Most Keys to succeed in a telephonic interview

In a world where jobs are no longer restricted by political and geographical boundaries, several companies today are conducting phone interviews to short-list candidates before calling them in for a face-to-face interaction.

A phone interview has several advantages both for the employer and candidate. It is typically shorter than a face-to-face interview, allowing the interviewer to save on time.

For the candidate, who has the advantage of remaining unseen, a phone interview allows the use of cue cards and cheat sheets, as well as access to the Internet.

Here are 10 phone interview tips to help you ace your phone interview:

1. Choose a good spot
Companies generally tell you in advance when they will be calling. Choose a room where you can speak without disruption. Shut out other noises like TV and radio, take the kids away and lock the room from inside. Ask your family members not to disturb you when the interview is in progress. Get a good phone -- preferably a landline. You don’t want calls to drop at this time.  

2. Keep documents handy
Get a hard copy of your resume and cover letter and keep it ready. Keep pen and paper handy to take down notes. You could even keep your laptop on in case you want to refer to the Internet. But take care to be discreet -- don’t hammer away loudly at the keys of your computer.

3. Use a cheat sheet
One of the great advantages of a phone interview is invisibility. Prepare for expected questions in advance and jot down points on a piece of paper. Write clearly and legibly since you will be referring to it under pressure. Practice the answers to expected questions beforehand and prepare for any derivative question that may arise as well.

4. Be in a positive frame of mind
This may seem odd, but smile! Though the interviewer cannot see you, it is not difficult to sense your mood over the phone. If you feel happy, bright and enthusiastic, this will reflect in your voice. Some experts also suggest dressing for the interview. If you think this will put you in the right frame of mind for the interview, go right ahead and slip into formal clothes.

5. Do your homework
You’ve already visited the company portal while writing your cover letter, so you have a sense of what the organization is about. This may be a good time to go back to the portal and brush up on that knowledge. If you know the name of your interviewer, you could also search him/her on the Internet to learn more about him/her.

6. Treat the interview like a face-to-face interaction
It is easy to fall into the trap of not taking a phone interview as seriously as a face-to-face interview. But remember, this is a process of elimination as well. It will be unfortunate if you were eliminated at this stage because you did not take the interview seriously enough. Prepare for a phone interview as you would for a face-to-face interaction.

7. Ask intelligent questions
After he/she is done with the interview, your interviewer will typically ask if you have any questions. This is a chance for you to showcase your intelligence. You could ask questions on the role you are being interviewed for, company branding or its strategy to beat market slump. Asking questions that tell the employer you are serious about this role.

8. Don't bring up salary
It is too early at this stage to bring up salary and perks. The company is still assessing your suitability for the job. Salary discussions generally take place in the final stages of the hiring process. So hold your horses till then!

9. Ask if the interviewer has other questions
Asking the interviewer if he/she has any other questions is a good way to round up the discussion. This will give him/her a chance go back to the list of questions and see if something has been left out. If there are no more questions, ask what the next step will be in the hiring process.

10. Say thank you
Don’t forget to say thank you, even if the interview has gone badly. Some experts even recommend sending a short thank you note to the interviewer a day after the interview.

You may spend a lot of time talking on the phone, but that does not equip you to master a phone interview. So keep these pointers in mind to get one step closer to the job.

Top trick for job:How to impress any interviewer?

A good resume will get you a foot in the door. But once in, it’s the interview that will seal the deal for you. Which is why it’s important that you are fully prepared about how to present yourself when you go in to meet a prospective employer.

One important thing to remember is that the interviewer isn’t only looking at your professional qualifications, but also your soft skills. The fact that they have called you for an interview means they already believe you have the basic qualifications for the job. Now they want to ascertain whether you actually know the job, and whether they would like to work with you or not. You will now be marked on aspects like your personality, conduct, maturity, integrity and resourcefulness.

While interviewing is largely a subjective exercise, there are some commonalities that all recruiters tend to favour. Which is why it’s important that you:

Pay close attention to your appearance

The first thing interviewers notice is how you are dressed. Dressing for an interview usually depends on the industry you’re in. If you are in, say, the media or the entertainment industry, it is okay to turn up in smart casuals. For most other sectors, however, a formal dress code is necessary. Dressing shabbily or inappropriately will earn you massive negative points.

Project likeability…

Interviewers want to see if you can be part of a team. Along with your professional skills, they will also evaluate you for your likeability, emotional quotient, agreeability and ability to remain calm under pressure. Above all, they will want to see whether you fit into the company culture.

