Job Interviews

Introduction:
Though interviewers try to look for integrity, motivation and perseverance in candidates, the final decision is often based on gut feel. If the candidate feels right to the interviewer, then the job is most likely to be in the bag.
Benefits:
Get a chance to hone your CV making skill.
Learn how to cope with your interviewer’s style.
Find out how adept you are at tackling interviews.
Learn to control the pace of your interview.
Get advice from experts.
Right Person For The Right Job:
Gut feel
Fast changing work ethics around the globe have made it imperative to build a bridge of understanding between interviewers and interviewees. After all, the interviewer and the interviewee are on the same side of the table, despite facing each other across it.
The interviewee wants a job where he/she will be happy, while the interviewer wants a satisfied employee who will do the job.

Interviews offer guidelines in selecting the right man for the right job. And when this happens, it is a Win-Win situation for both, the interviewer and the interviewee. They are certainly not a guarantee of best selection and can be made more effective by using them in tandem with intelligence and psychological tests. But even these tests can only provide pointers.

The final decision is often based on the gut feel of the interviewer, which can
be improved by:

·  Developing greater objectivity
·  Grilling the candidate on relevant aspects of the job
·  Conducting multiple interviews
·  Making notes for future reference
·  Cross checking with referees
Planned Interviews save time:-
As an interviewer, you can become organized and save time by:

·  Writing a detailed job description, which specifies what the candidate is expected to do.

·  Deriving a brief Person Profile from the job specification telling what the candidate is expected to know in order to do his job. A Person Profile attracts the type of candidates the interviewer is interested in.

·  Interviewing only those candidates who will report to you directly.

·  Conducting multiple interviews by working out a systematic schedule well in advance, if the job is for a senior position.

·  Asking questions in a manner designed to make candidates talk in some detail about themselves. If your queries invite one-word answers like yes or no, it will lead to long pauses, which will make the interviewee tense and uncommunicative.

·  Conducting interviews involving discussion among a group of applicants on a given subject.

·  Selecting the best from the rest by being a mere observer in the entire exercise.
Job-specific Selection Interviewing Outline
Every interviewer can save his/her precious time and the candidate’s too by developing systematic interviewing outlines for every position. In job specific outlines, questions are classified in different categories and asked in a sequence.
The selection interviewing outline for a sales position would be to:
Establish rapport

Greetings and introductions
Brief chit-chat
Set the stage

Why? – The purpose of the interview
What? -What is the profile of the job/candidate?
When? – How much time will the interview take
The interview

Probe using open-ended questions
Listen 60-70 per cent of the time
Can the candidate do the job?
Discuss educational experience

Academic performance
Best and worst subject
Extracurricular activities (indicating leadership and team spirit).
Discuss work experience

Begin with earliest jobs and proceed to the most recent position
Briefly discuss:
Duties and responsibilities
Expertise

Significant contributions made
Likes and dislikes
Problem Solving
Reason for leaving (probe deeply for data) each job.
Note: Most of the information on education and work experience will be in the application. Do not have the interviewee repeat what is already given in the resume, except for a few points as a recheck on veracity

Discuss and evaluate key selection criteria

Customer service orientation
Honesty and integrity
Learning potential
Working under pressure
Team approach
Leadership traits
Detail oriented
Reliability and dependability
Inform and sell

Company vision, mission and goals
Company performance
Ask applicant if he/she has any questions or comments
Make a friend – Even if he/she does not get the job
Close the interview
Tell the applicant of the next step -- whether the recruiter will be in contact within a given time frame.
Thank the applicant for his time indicating that it was a pleasure to make his/her acquaintance
Hone your public relations skills
Gone are the days when the interviewee eulogized the interviewer by putting him on a pedestal. Today the interview is a public relations exercise where the interviewer and the interviewee cannot afford to be offensive, impolite and inconsiderate to each other.

