Powering Up For That All Important Interview !! - BY ROHIT MANOHARAN

Like it or not, there have to be efforts put in for ensuring that your interview goes off well and a lot of it is to do with preparing your mind and body rather than going through tons and tons of syllabus based text material, etc.

One of the most commonly made mistakes is the last minute reading up on the technical subjects which one is expected to face in the interview. We tend to completely or at least partially ignore the behavioral aspects which actually play a very important role in the way we deal with situations and pressures in the interview process. As a matter of fact, a lot of us forget that who we are is what plays a very important role rather than worrying about what we tend to show we are !!

A very famous saying goes like this : "Our financial condition is determined to the tune of 85% basis our ability to present, communicate, impress and command, just about 15% of it is determined by which college or school we attended and what our technical expertise might be."

However, due to our old school thought process of trying to prepare for interviews we tend to ignore the behavioral aspects for which we end up paying a heavy price in the interview. Here's what we can do for starters to ensure that we look and feel good and are aligned to the right thought processes during the interview :

* Know your personality type, enough of web sites available out there which can help you with that piece of information

* Understand how you react to various negative situations, do a quick SWOT Analysis of yourself. Friends and family can help you with that

* Ensure that all the features which are listed as your Weakness and Threats are well shadowed during the interview process, these things can impact your decision making and can weaken the interview to a large extent

* Learn to manage anger and frustration, this is important because each and every person has a different way to deal with these emotions basis their personality types

* Listen to yourself speak by recording your voice and try voice modulation basis what sounds or does not sound good to you

* Focus on mirror techniques to know your body language (refer to my previous articles on this)

* Take feedback positively and DO NOT try to justify your weak points

If you follow the pointers given above rigorously, there's a very high chance that you would be able to overcome your weak points and be able to deliver the results in a positive manner. Knowing yourself is the best way to ensure that you do what's required to be done rather than waiting for someone else to point out and improve you.

Go for this improvement drive and I'm sure you will emerge a changed and a highly improved person over a period of time !!

Things your work can teach you - BY SHRUTI NAIR.

“The Secret of Change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new”

-Socrates

This happens to be my last contribution to the blog of Search 4 Excellence. My stay here has been a stepping stone in my life. The worth of an emotional reaction to something is defined by the people who induce it. Hence, I want to take this opportunity to write a letter to my 15 year old self, specifically telling her of what all she is going to experience in this particular phase of her life.

To,

Dearest Shruti,

You must’ve just completed your 10^th board exams recently. Don’t worry about not knowing yet what to do with your life, things take course in a way such that they always take you where your heart lies; even when you don’t know where your heart lies. You will move on to study some great works of mankind and eventually find your passion in it.

This passion of yours will make you meet some amazing people. You will meet these people in your ‘professional life’ and they will teach you way more than skills to work better or how an organization functions.

They will teach you things you will remember all your life. You will learn that sometimes people put in a lot of hard work in getting to know you, and that they will never show you. So, think twice before leaving someone.

You will learn that when things are not looking good for you, when life hits you with a crisis, you will find the most random people who will get you through it. They might do it knowingly or unknowingly but you will find them. So, hold tight during the roller coaster ride.

They will prove to you that people, who are genuine and honest, during an interview, actually go on to add more value than people who are smart with witty answers. So, always look for truth, more than money, more than love.

You will begin to realize a beautiful truth: The most overwhelming personalities are, sometimes, the softest at heart. So, give everyone the benefit of doubt.

Everyone has one thing that the world needs. You will learn that if you didn’t find something special about someone, change your perspective, and give them a chance to show you.

 Most of all you will learn that it’s okay to be weak. It’s even better to know your weaknesses because then you can focus on your strengths.

Remember to let them know that they are amazing and that the company they run is developing more than great employees.

Yours truly,

Shruti.