Interview Questions

How to face campus recruitment interviews

*1. For how long will a typical interview last?*

Placement interviews last anywhere from 5-6 minutes to 30-40 minutes. However, you should not come to any conclusion about your chances based on the duration of the interview. A short interview is not necessarily bad. A long interview is not necessarily good.

*2. What are the types of recruitment interviews?*

While some companies conduct separate HR and Technical interviews  (these could be individual elimination rounds or the candidate may be put  through both the interviews) some companies combine both Tech and HR modes  under a single interview.

*3. What is the size and composition of the interview panel?*

The size of the interview panel normally varies from one to three. With  the top I.T companies drastically scaling up their intake, recruitment  teams are under time pressure. Hence single panels are becoming increasingly  popular. Recruitment teams comprise senior or middle management personnel from  both HR and Technical functions in the company.

*4. Should I carry all my certificates with me to the interview?*

Carry all the original certificates (starting from 10th standard) with  you when you go for an interview. Please also carry one set of attested photocopies of all the certificates (which you can give to the  interview panel in case they ask for it). You should also carry any certificates that you may have pertaining to  your extra-curricular activities (indicating awards won, participation in  various events/games/sports).

*5. What is the appropriate dress code for an interview?*

An interview is a formal occasion and you are expected to attend the  same in formal wear. Casual wear like jeans, sneakers, etc. are ruled out. If  you are a male, you should tuck your shirt in, use a tie and wear formal  shoes. Shave on the morning of the interview – do not go for the interview  with stubble. If you are a female, you can wear a dress or a saree or skirt  and shirt. If you have long hair, neatly plait it or tend to it in a manner  that it does not look unkempt. Before you go into the interview room, make sure that you take a couple  of minutes to comb your hair.

*6. How should we enter the interview room? What should we do after we  enter the interview room?*

Normally, when your turn comes, either one of the panel members or an assistant will come and call you into the room for your interview.  Whether the door is open or net knock gently on the door. At the door, clearly  and loudly say, “May I come in, sir” and walk in without any trepidation. Once you reach the interviewers’ table, wish the panel members (by  saying “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”), and wait for the interview panel  to ask you to be seated.

*7. Is there any good sitting posture?*

There are no rules regarding sitting posture. You may read in some  books that you should cross your legs at the knees, tuck your feet under the chair, put your hands in your lap, etc. as suggested ways of sitting in  an interview. Just ignore all such advice – whatever posture you are comfortable with, adopt that posture. However, you have to ensure that  you convey seriousness. So, any posture conveying casualness should be  avoided – like sitting back in the chair and rocking the chair on its hind legs.

As far as your hands are concerned, you can keep them on the arm-rests  of the chair you are sitting in or you can keep them in your lap.

*8. Can I lean forward and keep my file and rest my elbows on the interviewers’ table?*

No. The table belongs to the interviewers – it is their property. Do  not lean on the table. Keep your file in your lap. However, you can use the table when the need arises – for example, if you need to write or  draw something as a part of your reply to a question, then you can keep your paper or book (and the file) on the table, write whatever you have to  and once it is over, take your file and paper back and keep them in your  lap.

*9. What type of language should we use in the interview?*

As already discussed, an interview is a formal occasion. It requires  formal language and that too, English. Do not switch to vernacular in the  middle of your conversation in an interview. However, you need not worry about  the fluency of your language. Go ahead and communicate your ideas in as  simple a language as possible without worrying about any language errors you may make.

*10. What role does body language have to play in an interview?*

Use body language – movement of hands, head, etc. – in a manner  that conveys

confidence and has a positive impact on the interviewers. Do not overdo  your

hand movements, etc. Gesticulate only to the extent necessary.

*11. What does the interview panel look for in a candidate in an interview?*

The interviewers will look for a candidate who has an aptitude and  skill required for the job and who can be moulded to take up higher levels of responsibility in future. The suitability is established by looking at  the knowledge and behavioural  dimensions. Knowledge, aptitude, willingness  to learn, ability to adapt to situations, ability to be a part of a team, logical flow of ideas, balanced thought process and a very clear goal orientation are some of the parameters that interviewers will check on.

The candidate should also be able to apply his skills in tune with the  ethical and moral framework of the society.