Both the interviewee and interviewer cannot afford to antagonize each other.
The interviewee may not be given the job at the end, but if a patient and attentive hearing has been given and a courteous letter of regret sent after the decision has been taken, the candidate will be a happy person with memories of a pleasant encounter.
Create the right first impression (First Stage)
As an interviewee your battle is half won if your start is good. The way you walk, your posture, your health, the way you talk, sit or slouch, the clarity, tone and strength with which you speak will also determine the impression you make on the interviewer.
Verbal communication is necessary in every field, when dealing with customers, employees and colleagues. Devote time and effort towards improving your skills in this area especially if you:
·  Speak so softly that interviewers cannot hear you or have to strain to hear. If this happens they may ask you to repeat a few times, but after that, will either give up or cease to hear.

·  Mumble or speak too fast

·  Vary your tone to make hearing pleasant.


Good manners
Never overlook social niceties as these make a big difference, besides they are not difficult to master. Make your first impression a lasting one by:
·  Entering the interview room with a smile.

·  Closing the door behind you

·  Pulling a chair out without making much noise

·  Taking a seat only after being invited

·  Maintaining an attentive posture.

·  Not smoking or chewing gum.
Body Language
A quiet confidence is revealed by your gait, posture, the holding of the head, the way you use your hands, what you keep doing or not doing with your hands.
Second stage
If appearance, health and speech are acceptable, then the interviewer wants to know about your:
Education
The interviewer will try to find out the scope of the curriculum and for comprehension recall at least some of the basics of the subject covered. If the job requires more technical or specialized skills, then questioning will be more exhaustive and will be conducted by a technical person.
Intelligence
Your intelligence is normally based on the replies you give to topics, which may be as varied as local politics to environment planning. IQ tests, which are only indicators and not a final ranking scale, are conducted along with psychological tests.
Progress
Most interviewers want to see what progress you have made in your career. Have you moved up the ladder, not necessarily by way of promotion but at least by increased job responsibilities or handling of bigger clients.
Experience
The interviewer will try to find out the breadth of what you have learnt from the jobs you have done. Your chances improve substantially if you have a wide range of experiences in your field. Even if you are a fresher, part time assignments and internships will add to your portfolio.
Third stage
This is the most difficult stage of an interview because it tries to assess attitude, integrity, perseverance and motivation, which cannot be easily quantified. Multiple interviews are conducted as the interviewer has enough time to get to understand the interviewee better.
Attitude
This can only be found out by indirect questioning. Psychological tests also give an indicator to bear out or refute the interviewer’s impressions. If the candidate speaks ill of his/her previous employers (even if it true), it reflects a hostile attitude.
Integrity
The first measure of a candidate’s integrity can be assessed from the entire application blank, in which he/she has to answer every question no matter how inconvenient.

Multiple interviews also provide an opportunity to ask the same questions again and again, to find out if there is consistency in the answers given
Perseverance
This is an attempt to assess the ability of a candidate to stay on despite difficulties. Academic records and work experience indicate whether a candidate is looking for monetary gains only or whether he wants to be a contributor too.
Motivation
What eggs on a candidate to give the job his/her best shot? Is it only money or does job satisfaction play a vital role? The level of a candidate’s aspiration can be gauged from the application blank, which indicates the extra effort he/she is taking to enhance professional skills and psychological tests.

Make Your Curriculum Vitae Stand Out
Do’s
Once you have decided where you are going to apply, the next step is to draft your application. Though it takes a lot of time and effort to master the art of making your application different from the rest, it is worth it.
Right Stationary
Use good quality white bond paper to type the application and use matching quality colour envelope.

Your coloured personal stationery is acceptable, if it not garish. The envelope should be large enough so that everything goes in easily.

Get the application neatly typed, with a layout pleasing to the eye and without errors.

Covering Letter
Attach a brief covering letter of not more than one page to your CV, which highlights your qualifications and experience, which are especially relevant to the job that you are applying for.
Your strengths and Weaknesses
Your strengths should be emphasized, especially the ones which have a bearing on the job.

