Unit 3 Interviews

Interviews

Introduction
An interview can be defined as an oral tool to test a candidate’s traits for employment or
admission to a premiere institution of learning. Being an oral test it calls for your skills of
oral and non-verbal communication to support your performance before a panel of
experts. The word ‘interview’ means ‘view between’ or ‘sight between’. It suggests a
meeting between two persons for the purpose of getting a view of each other, or for
knowing each other.
An interview is often a two person conversation with a predetermined purpose. The
general purpose is to inform, to persuade, or to resolve a problem. During an interview
two people—sometimes more--exchange information, attitudes, and feelings in a spirit of
goodwill, and through discussion they may work toward solution of a problem if that is
part of their objective. Often, the persons are within the same company. They may have
the same status (departmental head interviewing a subordinate).
In other interviews the persons may be representatives of different companies. Still other
frequent interviews are held by professional people or company representatives who
interview people who requiring a job or advice on personal problems.
Selection interview is only one kind of interview to assess the performance of employees,
grievances or complaints, exit interview with employees when they are leaving the
company either on their own or through dismissal, reprimand interview when they are
reprimanded on some disciplinary grounds.

Definition: Formal or informal meeting between two people or among a group of people
for the purpose of obtaining information about something in particular.

Kinds of Interview
There are many different kinds of interview. They can be grouped broadly according to
their specific purposes.
1. Promotional Interview
A person who is due for promotion, is interviewed even if there is no other candidate
for the post. The purpose is to measure the attitude of the person and his fitness to
take up the responsibility of the higher post. If there is more than one candidate for
promotion, the interview can be partly a basis of selection.

2. Annual Interview
The reporting officer interacts with employees under his supervision, before writing
the annual confidential reports. The purpose here is to confirm the achievements of
the employees and also to print out his strengths and weaknesses.

3. Counselling Interview
A supervisor, personal officer or professional counselor may be asked to interview an
employee who has work related questions or a personal problem (financial, health,
family). In such cases the interviewer must listen, analyse carefully, praise when
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possible, suggest solutions, and tactfully work by the interviewer to evaluate the
solution for the benefit of the interviewee and the company.

4. Preliminary Interview
As a screening test, it should be attended by you with full preparation and care. It is
an essential stage to be cleared for moving to final interview. Use your
communication skills to express your confidence and case.

5. Sequential Interview
In this form of interview you have to report to several people at the same time. You
should be very careful in your behaviour, speech, and manners as each member are
your prospective boss.

6. Skill Based Interview

Such interview requires you to demonstrate your skills. If you are seeking to be a chef
or a bartender you need to demonstrate your skills for the panel to decide whether to
hire you or not.

7. Stress Interview
As the name indicates, this type of interview puts the interviewee into difficulties in
order to test his reaction to stress situation. This interview method is used only for
selecting persons of such posts in which interviewee may have to confront with
difficult situation without getting upset, for example, call centre employees,
telemarketers, security personnel etc.

8. Periodical Interviews
Periodical interviews also help to develop and maintain personal contact with
employees of all grades. However detailed the service records and formal assessment
records and formal assessment records may be, they are not a substitute for personal
meeting and talk. It gives an opportunity to each side to know the other better, and
contributes to employee relations.

9. Academic Interview
Academic interview is conducted in Q – A (questions and answers) environment.
You should be able to demonstrate your skills of alternative listening, eye contact,
and clarity of ideas and depth of knowledge.

10. Employment Interview

If you are a recruiter or personnel director, you have to interview applicants to
evaluate their classifications for a particular job in your organization.

11. Panel Interview.

In panel interview you should be extra careful of your body language and eye contact
as each member on the panel is observing you. You should give the impression of
speaking to all members, not just a single individual, through your eye movement.
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12. Disciplining Interview

In contrast to the regular periodic evaluation interviews, a special consultation may be
necessary for some employees if their behaviour or actions deserve reprimanding. In
such a bad situation, the interviewer usually needs to shield the employee’s pride,
retain goodwill, and stress the positive rather than the negative aspects.

