Why should a company hire you?

Our earlier feature, Smashing answers to Common interview Questions', got us a phenomenal response. Several readers highlighted the questions they often struggle with. Based on your feedback, here are answers to more interview questions, along with tips from senior HR managers and industry professionals.

Question: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

The aim of this question is to test your foresightedness and also gauge if you plan for the future. Stick to professional goals and aspirations while answering. The interviewer does not want to hear about a dream vacation you plan to take, or the industry you would like to be in. Talk about company related objectives. This is an opportunity for you to show that you want to succeed in the company and are keen on creating a career path there.

Sample answer: As your company has a strong performance- based culture, in five years I see myself playing a key role of Brand Manager, working on your marketing initiatives.

• Tip from Abbas Rizvi, Director, Eternity Placements (New Delhi): "I recommend that candidates give some thought to personal and professional aspirations, and then frame the answer accordingly. Aspiring to be the CEO or Director in five years may be unrealistic for an entry level executive. So, while enthusiasm is appreciated, it has to be aligned with the company's growth plans and the candidates' personal goals."

Question: Why should we hire you?

Being specific and highlighting your strengths versus the competition is the key here. Stay away from generalities like 'I am the best' or 'I am very hard working and dedicated', etc.

Talk in quantifiable terms that will make you stand out and pinpoint the qualities you have that are valuable to the company. Give real examples that show them you are best-suited for the job.

Sample answer: In the past, I have implemented projects on attrition management, helping bring down employee turnover rates by 4 per cent. I believe this experience and knowledge will add value as employee retention is amongst your company's top priorities.

• Tip from M S Ramesh, Senior HR Manager, NTPC (Noida): "I like it when candidates have done some research about our revenue, about the challenges we are facing, before telling us how their experience relates to that. I would recommend that they point out things they may have done in their previous companies that could address our current problems."

Question: What if you don't make it in this interview?

This is often used as a stress question to check your spontaneity. The idea is to see if you have a back up plan and how you handle rejection. You need to be assertive and confident while answering this question. You can say you will be disappointed, adding that you will continue to move ahead in your career with the same enthusiasm and vigour.

Sample answer: I will be disappointed if that happens, but will work on specific feedback and try again when the opportunity presents itself.

• Tip from Rohini Seth, psychologist and organisational behaviour consultant (New Delhi): "I would recommend that candidates have a back up plan ready -- like going back to their old jobs or joining some other company in a similar field. It pays to be honest and tell the company your plans. I once heard a candidate respond to this question with 'I will join the competitor as I have an offer from them but was keen on working with your brand. We appreciated his honesty and hired him."

Question: Why do you want to make a career in ... (Sales, IT, HR, etc)?

The interviewer wants to learn what you know about the chosen career. Knowledge about the domain and the job shows the interviewer you are interested and demonstrates initiative on your part.

Sample answer: I have always been a people's person and counselling is a skill that comes naturally to me. Armed with a Master's degree in HR, I believe a job as an HR executive will give me an opportunity to put my natural skill sets and education to practice.

• Tip from Prabh Sharan, Training Manager, Kingfisher Airlines (Mumbai): "I would recommend that candidates present their interest and education as strong reasons for choosing a certain career. If you are making a career shift, then explaining the rational for such a move is also expected. Being honest helps. I interviewed a candidate who said she would like to take up a job that pays her the most and the job we offered fitted that bill as she had some financial responsibilities in the family. She came across as sincere and dedicated, and we offered her the job."

As we said earlier, it's all about the answers.

-- The writer is a corporate training consultant based in New Delhi.

Job interviews: Got a Unique Selling Proposition?

The competition in the job market is increasing like never before. This is because many candidates possess similar qualifications and experience. So, why would an employer choose you unless you have something different to offer?

In such a scenario, when applying for jobs, it would be a good idea to think about developing your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP.

The term USP, which first became popular in the world of marketing, has traditionally been used by companies to market their products in the face of stiff competition. It refers to that one thing that makes their product different from others. To put it simply, it is the reason why consumers will buy their product instead of the competitor's.

The USP could be anything -- it could range from a lower price to more convenient packaging to better taste, etc.

Why should we hire you?

Whether you are applying for a new job or looking for a promotion within your present job, it all boils down to marketing your skills well.

"Just like products have to be marketed to consumers, candidates have to market themselves to employers," says Rishi Gupta, a senior manager with a telecom company in Delhi.

