection hurdle than any photo or groovy attachment 

 Select your direction by seeking answers to the following questions:

Information Technology Jobs:

Latest Technology Skill Jobs:

Teaching and Training Jobs:

Information Technology Jobs:

Find out whether you have logical thinking skills?

Whether have you planned for the skills for programming in C or C++ or Java?

Have you planned for practice exercises over 500 programming problems from the books in any of these?

Are you planning for Oracle 9i or above?

Are you preparing for very good grades in one of the Internationally accepted certifications in Networking, MCSD, Java, J2ME, VxWorks, Window CE, dot net technologies, Linux, Oracle or CISCO technologies?

Latest Technology Skill Jobs:

Are you planning for CDAC Embedded systems course or VLSI entrance tests?

Are you planning to join popular standard training programs of leading top institutions in the area?

Teaching and Training Jobs:

Whether have you skills for oral presentations on a topic? Do you always present your class seminar properly after proper preparations and study? Do you use line drawings and lists frequently in the presentation for your class seminar? Do you explain precisely?  

FUNDAMENTAL PINT ABOUT INTERVIEW

The purpose of the interview is, of course, to assess your skills, qualifications and personal style and determine if there is a good fit with organizational needs and requirements of the position you are seeking. It is up to you to make sure the interviewer sees you in the best possible light and to show why you are the best candidate for the position.

This is where research and careful preparation will really pay off. The more you know about the company and the position, the more you will be able to show how you can make a significant contribution. At the same time, the more confident you are about who you are and what you have to offer, the more effective you will be in showing how your particular combination of skills and experience matches the requirements and expectations of the position and the company.

Refer to the following guidelines as you begin preparing for your interview.

* Research the company and the position you are seeking; this will help you determine which of your skills and qualifications you want to emphasize during the interview; it will also help you explain why you are interested in working for this particular organization.

* Review your resume and cover letter so you are completely familiar with what you have told them about yourself.

* Decide what points (key strengths or accomplishments) you want to cover so you will be able to include those points in responding to whatever questions you are asked.

* Know yourself well enough to handle any question that is asked; the more you understand yourself and your qualifications, the easier it will be to convey self confidence and demonstrate your ability to "think on your feet."

* Review possible questions and REHEARSE your responses; write out some key phrases, practice in front of a mirror or with a tape recorder, listen to yourself and evaluate; ask a friend or spouse to role play and listen to their suggestions; remember, the idea is not to memorize your responses, but to become as comfortable as possible in talking about yourself and your accomplishments.

* Prepare two or three questions that you want to ask; such questions should help to convey your motivation and interest, while giving you needed information and perhaps another opportunity to show how you can be of value to the company.

* Locate the company a day or two before the interview so you know where it is and where to go; if you are not familiar with the area, do a "travel run" so you won't have any unanticipated traffic or parking hassles on the day of your interview.

* Prepare a list of references to take with you to the interview; be sure to include titles, addresses and phone numbers and use the same format and paper as your resume and cover letter.

* Have work history information ready in case you are asked to fill out an application; be sure you have employment dates, names of supervisors, salary information, etc.

* If appropriate, prepare a packet of work samples that you can leave with the interviewer if asked.

* Be sure you bring a copy of your resume so you can refer to it if needed during the interview; it is also okay to take any other notes or worksheets with you to "jog your memory" and help you to respond to questions during the interview.

* Finally, know when to stop preparing and give yourself time to relax, both physically and mentally, before going to the interview.

PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW

• Do your homework properly
• Keep yourself on track
• Dressing for the interview
• Selling yourself during the interview

·         Questions you may be asked during a job interview (and should be prepared to answer)

Questions you may want to ask

-- Do your homework properly

1.       Getting to interview is only half the battle - you must also appear confident and prepared.

2.       Knowledge about your prospective employer is essential. It can help you prepare potential answers, plan questions to ask, and even gain some perspective on your interview panel  - now come on, those stunned mullet expressions in the company newsletter must reduce the fear factor! You can begin your research on the Internet with the company's home site through www.google.com and www.yahoo.com

-- Keep yourself on track

It is difficult to make a professional first impression if a recruiter has to prompt you to recall the job title!

Keep a note of what roles you apply for, and include dates, advertiser details and contact names, and then keep it with you so that you are ready for a call on the mobile or e-mail.