However, your weaknesses must not be totally eliminated or cursorily glossed over. This approach will reflect your honesty making the interviewer more receptive.
Address your Application
Applications must be addressed properly. If the application is not addressed to a manager in a specific department then it should be addressed to the Personnel Manager. Never send it to M/s So and So Ltd. In all likelihood it will never reach the concerned person.

Do not forget to enter the date on your application.

Give all the details, including the name of your present employer. It does not make much sense to keep the name a closely guarded secret, as it serves no purpose.
Give References
Always try to give the name of at least two references in the bio-data. However, the references should be known to you and should be appropriate to the level of job applied for. Your college professor or former boss, someone who knows you well enough and has some evidence of your performance and ability are better referees to use.

Follow the basic courtesies by obtaining a prior permission from the referees and only then give their names as references. Do keep them informed whether you did or did not get the assignment.
Clarify certain details
It is also essential to clarify if you are agreeable to be placed anywhere in the country, or whether the choices are restricted to a few, or even one location.

Specify Emoluments
Specify the emoluments you expect with clarity. If you quote a salary plus the usual perks, they could mean anything from a car, house or chauffeur or nothing. Instead of helping you, such camouflaging of the actual emoluments which project your image as one who does not give all the facts.


The right sequence for your CV
The CV attached to the covering letter should be complete in all respects and have the right sequence, as follows:

1. 1. Name in full

2. 2. Address (Do not forget to mention your telephone number and also your e-mail ID if you have a system at home.)

3. 3. Date of Birth

4. 4. Marital Status

5. 5. Languages (Spoken, Read, Written)

6. 6. Educational Qualifications

7. 7. Special assignments (details of thesis, project work, etc)

8. 8. Short courses done with the period mentioned

9. 9. Professional membership

10. 10. Employment history (in chronological order, present employment first)

11. 11. Briefly state responsibilities and achievements in the present job

12. 12. Significant contributions made

13. 13. Hobbies and extracurricular activities

14. 14. References (at least two)

15. 15. Expected Salary

16. 16. If selected, date of joining
Don’ts
A job application should not be handwritten unless the advertisement says so specifically, especially if your handwriting is not easily decipherable. It is best to restrict handwriting to just the signature and have the rest of the matter typed.

The application must not be an obvious photocopy of an original. This shows that you have been sending applications all over the place, and this is one of the many. You may actually be sending applications everywhere and there is nothing wrong with that, but this does not mean that you should project such an image.

Illegible handwritten applications, photocopies, cyclostyled sheets and faintly typed copies will end up in the waste paper basket, while you wait and hope for an interview call letter.

Do not use your company letterhead and envelop to write your application. Using company stationery for personal work and perhaps, even using company postage is a reflection of a certain laxity in personal integrity.

Don’t be careless or generous with the amount of gum used on the envelope otherwise some part of the application gets stuck. In the process of the envelope being opened, some relevant portion may be torn.

If you are blessed with a large number of well-placed relatives, you must not plug this fact hard in your bio-data. It will certainly not work in your favor as your interviewers may end up being more impressed with the achievements of your relatives than yours.

Your bio-data must be complete in all respects with the relevant information being included in the proper sequence.

Finally, the application must not be a hard-selling effort. It should be a soft sell, making the customer want to buy. It must follow all the basic rules of effective communication, telling enough briefly, while using the right tone (which is neither servile nor hostile) to show how the employer will benefit from the services you have to offer.

Your CV or bio-data, though brief, must be complete in all respects
Fill in the Application Blank honestly
Most organized companies have a printed form called the Application Blank, which they send to a candidate who has a chance of being called for an interview. Generally if you receive the form after sending your CV, it’s an indication that you have cleared the preliminary round.
The printed form helps the company to have all the information they require in a certain sequence. This makes comparison of candidates easier, especially if the analysis is computerized.
Use Capital Letters
If the form has to be filled in your own handwriting, unless you have a legible scrawl, it makes more sense to stick to capital letters, with good black ink and no smudging.

