Recruitment Interviewing: How Can These Key Slides Help You Improve Your Skills?

As a trainer, I run Recruitment Interviewing workshops on a regular basis. I attach my key slides from the workshop for any managers seeking help and advice on the topic of recruitment interviewing.

Hey Arjun, read the below. It may help you.

Why did you leave your last job? Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers, or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special, or other forward-looking reasons.

Tell me about yourself:

The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.

For example, specify where you completed your schooling, college, and you may also mention about your family.

Arjun,

There are no right or wrong answers in an interview as opposed to an IQ test. You just have to be yourself and be as honest as you can while yet sounding positive and optimistic. If I may also add, be practical about your future. Try to project any mistakes in the past as stepping stones and learning milestones rather than deny you made the mistake at all! At the same time, use polite words while describing your previous organization or your ex-boss, even if he or she was a slave driver.

As for "tell me something about yourself"... well, tell them what you would like them to know. Share your special qualities, strengths, what kind of opportunities excite you, why you are considering them, what qualities and competencies that you possess seem to make a good fit, your other interests, etc. But avoid the temptation to parrot your CV (which is what most people do, and believe me, I have conducted hundreds of interviews, and it's quite boring and irritating!)

Again, remember, there is no right answer. You have to let the situation guide you. Good Luck!

Arjun, I think 08.shivani has given some wise advice. Certainly, when I interview candidates, I do not look kindly upon someone who only has bad things to say about their former boss or their company - even if the comments are true. Instead, talk about all the great experiences you had, interesting projects you worked on, etc. Then suggest you are now 'looking for a fresh challenge' and move on to talk about all the great things you like about the job you have applied for.

Q: Why are you leaving the current job?

Possible Answer: I am looking for opportunities that are bigger and better than my current roles and responsibilities because I believe I am prepared for the next level of responsibilities. Also, I had a discussion with my current management team regarding the possibility of taking on a larger role within the company. They informed me that they are bound by the process and it will take some time for me to progress to the next level. Therefore, I have decided to explore my skills with other employers.

Q: Tell me something about yourself? <The question is generally asked at the start of the interview and aims to give you a chance to lead the interview. Take a pause before you start answering, sound convincing, smile, talk slowly, and ensure that eye contact is maintained at all times>

Possible Answer: Sir/Madam, My name is "xyz," and I come from "ABC" place in "district/state." I completed my graduation in "PQR" with x% marks. I have D years of experience in the domain and hold certifications in "1, 2, 3..." My work experience includes discussing 2-3 significant projects I have worked on. I am familiar with tools such as "1, 2, 3..." in the domain. My hobbies include 1, 2, 3...

Hope this information is helpful.

Cheers!!

Deepak Sharma

Athena Services - we help you crack interviews.

9611130922

Hi Arjun,

Before you go for the interview, you should review the key requirements of the job and identify the skills the company is seeking. When asked "tell me about yourself," this is your opportunity to sell yourself. Avoid discussing your love of cricket or your enjoyment of socializing - while these may be interesting, they do not effectively highlight your skills or experience. Instead, provide specific examples from your previous work or college experience that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

For instance, if the job requires leadership skills, talk about how you were the captain of your cricket team at university, describing how you enjoyed leading the team and had to make difficult decisions regarding team selection.

If the job requires proven analytical skills, mention how you enjoy playing chess or sudoku as they both require analytical thinking.

I hope that helps.

Hi Ranjit, I'm looking for a job in HR, and that's what the favor is. I have forwarded my resume to [Login to view]. If you want, I can attach it here as well as I received an out-of-office reply from your email id.

Regards, Shivani

I am working with HCL as a Sr. Analyst; however, I always wanted to be a part of HR, which instigated me to complete MBA (HR) from Sikkim Manipal University. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a good job for myself.

Kindly help me in finding one.

Hi Shivani,

I am not currently recruiting any staff, so I cannot help you directly. However, I would be happy to review your CV and provide some feedback if that would be helpful.

Thanks for having a look at my resume. I would require your suggestions in case there are any changes needed for my resume. Also, as you are experienced, I would like to know if Synergy IT Services is a good company to join, which is in Noida.

Hi HR buddy,

I am Amaran, working in a software company in the HR department. I need some advice from your side. Could you please explain how to handle the grievance problem? This is the question. Please give me some explanation for this.

Regards,
Amaran

Can you help yourself with the following possible questions and answers for the interview(s)?

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Hi Ranjit,

Thanks for sharing these slides. Referring to such material helps to point out "what we should change" in our existing processes.