…and the right attitude

We have all heard the pithy phrases that go around about the importance of having the right attitude at work and they are all true. That is why interviewers place a premium on attitude during an interview. They want to see that you have the temperament, drive and enthusiasm for the job, as well as a solid work ethic.

Highlight your resume with anecdotes

The interviewer will ask you questions about your career trajectory to evaluate how the job fits in with your overall career plan. In keeping with the trend of the behaviour interview, which is becoming increasingly common these days, they will also ask you questions regarding how you tackled different work situations in the past. They will expect sensible answers which show maturity, grace under pressure and an ability to think things through. Of course, if you have a fun (but appropriate!) anecdote to throw in and break the ice a little, by all means use it.

Watch your posture and body language

A good part of communication takes place through non-verbal means. So mind your body language. Interviewers will compare what you say to them with what your body language seems to convey. Take care to appear pleasant and enthusiastic at all times, smile and don’t forget to maintain eye contact. Maintain a good posture at all times since slouching may convey a casual and laidback attitude.

Show them integrity

Integrity is an important virtue and interviewers will no doubt want to gauge whether you have professional integrity or not. Integrity refers to the ability to be honest at all times, especially to yourself. Interviewers will assess you for your professional maturity, objectivity and your ability to be honest with yourself.

Display your knowledge and intelligence

Interviewers will want to know how much you know about the company and the role you will be expected to play. While they know that you have the basic qualifications for the job, they will now test your intelligence and professional competence. They will also expect you to know something about the company to assure them that you have thought through your decision of applying for the post. But remember, don’t get carried away showing off how smart you are. Which brings us to the next point.

Demonstrate an ability to listen

While the objective of an interview is to get the candidate to talk, it is also important to listen. Pay attention to the interviewer’s questions and answer candidly without evading any of the questions. While it is okay to keep your answer short or shift to a related topic while answering, don’t steer clear of the question since the interviewer will immediately catch on. Be polite and let the interviewer speak when he wants to.

Top 10 Best Success Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

Success is a combination of thinking right and doing right.

1.Be optimist
2.Avoid Big Mistakes
        1.No cost to low cost – Use social media liked Facebook; twitter etc. to drive your business.
        2.It is a proven fact that entrepreneurs are today driving economies. Why? We are able to think              fast on our feet, we can make changes as needed when we see the markets change. During                    recession in 2008, it was “dinosaur” companies suffered the most as they tend to move slowly.
        3.Bring in flexibility in our working style. Maintain a work life balance.
        4.Never design your lifestyle around your work, instead design business around your                        lifestyle. Then work becomes your passion.
5.Turn your passion into profits. Purpose of business is actually to make profits  and not                          make it a “Secret Hobby”.
3.Provide products & services which audience really “WANTS”. Wants are bigger than needs…trust      me we indulge more in wants than needs
4.Business model needs to be efficient and self-sufficient. Cost to Income ratio needs to work in your    favor.
5.Learn to embrace risks.
1.Get out of your comfort zone.
2.Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
6.Stay out of fear – Stay in faith.
1.Have faith in yourself. Believe in yourself
2.Grow as far as your greatest fear.
3.Biggest fear makes you uncomfortable to be able to reach that big success.Success we seek                 will only come when we move through the fear.
7.Learn from inspiring people and surround yourself with people who are there where you want to be.
1.Invest in training, education, coaching – Invest in yourself.
2.You are the average of five people who surround you the most.
3.Master mind: Having a group of successful entrepreneurs with whom you                                would learn and share.
                4.Not everyone will support your success. Don’t get distracted by criticism. Holding back                      hurts no one but you.
8.Time: we all have 24 hours but how one utilizes it are what makes one rich.
9.Marketing yourself is more important than mastery of your skills.
             1.There are many masters of your trade better than you but are not commercially successful                   because people don’t know them.
             2.If you don’t know how to get word around you won’t be able to get clients.
             3.Important to understand how lead generation from offline and online prospects can be                         converted to buyers and then to repeat buyers.
10.Make decisions not from where you are but where you want to be.

How to write an impressive resume!

WHEN  you apply for a job opening, dozens of candidates have probably done the same.

So, how do you ensure your resume stands out from the pile? What is it that companies look for while short-listing candidates? Here's the lowdown.

AN ENTRY- LEVEL RESUME

Highlight your non-academic achievments too: At entry- level when you have no industry experience, underscore your other achievements.

