PHARMA PLACEMENTS

Counselling

TIPS TO SUCCEED AT INTERVIEW

Believe in yourself and shine at an interview:

Everyone approaches a job interview with some degree of apprehension. Nerves are perfectly natural; the trick is not to let them weigh you down. The main thing to remember is that the employer has asked to see you because they think you are capable of doing the job. Their time is precious and they will be hoping, just as fervently as you, that you are the perfect solution to the vacancy.

At the interview, your main aim is to reinforce the excellent impression made by your CV. You do not want to be stuck for words, so it is important to think about what you are going to say, how you are going to say it and how you are going to act, beforehand.

Here are a few proven strategies that will help you take control of the interview and ensure that the whole process goes smoothly.

Do your homework:

Of course, Pharma Placement recruiters will brief you fully about the company and the position being offered. But it's always worth 'going that extra mile' - you can never have too much information. Try logging on to the company's website, get hold of company literature and find out about competitors. If the opportunity to use this knowledge arises, you'll be able to demonstrate an impressive level of interest in the organisation.

Making a good first impression:

Look smart and professional. When it comes to dressing to impress, always err on the side of 'traditional' rather than 'trendy'.
Take a copy of your CV with you. Even the most efficient companies can mislay or forget to bring a document.
Plan your route and allow plenty of extra time to get to the interview.
Be courteous, make good eye contact, smile and shake hands firmly.

Body language:

You may be superbly qualified for a job, but you must also look motivated and interested. The way you act, your posture, gestures and facial expressions, will reveal a lot about you.

Look the interviewer in the eye and don't be afraid to smile when it is appropriate.
If you are being interviewed by more than one person, always look at and address the person who posed the question, then glance at the others when you have finished your answer.
Adopt a good posture. Don't cross your arms, fidget, tap your feet, sprawl or lean forward anxiously.

Sounding positive:

You must be ready to expand on, not simply regurgitate, the information presented on your CV and anticipate the route the interviewer might take. No one fits a job perfectly so emphasise your most relevant skills and slant answers to reassure the interviewer that any shortfall is not a problem.

Don't use tentative language. Phrases such as 'I feel I could', 'I think I can'. 'Perhaps I would' - dilute the strength of your case. Don't confine your answers to monosyllabic yes and no's which make the interview more like an interrogation.
Be enthusiastic but don't constantly interrupt.
Practice makes perfect. Before the interview, test your fluency by talking out loud or presenting to partners and friends.
Don't be evasive. Make a virtue of any career gaps on your CV.

Handling tough questions with confidence:

Employers will ask questions deliberately designed to see how you behave and react in certain situations. Giving a positive, fluent answer isn't as difficult as it might seem. With a little advance planning, it's perfectly possible to anticipate common general enquiries and prepare a coherent, effective response. In fact, you can turn these questions into an opportunity to take the initiative and 'sell' the exact message you want.

Never answer a question you don't understand with a knee-jerk response. Always seek clarification before answering and if you don't know an answer, it’s much better to admit this than guess.

Be prepared for the following questions:

How would you describe yourself?
How would your manager describe you?
What is your career path for the future / where do you see yourself in 2 years / 5 years time?
What motivates you to be successful?
How do you react when you are left to work without supervision?
Give me an example of when you feel you have coped extremely well under pressure at work?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?

This final question is particularly tricky. Obviously, you can't claim to have no weaknesses, but you don't want to stress anything too negative. The best solution is to admit to one weakness and then turn it around and show how you have constructively overcome it.

The interview is a two-way process:

At the end of the interview, the employer will usually ask if you have any questions about the job or company, so always prepare a few in advance. This is a good chance to clarify any points of doubt - after all, you need to make sure that the job is exactly what you expected and what you want.

Suggested questions to ask:

What are the opportunities for career progression in your organisation?
What are the training opportunities?
What would be my responsibilities precisely?
What are the targets for the first 6 months?
How long will it take you to make a final recruitment decision?

Closing on a confident note:

Leave the employer with a good final impression. Smile, thank them for their time, and say you enjoyed discussing the job and that you look forward to hearing from them soon. Don't add any afterthoughts as you leave the room.