13. Exit Interview

An employee who resigns, is given an interview before he leaves. This interview is
important for several reasons as follows:-
a). Management can find out the reason for employee’s leaving.
b). Management can get the employee’s assessment of the company. His opinion will
usually be representative of the general staff opinion about the company’s affairs.

14. Personality Interview

This form of interview evaluates you as an individual in terms of your response to
certain situations set before you. The emphasis is not on what you answer, but how
you answer. The whole range of nonverbal communication skills is brought into play
to demonstrate you as an all round personality.

15. Assessment or appraisal Interview

An appraisal interview is usually held once a year to discuss the performance of
employees. Such an interview has two goals: improved job performance and
improved communications between managers and the subordinates. Since the
interview inevitably involves discussions on employee’s shortcomings, both
managers and employee feel embarrassed to face each other. But if the interview is
held in amiable and informal atmosphere with a positive approach on both the sides,
it can prove to be very constructive exercise.

15. Reprimand Interview

To reprimand someone is to criticise him severely for some undesirable statement or
action. The manager summons the employee to his room and talks to him in his
official capacity. A reprimand is a form of disciplinary action likely to be resented by
the employees. But a good manager can use it in a constructive manner.

How to face an Interview

Before the Interview

Before a job interview do some homework.
- Try to find out as much as possible about the company – goods or services they
provide, how long they have been established.
- Be sure of the person you are about to see, the address and the time of the
interview.
- Plan how you will get there and know the length of the journey. Aim to be 10
minutes early so that you can relax and gather your thoughts.
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- Chose your clothes, shoes and accessories the previous evening. Wear something
comfortable but appropriate and acceptable.

During the Interview

Your aim during the interview is to give a potential employer a good idea about you
as a person and your suitability for the job. There is no point in presenting a false
image because this will only create problems at later stage.
To act naturally so that an effective exchange can take place.
- Listen carefully. You will be judged on the basis of your answers to questions, so
listen carefully. Pick out the key details of the question and pause briefly before
answering.
- Be honest. Do not say what you think the interviewer wants or expects you to say.
Putting your views and your personality across as courteously as possible is better
than giving bland, con-committed responses to the interviewer’s questions. Also,
do not pretend you have qualifications or experience which you do not – you are
bound to be caught out.
- Ask questions. A good interviewer will give you opportunity to ask questions.
This does not mean you ask about holidays and salary! Find out other potential for
the future, your responsibilities, training and other things about the job.

Questions at Interviews
1. Questions about the job and the organization.
a). Why do you want this job?
b). Can you work independently?
c). What qualities you look for in your employer?
d). Would you work overtime if necessary?
e). When could you start work?

2. Questions about ambitions

a). Why did you take up this special career?
b). What do you hope to doing in 5 years’ time?
c). Would you consider yourself suitable to enter management?
e). What do you look for in a job?

3. Questions on interests and hobbies.

a). What do you do in your free time?
b). How long have you been interested in this hobby/ sport?
c). Are you attending any part time classes at present?
d). Are there any courses you wish to attend?

4. Situation questions
a). You have arranged to meet someone after work and your employer asks you to stay
late. What would you do?
b). Your employer has left you for an overseas business trip and you realize has left
some important documents behind. What would you do?
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c) There is some unfortunate gossip that your employer is defrauding the company.
What would you do?

STRESS INTERVIEW HANDLING TECHNIQUES

● Remember that this is a game. It is not personal. View it as the surreal interaction
that it is.
● Prepare and memorize your main message before walking through the door. If
you are flustered, you will better maintain clarity of mind if you do not have to
wing your responses.
● Always keep yourself cool and composed during interview when you are put in
a stressful situation. Even if the interviewer is rude, remain calm and tactful.
● Go into the interview relaxed and rested. If you go into it feeling stressed, you
will have a more difficult time keeping a cool perspective.
● Clarify the question and the nature of the answer desired. This can buy you
some time to think.
● Don't hesitate about asking questions to get clarification; sometimes, this is
exactly what's expected of you.
● Ignore the interviewer’s tantrums and his aggressive behavior and keep yourself
focused on answering the question to the best of your ability.
● Be open, honest and straightforward and refuse to be emotionally intimidated.