'Highlight projects that you have done, awards you have bagged and companies you have interned with. Companies also give high rating if they see you are a team person and enjoy good inter-personal relationships.

So, if you are part of student's associations or an NGO, stress on these points. Of course, academics is the first thing that recruiters see, but extra curricular excellence does count.


Talk only about business interest: Trash the habit of mentioning interests like singing, dancing, music, swimming, painting or astrology. That's a complete passé. 'Talk only about your business interest And be well prepared. If you say your interest lies in reading, 'Then know the book inside, out, upside, down.

Gain proficiency in a professional area: While studying, gain competency in an area that will hold you in good stead in your professional career. Learn basic computer skills. Having done that, move on to adding other skills like Coral Draw if you want to get into computer graphics or learn accounting software Tally if you see your future in accounting.


A MID-LEVEL EXECUTIVE'S RESUME

Flexibility and responsibility: When you have gained 3-4 years of experience, review your CV. For a person with 2-4 year's of experience and more, the thrust shifts on industry knowledge and his adaptability in the organisation, among other qualities. 'At this stage, cultural fit is given more importance, flexible approach matters and the learning starts playing an important role. The organisation sees if you have been flexible in previous roles and whether you are prepared for a new responsibility.

Personal Initiatives: The companies also see the personal initiatives that you have taken to add on to your skill and knowledge base. While it hints your progressive mindset, 'It also subtly, positively speaks of your career consciousness. Candidates should highlight those events where their ideas have been implemented their analytical skills have been applauded.


OTHER MUST-DOS

Be Specific: If you are applying for a position in sales and marketing vertical, a requirement which is across industries, should you tailor your CV every time? Not really. Just be specific.and highlight the best fit experiences

Remain updated: Be aware of the news and current affairs. 'Read newspapers', Read business writers Focus more on your field.

Communication skills: Work on your verbal communication skills and writing skills. Prior to the interview, prepare a list of questions that a recruiter might ask, write down the answers and read it aloud to yourself. Keep your answers to the point.
Use these pointers and rest assured you will get an interview call no sooner your CV reaches the recruiter.

Are you suited for a startup or a corporate job?

There was a time when scoring a first job in a big corporation was considered an early career triumph. Today, times have changed, and so have perceptions of success. “I want to promote those who have the courage to fail,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the launch of the Start-Up Action Plan in January 2016.

India is transitioning from a 9-to-5 work culture to a start-up environment, where employees are consciously forgoing stability in exchange for the promise of accelerated growth. According to Nasscom, start-ups accounted for 80,000 jobs in 2015 while the number of active investors in start-ups more than doubled from 220 in 2014 to 490 in 2015. The media is awash with stories of how bright young IIT and IIM graduates are leaving well-paying jobs to turn entrepreneurs.

As a new graduate looking for work, you need to ask yourself – are you ready to take risks or are you more comfortable with safe rewards?
Here’s how to know whether you are suited for a corporate job or start-up:

Are you set on a career path or are you still looking?
Unlike in established companies where responsibilities are clearly defined, employees in a start-up are expected perform several roles at once. With fewer people on the team, everyone is expected to pitch in wherever needed. This can be great when you have no idea what you want in a long-term career. Learning first-hand what you enjoy doing by performing multiple tasks will help you arrive at a more focused job description later on.

However, if you already know the role you aspire to or career path you wish to take, a corporate job may be more suitable. With its structured workflow and specific deliverables, you’ll be able to hone your skills without being sidetracked with additional responsibilities.

What do you need to succeed?
In a start-up, chances are your boss won’t have much more experience than you do. You’ll be thrust into a leadership position before you’ve had a chance to be mentored yourself and may need to rely on your instincts and self-learning to master the tricks of your trade.

In a corporate job, on the other hand, you’ll have a great deal of handholding in the early years.

So ask yourself – how do you learn best? If you’re comfortable with trial-and-error, you may not need a corporate job to succeed. On the other hand, if mentoring and systems will help you advance into the position you want, a big company may be your best bet.

Do you want to make an impact…now?
Do you find it frustrating when you’re not involved in decision-making processes? That’s what happens when you start at the bottom in a strictly hierarchical corporate structure. In a start-up, owing to its size and newness, you’ll be given more authority and visibility.

Are you a risk-taker?
Start-ups are risky because you’re building something from nothing. If the company receives funding, salaries will be raised and you may inch towards your market rate. However if the start-up doesn’t do well, you’ll be out of a job when the company runs out of money. It’s disheartening, but remember – you are in the early stages of your career, so it will be easier for you to move on.