--Dressing for the interview

First impressions are critical to the success of your interview. The moment you meet, the interviewer begins forming an opinion of you. This initial impression is based almost exclusively on your personal appearance and how well you are dressed. While being the "best dressed" candidate may not get you the job, inappropriate dress could very well rule you out before you even have a chance to speak. This doesn't mean that you must invest in extremely expensive clothing.

What it does mean is that you should pay careful attention to the clothing you do select and make sure it conveys the appropriate image of you as a knowledgeable, skilled professional who can make a significant contribution to the company.

Dressing appropriately has another advantage as well. When you are comfortable in how you look, you will be more relaxed and confident in your ability to sell yourself during the interview.

As you prepare for your interview, then, keep the following guidelines in mind regarding your dress and personal appearance.

* Dress conservatively, unless you are applying for a position where creativity and the unusual are expected; you want to be remembered for what you say, not for what you wear.

* Dress to your advantage by wearing clothing that is comfortable and puts you in the most favorable light; don't wear clothes that will detract from you as a person, but avoid an overly packaged "dress for success" look.

* Dress for the interviewer, the company and the position you are seeking; however, even when you are interviewing for a position where you will be wearing fairly casual clothes on the job, choose business-like, professional clothing that reflects the importance you place on the interview.

* Seek the advice of someone whose judgment you trust if you are uncertain or lack confidence in your own judgment.

* Pay careful attention to your overall appearance; practice good personal hygiene; be sure your clothes are clean and neatly pressed and that your shoes are shined; avoid heavy or excessive jewelry; if you wear cologne or perfume, be sure it is a light and inoffensive fragrance, and use sparingly.

* Finally, don't forget to wear a smile; smiling is contagious, will make you feel more relaxed and helps to get the interview off to a good.

--SELLING YOURSELF DURING THE INTERVIEW

If you have "done your homework" and followed the other suggestions in this handout, you should be relaxed, confident and well prepared for your interview. Now, it's time to review some tips and suggestions that will help you during the interview itself.

* Be early by at least 5 - 10 minutes; using this time to regain your composure and to observe the work environment.

* Remember to smile and greet the interviewer confidently; it's best to follow the interviewer's lead as far as a handshake, use of first name, etc.

* Be natural, cordial and polite, even if the interviewer reacts negatively or criticizes a response; the interviewer may be evaluating how you handle stress.

* Maintain a positive, confident attitude and a high level of enthusiasm throughout the interview; remember you are there to sell yourself; if you don't have confidence in your own abilities, you won't get the interviewer to believe you have what it takes to succeed.

* Keep the interviewer's attention by varying the tone, volume and tempo of your speech; establish and maintain good eye contact, but act naturally; treat the interview as a conversation and act accordingly.

* Treat every question as important; always assume there is a purpose to every question and give a careful and thoughtful response to each one.

* Listen carefully to the question; if you don't understand or are not sure what the interviewer is looking for, ask for clarification or additional information.

* Refer to your resume or notes to help you respond to questions; it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a moment to collect your thoughts and formulate your response to a difficult question.

* Emphasize the positive but be honest and truthful; exaggerating and embellishing the truth will usually come back to haunt you.

* Never criticize or talk badly about a former employer or supervisor; if there were difficulties, accept your share of the responsibility and put the experience in a positive light.

* Be as specific as possible when formulating your responses; use concrete examples that demonstrate your proficiency or illustrate how your skills have helped you succeed in school or another job.

* Have 2 - 3 questions to ask the interviewer that reflect the research you have done and show your interest in the company.

* Watch your nonverbal communications; pay attention to your posture and don't let yourself become too relaxed, even if the interview is going very well; hand gestures are okay if used naturally, but be sure they are not detracting from what you are saying.

* Always keep the focus on what you can do for the company; the interviewer is most concerned with your ability to do the job and benefit the company, not with the company's ability to meet your expectations; if you are changing careers or have little direct work experience, it is particularly important to show how the skills you have developed in another setting are transferable to their organization.

* Be prepared to respond to some questions that are inappropriate or illegal; all questions should be job-related, but some interviewers may not be aware of what they can legally ask; if you feel uncomfortable with a question and feel that your answer could hurt your chances, trust your feelings; decline to answer in a firm, but tactful, non threatening way; then go on with the interview as if nothing negative had occurred.