The USP should answer a commonly asked question at job interviews, "Why should we hire you?"

"What employers usually look for is a unique skill that can help them in difficult situations. For example, for an HR job in a factory, a person requires good negotiation skills for handling trade unions," says recruitment consultant Punit Trivedi.

If you can determine your Unique Selling Proposition and build it into your job marketing campaign (your cover letter, resume, interview, etc), you will have a solid advantage over other candidates.

Determining your USP

Take stock of your special skills:

Ask yourself: What is that one thing that makes me unique? What makes you better than other candidates applying for a similar position with this company? What can you offer that no other candidate can?

This could be a specialisation or experience in some specific area, which the hiring company views as significant. "If you can recognise even one exceptional characteristic or skill-set that could slot you into a particular job, it will make a big difference in getting you the position," says Gupta.

"Some employers give a lot of weightage to personality, which can be observed by the increasing use of personality tests in the interview process," says Anuj Raheja, an HR executive in Delhi.

If you find it difficult to decide which skill-sets are your forte, it would be a good idea to talk to your seniors or mentor for objective insights. Once you know and develop your USP, you can 'position' yourself in the job market. Any skills that directly/ indirectly affect your job performance should be taken into consideration.

Analyse trends in your field. "Smart candidates are always attuned to the latest trends and opportunities in their respective fields," says Trivedi. The best strategy in this regard is to do a 'macro analysis' of your industry profile and determine the current trends, opportunities and goals of your target company. How do your internal capabilities fit in with the existing external realities?

Presenting your USP in your resume :

Once you are aware of both yourself and what the company is looking for, you need to compile the information in your resume. "Craft your USP into a statement of around 10 to 20 word statement," advises Gupta. Keep the following rules in mind:

1) It is usually only one or two sentences long.

2) It is stated in clear terms, and is easily understandable.

3) It is believable.

4) It emphasises some unique benefit that you can provide better than other candidates.

Your USP comprises a unique amalgamation of skills, interests and talents, and is the golden wand that you should wave in front of your prospective employers. The USP statement is also referred to as your 'elevator pitch'.

Examples of USPs :

Your USP should be short but descriptive. What attributes distinguish you from others in your field? Maybe it's your educational background, training, years of experience, business contacts, or your ability to motivate and inspire. You may need to adjust your pitch based upon the job profile. Here is an example:

"I have five years of information technology experience. My expertise is in technical support and troubleshooting computer problems. My technical knowledge will be beneficial in reducing call waiting times and will substantially improve the efficiency of your technical support centre."

"When I was being interviewed for an advertising position, I used the following USP: 'I have strong credentials, a good reputation in the advertising community, and a track record of attracting and winning new clients. My personal values are in sync with the company's mission with respect to putting clients first.' My USP worked and I was selected out of more than 100 candidates," says Shailesh Singh, who works in an ad agency in Delhi.

Here's a simple fill-in-the- blank statement for you to complete, which will give you your USP, or at least get you started in the right direction:

"Because of my _______, I can do _______ for you better than typical applicants."

Your USP gives you that much-needed 'competitive edge'. It could be the biggest reason why an employer wants to hire you. The end result will be more interviews and job offers. Develop your USP and flaunt it; you'll find that getting the job of your dreams has never been easier.

Cracking the non-voice based BPO interview.

Interviews can be tricky at times, so preparation in advance is always helpful. To answer to the best of your ability, make a good impression, and secure that suitable job, is an art.

BPO training and communication expert Nasha Fitter helps reader Benita understand the dynamics of the interview platform by answering some of her questions that often concern most interviewees.

"I am supposed to attend an interview for a non-voice BPO profile on Monday.

Please tell me about the kind of questions asked for such a profile. Also, the answer to a question given by you earlier was very useful to me. Could you please tell me how to answer the following questions, with examples?

1. What steps have you taken to be more successful in your career?

2. How do you work under pressure?

3. Describe your ideal job.

4. What can you offer us?

5. What are your most redeeming qualities?

6. Can you tell us about your biggest failures and how you dealt with them?

-- Benita

A non-voice BPO interview is quite similar to a voice one. The only difference, of course, is that they will not be testing your voice. So, you won't have to worry about accent and your spoken English. What you do have to worry about is your written English, as many non-voice BPO jobs entail writing emails to customers around the world.

