Body Language B.Com 1st Year Long Study Notes

Q.4. Write a detailed note on interview.

Or What is meant by interview? Discuss its types and techniques. 

Ans. Interview: Refer to Sec-A, Q.14. 

Types of Interview

Following are the types of interview:

1. Appraisal Interview: An appraisal interview is usually held once a year to discuss the performance of the employees. Such an interview has two goals i.e. improved job performance and or relations and improved communications between the managers and the subordinates interview inevitably involves discussion of the employee’s shortcomings, both the manager and the employees fell embarrassed to face each other. But if the interview is held in a friendly and informal atmosphere with a positive approach on both the sides, it can prove to be a very constructive exercise. The following points may be kept in mind to make this interview successful:

(a) The manager should remove the fears of the employee with his friendly attitude. 

(b) He should first talk about the plus points of the employee’s performance and compliment him. This will make the employee feel encouraged. 

(C) Shortcomings should be pointed out in a very calm and objective tone. Criticism should be accompanied by positive suggestions about how to improve the performance. 

(d) The employee should be allowed to state his case. Perhaps he lacked facilities or he was overburdened or his training was inadequate or clear instructions were not given to him, or he had some personal problems. The manager should try to understand his problems or grievances and offer help.

(e) Clear future targets should be set before the employee so that it is easier to assess his performance in future. 

(f) The employee should also display a positive attitude. He should not flare up if any weakness of his is pointed out. On the contrary, he should be willing to learn. He should try to understand where exactly he had gone wrong and assure the manager that he will try to improve his performance. 

2. Exit Interview: The exit interview takes place when the employee is leaving the organisation either voluntarily or through dismissal. If properly conducted, this interview can be quite useful for the organisation

The outgoing employee is likely to be free and forth right in his comments, which can be used for the improvement of the organisation. However if the employee has been dismissed and harbours oltterness and rancour, it would be better to avoid the next interview. 

(a) At an exit interview, the manager should talk as little as possible. He should encourage the employee to talk. And if the employee is reticent, the manager should gently hold him with questions to elicit his frank views on matters pertinent to the organisation. He should also make a mental note of the employee’s suggestions. 

(b) The manager should also talk to the employee about his future plans, his prospects and his problems and assure him that he will always be received with warmth and cordiality whenever he visits them. Such a sentiment will promote the goodwill of the organisation.

3. Reprimand Interview: To reprimand someone is to criticise him severely om and talks to him in his official statement or action. The manager summons the employee to his room and a capacity. A reprimand is a form of disciplinary action likely to be represente

he represented by the employees. good manager can use it in a constructive manner.

A reprimand interview has a three fold aim: 

(a) To improve the work performance of the employee. 

(b) To prevent the recurrence of such offences. 

(C) To protect other employees from the malaise of anti-organisational behaviour.

And there are two aspects to it: the disciplinary aspect, where the employee a warning, and the guidance aspect where the employee is helped to improve his performance.

Preparing for Reprimand Interview: 1. Nothing hurts more than unjust criticism and admonishment. So make sure that you possess all the facts of the case before calling the employee for the interview. Take time to investigate the matter as fully as possible and try to reach the bottom of the matter. Remember that in the absence of facts, the reprimand will look to be arbitrary and can be damaging to yourself, the individual concerned as well as the organisation.

2. All individuals are not cast in the same mould. All of them do not possess the same degree of sensitivity. What is mild to one may be very severe to another. So, keeping in mind the kind of person you are going to deal with plan what you are going to say or do during the interview and don’t get provoked into deviating from your plan.

3. Do not reprimand in public. Ensure full privacy during the interview. Let your secretary handle your phone calls and visitors till you are busy. 

Interview Techniques

A few basic techniques of interview are as follows:

1. Screening: Since the number of applications for any job is very large, several firms screen the applications to weed out unsuitable candidates. Then some more candidates are eliminated through a preliminary interview. Only very few who are really good are called for the final interviews.

2. Random Appearance: Some interviewers still believe that the man is more important than the application. They want to judge a man by his personal appearance rather than on the basis of his application. So, they call every applicant for interview. This method may once in a while throw some really brilliant candidate in one’s way but it is usually expensive and confusing

3. Tests. These days, a number of firms resort to tests, written or oral, designed to judge the candidates intelligence, general knowledge, proficiency in language, etc. In addition, psychological testing has also come into vogue. Candidates who qualify these tests are invited for final interview.

4. Experience: Some employees believe that practical experience is more important than paper qualifications. One year’s practical experience, they think is equivalent to fifteen years spent in schools and colleges. So, they do not call fresh candidates for interviews. This is not a very sound policy since.. eliminates freshers, some of whom might be really brilliant, enthusiastic and committed.

