What is your opinion about working on weekends ?

Just YES or NO is not sufficient for such question, You always need to support what you say. Such Interview Questions may have following Insights.

Possible Insights:

• To know if you are flexible enough to come on weekends to work if need be.
• To know how is your work style and planning and do you usually overrun schedule.

Insights:

• Response should say that are flexible to come on weekends, holidays; work over time etc. whenever it is critical for the project.
• Make sure that overrunning the schedule is not a usual case for you because you plan better.
• Proactively you can also add what you will do, so that you do not have to face this situation often.

Example Answer:

I will be ready to work on weekends or holidays if it is really critical for the project. However, generally, that is not the working style I would like to adopt. In my opinion, if the initial planning is done with care, such situations would not occur frequently. In my last project, we had similar issues in the schedule, after the first client delivery, we had team meeting to understand the schedule slippage and then corrective action of adding a domain of expert in the team who was missing initially to deal with the problem.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not just say "yes" or "no". Elaborate.
• Never say that in my last project we have worked all weekends and holidays thinking that your hard work impress the interviewer.

Interviewer's Interpretation;

• Just saying yes indicates you are gullible whereas saying no indicates your inflexibility.
• Interviewer would form an opinion that if you have to work all weekends for a longer duration, someting is wrong with you or previous organization you worked with.

What would be your reaction if somebody finds your error?

In the list of interview questions and answers this question is one to the favorite question asked by the HRs.

Possible Intention:

• To know if you are honest and open.
• To know if you take responsibility for what you have done.
• To know if you are ready to accept your mistakes or hist shrug it off.

Insights:

• You need to give confidence to the interviewer that you accept the mistake you did and ready to do whatever to correct it.
• To err is human. Nobody would be upset if you make mistakes. But disowning it is bad.

Example Answer:

If I am genuinely unaware that i have erred, i will apologize and will be ready to do whatever required to fix it. If it involves apologizing to the level of client, obviously, I will feel bad; but I will do it. I would use this incident to improve to myself and ensure that nothing of this sort would happen again.

In my project, it happened that some of the bugs which I put in the defect management software were rejected by developers. After discussion I could find that my interpretation if the requirements stated in the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) had some problem. This gave me an opportunity to sit with the developer and understand the business domain better. These helped me gain a sound understanding of the domain.

Anti Pattern:

• ' This has never happened with me and I would take care that it would not happen with me ever' is crafted answer very difficult to believe to be true.
• Do not just say that you would apologize and fix it. Important point is that you will learn from it.

Interviewer's Interpretation;

• Making an error is human nature and you learn from mistakes. Accepting your mistakes shows you are honest and willing to improve.
• Shows politeness and willing to learn.
• it also shows leader attitude of accepting your own mistakes and being responsible for the consequences rather than passing the buck to process, system or others.

What additional knowledge other than academic knowledge have you learned?

This is one of the most anticipate question in the list of questions asked in interviews. This question has following:

Possible Intention:

• To know if you are aware and care about other aspects like soft skills required for a job.
• To know if you take initiative and learn something additional other than what is mandatory or easily available.

Insights:

• People always like somebody who takes initiative and has a positive outlook and is keen to learn.
• While responding, substantiate what you learn with examples.
• This is an opportunity for you to push forward any of your achievements in extracurricular activities, sports. social work etc. Demonstrate your strength.
• Small and simple things like time planning during exam preparation, discipline for project, punctuality etc are good enough.

Example Answer:

Other than academics I acquired and implemented many skills like time management, planning activities for project, and working as team member. I was reserved initially; however i have become more outspoken now and do not hesitate to make new friends. While presenting a technical paper, learned how to put a new concept or knowledge concisely. I have also participated in sports competitions for which regular preparation, practice and discipline is important.

Anti Pattern:

• Never say that you did not learn anything extra excepts academics. This can not be true; you may not be aware of it.
• Do not use big words like management, interpersonal skills, etc. That may sound like a rehearsed answer and not spontaneous or true.
• A list of things you learned without any evidence or example would fail to create the desire impact.

Interviewer's Interpretation:

• You are open to learning only from academics but from the environment.
• You are good observer.

Tell me about any of your three strengths.

The question "Tell me about any of your three strengths" is asked to check your top qualities and preferences in your professional life.

Possible Intention:

• To know how you look at your strengths and are they really strengths considering the context.
• To know more about you personality.

Insights:

• Remember whatever you regard as strength has downside of being weakness when put in another context.
• Substantiate your strength with an example situation where you demonstrate this strength.
• You need to be ready with analysis of your strength.

Example Answer:

I have a lot of patience, perseverance and am hard working. During our final year project, there was one module which was not working at all. Everyone in our group vainly tried to debug. Finally, i took it upon myself to take a lead and solve the problem because we did not want to accept a defeat and do some petty work aground. We together worked for around 8-10 days to fix the issue and finally the module was working. We enjoyed the efforts put in and things which we learnt in various tryouts. We were able to achieve success only because of co-ordinated team effort.

Anti Pattern:

• Do not tell something completely irrelevant like "building muscles" is my strength. it's out of context.
• Do not give just a list with no relevant example.
• Do not state your strength, however attractive, perseverance, hard work, team spirit, passion for learning and for making things work against odd.

Selection Process In Recruitments.

Selection Process

As a candidate seeking a job, the selection process may appear like a race of hurdles where you are to beat other candidates to get job. The selection typically has following stages. The exact numbers and nature of the stages would vary based on the policies of recruiting companies.

Short Listing of Profiles:

It is done to filter out the most suitable candidates since application received by any organization. Often, selection criterion is the candidates with a first class academic record (Graduation, 12th, 10th class). Many candidates are filtered out here. If you have an excellent academic record, you need not to worry about this round.

Written Test (Aptitude, English, Technical):

There are various type of aptitude tests - Verbal, Logical, Numerical and so on. These aptitude tests are designed on the basis of skill requirement of a particular job. For example, quantitative and verbal (English) aptitude are predominant tests for IT jobs. Some times the test papers also contains very basic technical questions about information technology and programming.

Group Discussion:

This round judges your ability to think logically and with the clarity and express your opinion and ideas in front of group. This round may be prove to be difficult for candidates who are a little reserved and shy and can not express their ideas. Excellent communication skill, presentation skill and clarity of thoughts will get you across this hurdle in the race. This is a stage that may not be conducted by every recruiting company.

Technical Interview:

Technology or subject matter knowledge is tested here. The questions asked are related to core discipline you have studied and on your work experience. When you are a fresher, questions are asked to judge your technical understanding and the work you have done so far related to it.

HR Interview:

This is final round. Here, your personality traits, and your behavior is observed. The purpose is to find how well you will adapt to the work environment and company's culture. Interviewer tries to seek answer to questions like Are you fit for the profile you will be assigned to? Will you be able to support the team members and work happily in the environment? Will you cause trouble due to your behavior and attitude? Will you stay for a long time?

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