Best questions to ask at the end of an interview.

While preparing for our interviews, we often forget that an interview is a two way conversation or discussion to reach a decision if  you and the organization are right fit for each other.

As much as we prepare and practice for the questions we might be asked by the interviewer, we must prepare for the questions we can ask at the end of the interview.

Mostly interviewers wrap up with a question "Do you have any questions for us?" It gives you an opportunity to put forward your doubts, if any. As well as a chance to know the company and its working culture in a better way.

You should remember that as much as the interviewer is assessing you, you are assessing them as well. 

Here you must give a thought to what you are going to ask. As this part of the interview is also as important as your performance during the interview. Asking thoughtful questions will set you apart as a candidate and leave a positive impact on the interviewer.

Hiring managers have disclosed that if you don't ask questions you might present yourself disinterested. This might break the impression you have created till now. And I know you would not want that. So go ahead and ask at least two questions. Just like you prepare for everything else prepare your questions as well. I would suggest you to prepare at least four to five questions.

But remember don't put questions just because you have been asked to. Give enough time to prepare it.

Here I am sharing few questions with you to choose from.

•  Have I answered all your questions?
•  Do you want me to elaborate on anything mentioned in my resume?
•  How would you describe the company's working culture?
•  Why do you like working here?
•  What is the next step in the interview process?
•  When can I expect to hear from you?
•  What are the challenges of this job profile?
•  What a typical day would be in this job?
•  What are the qualities one must possess to excel at the company?
•  How success is measured here?
•  How would this role contribute to company's short term goal in three years?
•  What does the career path of the one working on this profile look like?

Asking thoughtful questions will make you stand out of the crowd. 

So, go ahead and ASK.

All the best for the next round.

Put your queries in comment section.

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Why should we hire you?

Why should we hire you? Why you think you are the right person for this position?

This is one of the most commonly asked question in an interview. Though it sound difficult to answer it is an easy one. And an absolute opportunity to talk about your skills and accomplishments. The motto behind asking this question is to know about your strengths and skills which will help in achieving organization's goal. With a little preparation and practice you can definitely go way ahead in your interview and grab that position.

You have to keep few things in mind while articulating your answer.

- Always mention strengths which are directly required for the position. Read the job description carefully and do your research about what the company is actually looking for. And align your skills accordingly.
- Give Examples. Support your strength and skills with some real life examples where you have shown these skills. It gives substance to your answer. Don't just list out skills you might have searched over internet.
- Merge hard skills and soft skills. Jot down five to seven skills you possess which are required for the job profile. And while formulating your answer make sure to include both technical/hard skills as well as soft skills. 

- Match your qualification. Apart from your skills and personal traits, you can include some short term course or certification which might help you in understanding the company or its product in a better way than others. 


Sample answers - 

1. You describe in the job listing that you're looking for a special education assistant teacher with an abundance of patience and compassion. Having served as a tutor at a summer school for dyslexic children for the past two years, I've developed my ability to be extremely patient while still achieving academic gains with my students. My experience teaching phonics to children aged 6 to 18 has taught me strategies for working with children of all ages and abilities, always with a smile.

2. The job listing states that you are looking for someone with patience and superior communication skills. While volunteering and holding an office for the Special Olympics, I learned how to be patient with the athletes and participants at our state’s Special Olympics. Coordinating the event helped me develop better communication and planning skills which are imperative when performing the responsibilities you described today. 

3. Though I’m a recent university graduate, my coursework, major, and minor all coincide with this position. On top of that, I have gained some job experience relevant both during my previous internship and in the volunteer gig that I work, both of which you may remember mentioned in my resume. Finally, I have been crossing my fingers for this job specifically, because there would be no place I’d rather work!

What Not to Say.

1. Don't answer a memorized script. Yes its suggested to prepare and practice your responses before the interview. But don't just mug up everything. Keep an outline of the answer in your mind and tailor it according to the interview.

2. Its not what you want. Don't just talk about what you are looking forward to in  the position. But what you can offer to the company. 

Once you have drawn the outline of your answer, don't forget to practice as much as you can. Do mirror practice, record your answer or ask your friend or family to be your interviewer. 

All the best for the next round!!

Put your queries in the comment section. 

*sample answers have been researched and collected from different online sources.

30 most commonly asked questions in HR round.

When we have to appear in an interview we prepare ourselves for different rounds of the interview. And in my career as a recruiter, I have met candidates who did amazingly well in their technical rounds of interview but regretted their answers in HR round. This forced me to think why does this happen. I did a little research and got to know that people are quite aware of the content to be asked in the technical rounds of the interview. But when it comes to HR round they are blank, they don't know what the interviewer may ask.

So to get you out of that unknown ocean, here I bring you 30 Most Commonly Asked Questions in HR round.