Strategies for a success at Interviews

Your success in using interview opportunity for a job offer depends solely on you; on
how well you have prepared your self for the interview. Most candidates falter during
the interview only because they do not know enough about themselves, about the
company they are applying for, and about their job profile. The secret for your success
for clearing the interview lies in preparing your game plan, a strategy for what the
specific organizations look for-
1). Specific personality traits: are you motivated, mature, ambitious, trustworthy?
2). Competence and realistic job expectations – you can impress the prospective
employers only when you prove that you know about the industry or the job you aspire
to join.

As a practical step, you should equip yourself with the following information and
knowledge before you face the interview.
1). Know yourself
2).Know the company
3). Know your job profile
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1). Know yourself

Ask yourself – Who am I? What are my achievements so far? What are my skills and
strengths? What do I plan to do five years hence? Be clear about your goals. Be
consistent on your past achievements and your future career plans. If these things in
your career plan and objective happen to be close to the new job requirements, chances
are that you will be offered the new job. Most interviews begin with a question such as
“Can you tell us something about yourself?”

How to know yourself

(i) Identify your skills – concentrate on what you can do well.
(ii) Determine what you value – things that are important to you and influence your
behaviour.
(iii) Be clear what motivates you – what are you looking for – status, security,
power, expertise, material rewards, creativity, autonomy.
(iv) Describe your personality – your behaviour and mental characteristics.
(v) Find out how you think – logically or intuitively.

2. Know the company

Collect information about the company you are applying for. Reach the company a
little before the interview time. Move around and have some idea about the work
culture and norms of the company. Know about the company products and other
details through printed reports. Assess the size and systems of the company in
accordance with your ambition and career plan. Consider how far the company will
offer you the opportunity to grow.

3. Know your Job Profile

You should have the best career goal in mind. You should not allow your job profile
to be weakened by accepting a job, however lucrative, in a company that does not suit
your personal job profile, your personal goal, and ambition.

Traits of a Good Interviewee

Before the interview:-

Visit the company's website and learn what you can about it, to show you're interested in
the company.
Review anything you're supposed to know for the job.
Think up some questions to ask at the interview. These should be more about the job than
about what they'll give you.

Be clean from head to toe.

Dress professionally.
Be on time.
Be pleasant to the receptionist. Believe me, a thumbs-down from the receptionist can
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eliminate you from consideration.

During the interview:

When the interviewer comes out, stand if you're sitting, make eye contact, smile, shake
hands with a firm but not pressuring grip.
Answer the questions briefly and clearly. Stay focused and don't drift into chattering or
telling long stories about your work experiences.
Realize that not every interviewer is an expert at it. Some people are really uncomfortable
about it, so you can work to make them comfortable with you by smiling and putting
them at ease.
Avoid questions about your personal life by asking how the question relates to evaluating
you for the job.
Don't say anything negative about past jobs, bosses or coworkers. Try to put a positive
spin on anything bad.
Chose answers that show what a good fit you are for the job and the company.

One of your questions at the end should be whether they see you as a good fit for the job
and if they have any areas of concern. This gives you a chance to put their minds at ease,
and you also know where you stand.

Ask when they plan to make a decision. Get their contact information - full names and
titles, company address, their emails and phones.

Follow up with a thank you note or email. Call if you haven't heard by the time they said
they'd decided. Be very pleasant when you call.