*12. How do the interviewers assess the candidate in this manner?*

The interview panel members assess the candidate by asking him/her a  variety

of questions and looking at the candidate’s responses for these  questions. Whatever be the questions asked, they look for certain qualities and attributes in the candidate. The main qualities that they look for in  the candidates are:

Level of knowledge the candidates possesses

Conceptual understanding of issues

Clarity of thought

Communication skills

Planning of career

Basic personality

Reacting to a situation

Knowledge is the single most important attribute that the interviewers  look for in the candidates. The candidate should have a proper understanding of the issues  involved.

Whether it is the subjects that you studied in college or it is other  areas that you claim to have knowledge in (like computers and software), the  panel members will be interested not just in the marks scored in exams but  also your basic conceptual understanding of various issues involved. In addition to conceptual understanding, the interviewers will be  interested in your ability to apply what you have learnt to other areas. This  reflects in the clarity of thought that you are able to exhibit. Your thinking

process is reflected in your answers to a variety of questions and  hence, it is  imperative that you think through the question before you hasten to  give a reply to the question asked.

Your ability to express your ideas clearly and succinctly is an  attribute that carries a lot of weight in the interview, and this is something  that the interviewers will be looking for specifically. Communication skills  play an important part, and you have to make a conscious effort to  communicate properly what you have in mind.

The interviewers will also be interested in knowing how well you have thought about your career how you are planning for your career. They  want to be assured that you are not generally drifting in the sea of life and  have come to their port not by chance but you are there by design and prior planning.

You will also be evaluated on a number of personality related issues including, your value systems. The interview panel members are likely to create situations to see how

You will react to different situations. This is essential because, in real  life, you will face a number of situations and you will have to react to them without any additional time to think about them. In fact, if we have to describe what an interview is in one statement,  it is all about how you think on your feet and react to situations.

*13. What are the different types or categories of questions?*

Different companies focus on different aspects. The nature and type of questions also vary from one candidate to the other for the same  company. Hence, a candidate should prepare on a range of areas/questions like:

Self introduction

Subject Knowledge/specialization

Awareness about the domains/areas where the company is operating

Career related questions

Personality related questions

Hobbies/Interests/Extra-curricular activities

*14. Since you are saying that certain questions or types of questions  are likely to be asked in the interviews, is it advisable to prepare  answers for these questions and go for the interviews?*

While you should prepare for interviews, you should not be preparing a specific answer for any question. Let us understand the difference. Preparing for the interview or for a particular question will mean that  you think through the question, what your approach will be in handling the question and what points you will consider in answering the question. Preparing an answer will necessarily entail working out your answer (in  its entirety) and, probably, even committing it to memory. This will not

help. Once you are clear as to what points you will cover in your answer, the

answer itself should be framed in the interview – on the spot. Make  sure that you never go with answers learnt by heart. It is very easy for an experienced interviewer to make out that the answer is not spontaneous  and that it is coming from memory.

*15. What should be the answer for the question “Tell us something  about yourself?”*

First of all, note that there is nothing like “the answer” or “the  correct answer” for any question – except for questions which require a fact  to be given as the answer.

“Tell us something about yourself” is the first question asked in a  number of  interviews. This question is asked for two different reasons. The  first is that it puts you at ease, as it is a fairly easy question to deal  with. The second reason is that the interviewers get to know some basic  details about you, while at the same time, getting a little bit of time to go through your application/bio-data.

Nevertheless, it is an important question. This often lays the  foundation for the entire interview – a number of subsequent questions can be  based on what you say in   response to this question. You should cover your educational background very briefly and then  emphasize on your technical skills and favourite subjects. Highlight your

achievements be it academics or otherwise. Mention hobbies and extracurricular

activities and a few details on the kind of person you are likes etc. Family background is not essential. In case you cover this, do so very briefly.

*16. What is the level of questions in academics?*

Subject knowledge is given significant weight age by interviewers. Such questions are aimed at testing your understanding of the basic concepts  in the area of your graduation. Focus would be on areas of work of the  company, electives, projects, favourite subjects etc. You should have an idea  about new developments in your area of study. Unless you prepare thoroughly  for academic related questions, you could get into serious trouble in the interview.

*17. Most I.T companies recruit students from non-I.T branches. How  should I prepare?*

You should be comfortable in answering questions in your branch of  study and should be able to indicate your interest in I.T. For example, if a mechanical engineer is going for an I.T job, he should still be clear  about basic concepts in mechanical engineering. The interviewers may check  this out to see how good your basic engineering skills and aptitude are. The candidate should also be clear about applications of I.T in his field  of study and should highlight his proficiency/aptitude in  programming/other areas in I.T to establish his interest in this field.