5. Under Stress Interview: This is a special technique to ascertain how a candidate will acqu. himself under conditions of exceptional stress and strain. He is exposed to embarrassing questions anu provoked in various ways to find out whether he can retain his poise and equanimit h trying conditions. This kind of interview is useful to select candidates for posts,  require great presence mind and imperturbability of temperament.

Q.5. How should the interviewer as well as interviewee plan and conduct the interview? Discuss in detail.

Ans. Interviewer’s Preparation for the Interview: Interviews are held with a three-fold objective in mind:

1. To find out the most suitable candidate for the job. 

2. To give the candidates sufficient information about the iob and the company so that they can decide whether the job will suit them. 

3. To create a sense of confidence and understanding in the selected candidate to promote the goodwill of the company al of the company by giving the right kind of impression to all the candidates whether or not they are to be selected. The realisation of this objective definitely calls for careful preparation. 

As an interviewer, you must make the following preparation: 

1 You should have a clear picture of the company profile and of the nature of the jo the interview is being held. 

2. You should know the type of personality, character or temperament required for the job. 

3. You should send the interview letters well in advance so that the candidates are not inconvenienced and they also get sufficient time to prepare themselves for the interview. Clearly mention in the letter the documents you want, the candidates to bring with them. 

4. Make proper seating arrangement for the candidates in the waiting room. The room should be quiet with provision for newspapers and magazines.so that the candidates can feel relaxed. 

5. The interviews itself should be conducted in a quiet room where there is little or no interruption. The telephone bell should neither be allowed to disturb, nor should the personal assistant be allowed to intrude. The interview should be held as far as possible, in an informal atmosphere. 

6. If the candidate is to be interviewed by a committee, each member of the committee should be in possession of a copy of the resume of the candidate so that there is neither any confusion nor wastage of time. 

7. You should decide before hand as to which member of the committee is going to initiate the interview. This will save the candidate from being bombarded with questions. According to the area of specialisation of the various members of the committee, you should divide among

yourselves the areas in which you are going to ask questions. 

Interviewee’s Preparation for the Interview: If you are an interviewee, you should prepare yourself on the following lines:

1. Know Yourself: This is probably the most important part of your preparation. Try to find out what you want to achieve through your work, inner-fulfilment, fame, position in society, wealth, security, comfort, travel, power. Before you apply for a job, be sure that you know why you are applying for it and whether it will suit you.

2. Know the Company: The next thing is to know the company in which you are seeking the job. You should try to find out as much as you can about its activities, its growth over the years, its future prospects, etc. If you reveal a sincere interest in the company and show that you have acquired knowledge about it on your own initiative, you will create a favourable impression on your interviewer.

3. Prepare for the Questions: Anticipate the questions that you will probably be asked and prepare answers to them. It is not difficult to anticipate these questions, for after all, you will be asked questions about your interest, hobbies, achievements, prospects, relationship with your friends and members of the family. Try to be clear in your mind about the answers you will be giving. Don’t lie, for you will surely be caught and will spoil the whole show.

4. Prepare the Questions that you would like to Ask: If the interviewer does not offer you full information about the company and the job, you on about the company and the iob, vou must ask questions to gain this information. e questions that you would like to ask Theca questions might relate to promotional avenues, fringe benefits, etc. 

How to Conduct the Interview Study Notes

1. Welcoming the candidate: Welcome the candidate exactly in the same way you would welcome a friend who visits you at your office or home. Give him a warm smile and talk to him in a friend tone or voice. Hold with him some small talk in an area which you think is familiar to him. Very few candidates are perfectly free from nervousness before they enter in the interview room and if you start interviewing them before they have overcome their nervousness, you cannoton best in them.

2. Contents of the Interview: After you have made the candidate feel at ease, you should start talking to him on the subiect you want to know about. The things you would per know include the candidates technical qualifications (ability to do the joD), arve Willingness to do the job, social effectiveness and emotional balance (relations selt. characteristics and other facts, related to his physical vigour and energy, spouse towards the job, financial stability, willingness to travel, willingness to make permanent moves. You should make a special note of those aspects of the candidates personality that relate to interest patterns, attitudes, characters and temperament. You should also ask him details about his previous experience, duties, salary drawn and the reason for changing the job if he happens to be already working somewhere. When the candidate is providing this information, you must show that you are keenly interested in what he is telling you and may even take notes. If you feel the candidate is suitable and you might offer him the job, give him all the details about your company and the job.

3. Parting: Parting is as important as welcoming. You should thank the candidate for having come for the interview and tell him that he will soon be informed of the outcome. It is desirable to give him a specific date by which he will be informed and keep this date or you may politely tell him that you will intimate him by a certain date if he is selected, so that if he does not hear from you by that date, he presumes that he has not been selected.