The Trick Question in the Interviews

(Source:pexels.com)

Interviews are tough these days. Even it is tough for the interviewers also. Some of the company relegates the hiring process to some private companies. They are under contract to deliver the best people to the firm. So, they try to check up on the candidates in every possible way. They use every trick in the trade to find out your personality. Often, people are shy, lack leadership qualities, and are by no means team players. They try to root out such candidates by asking various behavioral questions. Well, I have discussed in length behavioral questions in my previous post (check the link). I was having a chat with a friend recently. He was sharing with me his campus placement experience in college days. In one of the PSU interviews, they asked him what he would like to do after engineering after seeing his GATE scorecard. He quickly answered that he would love to join an excellent institute for higher study.

 

Later, when he checked the campus placement results, candidates having the slightest possibility had their names and not his. This disheartened him. Now, let us understand this incident. When some organization goes for hiring, it costs them money and time. If they recruit candidates who may leave the company soon, they tend to avoid them because nobody likes to redo the same redundant processes. These are companies for making a profit, not to employ the people for charity. They hire because they have a need. We should understand this. So, the question thrown to him was a trick question. These questions fall under behavioral questions. We should know how to counter them. The better way to counter the question may be, “Yes, sir; I have cleared GATE. It is a competitive exam, and I often like to appear for such exams to check my technical knowledge. But, I have always dreamt of working in your company since my college days because the company is engaged in machine learning/ hardcore mechanical engineering/ artificial intelligence as its core business. I am really interested in the field and looking forward to working in this area”. So, this is just an example. You can further make some modifications to the answer to suit your narration. The motive is to show that you are super excited to work in their company. If somebody is super excited, people also get excited. This happens in day-to-day life also. If somebody shares the same hobbies as yours, you like to associate with such people. The same psychology does play here also.  

#Follow us on: The Review Facebook Page
#Follow us on Twitter:The Review

Our popular blog posts

1. Behavioral questions (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/03/understanding-behavioral-questions-in.html)

2. Tellin your story(https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/02/telling-your-story-in-linkedin-for-job.html)

3. Personal branding (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/02/personal-branding-for-job-interviews.html)

4. Soft skill hard skill (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/01/soft-skill-for-job-interviews-for.html)

5. Transferable skill (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/01/transferable-skills-concept-definition.html)

6. Enhancing employability (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/12/enhancing-your-employability-during.html)

7. Cover letter (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/12/cover-letters-and-resumes-t-p-on.html)

8. Professional networking (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/12/professional-networking-benefits-for.html)

9. Communication tips (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/11/communication-tips-for-interviews.html)

10. Being articulate (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/11/being-articulate-for-interviews.html)

11. Mirroring Techniques (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/10/mirroring-technique-to-master-for.html)

12. Personal job interview (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/10/personal-interview-t-p-on-wednesdaysl-06.html)

13. Group discussion (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/09/group-discussion-in-placement-drive-dos.html)

14. How to sell yourself (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/09/how-to-sell-yourself-sunday-series-with.html)

15. Your Attire Carry You (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/09/your-attire-carry-you-t-p-series-on.html)

16. Leadership (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2020/07/leadership-quality.html)

17. What are your strengths? (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/07/what-areyour-strengths-t-p-series-on.html)

18. What are your weaknesses? (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/08/what-are-your-weaknesses.html)

19. Tell me about yourself. (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/08/tell-me-about-yourself-introduce.html)

20. Online Interviews, Telephonic Interviews, etc. (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/09/online-interviews-telephonic-interviews.html)

21. Avoiding Herd Mentality During College Life(https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/11/avoiding-herd-mentality-sunday-binge.html)

22. Considering Oneself as a Business of One (Sunday Binge Reading:03) (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/12/considering-oneself-as-business-of-one.html)

23. Do you put your future in others' hands?( https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/12/do-you-put-your-future-in-others-hands.html)

24. Are You Employable by Private or Govt Sector Companies? https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2021/12/are-you-employable-by-private-or-govt.html)

25. Common Mistakes in a Cover Letter & Resume (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/01/common-mistakes-in-cover-letter-resume.html)

26. Everything boils down to communication at the end (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/01/everything-boils-down-to-communication.html)

27. What Chetan Bhagat Has to say about Networking? (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/01/what-chetan-bhagat-has-to-say-about.html)

28. Remember what you read!!!! Digest what you read!!! (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/02/remember-what-you-read-digest-what-you.html)

29. Kaizen: Continuous improvement for students (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/02/kaizen-continuous-improvement-for.html)

30. Shark Tank: A must watch for Entrepreneurs (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/02/shark-tank-must-watch-for-entrepreneurs.html)

31. How to write an excellent answer? (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/02/how-to-write-excellent-answer-sunday.html)

32. Four Tips for Linked In

 (https://authenticmedia2020.blogspot.com/2022/02/four-tips-for-linked-in-t-p-series-on.html)

 

 

How to write an excellent answer? ( Sunday Binge Reading:10)

 

(Photo courtesy: pexels.com) 

I was too a student. I spent years writing answers in the exams. Throughout our life, we have never been told how to write the answer in a manner that fetches good marks. I learned how to go about it in bits and pieces by the hit and trial method.

As a student, I thought that whatever I wrote was superclass or epic. But, marks told the opposite. Later, I learned a few things, which helped me get good marks to some extent. Recently, I did some study regarding this and watched some Dristi IAS videos where they explained how to write in IAS exams. But, technical writing is slightly different because we do derivation and problem-solving apart from general answering. However, I picked up some general tips regarding writing an answer from the videos. So, these are the tips that may be beneficial to you.