*18. What are the typical questions that the interviewers ask in the  area of  “personality related questions?”*

Personality related questions basically include two types of questions.  The first type is about your “Strengths and Weaknesses.” Strengths and weaknesses are asked very frequently and this is a fairly important question. It requires prior thinking and proper preparation. The second type of questions on your personality relate to your value

systems. The interviewers may ask you about the values you believe in.  There

can be questions on honesty and integrity. Very often, the interview  panel members may create a situation involving compromise of values and ask  you to react.

*19. What are the strengths that we can talk of?*

Do not look at a “standard list” of strengths from which you can pick  up your strengths. You have to assess your own personality and come with  your strengths. Typically, they may pertain to hard working nature,  congeniality, convincing ability, discipline, punctuality, goal-oriented approach, analytical approach to problem solving, working well in a group, etc.  Make it your list of strengths and not what somebody else has told you.  Also, after you tell the interviewers about your strengths, be ready to face  a follow-up question asking you to give a situation where your strengths helped you or to explain how you realised that you had these strengths.

You should be prepared to give an example by narrating a short incident  which highlights your strengths.

*20. Can I say that I do not have any weaknesses? If I mention some weaknesses, will it not go against me?*

There will hardly be any human being without any weaknesses at all. So,  do not worry about mentioning your weaknesses in an interview. It will not  go against you. What the interviewers will be interested in is how well  you are able to assess  yourself, and after identifying your weaknesses, what  action you are taking to overcome such weaknesses.

If you give a reply like “I do not have any weaknesses,” it will  reflect poorly on your self-assessment capabilities. Assess your weaknesses  along with your strengths before you go for the interviews. Talk to your  close friends and immediate family members. They are the best people to give  you an idea about your weaknesses – what you are not good at. Be prepared  to explain what steps you are taking to overcome your weaknesses.

Almost every one of us will have one or more of the weaknesses like  lack of punctuality, impatience, impulsive decision-making, etc.

*21. What are the typical questions that the interviewers ask in the  area of ‘career related questions’*

Typically the questions will focus on what you intend to do in life,  how you envisage your career taking shape, why you chose your branch of study,  how do you plan to use the knowledge acquired in work, why you want to  choose a particular  area/branch of work, alternate career plans, why you intend  to join a particular company, which domain/area you wish to work in, how  you will contribute to the organization, where do you see yourselves in  5/10 years from now etc.

Most interviewers expect you to have a goal or a career objective. You  may not be in a position to spell out your plan in detail. Nevertheless,  you should have a broad  framework and alternate plans in mind. If you  indicate that you have no idea about your future plan, it could mean that you  are a drifter and this could work against you.

For questions on ‘where you see yourselves 5/10 years from now’ get  details from seniors or friends working in the industry and from websites of  leading companies in the industry. This will help you to understand how careers  of people progress in organizations and to frame an answer.

*22. How to tackle a question “why do you want to join us?”.*

Before the interview, prepare specifically on the company by gathering information about them from magazines, seniors and friends working  there and the company website. Check out basic like revenue, net profit, growth, spread across countries/states, take overs, domains/areas of  specialisation, products, awards won, latest news, corporate governance etc. This will  give you ample information to be prepared for this question.

*23. How should we prepare for questions asked about my hobbies and interests?*

Normally, the interviewers will ask you questions on your  extra-curricular activities, hobbies and interests. In case you have none, tell them  that you do not have any. But if you have any, then you should be ready to deal  with them in some depth. For example, if cricket is one of your  extra-curricular activities or hobbies, then you should be able to deal with past  statistics, current happenings in cricket including the names of players in the  teams of various countries. If reading is one of your hobbies, potential questions include: the  names of the authors whose books you read, the names of the books that you have  read in the recent past, the main characters in those books, an analysis of  the characters, etc. If you indicate reading of magazines as one of your interests, then you should be ready with the following details for the magazines that you  read regularly: the names of the publishers, the number of languages in  which they are published, names of the editors, recent cover stories, etc.

For the newspapers that you read daily, you will need to know details  like the places from where the newspapers are published, the names of the editors, etc. You may also face a question on how your hobbies/interests have helped  you mould your character or will help you in achieving your career goals.

*24. How much time will we get to think before we start answering a question?*

The general rule that you should observe is “Think before you answer  any question.” Do not be in a tearing hurry to give a reply. You need not  start your reply the moment the question is asked. You can take 2-3 seconds  to answer the question. This valuable time helps you collect your thoughts before you answer the question. This is particularly useful if the  question is slightly “uncomfortable.”