Have it typed
When handwriting is not specified, then the details must be typed as they give a neat look.


Attach your Photograph
Normally, a photograph has to be attached. A good print on mat paper, rather than glossy is preferable.
Mention the relevant academic qualifications
The Application Blank should highlight those academic qualifications and aspects of work experience, which are relevant to the job applied for.
Make a draft first
Candidates should first make a draft of the answers they will give in the Application Blank and fill it only if they are sure of all the facts viz., dates, grades etc.
Keep a photocopy of Application Blank
They should also keep a photocopy of the application blank so that before the interview they can recheck all the facts given earlier. Remember an application blank filled neatly and completely shows how seriously you take yourself.
Prepare Yourself For The D-Day
Make your own checklist
If you receive a call to attend an interview after sending the Application Blank, you have won the second round. It means your initial application has been well received and now the printed form has made you eligible for a personal meeting with the company’s executives.
When you receive the interview call, you are expected to telephone the company or reply in writing, to confirm that you will attend the interview on the date and at the time specified. If you do not do this, then they may not expect you. This can lead to unnecessary problems and misunderstandings.

You have won the second round.
To be better equipped to face an interview, make a list of questions the interviewer might ask you. The secret is to use empathy, by putting yourself in your interviewer’s shoes and looking at things from his/her perspective. You should be prepared with answers regarding your:
Family background
·  What does your father do for a living?

·  Does your mother have a job as well?

·  What do your brothers and sisters do?

·  What was life like at home?

·  Are you planning to move out of home?
Education
·  How did you like school?

·  Which subjects did you like the most?
·
·  Why did you change schools?

·  Which extracurricular activities did you participate in at college?

·  How will your qualifications help in the job you are applying for?
Work experience
·  Why did you take up this kind of job?

·  Why did you join and leave these companies?

·  What do you like the most and the least about your job?

·  What was your major contribution to your company?

·  How many people reported to you?

·  Whom did you report to?

·  Are you a team person?

·  What are the problems you face in your industry or company?

·  Why are you looking for a job change?

·  Why do you think you are suitable for this position?

Aspirations/Attitudes/Opinions
·  How do you judge the progress you have made so far?

·  Has it been a learning process?

·  What circumstances have gone against you in the past?

·  What are your aspirations?

·  Where do you expect to go in the next five years?

·  What growth opportunities do you anticipate in your present organization? Why?

·  What growth opportunities do you expect here? Why?

·  What do you know about this organization – its management, style, products and policies?

·  Have you been under much stress? How have you handled it?

·  How did you get on with your boss?

·  Why have you not named him as your referee?

·  What is your connection with the referees named?

·  Do you prefer a staff function (more mental planning) or a line function? ( more active in outdoor.)

·  Are you good at verbal or written communication?

·  List one failure in your job. How did it help you?
Keep your cool
You can train yourself to look forward to a job interview with a mental attitude of pleasant anticipation rather than fear. Though a little nervousness is a good thing, as it will make you taut, attentive and wanting to do your best, too much of it can show in the blanching of the face, trembling of the fingers, coldness of hands, a stammer in speech and the mind going blank. All this can ruin the interview.
Even if you are too casual and take the interview call lightly by asking for a change in the date or time, this will definitely go against you in an evaluation of your sense of purpose, seriousness about the assignment and in general, about your total attitude
A little nervousness is a good thing but too much of it can ruin the interview.
Dress appropriately for the occasion
Often interviewers like to see a person dressed fashionably, but with a quiet moderation. Fingernails and moustache (if any) should be properly trimmed. Your footwear must be well polished and reasonably quiet, with neither the squeak of leather nor the stiletto jabs of high heels.
Bad breath and body odor can be very offensive. So don’t forget the brush and use the mouthwash before attending an interview. Body odor can be overcome by using pleasant deodorants especially under armpits.
It is often true that when you are successful or somewhere in the higher rungs of the commercial hierarchy, you can take liberties with the way you dress. People will still listen to you and want to be with you. However at the entry point of a career, any major variations from the dressing norms are looked upon with some incredulity.