I am glad my earlier answer was useful to you. I have, listed below, potential answers to the questions you asked. Some of them have been answered in previous articles, so I have provided you with relevant links instead.

1. What steps have you taken to be more successful in your career?

Ans: First, you will have to speak about your "career goal." Do some thinking and come up with something that makes sense given your background, and given the company you are interviewing with. Then, think of what you have done in the past to help you achieve your goal. Let us say you are interviewing for an agent position at a BPO and your career goal is to, one day, become an operations manager. Speak about this goal.

Then, speak about the steps you have taken so far to help you achieve this. They could include:

� Doing a B.Com. to learn about commerce and business.

� Reading regularly to improve your English.

� Reading stuff to learn more about the BPO industry.

� If you have done an internship or helped in a family business, mention those experiences.

2. How do you work under pressure?

Ans : Always say you work well under pressure. No one wants to hire someone who can't handle stress. Tell the interviewer you like deadlines and are good when things get hectic. Then, give an example of a time you handled a high-pressure situation and succeeded. If you are interviewing for your first job out of university, you could give examples like:

� During your exams at college, a family member could have been sick. You had the responsibility of taking care of the person while studying, but you managed both duties well.

� During exams, you could have been working, either for a company or for a family business. You can talk about how you managed this situation.

If you have already been working, talk only about work situations. It is very important to show that you do not lose your cool when things get stressful. Some examples are:

� You were on a major assignment for one boss, when another boss handed you an assignment that had to be completed immediately. You handled the situation by working for two days without sleeping and completed both assignments without either of your bosses knowing the stress you were under.

� You were expecting a large contract to come in when your client suddenly informed you they had changed their mind and had decided to work with another vendor. You tactfully handled your client, let your team down easy, and performed under extreme pressure from your superiors to find another client. You did all of this without losing your cool.

The above mentioned are only examples. Do not pick one of them. Think about your own experiences and figure out a real situation where you performed well under pressure. When talking about the situation, speak about the pressure you felt, the expectations placed on you, and how you maintained your cool. Your interviewer may ask you follow-up questions and, if you lie, it will become obvious.

3. Describe your ideal job?

Ans: Here, you don't have to know exactly WHAT your ideal job is going to be. You just need to know what you want to get out of your ideal job. It is important to highlight how you plan on growing, both intellectually and personally. For example, some potential answers could be:

� My ideal job would be one where I am constantly learning new things and being forced to test my limits.

� My ideal job would be one where I am meeting new people and working in teams to get work done.

� My ideal job would be in management where I get to inspire my team and make decisions that create change.

4. What can you offer us?

Ans: Once you answer question number one

� why you have applied for this position -- this answer should be easy. Think of your accomplishments and strengths and how they may be useful for the company and the particular position you are applying for. For example, potential answers could be:

� This job seems to require a lot of customer interaction. I am very good with people and believe my previous experience as a customer service representative will be valuable for this position.

� This position seems to require a lot of quantitative financial work. I enjoy working on my own and building financial models. I am also very detail-oriented. I believe my personality and previous background will be a great asset for your company.

5. What are your most redeeming qualities?

Ans: This is a common interview question, yet is very tricky to answer! The key is to make sure your strengths and weaknesses link together and that your weaknesses really sound like strengths.
For example, let's say your strengths are that you are hardworking and personable (friendly). Your weaknesses should relate to these strengths.

In this case then, you could say your weaknesses are that you are a workaholic and are easily trusting.

Notice how being a workaholic is similar to being hardworking, and easily trusting people can be a side-effect of being very friendly. Notice that while you have listed attributes that can in fact be seen as weaknesses, they do not actually make you look bad; instead they make your strengths sound even stronger.

It is also important that while you state your strengths and weaknesses you give real-life examples to justify them. That will make it clear to your interviewer that you are not lying and have really introspected to come to these conclusions.

6. Can you tell us about your biggest failures and how you dealt with them?

Ans: This is a great question. Here, your interviewer is trying to gauge how you deal with failure and stress. Pick a situation where you failed but did not let the failure get you down. It is important to remember that everyone fails at one time or another, but truly successful people learn from their failures and keep moving forward. For example:

� In my last position, I failed to get an existing client to extend their contract with my company. I thought that because of the relationship I had built with this client, they would surely extend their contract.

Thus, I did not put additional work into the deal. Meanwhile, another competitor was talking to the client, and ended up convincing them to change vendors.