I must say you have a very interesting discussion initiated. Here is my contribution:

"Tell me something about yourself?"
This is a very basic question to break the ice with a fresher or junior candidates. A smart candidate is the one who will share details about himself, preferably something not mentioned on his CV, and wraps it up in not more than 2 minutes, of course with a smart note.

"Why are you leaving the current job?"
Most of us have changed jobs for various reasons, a few major ones being:
- Money
- Differences with their Supervisors
- Resistance to change (especially when one's current boss moves and they are not quite open to working under a new boss or new process improvements that they refuse to accept and cannot voice their opinions about, etc.)
- Influenced by a new brand/friends (lack of loyalty to the current employer or lesser growth opportunities within the company)
- Monotony in the current profile (which they call a wish to work on challenging assignments), etc.

Is that what the interviewer wants to hear? Many candidates fake this answer and present it in a very fancy way to impress the interviewer. However, those who fake it create a very bad impression once their reference checks are done. The best answer is one that is honest and, yes, has a positive note. I agree with 08.shivani and Arjun on all their points. :)

Hope this helps.

Yogita

Q: Why are you leaving your current job?

Possible answer: Please, I am seeking a more challenging job or responsibility compared to my current job. I also want to experience a different working environment.

Another reason you can give is: I have creative and innovative skills that I would like to bring out if given the chance.

Note: You are to express your competence and your vision but not to say anything negative about your organization. Make sure you do this with a smile.

Ranjit, thank you for sharing. You put a lot of time and effort into your work, and it is appreciated. Suggestions on designing your PowerPoint:

* Try to limit the number of words per slide. Sometimes, the slide gets very busy to read.
* When possible, use pictures or clipart to make your point (some people learn through visuals).
* When you have a number of bullets per slide, consider alternating colors every other sentence. It will be easier to read.

Just a suggestion and food for thought. Be well.

I am pursuing an MBA with a specialization in HR. As a fresher, what will be the best answer when an interviewer asks, "Why did you choose HR as a career?"

Please provide me the following information in detail.

1. All contents of salary (like HRA, medical allowance, leave travel allowance, gratuity, bonus, PF, ESI, etc.).
2. Formulas for calculation of bonus, overtime, salary, etc.
3. Scan copy of salary slip of a lower-level employee and one manager-level employee.
4. PF, ESI forms scan copy - How it is shown in the salary.
5. Any new things you used in your company to calculate salary.
6. Complete process of payroll processing.
7. Gratuity - how and when it is shown in the salary slip?
8. How do you maintain attendance register and how is it helpful in calculating salary.
9. Monthly reports of salary reports sent to higher management.
10. Any other reports you make?

Sir/Madam,

Please help me. I am an MBA final year student specialized in Finance & HR. The campus recruitment has started now. Additionally, I have prior work experience of 2 years in customer retention (6 months) and customer service (18 months) with two different companies.

How could I justify the followings:

Why did you leave the job and joined MBA?
Actual Reason: To gain work experience

Why did you switch to another company within 6 months of experience?
Actual Reason: Conflict with the Assistant Manager

Why did you choose MBA?

Why are you interested in Finance and not HR or vice versa?

If I were asked to sell a product, which strategy should I implement?

Hi,

Please do not say it's because you 'want to work with people' - it sounds really corny. If you have specialized in HR as part of your MBA, try to pick out one or two HR topics that really interested you, for example, Succession planning or Training and Development, and then talk about these points in the interview.

Hi Mohan,

Some tricky questions there. I think wanting to pursue a business qualification like an MBA does not necessarily need to be explained, as most companies understand the importance of an MBA. However, if you are struggling, you could visit the website of any MBA college and note down some of the information they provide about the benefits of pursuing an MBA.

Regarding leaving your first job after only 6 months, you could say that after 6 months in your first job, you realized that you wanted to explore a different direction. The fact that you stayed in your next role for 18 months shows that you are not someone who frequently changes jobs. Try not to dwell too much on why you left your first job; instead, quickly transition to discussing the positive aspects of your second role.

Explaining your choice between finance and HR specializations may be challenging. Since both functions are distinct, it might be difficult to justify your preference. You could suggest that you are drawn to working in support functions such as Finance or HR rather than in operations or marketing.

Remember, it's essential to present your responses confidently and truthfully during recruitment processes. Good luck!

Hi Ranjit,

I have one question on my mind. I have completed an MBA through distance learning, and I am confident that if I were selected for an HR role, I would perform better than a regular MBA student. However, most renowned companies do not consider distance learning MBAs, even if we have studied diligently and possess the ability. Why is that?