Your papers should be in order
Always carry your important papers/documents in the proper sequence in a neat folder.

·  You must have the following with you;

·  A cutout of the job advertisement

·  A copy of your application

·  A photocopy of the filled in printed form

·  The interview call-letter.

·  Copies of certificates (degree certificates, leaving certificates from previous employers) and proof of other achievements (company newsletters, sales bulletins).
Don’t be late
If the interview is in a different town, then try to reach the destination a day or half a day earlier and get to know the geography of the place, the bus routes and location of the office.
Even if the interview is in the same town where you live, it is prudent to go on a check visit to the interview venue sometime in advance. Perhaps you can go even up to the reception room. Knowledge of the time it takes, the route, the location, even the face of the receptionist will give you a certain confidence, which will show through in the interview itself.
On the day of the interview, start well on time and arrive at the venue at least half an hour before the appointed time. This will give you time to collect your thoughts and relax. Reading a book may help to take your thoughts away from the immediate encounter and help you remain calm.
If many candidates have been called and the disposal is quick, try to meet one or two candidates, who are on their way out, to find out about the interview environment, the kind of person the interviewer is and the kind of questions being asked. This will help you to be better prepared for the encounter with immediate, relevant and other candidates’ hands-on experience.
Find out in advance how to get to the interview venue. It won’t do to get lost.
Avoid faux pas like
·  Walking hurriedly with your folder towards the interview room.

·  Entering the room without knocking

·  Not shutting the door behind you

·  Greeting your interviewer/interviewers too brightly or loudly.

·  Taking a seat without being invited to do so

·  Placing you folder or briefcase squarely on the table. In fact you must keep the folder on your lap till you get the opportunity to show it.

Shaking hands unless the interviewer offers his hand.

·  Slouching in your chair, crossing your legs in a manner, which gives the impression that you are the interviewer.

·  Asking for permission to smoke. Never drink or smoke before an interview. Interviewers have sensitive nostrils and they will detect the faintest tinge of gin, or beer or nicotine on your breath. This is a sure way of spoiling your chances. You will be out on just the first impression.

·  Playing with the pen, pencils or other items on the interviewer’s table, perhaps unconsciously out of nervousness, but inexcusable nevertheless.

Coping With Your Interviewer's Style
Types of interviewers
An interviewee has to be mentally prepared to expect anything while facing an interview. For this he/she has to study the different types of interviewers and learn how to tackle their idiosyncratic style of questioning effortlessly.
Inexperienced interviewer’s traits
·  They start hesitantly as they are unprepared

·  There is no list of questions to focus on.

·  They interrupt frequently.

·  No notes are taken.

·  Leading questions are often asked

·  Some may not talk at all while others talk too much

·  They will keep talking telephone calls during the interview, disrupting the flow of dialogue.

·  They do not concentrate on what you say.

·  They do not know how to close the interview.
Ball in the interviewee’s court

As an interviewee, you have to be smart enough to recognize that this type of interviewer needs to be guided by you. The best way of dealing would be to wrest the initiative and present your plus points at the first opportunity without sounding immodest.
Experienced interviewers
They take control by

·  Starting on a pleasant note

·  They make the interviewee feel at home

·  Open ended and relevant questions are included in their list

·  The probing is gentle

·  They listen attentively, noting relevant aspects

·  No phone calls are received while interviewing

·  The interview is brought to a close on a pleasant and positive note
Egoist interviewers
·  Love to blow their trumpet

·  Not miss the chance to tell you their success story

·  Want to find out how much you don’t know rather than how much you know.

