Best Tips to Crack Interviews: I ever received

To get an interview call in itself is like reaching the top of Mt. Everest. Its a great moment where you can fill your lungs with pride and a sense of self-accomplishment instead of air. If you are an average and a normal person, like myself, you would have, by now, filled out a gazillion job applications. Considering how impatient, lazy and lame I was, and at times am, I was asked to not go to bed unless I had filled out a minimum 25 job applications. Just imagine applying for 25 jobs everyday. For every application I had to write a tailored cover letter and tailor my CV according to the job requirement. Phew! I negotiated the real with ideal. Thus, I ended up applying on an average to 3 openings instead of 25. After a grueling wait of a little short of 3 months and some 225 applications later, I received an email saying they wanted to interview me on telephone. I felt I was the champion of humanity and was overly ecstatic for the first five minutes. By the time it was four minutes and forty seven seconds the initial adrenaline rush started fading. You may ask why would that be because wasnt I already on top of Mt. Everest? Sure. You are right. I was on top of Mt. Everest but my final destination was to be on the top of the moon!! And all I had managed after three months and 225 applications later was to get to the top of Mt. Everest. Theory of relativity hit me hard. Real Hard. It was like being punched in the face and feeling the pain in your groin. Ouch!

Nonetheless, this article is not about pain and suffering. This article is about the two best advises I got, which helped this little man on top of Mt. Everest propel himself to the top of the moon. And as much unreal it may sound but men and women it is real and possible. Getting a job is easy for some but a real test of character, stamina, persistence, and perseverance for most. To get to the moon one has to achieve escape velocity. Not easy but doable. Cracking an interview is a mystical process. It is very difficult for me to point a finger and say that this was the exact reason why I got a job or why somebody else got a job or not. Its a match made in heaven and broken several times for earning ephemeral entities that are perceived to be a measure of ones importance, status, power, ability, and performance. Hoping that you have guessed what I am talking about? Money. YUCK!

With enough of build up, I think I can afford now to crudely and abruptly move on to the crux of this article. Here's the first Advise:

(1) 20 second Rule:

When asked a question during the interview, which is most likely to happen, respond in short and concise answers. One way to ensure that is to time yourself to not give responses that are longer than 20 seconds. 20 seconds is just the right amount of time to deliver introduction, body (a couple of coherent arguments or examples), and a conclusion. There are two big advantages in following this strategy. The first advantage is that the less you speak the less your probability of saying something stupid. Also, speaking to the point is a highly appreciated trait because it indicates ones ability to not only comprehend the question at hand but also to formulate cogent and coherent responses.

(2) Silence is not a Foe:

Silence can be extremely discomforting and unsettling. To avoid silence candidates usually keep talking and very soon that talking transforms into blabbering and muttering gibberish. Develop your level of comfort with silence. Dont give in to it. This is also a tactic to make the other person nervous and speak more. If you are the victim of this you need to calm yourself and regain your composure. Also, dont display your discomfort non-verbally. Sit still, maintain eye contact, keep your hands visible and still, and maintain a faint smile on your face. This is incredibly important.

These were the two best tips I can give you to crack an interview. Aware and equipped with these there is no way you are going to fall short of making an exceptional impression on your interviewer.

May The Force Be With You! ;-)