Ongoing pandemic has set a new normal. It has impacted the recruitment processes. Previously, personal interviews were mainly performed in common venues or at the headquarters. As the country is under lockdown, which is a worldwide occurrence, people are preferring online mode for personal interviews for seeking personnel.
While recruiting is slow, some industries, such as IT and manufacturing, are gaining up. The most recent GDP growth prediction of India confirms this. Markets, in my opinion, will take up after the vaccination campaign goes across the country, as more and more states open up for business. This will undoubtedly increase the demand for consumer products and services in the following days. However, students must be prepared to take advantage of this chance.
Online interviews, such as Google Meet, Zoom, and Webex, will make life easier because you will not have to drive long distances for interviews. Interview locations used to be as far away as Delhi, Kolkota, and Mumbai. Many times, people lacked the funds or the guts to travel to those locations, resulting in missed opportunities.
I, too, passed up several such opportunities. I passed the BHEL test during my M.Tech days but did not attend the interview. However, the final test was approaching, and I didn't want to take any chances. It's no longer an issue. You may connect to the rest of the world from the comfort of your own home. However, the internet has become quite invasive. There is no fixed working hour these days as we all strive to accommodate one another, which was not an issue back in the day when everyone was accessible for consultation during office hours.
I've had some experience with telephone interviews. In 2010, there was no video calling capability, and our phones were simple feature phones, so we couldn't make use of it in any manner. In my last year of M.Tech, I applied for a paid internship at Dalkia Energy Services in New Delhi. I sent a good cover letter with my resume or CV. I received a response within a few days, and they informed me that they will do a telephone interview.
I was unfamiliar with telephone interviews, and there was little information about them on the internet. So I was on my own. I began to consider it and pulled out my résumé. I figured out the questions they may ask based on my CV because I just provided my resume.
I mentioned my B. Tech project and M.Tech case studies on my resume. So I focused on such topics and some basic Mechanical engineering general knowledge questions that anyone may ask in the future. Then, while I was in class, the phone rang, and the receptionist informed me that I had an interview at 4 p.m. So I prepared myself with my Samsung Flip phone, which I still have at home in Jorhat.
I prayed to God while I laid out my resume, B.tech thesis, and all of my case studies in front of me. Then the phone rang. It was a formal interview. They had assembled a panel of five individuals to interview an intern!!! Oh my God. This was outrageous.
I introduced them, which I had been working on for a week, and questions began to pour in. The majority of the information came from a résumé or CV. I felt at ease replying since I was completely involved in my project and case studies. I've seen that when you accomplish anything on your own, it sticks with you even if you're not in touch for a long period.
The questions continued flowing from the case studies on diesel engine setups at Tezpur University, to which I responded confidently and easily. The interview went well, and it was my first. It was 45 minutes long. That was a tough one. Then I dashed to the Energy Department at Tezpur University to finish my laboratory class for the day.
We now have video interviews that are more like traditional interviews but are conducted remotely. However, the essential rules of engagement remain the same. To get hired, you must improve your knowledge, soft skills, and hard talents, as well as demonstrate a strong desire to work for the firm. People, on the other hand, prefer to take these interviews lightly because they come casually in their sleeping pajamas with no clean composure. That's a huge letdown.
Whether it is an online or in-person interview, you should look your best on the day of the interview. Your image projection shapes people's perceptions of you. A good product with terrible marketing does not sell, and the same is true for humans. Aside from that, one should thoroughly inspect their system and network. For such an important gathering, at least one convenient location should be reserved. Otherwise, such difficulties upset others and cause them to disregard you.
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