The best way to deal with egoists is to:

·  Humor and flatter them

·  Never cross swords with them

·  Make sure that you emphasize your qualifications and experience

·  Summarize your strong points before the close of the interview
Autocrats
Autocrats are recognizable by

·  An arrogant gait and posture

·  Rough and brusque language

·  The immense power they wield

·  Their command of the situation
The best strategy is to be:

·  Submissive without being servile. Give them the commanding position but be firm where it is needed otherwise you will come across as someone who can be kicked around.

·  To the point in giving your answers

·  An epitome of good manners

·  In the correct sitting posture
Democrats
They are the ones who

·  Like to start with casual conversation and a little humor

·  They will speak and allow you to speak

·  Ask open-ended questions

·  Listen attentively

·  Are open to the views of others even if these are conflicting with their own

·  They generally end up becoming your friend

·  Pleasant in their manner

·  Always well prepared

With democrats you can certainly:

·  Be free and frank, without appearing cocky

·  Contradict pleasantly

·  Elaborate on any point

·  Be at ease regarding your posture
Laissez-Faires interviewers
·  Start the interview virtually like an accident

·  Do not follow any list of questions or take notes

·  Are friendly and warm

·  Unprepared with an air of carelessness

·  Make you feel at ease

·  Tend to lose direction of the interview

·  Close interviews like pleasant meetings, which achieve no purpose

Wrest the initiative by:

·  Emphasizing information relevant to the job in a systematic, organized way

·  Giving a summary sheet telling why you are best qualified for the job.

·  Bringing the interview to a smooth and positive close
The Whiz Kids
·  Are experienced

·  Too well prepared

·  Know a lot and want you to know this fact

·  Deluge you with questions

·  Laugh gleefully at your ignorance

·  Establish their superiority in an indirect cerebral way

Deal confidently with whiz kids by:

·  Not becoming overawed by their knowledge

·  Highlighting your strengths

·  Giving frank answers to their questions

·  Accepting gracefully that you need to be more informed
First impressionists

·  They are experts on human personality

·  Make up their mind immediately

·  Can size up a person in one glance

·  Study the character by the shape of the eyebrows, fingers, jaw etc.

·  They can assess people by the way they dress, the kind of pen they

use, the way they talk.

·  They take a decision, irrespective of the questions asked and answers
given.

·  They know people or think they do

If your interviewer is a first impressionist, this is a great challenge as:

·  Your interview may go on for an hour

·  Your interviewer would have made up his/her mind in the first few minutes.

·  You have to be careful right from the time you open the door

·  You should try to get inkling about some of your interviewer’s inner thoughts by observing facial expressions and eyes.

·  There is little else you can do to tailor your presentation to the requirements.

Don’t become a bundle of nerves
No matter how many interviewers you face, just keep one golden rule in mind. Do not get nervous.
One-to-one meetings
For the interviewer, one to one meetings are easiest to organize and for the interviewee, they are the easiest to face. The plus point is that they give the interviewer the privilege to talk in a direct manner with eye-to-eye contact.
Being interviewed by a twosome
At some interviews, there may be two interviewers, one from the department concerned and the other from the Personnel Department. As an interviewee it is necessary to identify them and know their names. You can then connect the person to his or her role in the interview. Include both in your eye span, although you should maintain direct eye contact with the person asking the questions at any particular time.
Group interview
In this a group of candidates (the number varies at the discretion of the management), are given an issue/topics on which they a discussion among themselves. The interviewer acts as a keen observer of the proceedings and does not participate at all. The best thing to do an interviewee can do in this situation is to maintain an attentive stance even when he /she is not the one who is doing the talking. Any sign of disinterest or putting up with an unacceptable posture can go against a candidate.
Panel interview
There could also be a panel interview, where three to six interviewers can constitute a panel. You have to deal with them in the same way as you would in the case of two members. The important thing is not to get flustered in facing so many people. Just keep your cool and imagine them to be one person.
If two or three ask questions in quick succession, don’t try to answer them all at once. Deal with one interviewer at a time, beginning with the person who asked you the question first.