(1) Handwriting

Handwriting is very important. In exams, one is communicating through his or her handwriting only. Many people have illegible handwriting. That is a big problem. If the examiner cannot understand the text, he cannot award a mark. Often, the examiner tends to give an average mark or sometimes less. Even if you are writing a perfect answer, this is of no use unless your handwriting is good. You will end up getting marks below your expectation. That isn't good. One can improve handwriting by practice. It takes one or two months at best. While writing, the words should be appropriately spaced and written in a straight direction. The text size should be medium. Besides, one should avoid flowery style. Sometimes, it clutters the whole reading experience.Above all, it should be neat and clean to look at.  People in IAS coaching institutes are always taught how to write their papers.  

(2)   Statement

In engineering exams, many a time, students are asked to write statements about a scientific law such as Newton's laws, Hooke's, etc. Generally, the statements should be written as they have been stated. After that, one might be asked to derive it also. So, derivations should be clean without any missing steps. This leaves no scope for the examiner to deduct marks.

(3) Scoring points

When we do not know something, we try to beat around the bush. It may help in day-to-day conversation, but it is useless in the exam. The examiners are dealing with the subject matter for a long time. They know the nook and corner of the subject very well after long years of experience. So, one cannot win them over by some lame points. They feel excited by the facts or an excellent explanation of the topic. So, while writing a descriptive answer dealing with a concept, one should try to touch on the  relevant points of the topic. Writing unnecessary & meaningless matter raise the integrity issue regarding the writer. It gives an impression of ignorance about the topic. Additionally, one should include examples as much as possible.

(4) Diagrams

Flow diagrams and schematic diagrams are integral parts of engineering life. Let us consider you are writing an answer. In that answer, you are describing a concept in a paragraph. In that case, one can draw a flow diagram or schematic diagram to explain a paragraph in a better manner. This helps the examiner to understand the topic in the shortest possible time. Moreover, it helps to set up an image in his head that you know whatever you are writing. However, one should remember that the schematic diagrams should be drawn by pencil & adequately labelled. A diagram without a label screams a lot about your hold on the topic. It also indicates that the person may be trying to copy and cannot do so due to some problem. Hence, it is half done. Many a time, people try to mislead the examiner with flowery language. That is pretty much useless now a day.

(5) Derivation & problem solving

In engineering exams, students are told to derive expressions. Derivations are very important. One should try to show every step clearly to avoid ambiguity. Otherwise, the examiners might think that the student is just bluffing by jumping the steps. Generally, steps marks are provided in engineering for such steps. Even if you cannot complete the whole derivation, you may get a few marks for the steps. Besides, one should mention the sign convention for ease of understanding. At last, one should not shy away from explanation if it is required in any stage.

The problem-solving is another important aspect while writing a paper in the exam. The problems are more or less like derivations. You have to give diagrams if required and show the steps clearly. Many a time, we develop the unhealthy habit of jumping the steps. We need to keep in mind that the marks are for the clear elaboration of the steps. On the sides of the answer, one can show the calculation with a pencil. It further strengthens the student's credibility . Those who are not transparent try to avoid such transparency. Additionally, one should double-check the units in the problems. Units are very important. Generally, examiners deduct marks for missing units in the problem. Without the units, the figures do not mean anything. Those are just numbers.  

 If you like the post you can read or gift the author's books “B.Tech Guide Book" ,"Campus Placement Guidebook" and "PhD Guidebook" available worldwide in Amazon in Kindle format. These book will help you strategize your life. You will find many important things which are not discussed anywhere. Click in the link below.

 

 

B.Tech Guidebook (Click)

 Campus Placement Guidebook(click)

PhD Guidebook (Click)

 
 

Four Tips for Linked In (T & P series on Wednesdays: 22)

 

(Photo courtesy: pexels.com)

We all know the benefits of social media networking. Nowadays, everybody is doing it; CEOs to students. If you are not doing it, you should start right now. Better late than never. Professional networking takes time to develop. It should have a strategy. In the USA, people get counselling regarding the LinkedIn image.

CEOs of companies are also on the Linked In platform. They consider it very seriously. So, the students should try to be professional on this platform. In our previous post, "Telling Your Story in LinkedIn for Job Interview," we talked about the strategy of using Linked In in the blog. Today, we are discussing a few tips which may enhance your chances in Linked In. These are 

(1) Linked In request

In Linked In also, we need to send the request like Facebook. Before sending a request, one can follow the person and then send the request along with a message so that it doesn't look like a random request. 

(2) Small Tweak in Bio

When you are setting up your profile, as per the strategy discussed in the previous post (Link), you will observe a profile section called the 'Edit intro' section. You are to put relevant information as per strategy, and in the headline section, you can put 'Looking for a job". This feature helps the algorithm suggest your candidature to relevant persons while searching online. Besides that, a section called 'open to' gives an idea recruiter about your job needs in particular fields. You can see this section and click a few broad areas per your liking. It dramatically increases your chances, and also, you get suggested to relevant people in the field. 

(3) Resume

Everyone needs to have a good resume. The resume should be one page, including all relevant information. You can read our previous post called "Cover Lettersand Resumes for Job Interviews". In Linked In, you can build your resume or upload your drafted resume. Only a few people do it. It significantly sets you apart from the other folks. 

(4) Featured Post

Although we discussed the featured post in the previous post (Link), you can give as many as five featured posts to showcase your skills. So, one post for one skill can be shared. 

 If you like the post you can read or gift the author's books “B.Tech Guide Book" ,"Campus Placement Guidebook" and "PhD Guidebook" available worldwide in Amazon in Kindle format. These book will help you strategize your life. You will find many important things which are not discussed anywhere. Click in the link below.

 

 

B.Tech Guidebook (Click)

 Campus Placement Guidebook(click)

PhD Guidebook (Click)