Focus of Job Interviews

Though each job has its own specific requirements, there are certainly some elements
that are common. Effective selection of interview focuses on two issues – Technical
competence and Motivation.
Technical competence
Your technical competence is assessed by examining your relevant academic
background and job profile. The questions that you are asked are related to your
specialization, but are usually of general nature. They are application based questions.
Motivation
All employees wish to evaluate your level of interest in doing a job. How strongly
you feel within yourself to move towards the fulfillment of your goal. Your
motivational level can be judged by placing
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Group Discussion
The term ‘group discussion’ is used to refer to an oral communication situation in which in
which a small number of professionals meet and discuss a problem or issue to arrive at
consensus to exchange information on significant matter related to the function, growth or
expansion of the organization to which they belong.
The purpose of the discussion is to elicit the views of all participants and through intense
interaction evolve a consensus. By its very nature, the number of participants is small ranging
from and through intense five to ten. It has been observed that if the number is smaller, the
discussion does not get off the ground and the interaction is less animated and diversified with
the result that often important aspects and factors are not properly focused. And if the number
is large, a few participants become reticent and do not contribute to the discussion. Thus, the
very purpose of holding a group discussion is lost.

Participating in a Group Discussion (GD)

The group discussion is a personality test most popular with public/ private sector undertakings,
government departments, commercial firms, IIMs, Universities, and other educational
organizations to screen candidates, after the written test. A GD is an informal discussion in
which candidates with similar academic qualifications or related educational backgrounds,
discuss a topic. So, it is sometimes called a ‘leaderless discussion’. The topic of discussion is
generally provided by a panelist or a group of panelists. An ideal GD process has been
described below:

What does a GD evaluate?

A group discussion primarily evaluates your ability to interact in a group on a given topic. Your
group behaviour means so much for your success as a manager or an executive responsible for
coordination and organization of activities of groups of individuals. The GD evaluators,
therefore, focus on group dynamics rather than the content of your views.

Technique
The group usually consists of 8 to 10 candidates. No one is nominated as leader, coordinator,
and chairman to conduct the discussion. Normally, 20 to 30 minutes are given as time to
complete the discussion. Each candidate is indicated by his/her roll number and is to be
addressed accordingly. For easy recognition, the roll number is prominently displayed on
candidate’s front and back. The seating is arranged in a circle and the candidates are seated
according to the ascending order of roll numbers.

Emerging Leadership
A group discussion starts with a leader. Free and equal chance is given to all candidates. During
this course a leader emerges gradually. No one should try to dominate the group to be a leader.
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But, a candidate by his / her initiative/ ability to join in the discussion, maturity, and clarity of
ideas and understanding of group dynamics gradually begins to direct the course of discussion
and mediate between the opposing views to evolve a comprehensive view of the whole group.
Such a candidate is implicitly recognized by all other candidates as the leader of the discussion
group.

Therefore GDs are important in a Job Interview as they:

 Assess communication skills.

 Evaluate teamwork and collaboration.
 Tests problem-solving abilities.
 Identifies leadership potential.
 Gauges knowledge and awareness.
 Measures time management.
 Observe persuasive skills.
 Evaluate adaptability and flexibility.
 Assesses stress management.
 Provides insight into personality and interpersonal dynamics.

GD Protocol
Group Discussions are formally informal. There are rules of conduct to be observed by the
participants. Some of these rules are discussed here for your guidance.

Norms to be observed:-
1) How to Address Other Members of the Group?
Sir/ Madam - too formal
Mr. / Ms - Colloquial
Excuse Me - (a bit rude)
Numbers - funny
First Name - ideal

But the problem is that you may not be able to know, or remember the names of your fellow
participants in such a short time that you have before the GD. Then best is to address the whole
group, instead of an individual.
- Do not create sub-groups
- Our tendency is to speak to the person sitting next to us. That creates sub-groups which
act against the cohesive team spirit.

2) Strategy
a) To gain entire group’s attention.
⮚ To begin, speak to the person sitting diagonally opposite you.
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⮚ Or, begin speaking to the person who has just finished talking.

⮚ Use the opportunity to take the discussion forward. Do not let an

opportunity pass over without your participating in it.
⮚ Make friends by speaking to those who have been ignored by the
group.
b) Should you invite somebody who has been keeping quite,
⮚ No, unless you have formal authority to do so.

⮚ Everybody is equal in group discussion.