I learned from this experience that you must never think you have won something until you do, and you must never stop working hard. I also learned that there is a lot of competition in the marketplace and, once you have a client, you must work hard to make sure you don't lose him.

It is very important to talk about what you have learned from the failure and how it helped you grow as a professional.

The art of selling yourself! Some Useful tips with Resume Format.

What's a CV or resume?

It's simply an advertisement that helps you sell yourself to an employer.

It needs to present your skills and experience in the best possible light and emphasize your suitability and potential for the job.

That is why it is a good idea to spend time on preparing a targeted, effective, error-free document that will impress a potential employer.

Employers see a lot of CVs, so avoid imitating standard CV samples. You can score bonus points instead if your CV is just that little bit different and has your own personal stamp.

Some tips:

• Always print your CV on a standard A4, plain white or pale coloured paper. Use matching envelopes.
• Always send a brief customised letter with any CV that you send out.
• Presentation is extremely important, so make sure your CV is typed or word-processed.
• It should be well laid out and printed on a good quality printer.
• Leave plenty of space between paragraphs and allow adequate margins.
• Use plain English. Avoid professional jargon.
• Keep paragraphs short -- preferably no longer than five or six lines.
• Your entire CV should not exceed two pages in length -- but if your breadth of experience merits it, you can justify a CV that runs to four pages.
• Use bold lettering and/or underline print for headings.
• Do not use lots of different font types and sizes. You are not designing a magazine cover!
• Use plenty of white space. Remember to leave a decent margin on all four sides of the page.
• Consider using 'bullets' to start sub-sections or lists.
• Use positive language and adopt a confident tone.
• Be careful with dates. Make sure every year is accounted for. Employers will get suspicious if they see too many gaps.

The main section of your CV

1. Personal details:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone/cellphone number/s (and e-mail)
• Date of birth
• Nationality

2. Education:

• Details of your university education
• School
• Work-related training

3. Work experience:

List past employment details in reverse chronological order, with the most recent first. Always reserve more space for your most recent or current position.

Names of past employers, along with the date of appointment and the date you left, and a brief outline of responsibilities is essential. Some employers also like to see a brief description of the companies and a summary of their business.

Always include your specific contributions to each job, listing related responsibilities and achievements with each entry, rather than in a separate section.

List any affiliation to relevant professional associations.

4. Skills:

Employers are often interested in specific skills you have acquired, such as

• Foreign languages
• Computing languages or packages
• Keyboard skills
• Driving ability
• Try to give specific details, for example, about your level of proficiency in foreign languages, degree of familiarity with computer packages, and so on.

5. Interests and activities:

Do not just list your interests. Show how they have helped develop skills a potential employer will value.

6. References:

For references, choose people who can comment on different aspects of your professional personality. Two references are usually enough. Only give three if there is another person whose opinion you feel your potential employer really needs to hear.

General tips:

• It can be good to start with a personal profile/objective statement. This is a two or three sentence overview of your skills, qualities, hopes and plans. It should encourage the employer to read the rest. You could add a photo of yourself. Make sure it is a good one!

• You may vary the style according to the type of job. A big company would normally expect a formal CV on white paper. But a CV applying for a television production or graphics designer job could be less formal -- in such cases you can use coloured paper, unusual design, etc.

• Don't include the date the CV was prepared -- this will shorten its usefulness.

• Never state specific objectives. These are more effective when you include them in your covering letter.

• Check that both your CV and covering letter are completely free of errors. Spelling mistakes will definitely detract from your application. Proof read both documents thoroughly. Get a friend to proof read them as well.

• Keep an ongoing file of your achievements, no matter how insignificant they may appear -- one day they'll make the basis for a good CV.

• Remember to give each of the people you've mentioned a reference copy of your CV.

• Re-read your CV before any interview -- chances are the interviewer will too and you must know what's in it.

Abha Kapoor, the co-founder of K & J Search Consultants, a premier Mumbai placement agency, spoke to Sita Menon.

Resume to Western Companies

1: Most Western companies uses Word Filter Resume Software.
Functionality of this software is very simple. It checks for certain wordings depending on level, qualification of job. Try to use few Actions Words like Successfully Implemented, Team work, managed, team lead, challanged, software, programming, ...

