"Ohh actually my interview is scheduled today" - The Indian Story

Did you got an interview call recently? Was your CV shortlisted among thousands of applicants? Were you the lucky one to reach the final round of technical but was not able to negotiate your expectations with HR? Don't you get irritated when after applying to a number of companies no one responds? Did you not got frustrated standing in the line of a walk in interview(but you stood for 3 hours because you were looking for a change and needed this job badly, like several others standing in the line ;))?Do you wonder why they call 500 candidates for only 20 open requirements? Did you followed up with the HR guys after you being clearing all rounds for weeks/months but unable to get any favorable response? Are you sure you gave the right answer for the question asked by the interviewing panel? Do u think the interview panel was off track? Do u think they were interested more in knowing what you don't know rather than asking you what you know and what was clearly mentioned in your CV? Have you ever waited for offer letter from any company for months and then finally gave up or stopped following up? The list is endless......

If you have been interviewed then you might have more questions than I have but the truth is out that the selection procedure and interviewing in India has become pathetic.With so many candidates getting their professional degrees from lacs of colleges in India.This is a clear picture of demand and supply. Demand being less than the supply; that is why this miss management happens.You might get frustrated seeing and applying to n number of jobs available at various job portals but not getting the expected feedback from employers or consultants.Just blink and think that thousands and may be lacs of other applicants right now sitting at each and every part of globe doing the same thing.So how could you expect that each time you apply to a job u might not get a response from the employer.Your cv might not get shortlisted, as the consultants and HR have a pool of much more candidates to select that we can ever think of. This was the first phase of applying to a job and getting your cv shortlisted.

Lets move over to the 2nd phase assuming your cv gets shortlisted and you have been scheduled for an interview.Let me bring the title of my post into picture by adding that you might tell someone that day -"Ohh actually my interview is scheduled today"(This I have learned from bollywood movies where the title of the movie is used in its dialogues n number of times; remember KKHT- "Tum nhi jaanti Anjali Kutch Kutch Hota hai" and this gets repeated every 15 minutes in the movie ;)) It's good if your interview is scheduled and it's not a walk in where you will feel yourself as a drop in the ocean(referring to other candidates as other drops and the walk in event being the ocean)The selection procedure can take an entire day of your or worse u might be called any other day for ur remaining rounds and God help you if after being in the line for 3-4 hours you are being told that the interview has been postponed or "You can submit your cv and HR guys will get back to you" .

God was with you and after few hours of waiting u were called for the technical.I have observed the interview panel and it's different members very closely.Based on your luck you might get an intellectual fellow or an over smart employee who has been given your cv and gone through Google and prepared himself to interview you.In the latter case he/she would have limited number of questions which he would be asking to all candidates. It's good if you can take the control of interview in your hands which comes with experience.Taking the control means making the interviewer revolve around your profile, your skill set and your projects rather than surrendering yourself to the interviewer and answering to the questions which he/she wants to ask and you having li'll idea about them.The interviewer generally starts with the personal and professional experience of the candidates interviewed.Make it sound as confident and appealing as you can.So that the interviewer is interested to know and ask technical questions revolving the skill set and projects which you have done and in which you are confident than anyone else.Make him feel how you are best suited for that particular job of you know the JD.Try to elaborate on this you being in a fix during your professional experience from past and how you came out from that with flying colors(if asked).Don't try to rephrase your answers if you are not confident.It makes a bad impression. Finally ask them for their feedback on ur interview which most of the interviewers avoid by saying that HR people will get back to you.Also maintain a habit of asking a few questions when the interviewer gives you the opportunity to interview about the company,work,,etc, by asking ::"Is there anything you would like to as or know from us?" To wrap up thank them for taking your interview even though u might now that they are getting payed for interviewing you on weekends.

If you clear all the technical rounds, now comes the round for which you were waiting for - the HR round.Your negotiations on ur expected salary depends on various factors - ur current CTC, ur stability factor, how urgent do they need you, how critical ur profile is to them, ur skill set and experience, their paying standards based on their policies and also the feedback which you earned in your technical round.After the HR round the candidates are generally used to listen to the statement "We will get back to you shortly" and this is the most hated statement which most of us personally like to dislike.

You return back home and then from there your wait starts. It may take few weeks or sometimes months as well.Because during that period you are making the HR employees of the company work for you and most of the other people like you who have cleared the selection.Following up during this period is very important.HR people generally prefer candidate which have the desired exp and also those who are willing to join the org. in less salary than what you have asked for.So this is the duration of gamble, where you can never predict of you will get the offer letter or not as it is based on the factors as I have already written about above.So u can do one thing during this period and that is - Wait for your offer letter ;).

So finally I would finish by saying that the whole interviewing and selection process takes lot of time, the candidates applying needs to be more patient and your clearing of all rounds doesn't implied that you will definitely get the offer letter as there are many other candidates as well in HR pipeline who are expecting this and might be willing to join in less salary(so here enter luck factor).All the best for those reading my post,going and preparing themselves for any interview.