There are so many of you who give that On-Campus Interview. But only one walks away with the job. Everyone has pretty much the same degree, almost the same background.
What is it that differentiates the person who got the job from the rest?
Let us discuss the “X” factor that separates you from the hoard of graduates that pass out each year- one that makes you unique and stand out.
Communication Skills
Having excellent communication skills cannot be stressed enough.
According to Forbes, Communication skills – Both written and oral are the most sought after skills by hiring managers. In fact, for a fresher, it is given more weightage than the college degree itself.
And since its a language skill, it can be difficult to master, but definitely learn-able, if you have the right guidance.
Body language
Use of hand gestures, eye contact , facial expressions – all of these non verbal communication is in a lot of ways related to how well and how confidently you can communicate.
If you are a confident speaker , your body language will reflect it. Almost 80% of our communication is using these non verbal cues. Your recruiter is sitting across you decoding every gesture of yours. So make your body language works for you and not against you.
Presence of mind
Why is presence of mind so important?
While you can prepare for certain common questions , you cannot predict some of the questions that may come across your way during the interview.
Tricky Questions
“Tell me about a day when everything went wrong”
The answer to this question is not as obvious as the question itself. With a good presence of mind , you will know how to navigate the response towards how you dealt with a challenging day. Thereby, showing the interviewers that you have what it takes to face challenges.
Tailoring the response based on the situation
Another reason why it is important to have a good presence of mind is for you to recognize when your response to a particular question is not adequate enough and alter your action/response accordingly to suit the situation. This is a quality which will not only help for the interviews but also in your workplace.
Thought Process
An Effective thought process is when you use logical, analytical and critical skills while responding to a question. Your thought process has a profound impact on how you effectively you present yourself. For ex – consider this question
“ Tell me about the most challenging project that you have worked on”
It is a challenging task to look back at a long term project and remember the details.
This question involves organizing your thoughts , deciding what details if shared will work to your advantage.
There is information and knowledge ( based on your experience & others experiences ) all around you. How skillfully you assimilate,evaluate and analyze this information and apply it in situations when its called for is what differentiates you from the rest.
For some this may come naturally, for the rest, we need to put some conscious and deliberate effort in looking back at our experiences,what we know, what we have heard and read and then mould our thinking accordingly.
General aptitude
General Aptitude constitutes Logical Ability, Data Interpretation and Verbal Reasoning. We are so focussed on other aspects of the interview, that at times we miss out brushing on some of these concept before the interview.
Prepare well by first understanding what concepts are you weak in. A lot of tests are available online. Practice daily to sharpen your aptitude.
So when it’s that time of the year when there is an air of tension and stress all around, it need not be a gruelling exercise for you. Being well prepared, well aware and above all having effective communication skills will help you shine and sail your way through the interview.
Reference
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2017/04/30/college-seniors-65-percent-of-recruiters-say-this-one-skill-is-more-important-than-your-major/#332b0bf4757c