2: Show your Education in Western Manner.
Ex. B.S. in CE (Indian equivalence of B.Sc. in Computer Science).
B.S. in Chemistry with 30 hrs in Physics (Means, B.Sc With Major Chemistry & Minor Physics).
M.S. in Chem. Engr. (Indian Equivalence of M.Sc).

Do not use a word like, Diploma. Here, Diploma means 2 -3 months Certification Course offered by Private Institute. Instead, use a words like, 2 Yrs Associate Degree (Also add that, it will be transferred to my 4 yrs B.S. program). Use Western academic institute words like, Semester Credit Hours will be applied towards Under Graduate Program.

Most important thing:
I have observed Indian resumes are way too Long with lots of non required personal information. Also too
many Academic acronyms which can only understood (in a correct manner) by a Indian or one who is well informed on Indian Real Time Academic Institutions.

Make resume 1 page long. Unless one is applying for very high management position or in a research field, one will require to show more data.

I have seen in resume, experiences so many... Few of them of very short duration. This kind of stuff will hurt applicant in many ways. This is how one will think:
A: This candidate jumped places to places too fast. Not a stable person.
B: Short duration: Must have got fired. Incompatible.
C: Could not finish the job may be due to no real experience or lack of knowledge on subject.

Same negative things, one can convert in to positive.
Ex: Combined 4 small jobs in 2 yrs in to following sentence:
Selected as Trainess or Apprentice in reputed company to get hands on experience. OR Worked on few companies on assignments. This helped me to apply my knowledge in real word.
Or, Worked on Summer Jobs in small companies as a trainee.

Good Luck to you all of you Smart people,
Ram Kumar Chandak.
Kolkata INDIA

I have edited following resumes in a manner, it will reflect, give cleaner, better impression of a person. In Sample 1 & Smaple 2, one will see chnages in wordings & sentences. I have deleted few lines too.
Student Resume Tips
In a student resume, highlight your accomplishments like your projects, extracurricular activities like summer jobs and any part time experience. Add a touch of your soft skills in your student resume that is required in all the professional jobs.

Specify in your student resume, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities so far. Also specify the figures or amount/percentage that is how much or how many of something you've produced or overseen. For example
Managed a student organisation budget of more than Rs 7,000.
Introduced 17 student service improvement proposals as residence hall representative for student government.

Also since every recruiter is concerned about meeting deadlines. So show how you can save time, make time, or manage time. The more you focus on money, time and amounts in relation to your accomplishments, the better you'll present your successes and highlight your potential – and the more you'll realise just how much you really have to offer prospective employers.

*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~

Sample Student Resume

This sample student resume will give you a quickstart on building an effective and optimized resume for your job application. You can feel free to customize and edit our sample student resume as per their requirement for job application. I hope that my sample student resume will go a long way in portraying your abilities and skillsets efficiently.


SAMPLE 1

RICHARD ANDERSON
1234, West 67 Street,
Carlisle, MA 01741,
Res Ph #(123)-456 7890.
Cell Ph #123-456-7891
OBJECTIVE:
Seeking an entry-level position within the Engineering Department of a manufacturing facility.
EXPERIENCE:

Castle Island Engineering Works, South Boston, MA
May – Sept 2001

Summer Placement
Performed cycle time studies on each process in a large manufacturing area.
Planned the floor layout for a new automated production line.
Initiated Auto-CAD drawings for the Senior Engineer on line layout and ergonomic space-saving concepts.
Completed project in record time.
Worked on Improving Mfg Cycle Time Project. Identified potential bottlenecks and developed methods to reduce and prevent these impediments to efficiency. Decreased Cycle time by 30%.
Successfully completed various change requests on production procedures and drawings.
Douglas Engineering Co. Ltd., Cambridge, MA
June – Sept 2000

Summer Placement
Successfully Completed Auto-CAD drawings of proposed layouts for a large production facility in Boston.
Applied changes & also reviewed Production procedures, Engineering specs including machine drawings prior to submittal for finalisation, implemenation.
Developed and maintained a database for tracking tech files, equipment specs, equipment installation checklists using various softwares & companies proprietory databases.
EDUCATION:

Boston University, Boston, MA
2000 - Present
BS in Mechanical Engineering, Graduated with Honours.

Boston College, Boston, MA
1999 –2001
BS in Computer Science

RELEVANT INFORMATION:
Proficient in Microsoft Office, Auto-CAD and Java Programming.
Selected & successfully finished a specialised two-week Machine Design Course in Dec. 2000.
Working on personal achievements on making and designing Aircraft Model.
Enjoying reading new developments in software & Enginerring designs.