Your Objective
Getting your group’s attention is the first thing. Having got it, use it make your point most
effectively.
a) Language: Formal, Simple, correct spoken English, Not literary English.
b) Dress: Formal, Ladies in Indian (Sarees) or Western Formal.
c) Body language:
⮚ Posture- Formal (straight back, hands together in front/ on the edge of the table),
Must reflect enthusiasm.
⮚ Gestures and body movements- Shouldn’t be threatening or restricting other
members, avoid excessive use of hands, be natural.
⮚ Eye Contact- Establish eye contact with as many as you can while speaking.

Discussion Techniques
GD is not a debate in which you can support or oppose the topic. There are no clear cut positions
or stands to be taken. GD is a continuous discussion. It is a live interaction in which you examine
a subject/ problem from different angles and view points. You may agree or disagree others
points of view or may bring in new ideas. You have to be courteous overall.
Some guidelines for GD participants:-

1. How to join in the discussion?

⮚ I’d like to raise the subject of………..

⮚ What I think is………….

⮚ I think it is important to consider the question of…...

⮚ If I could say a word about…………

⮚ May I make a point about……….

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2. How to join in the discussion?

Remember that you should not say that you support so and so or I agree with him/her. You should
support the views of the person, not the person.
● I’d like to support Ms. Shreya’s point of view about……

● That’s just what I also think

● I agree fully with what Mr. Rahul has just said. I am in complete agreement with fee
slashing.

3. To Support Disagreement
Again remember that you are opposed to the idea, and not the person who holds it. You can
disagree with by using polite expressions, instead of curt expressions such as “You are wrong”,
you can say”.

4. To make a point very strongly

⮚ I am convinced that………

⮚ Anybody can see that………

⮚ It is quite clear to me that……

5. To bring a discussion back to the point

⮚ That is very interesting, but I don’t think it is needed to the point.

⮚ Perhaps, we could go back to the point.

⮚ Could we stick to the subject please?

Your analytical ability and your critical argument assessment, and your verbal and non-verbal
skill of communication give you competitive edge over others.

Resume
Resume is a French word, meaning “summary” and signifies a brief account of one’s
education, employment & other skills, used in applying for a new position. But, if you are
a fresher seeking for job, then the bottom line is: To look good on paper.
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Going by the saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”, let’s
decode some of the tips & tricks to construct an eye-grabbing resume.
1. Own the Format:
• There is no one correct resume format. A resume is essentially a way to showcase
your profile in your very own personal style. Highlight what You think makes a more
impressive statement.
2. Include the Basics:
• Objective – in about 2-3 lines to highlight your focus in life, amalgamated with your
skills & job requirement, in order to attract the employer.
• Contact Info – Relevant, Current & Correct.
• Education – Mention both, the degrees as well as the credentials, in a complete
fashion. Also, specify any certifications undergone for that extra edge.
• Experience – This includes both, the job responsibilities held so far and the crux of
projects undertaken during training (for fresher).
• Skill-Set – List all the technologies you have worked in & other buzz words that
describe your potential best.
3. Entice with Specifics:
• If you are multi-talented or are seeking jobs in different sectors, then you must modify
your resume suiting the needs of that particular job.
• Highlight your expertise and strength in that field to appear the most deserving of that
spot. In such cases, you can neglect other irrelevant details, which otherwise may be vital.

4. Important Pointer:
• One interesting & efficacious thing to mention in your resume is the Volunteer
Professional activities. These not only demonstrate your leadership, commitment &
hardworking abilities but, also diversify your interest & skill set.
• Now, one thing you can easily omit from your resume is References. Include them,
only if asked.
5. Advertise Yourself:
• Don’t sell yourself short. You must have read it at multiple instances. But, it surely is
an aspect worth noting. Be concise. Flaunt all your valuable assets, even if they don’t
seem to fit, mention anyways. Your resume is like an advertisement, sell yourself well.
6. Reverse It:
• You must always list your qualifications & experiences or anything that has a
chronology, in a reverse order. Last – first meaning, in order of relevance, from most to
least and current to previous.
7. White Spaces:
• Being a fresher is an advantage in resume-writing. Due to ample paper space, try to
highlight your key skills by surrounding them with White Spaces. This helps in easy scan
& non-cram presentation of your resume.
8. Formatting Counts:
• Use of appropriate fonts (Times New Roman, Arial etc.), margins (1.5 inches
preferably) & indentation is a key to a presentable resume. Don’t make a fancy sheet
overloaded with creativity.
• Also, always make a .doc (Word Document) with a size within 100Kb or maximum 2
pages with, a decent file name.
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9. Fresh-eye proofreading:
• Apart from essential spell-check, grammatical anomalies & punctuations make sure to
get your resume proofread by people attentive to details and do consider their objective
critiques.
10. View ability:
• Especially for fresher, an important aspect is to target the recruiters best-suited. To
market your resume & make it viewable, use right sources & right networking.