Tackle Your Interview Proactively
How to project yourself
·  You as an interviewee, have to be careful of how to project yourself. Hard sell seldom succeeds at interviews. It conveys the message that you do not have any other alternatives.

·  Unless you are fresh out of college, do not offer to join immediately.

·  If you are already working, you should state your notice period and the time you will need to tie up loose ends, after which you will be free to join the new company.

·  If there are some aspects on which you are not clear, make a request for another meeting.

·  Take your time and be sure about what you want to do and what is expected of you.

·  Do not try to bluff your way into an organization. Even if you are recruited, at some point of time your lies will be exposed. So don’t exaggerate in an attempt to impress.

·  A certain reserve combined with enthusiasm and genuine interest in investigating the suitability of the assignment, which does not project over-eagerness is the best approach.
Controlling the pace of the interview
As an interviewee you can control the pace of the interview by:

·  Remaining cool and not losing your balance

·  Repeating a question so that it is clear to you

·  Rephrasing a question aloud, to arrive at the correct meaning

·  Speaking softly and clearly after some thought, irrespective of the speed with which questions are asked

·  Maintaining your composure even if there is a period of silence either because you have yet to begin speaking or the interviewer is speaking through the next question.
Of course all this comes with practice, but it helps if you are aware of it right from the start. If your interviewer is inexperienced, it becomes more important for you to control the pace otherwise both of you may end up just looking at each other during long pauses.
By controlling the pace and sometimes slackening it (when questions are asked in a rapid -fire manner), you must be careful not to lose your interviewer’s attention and your control over the interview. Always maintain pleasant eye contact even through an uncomfortable silence.
Say goodbye on a positive note
If you as an interviewee have controlled the pace of the interview, you can play a major role in bringing the interview to a close. An ideal close is where both interviewer and interviewee cooperate and jointly come to a finale with would be along these lines:
Interviewer: Are there any other questions you would like to ask?

Interviewee: No, I think I have asked all I wanted to know. After listening to you, I feel even more interested in this assignment than I did earlier and would be happy to accept it, if my profile matches your requirements.
An interaction like this sets the mood for the closing and also conditions the interviewer’s attitude.
Don’t be too eager to know the outcome by asking whether you will receive a reply within a fortnight or should you call up after a week to find out.
The best way to say you goodbye is with a smile on your face. Remember to leave the room in a pleasant, unhurried manner, and close the door behind you.

Review Your Performance
Analyze your failure
It is always a good idea to review your performance after every interview. Make notes of your observations. Think about them and practice to improve your weak points. Use these notes in future interviews so that your performance improves constantly.
If you don’t get the job, then it is necessary to analyze why you failed. Doing the following exercise would be of help:
·  What post was the interview for?

·  What were the good things that happened? How did you feel?

·  What were the things that went wrong? How did you feel?

·  How could you have handled the interview differently?

·  What positive steps can you take to ensure success at future interviews?
Detailed Analysis
A more detailed analysis would be:

·  Was your initial preparation adequate?

·  Does your initial approach put off the interviewer?

·  Are your answers incomplete, unsatisfactory or unconvincing?

·  Do you argue with the interviewer and differ in opinions in an unpleasant way?

·  Do you get diverted and do not highlight your strengths and, perhaps, only your weaknesses come through?

·  Do you appear too keen to get the job?

You could do well to remember that not getting a job is not the end of the world. There is no need to feel despondent and lose confidence in your self-worth. Only one candidate can be selected out of the many that apply. There could have been someone just marginally ahead of you. You may have been under-qualified or, as it sometimes happens, or you may be too good for the job.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get that job. Keep at it. Your perseverance is bound to pay.