*25. Should we give short and crisp answers to the questions asked or should we give elaborate answers?*

You should avoid giving “Yes” or “No” as the responses to questions  that you are asked in the interview. You should also avoid one-word answers.  While you should not end up giving a very long answer to any question, give a  long enough answer to communicate clearly your thinking on the issue that is under discussion. Remember, the interviewer would like to know your personality, clarity of thought, etc. Hence, you should look at every question as an opportunity to let the interviewer know more about you.

*26. If we do not know answers to some questions, can we guess? Aren’t there chances that the interviewer himself may not know the answers?*

Do not underestimate the calibre or the intelligence of the  interviewers -normally they are very learned people. It is in your interest that you  do not work on the premise that the interviewer may not know the answer.  If you do not know the answer, say that you do not know. However, if you want  to guess, do so by saying that you would like to guess the answer. You can  say, “Sorry sir, I do not know the answer. However, can I make a guess?”

Your making a guess will work only for questions that are fact based  and not opinion based. If the interviewers ask you for your opinion on an  issue, you cannot obviously say that you do not know.

*27. Should we always be completely honest in an interview?*

In general, “honesty is the best policy” in an interview. Be your  natural self as far as answering questions is concerned. However, in our  day-to-day interaction with  anybody, all of us wear a “mask” to show a different identity form what we are. The type and level of mask may vary from  person to person. You should try to have a genuinely pleasant expression on  your face. Smile often.

*28. What should we do if the interviewers ask irrelevant questions?*

Do not ever believe that the interviewers are asking you questions that  are not relevant to the selection process. In an interview, there is  nothing like an irrelevant question. Remember that the interviewer is trying to assess you based on how you react to situations. As discussed already,  look at every question as an opportunity. Tackle it keeping in mind that  your thought process is under scrutiny – the issue under discussion is not relevant.

*29. What is a stress interview? Are stress interviews common in campus selection process? *

In almost all the Campus selection interviews, the interviewers try to  make the interviewee as comfortable as possible. Very seldom does one come  across stress interviews in campus recruitments. In stress interviews, the candidate is subjected to pressure. Right from the word “go,” the interviewers shoot questions at  rapid-fire

speed. They will probably not give enough time to the interviewee for  any question – before the interviewee can complete an answer, the next  question is asked. Sometimes, the next question is asked even before the candidate starts the answer. The interviewers also tend to make fun of the  candidate almost throughout the interview – making comments that the candidate  does not know anything, etc. They can ask very personal questions in a  stress interview which can make the candidate very uncomfortable. While stress interviews do not form a significant proportion of the  total number of interviews conducted for any institute, it is not uncommon to  find a stress interview here or there. You should be mentally prepared to  face a stress interview.

*30. How should we tackle stress interviews?*

On the basis of how the interview progresses, you can make out whether  your interview is a stress interview in the first half a minute itself. The most important thing in a stress interview is that you should keep  your cool. Since the panel members are putting you under severe stress, they  will give you the benefit of doubt in case you are not able to answer the questions at all or you give a wrong answer. They will not hold it  against you as much as they would in a normal interview.

Do not react to their taunting remarks. If they make a caustic remarks,  just smile and say, “I understand that that is your view, sir, but my view  is …….” Do not sitting there cursing yourself for getting into that  mess. Focus on the question that they are asking next. Overall, a candidate who can keep his/her cool will come out in flying

colours from a stress interview.

*31. At the end of the interview, how will the interviewers indicate  that the interview is over?*

They will make a clear statement like, “Thank you, Mr. ———. Wish  you all the best.” Sometimes, the interviewers may ask you question like, “Would you like to ask us anything?” Such a question also indicates that they  are through with their questions.

*32. In such a case, can I ask them any questions?*

You certainly can. However, ask questions that are relevant. Please do  not ask  questions like “How did I perform in my interview?” or “How did I  do in my written test?” or “Will I get selected?”

You can use this opportunity to highlight your interest in the company.  For example say, “you have been consistently growing at the rate of 30% annually. What helps you to maintain such a high growth?”. If you don’t have any specific questions just say “Thank you sirs. I  don’t have any questions to ask’

*33. What should I do before I leave the interview room?*

Stand up, push your chair back a little, wish the interviewers by  making statements like, “Thank you, sirs” or “Good day to you all, sirs, ” turn back and walk gracefully out of the room. If the door is closed when  you are going out, you may again close the door behind you after you go out.

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