TYPES OF RESUMES

1) Chronological resume: presents information in a chronological order or timeline

approach (by dates). Typically, the most recent work or educational experience is listed
first, followed by the next most recent. Format is ideal for an individual who has had a
series of positions within a field or industry and who wants to develop their career in the
same field.

Advantages:

● The format is traditional and accepted by most of the selection departments.

● Easy to read and understand.

● It shows your job stability.

● It reflects your increase of responsibilities and/or promotion.

● It emphasizes the type of position and the companies in which you have worked.

● It describes your roles and achievements.

Disadvantages:

● It emphasizes your change of company.

● It may focus too much on your age.

● It reflects the gaps in work activity.

2) Functional Resume: The skill-based or functional resume allows you to play down
gaps in your experience since it emphasizes your abilities and accomplishments without
providing detailed background information on where and when you acquired these skills.

This resume format is especially suitable, among other situations, for people entering the
job market for the first time, recent graduates with little work experience, people who are
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going back to the job market, and job seekers in the middle of a career change who want
to emphasize their transferable skills. These skills may have been gained through paid
employment, volunteer work, and hobbies.

Advantages:

● It shows the person’s capacities and strengths.

● It allows you to reflect the abilities and knowledge that are more relevant to the
position you want to obtain.
● It eliminates the role repetition in similar positions.

● Flexibility to present /display your person and achievements obtained

● Useful in new technologies, Internet, telecommunications, media, publicity.

● You can speak of abilities, interests, motivations, that you do not always use in
your work, but which may be useful.

Disadvantages:

● It does not emphasize the names of the companies for which you have worked.

● The period of time in each position is not important.

● It limits the description of the position and its responsibilities.

Combined Resume: Combined resume format mixes the previous formats

(chronological resume and functional resume). The resume begins with the functional
format resume and finishes with the chronological format resume. The combined resume
format is more difficult to write and more complex but it has the advantage of
emphasizing the experience and abilities that the candidates have towards the new
position they are applying for, as well as to reflect in a dynamic format their experience
and training.

Advantages:

● It shows very clearly that you know what you want to do and that you have the
capabilities necessary to carry out the position.
● It includes the section "Goals Achieved".

● It allows more flexibility and creativity in reflecting abilities.

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● It helps to obtain a particular position, something you can’t achieve by leaving

your resume or CV in a database (?) (Very usual at jobsites).

Disadvantages:

● You need a different summary for each job that you choose.

● It is time-consuming.

● It eliminates information on your abilities and experience that you may prefer to
exclude if you are applying for more than one position in the same company.

CV Cover Letter

Cover letters are generally one page at most in length, divided into a header, introduction,
body, and closing.

● Title. Cover letters use standard business letter style, with the sender's address and
other information, the recipient's contact information, and the date sent after either
the sender's or the recipient's address. Following that is an optional reference
section (e.g. "RE: Internship Opportunity at Global Corporation") and an optional
transmission note (e.g. "Via Email to jobs@example.net"). The final part of the
header is a salutation (e.g., "Dear Hiring Managers").

● Introduction. The introduction briefly states the specific position desired, and
should be designed to catch the employer's immediate interest.