You are almost there:

Some people always seem to succeed at interviews. They're not lucky; their secret is careful preparation. The better prepared you are, the more confidant you will be and the more success you will have. And remember, when you go to an interview you have already beaten most candidates and the employer wants you to succeed.

GOOD LUCK!

Top

Content:

Your aim is to convince the employer that you have the necessary experience, knowledge and hunger to do the job.

Many CVs do nothing more than provide a stark list of job titles and duties; but all companies are results-orientated

So you must emphasize what you've achieved within a role, show how you added value to a company or
How you made a difference.
Always be honest about your achievements and skills and make sure the information is up to date
Just one extra qualification or skill could make all the difference between getting an interview or not.

Qualifications & Education:

When it comes to qualifications and professional training, take the same approach as with your employment history. Begin with your most recent qualifications and work back; if you have a degree or higher qualification, there may not be a need to include an extensive list of your junior educational certificates.

And if you are in education at the moment, expand on areas of your studies that might be relevant to the post you are applying for.

Structure:

Personal Details:
Start with your personal details (name, address, phone number, age and nationality).
Personal Profile … Give a short 3 or 4 line personal profile summarizing your skills, experience, knowledge and career aspirations. It's the perfect way to give the employer an overview of your suitability for the job.

Career History:
Employers are more interested in what you are doing now, or have done recently.
So if you are already in employment, focus on your career history first and then move on to your academic Qualifications.
(If you are a college-leaver or still in education, start with details of your education and academic achievements.)

Pay particular attention to dates and places—i.e., periods of employment--as mistakes in these areas may leave an Impression of sloppiness, or worse, fudging on your part.

List all the jobs you have held chronologically, with the most recent first. For each give your job title,
The name of the company and the period of employment. Follow this with a description of the role,
Your key responsibilities and remember to highlight any achievements.

For previous jobs keep the details briefer - unless they were more significant in terms of the post you are applying for.

Interests:

Be truthful about your leisure interests. If you can tie them in with the job selection criteria, for example, to show that you are a team player, then do so, but never risk claiming something you can't back up at interview. The chances are you'll be found out.

If you are just starting out in the job market, give any evidence you can to demonstrate initiative or practical skills, for example, voluntary work, elected office in a society, member of a sports team or contributor to a college magazine.

Be concise:

Resumes are often read in 30 seconds or less so be brief, straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points to underscore important information. Employ paragraph breaks, lines, Bar charts, Pie Charts and numbers. A standard resume should be no more than two pages—three at most if you have extensive professional experience. Beyond that, your resume needs serious editing.

Here are ten achievements topics employers like to see in an applicant. Each has an example of the achievement and you can use this as a guide to developing your own.

1.	Saving money or reducing costs Initiated and implemented the JIT inventory method, resulting in a cost saving of Rs 200,000 per annum
2.	Taking on extra responsibility Successfully undertook the additional responsibility of covering a vacant territory and achieved targets of both territories.
3.	Introducing a new system or process Initiated, developed and administered an induction program to ensure new employees were familiar with the workplace.
4.	Improving an existing system or process Replaced the paper-based stationery ordering system with an emailed spreadsheet, which resulted in less order errors.
5.	Exceeding targets or objectives Exceeded the annual sales target by 10% in the first year and by 15% in the second year.
6.	Exceeding customer expectations Received three written commendations from customers for excellent customer service, friendliness and product knowledge.
7.	Solving problems Successfully recovered critical information from the network file-server after it had been infected with a virus.
8.	Generating income Designed and created promotional flyers with discount vouchers, resulting in 10% increase in sales during the month.
9.	Improving employee morale Suggested and organized a social committee to arrange after work social activities for all employees, allowing employees to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere.
10.	Developing staff Successfully managed a poor performing employee into a competent employee through counseling and the introduction of key performance indicators.

Employers can be suspicious, so don't leave gaps in your career history . Account for everything, even for time spent outside of professional work (e.g., “1990-1992—Full-time MBA,” or “1998-1999--Study and travel”).

If you took a year out to travel, say so and make a virtue of it.

There's no reason to say why you are moving on. That will make a good topic of conversation at the interview.

Top