SAMPLE 2


RICHARD ANDERSON
1234, West 67 Street,
Carlisle, MA 01741,
Res. #123-456 7890.
Cell #123-456-7890.
(I haveforgotten to high light my chnages in next portions. P.hd but no M.S.?? Mention Class Rank only if it is real good. One should get ready to explain why Law after Civil Engr. with posetive attitude. Always give out Cell Ph #. Do not use ( )for area codes. I have chnaged the wordings in the experience. In short, use Big Wordings like, Managed (for delivered, picked up the documents from various attorney. Then use Teamwork instead of helped in Sorting).

EDUCATION

P. hd. Anticipated to finish on May, 2006. West Virginia University E
Effect of Thin Gate Oxide on NMOS Transtitor. (Little more specific on paper one is working on).

College of Law, Morgantown, WV. (Show year is it is recent).
GPA 2.9/4.3 Class Rank: 45/160. Top one/third.

B.S. in Civil Engineering, summa cum laude, May 2003,
West Virginia University College of Engineering, Morgantown, WV
GPA 3.98 Class Rank: Second in class of 500.

EXPERIENCE

Summer Associate, Dewey Cheatham And Howe, Pittsburgh, PA. May '05- August 2005
Worked with Real Estate and Corporate Departments. Researched and prepared final draft on memoranda in areas of antitrust and trade regulation, electronic commerce, and land use planning.
Volunteer Legal Clerk, Hometown Legal Firm , Anywhere USA May '03-August 2004
Researched property records at courthouse, prepared memoranda for attorneys. Managed & classifed various legal documents.d. Played team player in document sorting department..
Student Intern, WVU College of Engineering , Morgantown, WV. June 2002-May 2003
Performed legal research and analysis to assess the statutory, regulatory and case law ramifications of innovative underground storage tank remedial technology.
Summer Worker, 1999-2003.
Various Summer jobs to gain educational experiences including: Laborer Convex Eagle Glass, Clarksburg, WV. Counter person, Wendy's International, Morgantown.
HONORS AND ACTIVITIES

WVU College of Law
Student Member, American Bar Association; Member, Patent Law Student Association; Member, Volunteer Law Clerks, student organization which researches legal questions assigned by WV Circuit Judges; Member, International Law Society; Phi Alpha Delta, International Legal Fraternity.
West Virginia University
Member, Mountain Honorary, highest honor society for WVU undergraduate students; Mortar Board National Honor Society; Captain, (two years) Varsity Tennis Team.
SKILLS AND INTERESTS
Fluent in spoken and written German, reading knowledge of Spanish and French. Certified in LEXIS and West Law. Excellence in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, GroupWise and Quicken.
Captain, tennis team, 4 years undergraduate.

Smashing answers to common interview questions.

Question 1: So, tell us about yourself?

Undoubtedly the most frequently asked interview question, and one that interviewees have the most difficulty answering. Your answer should be in alignment with your career objective, which means you shouldn't respond with comments about your hobbies, spouse or extra-curricular activities.

1. Start with a brief introduction. Talk about skills that are key to the position applied for.
Sample: 'During my 2 years of experience as a sales executive, I have mastered the ability to prospect, generate business leads, and motivate my team members to reach targets.'

2. Provide a summary of your recent work history. Keep your response limited to your current experience. Don't go back more than 2 years.
Sample: 'Most recently, at The XYZ Corporation, I was challenged with turning around a stagnant territory that ranked last in sales. I developed an aggressive sales campaign that focused on winning new accounts and nurturing the existing client base. Within six months, my sales team and I were able to increase sales by 40 per cent.'

3. Tie your response to the needs of the organization. Demonstrate how your experience and skills are transferable to the open position.
Sample: 'I have learnt about the challenges your IT department is facing and my background in developing software for leading companies will add value.'

4. Ask an engaging question. By asking a question, you gain control of the interview. Doing so will alleviate the stress you may feel to perform.
Sample: 'What strategies are currently underway to reduce the employee turnover and improve morale?'

Question 2: What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Highlighting strengths and accomplishments: Use specific examples to highlight your accomplishments -- explicit numbers, results and outcomes. Generic words are meaningless unless backed by data. For example, instead of using the word 'significant' , use a number or percentage instead.