A corporate job, on the other hand, involves little risk. So if you don’t have the stomach for uncertainty, this may be the right choice for you.


Are you flexible about pay? 
Compensation is a key differentiator in the start-up versus corporate job debate. Many start-ups offer intangible perks, such as flexibility and a unique culture, in place of a steady income and benefits. And while the likelihood of you being offered equity or ownership of the company is higher with a start-up, to make a financial killing, you need to be among the first few employees. Who could forget Infosys, who is well known for making its early employees millionaires, so much so its drivers, electricians were among the few who made it big.


Conclusion
As a new graduate joining a start-up, you’ll be guaranteed a multi-dimensional role whereas a corporate job will set on you on the straight and narrow. Both paths can lead to success; you need to decide which way to go based on your career goals. Will you flourish in an out-of the-box kind of set up, or are you more suited for a structured work environment? Your personality, work style and career needs will determine what’s best for you.

Like what you’ve read? Join Monster to get personalized articles and job recommendations—and to help recruiters find you. And if you think you're cut out for a StartUp career, find a StartUp job here.

MSD show you how to captain your team with a cool head

Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays multiple roles with elan. He’s the captain of the Indian cricket team, a batsman who can change the game, a wicketkeeper whose one-liners egg his bowlers on, an occasional bowler, and a role model for players and fans. It was under his captaincy that India climbed to No. 1 in the ICC Test Rankings in 2009. He led the Indian team to many wins, the most famous being the one in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final against Sri Lanka with his match-winning knock of unbeaten 91.

But it wasn’t easy for Dhoni to get past the many challenges and tests that life – and cricket – threw at him. What’s helped him become one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian cricket is that he’s maintained his calm and led from the front under pressure. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has famously said that Mahi was the best captain he had played under, adding that his handling of pressure was “incredible”. But Captain Cool makes short work of pressure. “It's like having 100 kg put over you. After that, even if you pit a mountain, it will not make a difference,” he has said.

Dhoni keep his head when all around him people are losing theirs, and here’s what you can learn from him:

#1 Stay calm in the face of criticism
These lines of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If, may well have been written for leaders: “If you can keep your head when all about you, are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” It’s not easy to stay unruffled when you and your decisions are gathering flak but maintaining your composure and having the ability to transform a crisis into positive action is a major determinant of success as a leader. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, cricket analyst Ravi Shastri referred to Team India as the “underdogs”. As he picked up the trophy, Dhoni responded to that label: “I remember you called us underdogs and so we have won the cup for you.”

Lesson: Don’t let people’s remarks get to you. Stay cool and focus on your work. Let your work speak for you.

#2 Always think out of the box
In the 2011 World Cup, Mahi, sorely out-of-form, decided that he would come in to bat at No 5 before Yuvraj Singh, the man in form. He went on to hit the winning runs and was declared man of the match. In the 2007 T20 World Cup, he chose to give inexperienced pacer Joginder Sharma the ball in the last over. In the 2013 Champions Trophy Final, which India won, he gave Ravichandran Ashwin the ball in the last over. He keeps everyone guessing amidst pressure, an ability that’s game-changing.

Lesson: Think on your feet and be a quick decision maker. A good leader should always have a Plan B in mind.

#3 Don’t let emotions get in the way
Dhoni is called Captain Cool for a reason. No matter what the situation may be, he isn’t perturbed. Sledging? He takes it easy and won’t resort to getting into a war of words. He never gets involved in heated arguments and chooses to keep his emotions to himself. Once, abused by a bowler on field, he chose to get the umpire to intervene instead of hitting back. This calm demeanour has helped him win matches, but it’s also ensured that he can cope with losses better.

Lesson: Set an example by staying cool, calm and collected. This helps you think about and handle the googlies being thrown at you better.

#4 Look towards the future
Like all great leaders, Dhoni owns up and takes the fall for his mistakes. He never hesitates to take responsibility for India’s poor performance but he doesn’t dwell on the past. He chooses to tackle things head on and come up with a new game plan and another and another. When asked halfway through a series if India were beaten, he famously said: “Till the full stop doesn't come, the sentence isn't complete.”

Lesson: Take responsisbilty of your actions and then work on a plan to solve the problem.