● Body. The body highlights or amplifies on material in the resume or job

application, and explains why the job seeker is interested in the job and would be
of value to the employer. Also, matters discussed typically include skills,
qualifications, and past experience there are any special things to note such as
availability date, they may be included as well.

● Closing. A closing sums up the letter, and indicates the next step the applicant
expects to take. It may indicate that the applicant intends to contact the employer,
although many favor the more indirect approach of simply saying that the
applicant will look forward to hearing from or speaking with the employer. After
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the closing is a valediction ("Sincerely"), and then a signature line. Optionally, the
abbreviation "ENCL" may be used to indicate that there are enclosures.

Other uses

Cover letters may also serve as marketing devices for prospective job seekers. Cover
letters are used in connection with many business documents such as loan applications
(Mortgage loan), contract drafts and proposals, and executed documents. They may serve
the purpose of trying to catch the reader's interest or persuade the reader of something, or
they may simply be an inventory or summary of the documents included along with a
discussion of the expected future actions the sender or recipient will take in connection
with the documents

Cover letters may vary in content, depending on the type of position or industry to which
you are applying, and whether you are applying for a listed position, sending letters
enquiring about a position that is not listed, or following up on a referral.

Overview: Purpose of a Cover Letter

A cover letter is a brief letter that introduces your resume to the company or organization to
which you are applying. Your cover letter should emphasize why you want to work for that
particular organization and why you would be a good fit. An effective cover letter engages
the reader and encourages him or her to invite you for an interview.
A resume should always be accompanied by a cover letter. It serves as the first sample of
your writing ability and attention to detail.

Getting Started: What to Include in your Cover Letter

Formatting
• Address your cover letter to a named individual, whenever possible.
• Make it brief - one page or less, with ample margins.
• Use an adequate font size – preferably 12.
• Include pertinent personal data: name, address, e-mail and phone number.
• Proofread for spelling or grammatical errors.

Content
• State why you are writing and for what position you are applying.
• Demonstrate energy and enthusiasm for the position.
• Highlight or expand on key information from your resume, but do not simply repeat
what is listed.
• Actively sell your unique qualities and tell the reader why he or she should choose you.
• Target your skills, interests and experience to the needs of the organization.
• Show you have done your homework; emphasize why you want to work for that
particular organization.
• Encourage the reader to take a closer look at your resume.
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Writing Style
• Be clear and concise.
• Use powerful action verbs and phrases to describe your skills, interests, and abilities.

Suggested Formula for a Cover Letter

Your Address:
Street Address
City, State and Pin Code

Date

Contact Person’s Address:

Mr./Ms. _____________
Title
Company or Organization
Street Address
City, State and Pin Code

Dear _________:

First Paragraph: Introduce yourself by stating your degree program and the year in which you
will graduate. Specify whether you are seeking a permanent or summer position. Tell why you
are writing, and name the position, field, or general vocational area in which you are interested.
Tell how you heard of the opening or organization (e.g. job notices on MonsterTRAK, ad in the
newspaper, etc.). If someone referred you, include that information.

Second Paragraph: Mention a few qualifications you think would be of greatest interest to the
employer. Tell why you are particularly interested in the company, type of work, or location. If
you have related experience or specialized training, you may point it out. Refer the reader to the
enclosed resume, which will give additional information concerning your background and
interests.

Third Paragraph: Close by stating your desire for an interview. You may state that you will
phone or email in a week or so. If you say that, make sure that you follow through. You may want
to include your contact information (phone and email) so the reader knows how you can be
reached.

Sincerely,

Applicant Signature

Applicant Name

Enc. [this is only for hardcopy]

Unit 3 Interviews

Aptitude Test
It is a measure of a person's natural ability or potential to learn a skill or set of skills. Abilities that
are typically measured by aptitude tests include abstract, verbal, and numerical reasoning,
because these give a rounded view of a person's general ability in relation to the workplace.
Aptitude tests are a form of psychometric test and are administered by trained users.

This is used to find out which employees have the aptitude to perform well in a certain type of
job. For example technical jobs will have aptitude tests finding out whether the person will be
able to perform in that technical job well or not.