Strengths that interviewers are looking for include:
. Committed: Talk about the times you may have sacrificed a vacation to complete an important project.

. Action-oriented: Quote an example from a past job where you drove the meeting, committee or project that was languishing. Or, when a deadline loomed and you came up with a way to reach the goal.

. Inquisitive/ Curious: Show how curiosity has served you well in the last job. For example, when was the last time you knew there had to be a better way of performing a task, closing a particular deal or making a sale to a difficult client? How did your questioning of the situation find a solution?

. Long term approach: Talk about how you were able to see the broader consequences of a decision in your previous company. Your contribution provided a viewpoint that others had overlooked.

The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" Do not give superficial answers like "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist. " These are boring and predictable. Interviewers can even reply to them with, "That doesn't sound like a weakness. Now why don't you tell me about a real weakness?" So, state a true weakness that doesn't have a major impact on your ability to do the job.

Sample -- If you are applying for a non-managerial role: 'In the past, I've had some trouble sharing responsibilities with others. I felt I could do things better and faster myself. This sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I plan to take courses in time management and effective delegation.'

Or, 'I am weak in accounts and had a tough time when I was asked to work on a project with the finance team. I have enrolled in an online program on basic finance to overcome this.' (NOTE: You would not want to use this example for an accounting or finance position.)

Question 3: Why did you leave your last job?

If you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances, you probably dread this question. Here's how to handle it. Never lie. If you were fired, don't say you quit. A background check will reveal this lie easily. Don't say anything negative about your former boss, co-workers or company. Any negativity, frustration or anger will only reflect negatively on you.

Sample -- If you were fired for not adhering to a company policy: 'I was asked to leave for violating a company policy that I feel wasn't communicated to me clearly.

I should have taken the responsibility to read all of the company policies and ask questions about those I didn't fully understand. That will be the first thing I do in my next job.'

Any employer would love to hear stories about how employees take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes. Make sure they understand that what happened to cause you to leave your last job was the exception, not the rule. Provide references or letters of recommendation to verify that your job performance is above par.

Question 4: How would you��? (Problem solving question)

The interviewers aren't looking for a 'right' or 'wrong' answer to this one. They are more interested in understanding your thought process.

Show your ability to think logically and demonstrate problem-solving capabilities by:

. Asking questions to confirm exactly what the interviewer is looking for.

. Explaining how you would collect the information and data required to develop a solution.

. Telling them how you'd use the information you gathered to develop and analyse alternative courses of action.

. Sharing your solution or recommendation, explaining how you feel it's the best option based on the information you were given.

So, go ahead and create a smashing impression. It's all about the right answers.

"Resumes: Fake it and you Break It??"

You learnt early in life that lying was bad. But despite such conditioning, adulthood has probably taught you to view issues in grayer tones.

Did you know that according to the Society of Human Resource Managers more than 53 per cent of all job applicants lie to some extent on their resumes?

Recently a national daily reported that Wipro had fired some employees for faking their CVs and also filed police complaints against head hunting agencies helping them. Such incidents have also been reported in technology majors like IBM.

And if you think that this is only prevalent at the lower levels, think again. David Edmondson who was the CEO of Radio Shack (a US based electronics retail giant) for 11 years admitted to lying about his educational credentials on his resume and was recently asked to leave by the board of directors.

"This trend is seen across sectors but is more rampant in the technology companies (IT and IT enabled services) as they are always on a hiring spree and pressures to ramp up lead to compromises on the quality front," says Kapil Murdia, who works with a global executive search firm.

Besides the moral or ethical implications, chances are that you'll get caught when you lie.

How Employers cross-check a resume:

~ Your current employer can easily call your previous employers. It may be just to get information for transferring your insurance policy or your provident fund, but if you have lied about your previous job profile or work experience, you'll get busted.

~ Even though you're changing jobs, you're probably not changing industries.

Companies in the same industry often have common forums. Employers often belong to the same professional associations or have common networks. An offhand mention that you were the sales executive, not the sales manager, and you'll be cleaning out your desk.

~ If you lied about your degree, your company may check your college's alumni list. Or someone at your new company will really be an alumnus, and they're going to bust you.

~ If you think you are smart and really creative and invent previous experience or employers, modern day information networks, investigation firms and reference checks make humiliating you quick, easy, and cost effective.