#5 Win the battle in your head
The actual battleground isn’t a geographic location or a cricket ground; it’s in the minds that the fiercest battles take place. As he says: “Nobody has seen form. It is a state of mind where you are confident and you think very positively.” The cricketer maintains a positive attitude, through ups and downs. His composure and poise rub off on the rest of the team, helping them focus on the matter – or match – at hand.

Lesson: Work on building strengths – your own and the teams – and keep a positive attitude at all times.

To be the best, you need to #LoveWhatYouDo. Find a job that you love here.

How to make a successful career leap :Sushant Singh Rajput

How can you tell if you should change careers or not? Many of us have faced this dilemma at some point in our professional lives. Your salary no longer makes up for the boredom you feel and you know you’re made for better things than what you're currently doing.

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput arrived at this moment of truth while at the peak of his television career. Despite a lead role in the hugely popular soap opera Pavitra Rishta, the actor felt like he was stagnating. “I knew exactly what my character was up to each day. There were no surprises left. I was doing the same thing day in and out. So I left TV,” he said in an interview to Filmfare magazine.

While many performers have failed to make the transition from TV to film, Sushant’s managed to stay ahead in the game with breakout film Kai Po Che. The buzz surrounding his upcoming release MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, where he plays cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is equally strong. “If you strongly desire something, then you should really go for it,” said the actor, who believes that success will come if you #LoveWhatYouDo.

Based on Sushant’s career, here’s what you’ll need to do to make a career leap:

#1 Follow your heart but do your prep
It’s essential to know where your passion lies. Sushant was studying mechanical engineering at Delhi Technological University when he realised that his heart lay in acting, not engineering. He decided to drop out of the college to pursue a career in acting. But he didn’t switch without doing his groundwork. While in college, he joined Shiamak Davar’s dance school. Soon after, he enrolled at Barry John's acting school, where he learnt the basics of acting. For his new movie, Sushant learnt cricket from former Indian cricketer Kiran More and also met Dhoni a couple of times to get to know him better so he could play him better.

Takeaway: Just finding your calling isn’t enough. You need to work towards it. So take a class, get training or find a mentor.

#2 Take small steps, and keep your eyes on the big picture
A career leap is all very well but a gradual approach to changing your career works better for most of us than a radical reinvention. When Sushant decided to take the leap to acting, he went from theatre to TV to cinema – learning and enhancing his skills every step of the way. He was on stage in a play when Ekta Kapoor, who said she would make him a “star”, spotted him. His role as Manav Deshmukh in Pavitra Rishta did just that. But he didn’t stay content and kept experimenting with his choices.

Takeaway: Take up small jobs that are similar to what the big prize is, for you. Preparing for them will make the transition easier.

#3 Keep up-skilling, be it upgrading skills or adding new ones
Shiamak Davar may have told him that he wasn’t “one of my finest dancers” but Sushant – his eyes on Bollywood, perhaps – thought that he could better his dancing skills. He joined Zara Nachke Dikha, a dance reality show in 2009, and followed it up with Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 in 2010. He may not have won either of the shows, but he did make a mark as a dancer of note, with even Madhuri Dixit, a judge on Jhakak Dikhla Jaa, applauding his talent. That’s not all, he even took martial arts classes, worked on a six-pack and learnt ballet. He was planning to go to UCLA to study acting, but changed his mind after he was offered Kai Po Che.

Takeway: Focus on learning new skills that will make you more attractive to potential employers.

#4 Figure out what works for you and then take the leap
Everyone needs to know what they’re willing to do and what they aren’t. Sushant did TV for more than two years. “The money and fame were good but I began feeling suffocated. There was no challenge, no improvisation,” he said in an interview. When he realised he was not learning anything, he decided to take the leap but only after thinking things through. “Actors have their priorities – money, passion, big names, working with friends. I work for the script. I was offered seven single-hero films before this…then I got this [Kai Po Che] script with three main guys. When I read it, I got goose bumps and I knew I had to play Ishaan,” he said.

Takeaway: Your heart may have done the thinking when you made the leap but let your brain decide the way to get it done.

#5 Focus on the journey, not the destination
Sushant, who decided to begin with and stick to unconventional roles, has said that he doesn’t obsess over the destination. “It's the journey that matters more than the destination. Right now is very important,” he said in a recent interview. The actor, who is winning applause for his portrayal of Dhoni even before the film’s release, says his mantra for giving the role his best was living in the moment, what he calls “total immersion”.

Lesson: The result is important, but the many steps that take you there are just as important so focus all the way.

To be the best, you need to #LoveWhatYouDo. Search and find a job that you love here.