1.  Tell me something about yourself. 
2. Why do you want to join this organization?
3. What are your strengths and weakness?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. Where do you see yourself 5 or 3 years from now?
6. Are you willing to relocate? (post covid-19)
7. How you would be an asset to the organization?
8. What is your goal?
9. What motivates you?
10. Can you work under pressure?
11. What is your management style?
12. How do you propose to compensate for your lack of experience?
13. What qualities do you look for in your boss?
14. Do you consider yourself successful?
15. Why do you think you would well at this job?
16. How long would you expect to work, if hired?
17. Tell me about your dream job?
18. What your salary expectations?
19. What have you done to improve your knowledge in last year?
20. What if you are not hired?
21. If you were the hiring manager for this job, what would you look for?
22. What was the most difficult decision you had to make?
23. What role do you tend to play in a team?
24. What do you like to do when not working?
25. What gets you up in the morning?
26. What would you look to accomplish in first 30days of this job?
27. What would your mentor/manager would say about you?
28. Tell me about a time you made a mistake?
29. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of?
30. Do you have any questions for us?

The above list will definitely help you to prepare for your next HR round in a much better way.

Wish you all the very best for your next Interview!! 

To understand how to answer some of the above questions follow the link https://trainersangeeta.blogspot.com/2020/04/5-most-common-hr-questions-asked-in.html 

Do's and Don's of Video interview.

Companies now a days prefer to arrange video job interviews to speed up their hiring process. Also video interviews are much more cost effective than an in-person interview.
In this time of Corona virus outbreak, to follow with the guidelines of social distancing, companies have to do the hiring via video interviews.
Here I am sharing few tips with you to help you to ace that next video interview.

1. Formal ID. First thing first, for a video interview you need to have an account on the particular platform you are going to use. Say your interview is scheduled on Skype. You have to create a Skype Id. This Id should be professional and formal looking. Prefer to make an Id using your full name, may also add a number if your name is not available. But avoid an Id like stargirl@xyz.com, handsomeboy@abc.com and so on.
2. Check Connectivity. Always check your network connection before the interview. Check for the speed or any other interruptions in the network. If there's anything work it out a day before your interview.
3. Examine devices. All the devices like headphone, speaker, mic etc, you may be using at the time of interview should be examined a day or two before. So that you have enough time to get it repaired or replaced as required.
4. Background Display.  Look at the wall behind you. Is it good enough to be shown to the interviewer or needs some change. An untidy and distracting background can create negative impression on the interviewer. That doesn't mean it has to be a plain boring wall but yes a cluttered bookshelf is  also not suggested.
5. Look for lighting. This is an important aspect which is mostly overlooked by candidates at the time of video interviews. Bad lighting may affect your expressions. If required get an extra table lamp to brighten up the room. You can also use a white sheet on surface in front of you to reflect light.
5. Dress professionally. You may be sitting at your home for the interview but still its advisable to wear formals or semi-formals, instead of your favorite pair of pajama and tee. Do give importance to your looks. Properly combed hair with neat and clean clothes.
6. Background noise. Any background noise should be kept at minimum during the interview. Keep your kids and pets busy during the interview to minimize the background noise and also to keep them off the camera. Do inform your family that you are in an interview, so that they can also be careful, not disturbing you.
7. Setting up your system. Keep your laptop at correct height and on sturdy base. Adjust the height by adding some books under the laptop. So that you directly look into the camera. Don't keep it at a place where you have to look down. This may cause a look with double chin or wrinkles or saggy skin.
8. Trial check. Always do a trial check with friend or family, of everything a day before the interview. They will help you to know if you have missed anything or if something going wrong.
Last but not the least, don't sit for the interview without looking at the mirror!!
So, next time when you have to appear for any video interview, make sure you have check marked all the above pointers.
All the best for the next round!!

Do share your thoughts, ideas and criticism.

Smart ways to manage your time.

"Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hours day." - Zig Ziglar

Time management has always topped your list of skills to be learnt. But still it is marked red and you are struggling to manage your time to get most out of your day. Whenever you think of time management you start looking for things like "master time management skills in 3 days or may be a week". Hold on, please stop. It's just not possible. First thing first, you should know that to master any thing you have to practice it, daily, continuously, religiously. Do you remember your karate classes or dance class or may be piano classes? You practiced daily to learn that, Right? Similarly to be a Pro at managing your time you have to practice it, Daily.

From my experience and after reading different books and articles on time management, I prepared a list of things which are common and easy to apply in your life. These are the practices which bring change from the day one.

1. Plan your day. This is the basic thing you have to do.  Plan your day a night before. Make a to-do list for the day, writing every task you have to do the next day. This will save you a lot of time, which you mostly spend on deciding or thinking what to do. By writing down everything you inform your subconscious mind, of your plan. So while you sleep, your subconscious mind is working on the execution of it. Also, you will not have any chance to miss out important things to be done. Another reason to write down your tasks is that this "to-do list" also acts as a motivating factor when you check mark your list once the tasks are done.

2. Prioritize your tasks. Once you have your to-do list ready. Prioritize your tasks on the basis of importance and urgency. First, you won't miss anything urgent, say electricity bill due for payment. And of course it'll de-clutter your mind, of all confusions and mess.

3. Limit Social media usage. You are ready to start your with your to-do list. But you couldn't find time to complete multiple tasks. Where did the time go? You were busy whole day but haven't done much. Then why and where were you busy, doing what? Answer is scrolling through the Facebook feeds, Instagram stories, Twitter and the list goes on. Yes. You need to limit your social media time. Try to keep it for evenings. Limit it for 15-30 mins a day. And you'll notice that now you have more time to accomplish your to-do list goal.