Why people lie in resumes :

Those who don't lie on their resumes stand to lose jobs to those who do. That's why many candidates are tempted to give in to peer pressure or exploitation at the hands of a headhunter.

"I know many people who have faked work experience that they don't really have in order to join at a senior level or to be able to negotiate a higher package. It's no big deal in our sector, " says Lakshmi Bonata, 24, a business process executive with Bangalore based Honeywell Technologies.

"My friend got away with it, so can I" is another starting point when candidates start thinking of tampering with their resumes says Ravdeep Manchanda, recruitment manager with a BPO which hires candidates for telephone sales and customer service.

The recruitment cycle:

The demand supply equation in the ITES and IT sectors has resulted in companies relying heavily on recruitment consultants. These consultants stand to earn anywhere between Rs 4,000 for placing a front line associate in a call center to over Rs 50,000 for an executive with five to eight years of experience.

"We usually conduct telephonic interviews for call centre associates. Hiring candidates is quite tough as the numbers required are large and there are pressures to ramp up from the client.

We were shocked to learn that some consultants were actually providing scripts and FAQ guides to candidates to crack these telephonic rounds," says Ruchika Malhotra, a telephone recruiter with a US-based BPO which operates call centres in India.

"There's nothing wrong with putting the best possible shine on your actual experience, but fabrications will eventually come back to haunt you," says Malancha Barua, a senior HR manager with a transaction processing BPO.

When 'lying' is okay:

There are a lot of "little white lies" on resumes and applications. A whole lot have to do with reasons for dismissal and covering up gaps in employment.

Most large companies use a third party to do background checks. Most do degree confirmations and employment checks.

Minor things are usually overlooked for example: some employers will choose to overlook if you have stated that you possess advanced computer skills as long that does not become a handicap in your job. But a fake degree or phony job history will definitely get you busted.

Quick tips:

Are there any alternate ways of polishing one's resume while remaining truthful? You should be honest but present your accomplishments in the most positive way. Here's how:

~ Choose certified professionals and pay well.

~ Avoid consultants and recruiters who promise a job without multiple interview rounds. Ad campaigns like "Get a job offer instantly, only one HR round" are very common. Tread with caution when you see such offers being doled out.

~ Do not sign any documents without reading them thoroughly; a lot of manpower consultants may even fake the written assessments on your behalf in order to get you the offer letter. The short term approach may land you in big trouble later.

~ Don't rely just on recruiters and ad responses as your primary job search strategy. Use networks and referrals to make contacts at your target companies. Do more than the typical "job applicant" and take some initiative, it will surely get you noticed.

~ Have confidence in your actual credentials. Most people who lack confidence feel that their perceived shortcoming is screamingly obvious to everyone, because they themselves are so focused on it. Usually it's not that noticeable or is a small blip. Lead with your strengths and be ready to discuss why you don't have a degree or a skill, if asked

~ Be sure your resume focuses on what you have accomplished and what you're capable of doing. The verbiage that you use could make a huge difference. Focus on accomplishments. "Supervised ten people on a project that finished three weeks before deadline and saved a large amount for the company "sounds a lot better than saying "I was leading a team of 10 employees".

~ In a job, you do not have "duties." You have "responsibilities" and "accomplishments. " Anyway, no hiring manager cares about what you were supposed to do. They want to know what you contributed. So make sure that you highlight your value and contribution to the organisation.

~ Personal interests can indicate a skill or area or knowledge that is related to the goal, such as photography for someone in public relations, or carpentry and wood-working for someone in construction management.

This section can show well-roundedness, good physical health, or knowledge of a subject related to the goal. It can also create common ground or spark conversation in an interview. If you have been published in any trade magazines, it can establish you as a subject matter expert in your domain.

~ If you have any education, or work experience, you can present yourself in a way that employer's will find your resume attractive without having to fabricate anything. You could list educational qualifications ie degrees first, followed by certificates and advanced training.

Set degrees apart so they are easily seen. Put in boldface whatever will be most impressive. Don't include any details about college except your major and distinctions or awards you have won, unless you are still in college or just recently graduated. List selected course work if this will help convince the reader of your qualifications for the targeted job

The last word:

• Lying on your resume can come back to haunt you -- sometimes even many years down the road. Don't fall into that trap.
• Instead, reduce the issue by creatively marketing yourself. So cheers to all those honest people out there who are sticking to facts and demonstrate integrity when it comes to applying for jobs.