Navtej Kohli Career Mission Blog

Navtej Kohli’s College Interview Tips

The college interview is just one of many factors in the admission decision. It is your one chance to show that you are more than just test scores and grades. It is an exchange of information. It can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. So for good college interview you have to consider the college interview tips.

1. Before the Interview
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• Do take the interview process seriously.
• Preparation increases your confidence. Know yourself and be prepared to discuss your strengths/weaknesses and major accomplishments.
• Learn about the college and be prepared to explain why you are interested in the school.
• Dress comfortably yet appropriately.

2. During the Interview

• Arrive early at the interview.
• Don’t bring a parent into the interview.
• Meet the representative with a firm handshake and smile. Speak directly and make eye contact with the representative. Introduce yourself and your parents.
• Bring a resume of your activities to give to the Admissions representative.
• Don’t Lie.
• Don’t chew gum during your interview.
• Dress appropriately. Remember first impressions do count.
• Relax and be yourself. Most admission representatives know that students are more than what appears on paper. Talk about your family, goals and outside activities.
• Don’t respond with only “yes” or “no” answers.
• Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself or your accomplishments. Remember, this is your opportunity to make a great impression.
• Ask sophisticated questions on topics such as:

1. Teaching
2. Personal attention
3. Intellectual and cultural opportunities
4. Sports
5. Social life
6. Housing

3. After the Interview

• Ask for the next step.
• Follow up with a thank you note to the interviewer.

Navtej Kohli enlists some frequently asked questions at Interviews.

All interview questions are designed to find out your ability to fit-in and contribute to the specific workgroup. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions to help you prepare for your interview:

1. Tell us about yourself?

Tell them in detail how your experience would relate to the position you are being interviewed for. Be as detailed as possible about your family background, educational background and previous job experience.

2. Why are you interested in this position?

Tell your employer why you chose to apply for this position. Explain why you are a perfect match for the position and how you will do full justice to the same. Use relevant examples from your family background, educational background and previous job experience.

3. What do you know about this company?

You should research the company well before applying to it. You must be prepared to discuss the industry, the company’s relative size within that industry and show that you know who the major players and competitors are

4. What salary are you drawing?

The question is not difficult to answer – just be honest and give the figure. In all probability, your next employer may base your salary on this amount. However, the problem arises when you feel you are being underpaid in your current organization. You may feel tempted to lie, but do not give in, as checks can be easily made and you may be disqualified. In case you are getting additional perks, incentives or commissions, do not forget to mention them, as they are important while negotiating salary.

Try your luck with these maths questions. Seems easy but tricky… 

1. There are 8 Apples on the table, you take 3. How many do you have?

2. 10 Birds in a field. 2 were shot, how many were left?

3. Take away the first letter, take away the last letter, then take away all the other letters. What do you have left?

4. If you have 4 melons in one hand, and 7 apples in the other - What do you have?

5. A box has nine ears of corn in it. A Squirrel carries out three ears a day, and yet it takes him nine days to carry out all the corn. Explain?

6. Why do white sheep eat more than black sheep?

7. A man wanted to plant 4 trees, but all 4 had to be equal distances from each other. How did he do it?

8. I have 2 coins in my hand that add up to 60c. One of the coins isn’t a 50c piece. What are the coins?

9. A fisherman was asked how long was the fish he had caught. He said “it is 30cms plus half its length” How long was the fish?

10. A Hammer and a Nail cost $31. If the Hammer cost $30 more than the Nail, what is the cost of each?

11. It takes 7 men 2 hours to build a wall. How long does it take 3 men to build the same wall?

12. “I will bet you $1″ said Fred, “that if you give me $2, I will give you $3 in return.”
“Done,” replied Tom. Was he?

13. “How much will one cost?”
“25 cents”
“How much will fifteen cost?”
“50 cents”
“OK then, I’ll take one hundred and sixteen”
“Thank you, that will be 75 cents please”
Explain.

14. What comes next in the following sequence ?
1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11,…

15. In a scientific context, what could the following phrase mean?
How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy chapters involving quantum mechanics

Good luck - Navtej Kohli

Navtej Kohli career mission blog is back again with some cool informational stuff. Navtej Kohli suggests a list of reading resources of interview processes.

1. Adams Job Interview Almanac
2. Sweaty Palms
3. 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions
4. 101 Dynamite Questions
5. Complete Q & A Job Interview
6. The 250 job Interview questions
7. Ask the Headhunter

- Compiled by Navtej Kohli

Navtej Kohli firmly believes that ‘Clothes reflect the character of a person’.
This indeed holds truth when you’re going for an interview. Of course, clothes alone won’t decide your fate at the interview, but at least it beefs up your chances. On this Navtej Kohli career mission blog I have posted some basic dressing tips for job seekers. Proper dressing help you get a competitive edge and leave a positive first impression. Gone are the days when dressing didn’t matter. Today organizations admire intellectual sensibility with presentable looks. Here is a quick look at some of the basics dressing etiquettes:

Men and Women

•     Conservative two-piece business suit (solid dark blue or grey is best)
•     Conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best)
•     Clean, polished conservative shoes
•     Well-groomed hairstyle
•     Clean, trimmed fingernails
•     Minimal cologne or perfume
•     Empty pockets–no bulges or tinkling coins
•     No gum, candy or cigarettes
•     Light briefcase or portfolio case
•     No visible body piercing (nose rings, eyebrow rings, etc.)

Men’s Interview Attire

•     Necktie should be silk with a conservative pattern
•     Dark shoes (black lace-ups are best)
•     Dark socks (black is best)
•     Get a haircut; short hair always fares best in interviews
•     No beards
•     Mustaches are a possible negative, but if you must, make sure it is neat & trimmed
•     No rings other than wedding ring or college ring
•     No earrings (if you normally wear one, take it out)

Women’s Interview Attire

•     Always wear a suit with a jacket; no dresses
•     Shoes with conservative heels
•     Professional hairdo
•     Conservative hosiery at or near skin color
•     No purses, small or large; carry a briefcase instead
•     Manicured nails
•     Minimal use of makeup
•     No more than one ring on each hand
•     One set of earrings only

Navtej Kohli adds another important category to Navtej Kohli career mission blog by the name of Interview tips. Navtej Kohli shares some useful interview tips to infiltrate the HR net.

Interview should be a two way interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee. Most of you might have come across a customary question in the HR round ‘Do you have any questions for me?’
Don’t put the interviewing HR off with an apathetic ‘NO’. There is a lot you can ask them and initiate a new set of smart conversation. This reflects your presence of mind. However, don’t ask HR a volley of questions. Be specific; ask to the point and sensible questions to which you can expect answers. You can begin the conversation with a sincere note of thanks and then ask relevant questions.

Here are a few questions that you can ask.

• I would like to know about the work atmosphere here…
• What do you personally find the most enjoyable part of working for this company?
• Does the company follow a structured path in promoting the employees? How does it go?
• I would like to know a little about my day-to-day responsibilities.
• Could you tell me about the management style of this company?
• Would you be able to tell me about this company’s vision/philosophy?
• How would you evaluate this organization’s strengths and weaknesses?

These are some of the general questions you can ask to carry forward the communication. Besides, you are always free to use your head and throw some prudent questions at the HR.