4. Productivity zone. Sit and analyze your day. Find out at what time of the day you are most productive. It can be different for everyone. You may find yourself more productive in morning whereas your friend may work better at night. So decide and then use that time efficiently and effectively to finish your projects or to learn some new skills etc. This way you'll be able to do more in less time.

5. Eat that frog. We all know this saying. If it's your job to eat a frog then eat it first thing in the morning. This implies Do the most important work first and so on. And if you have to eat two frogs then eat the ugly or bigger one, first. This is similar to prioritizing your tasks and doing it in the order of importance and urgency.

6. Reward yourself. Always reward your self when you have achieved what you planned for the day. It motivates you. And you get back to work with more energy and enthusiasm. A little appreciation and reward to yourself will make a huge difference and can be your biggest motivating factor.

These are few ways to get more out of the same 24 hours. Try to apply these in your routine and be ready to welcome the change in your time management skills.

"The bad news is time flies, the good news is you are the pilot". - Michael Altshuler

Share your way of managing time. How do you do it??

Do share your ideas, thoughts and queries.

Good Luck!

Do's and Don's of resume writing.

In continuation to my previous blog on Resume writing, here I bring you a list of Do's and Don's you should keep in mind while drafting your resume.

Do's
1. Always Proofread. Before getting the hard copy of your dream resume always proofread it. And it's always better to read it left to right. Because reading left to right will not make any proper sentence or meaning to you, hence you'll notice each and every spelling or any other error made. You may also ask someone from your family or your friends to proofread it.
2. Formatting. You should keep in mind the font size, font color, margin and other aspects while drafting your resume. The font size should neither be very small nor very large but readable. Also the font should be professional like Arial black.
3. Alter your resume. You don't wear the same dress for different occasions. Similarly you can't carry the same resume for every vacancy. Always alter your resume as per the profile requirement. Go through the job description thoroughly and mark the key words. Now include these key words in your resume. This will enhance your chances to get noticed by the recruiters on job portals.
4. Avoid Paragraphs. While drafting your resume always keep in mind to put it in bullets or points instead of paragraphs. Content written in bullet form is much easy to read and understand whereas paragraphs make it look lengthier.


Don's
1. Don't take the print out on fancy or colored papers. Use the white A4 size paper to keep the professional look of your resume. Fancy or colored papers may make it difficult to read the content.
2. Don't use jargon or slang language.  This might be your way of talking but avoid it completely on your resume and your professional front. Jargon and slang words are not considered as part of formal language.
3. Don't mention irrelevant and negative information. Avoid writing about your weaknesses next to your strengths. Don't mention anything which might affect your chance to be called for the interview.
4. Don't copy paste. Its a big NO to copy paste from internet. Get ideas and suggestions from different article or blog but don't copy paste it. You may be asked to talk about your career objective written in resume. Just copying it will make you go blank while answering. So be Original.
5. Don't fold or roll your resume. While going for the interview keep your resume in a file or folder to avoid any crease or line on it. At times these lines or creases affect the content printed.

With all these points in mind you are good to go to the next step of Interview Preparation.
If you have not read "how to write a resume" yet. Please click on the link. https://trainersangeeta.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-write-resume.html


Do share your ideas, thoughts and queries in comment section.
Good Luck!!

How to write a Resume?

Resume is a french word which means 'summary'. Summary of your academics, work experience and personal details. The purpose of writing a resume is to get invited to the interviews. Resume is the one which meets your interviewer even before you. So it has to be presented perfectly to impress your recruiter. But I have seen candidates find it difficult to write their own resume. They get confused with what to mention and where to mention. To clear out all your confusions I here by bring you some points to help you prepare your first resume.
 By the end of this blog you will never ask others to prepare a resume for you.
1. Mention your Name and contact details. Always write your full name and contact details i.e. phone number, email address and your current address. You may write these details on upper left side. Mark your name in bold letters. You may also add your LinkedIn link.
2. Add a photograph. On the right corner add a recent and professional picture of yours. Do avoid your cool selfies with friends!
3. Career objective. Write a career objective which answers three questions i.e. Who you are? What you want to be? and How will you contribute to the success of the company?
4. Academics /Certifications. You can list your certifications or degree in tabular or bullets. Also add your marks or grades with subject you specialize in.
5. Projects or internships. Internship will always add up to your eligibility. Projects and internships are somewhat considered as practical exposure to your theoretical knowledge.
6. Skill set. Now mention your skills in two subheadings as technical and soft skills. Always write skills which are directly going to help you to excel in your position you have applied for.
7. Awards and Achievements. Under this heading you have to mention your achievements during your schooling and college days. Awards you have won at different school events, be it sports or other co-curricular activities.
8. Personal Details. At last you can mention your hobbies, languages known, passport no (if required) strengths etc.

Now go ahead and prepare your own resume and get ready for The Interview!
In the next blog I'll bring you some do's and don's of resume writing.

Do share your thoughts, ideas and questions.