* Wait for the interviewer to bring up salary or benefits; generally, salary is not discussed until the last interview; however, once it is mentioned, it is okay to ask questions; let the interviewer make you an offer before you give any indication of what you are expecting; if pressed for a figure, ask what the range is for the position before responding; however, if you have a definite minimum that you will accept, it's okay to state this, but be aware that you may eliminate yourself from consideration by doing so; remember, you should consider the total range of benefits offered in addition to the actual salary when considering an offer; benefits such as health and life insurance, retirement plans, etc., vary considerably from one company to another and can add as much as 30% to 40% to the total compensation package.

* Before the interview ends, be sure you have the name and title of the interviewer; the best way to accomplish this and assure that you have the proper spelling is to ask for a business card.

* As soon as possible after the interview, jot down some notes on what was discussed, your impressions, what comes next, etc.; while you think you will remember everything about each interview, it is easy to forget key points after going through several interviews or a period of time has elapsed.

* Be sure to send a thank-you note within one day after your interview to express your appreciation and reaffirm your interest in the position.

--Questions you may be asked during a job interview (and should be prepared to answer)

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Describe the major functions of your current job; how did you go about learning those functions?

3. How have your past work/educational experiences prepared you for this position?

4. What would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment(s) over the past year? Why?

5. How would your current supervisor/professors describe you?

6. Why do you want to work for this company?

7. What are your strengths? Your weaknesses?

8. If you could have made one suggestion to your boss at your last job, what would it have been?

9. What work/educational experiences have been most valuable to you and why?

10. How do you plan and prepare for the day/week? What do you do when
something unexpected comes up?

11. Why do you want to leave your current job? Why did you leave your last job?

12. Tell me about a project you initiated. What was it? How did you go
about it? What was the outcome?

13. Describe a situation where you had a conflict with another person. How
did you go about resolving it? If a similar situation arose now, what would you do differently?

14. How did you go about choosing your major? What factors did you
consider? Are you satisfied with your choice?

15. Give me an example of a difficult problem you have solved and how you went about solving it.

16. What types of situations put you under pressure, and what do you do to deal with that pressure?

17. Tell me about a situation where you had to persuade another person to accept your point of view. What did you do? Were you successful?

18. What can you contribute to this company?

19. Are you willing to relocate or travel as part of your job?

20. When do you feel really charged up at work? When do you feel burned out?

21. What particular part of your job/college courses did you enjoy most? Least?

22. Describe the type of work environment/supervision you need to be most
successful on the job.

23. We are looking at several very good candidates; why are you the best person for the job?

24. What decisions are easiest for you to make? the most difficult?

25. Give me an example of how you have been particularly effective in
relating with others.

26. How would you describe your supervisory/leadership style?

27. Where do you expect to be in five years? What are your long-range
career goals?

28. Why did you go to (the college you attended)?

29. What type of student were you?

30. Describe the best/worst boss you ever had.

31. What interests you about our products/services?

32. Did you ever change your major? Why?

33. What personal characteristics do you have that would be of particular value to us/in this position?

34. How do you handle stress?

35. Would you rather be in charge of a project or a member of a team?

36. How did you prepare for this interview?

37. How do you feel about your career progress to date?

38. Are you interviewing with any other companies?

39. What would you do if your boss told you to do something immediately, and your boss' boss asked you to work on a special project that also needed immediate attention?

40. Have you ever been passed over for a promotion? What did you do?

41. How do you think your work should be judged/evaluated?

42. How many hours a day/a week do you think a person should spend on the job?

43. What have you done about your own career/professional development over the past two or three years?

44. How do you go about judging or evaluating your own work? How do you know when you have done a good job?

45. What questions do you have for me?

46. Is there anything else I should know about you?

47. Why should I hire you?

-- Questions you may want to ask

1. How would you describe the ideal candidate for this position?

2. What are the department's current major projects/priorities? What is planned for the future?

3. Is this a newly created position or would I be replacing someone? (If replacement: Why did that person leave this position?)

4. What are the most significant challenges for this position over the
next year?

5. How has this position changed over the last few years? Do you anticipate changes in this position in the future?

6. How does the company evaluate work performance? What standards would be used to evaluate performance in this position?

by - 

Prof. Raj Kamal, Ph.D. (IIT Delhi)
Professor in Computer Science, Electronics, and Information Technology,
Former Vice Chancellor,
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore 452001