Smarty's Blog

…I have always wondered who is the ” Adhinayak ” and ” Bharat bhagya Vidhata “, Whose praise we are singing. I thought might be Motherland India! Our current National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana” is sung throughout the country. Did you know the following about our national anthem, I didn’t.
To begin with, India ’s national anthem, Jana Gana Mana Adhinayak, was written by Rabindranath Tagore in honour of King George V and the Queen of England when they visited India in 1919. To honour their visit Pandit Motilal Nehru had the five stanzas included, which are in praise of the King and Queen.(And most of us think it is in the praise of our great motherland!!!)
In the original Bengali verses only those provinces that were under British rule, i.e . Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat , Maratha etc.were mentioned.
None of the princely states were recognized which are integral parts of India now Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra, Mysore or Kerala.
Neither the Indian Ocean nor the Arabian Sea was included, since they were directly under Portuguese rule at that time. The Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka implies that King George V is the lord of the masses and Bharata Bhagya Vidhata is ” the bestower of good fortune “.

Following is a translation of the five stanzas that glorify the King:

First stanza: (Indian) People wake up remembering your good name and ask
for your blessings and they sing your glories. (Tava shubha name jaage;
tava shubha aashish maage, gaaye tava jaya gaatha)

Second stanza: Around your throne people of all religions come and give their love and anxiously wait to hear your kind words.

Third stanza: Praise to the King for being the charioteer, for leading the ancient travelers beyond misery.

Fourth stanza : Drowned in the deep ignorance and suffering, poverty-stricken, unconscious country? Waiting for the wink of your eye and your mother’s (the Queen’s) true protection.

Fifth stanza : In your compassionate plans, the sleeping Bharat ( India ) will wake up.
We bow down to your feet O’ Queen, and glory to Rajeshwara (the King).

This whole poem does not indicate any love for the Motherland but depicts a bleak picture.

When you sing Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, whom are you glorifying? Certainly not the Motherland. Is it God? The poem does not indicate that It is time now to understand the original purpose and the implication of this, rather than blindly sing as has been done the past fifty years.

Pt. Nehru chose the present national anthem as opposed to Vande Mataram because the thought (?) that it would be easier for the band to play!!!

It was an absurd reason but Today for that matter bands have advanced and they can very well play any music. So they can as well play Vande Mataram, which is a far better composition in praise of our Dear Motherland – India .

Wake up, it’s high time! Shouldn’t Vande Mataram be our National Anthem. Come Join together to put Vande Mataram as our National Anthem.

When you are asked to “tell me about you”,

First, do not repeat whatever is there already in your resume ‘cos it will annoy the interviewer.
Second, it is your chance to break the ice and make both yourself and the interviewer comfortable
Third, you will be selling yourself and take utmost care about what you are speaking.. It is always good to prepare a script and practice it. Don’t use too complex vocabulary. Make it short and sweet. Start off with a personal sketch of yours and then get into academics and at last the professinal part
Do seek permission if you are quoting interesting incidents from your previous jobs (which should be related to help you getting this job)

Last finish with a personal touch which the interviewer remembers for atleast another hour or so.

Keep your cool. Speak slow and modulate. Open pam gesture and good body lang. will add on..

Its personal openion but my HR after me joining there disclosed in front of me that what she was expecting as an answer to this question.

Its very rare that while going for an interview people make enquiry about the company for which they are going. After getting a call from the company i make some enquiry from here and there and rest after visiting their website that what is company upto and in which field, then i calculated for which post i was called and imagined what would be in their mind when they thought of my name.

In this way i prepared 2 or 3 pages of free text which i could answer for any kind of general purpose question, and for next technical round i was already prepared.
————————————————————–
Why are you the best person for the job?
I ‘ve held a lot of positions like this one, and that
experience will help me here.”
“Because I am good at what I do.”
“Our discussion here leads me to believe this is a good
place to work.”
“You need someone who can produce results, and my
background and experience are proof of my ability. For
example…”
—————————————————————
If asked a point blank question such as: Are you
creative? Are you analytical? Can you work under
pressure…etc. What is the best way to answer?
Answer yes or no.
Answer yes and give a specific example.
Answer yes and give an explanation.
—————————————————————
Tell us about yourself.
Outline personal data, hobbies, and interests.
Give an overview of your personality and work habits.
Give three specific examples of your personality traits
and accomplishments.
—————————————————————
What was your CGPA? Why is it low? (the question may be
asked for percentage or CGPA as the case may be)
My CGPA is —– basically because I had a lot of fun in
college.
My CGPA is —– because I held a full time job while in
college, working my way through school. It is not
reflective of my ability to do the job.
My CGPA is —— which I don’t think is too low, at
least compared to my friends.
—————————————————————
What are you looking for in a position?
“I’m looking for an opportunity to apply my skills and
contribute to the growth of the company while helping
create some advancement opportunities for myself.”
“I’m looking for an organization that will appreciate my
contributions and reward my efforts.”
“I’m looking for a position that will allow me to make
enough money to support my lifestyle. I am a hard worker
and will give a concerted effort to earn the money I
need.”
—————————————————————
What do you know about our organization?
“I’ve done a little homework and here is what I know
about your organization…(cite examples)”.
“Everything I’ve seen and heard makes me want to be a
part of this organization. I understand your industry is
________ and your primary customer is __________. A
particularly exciting part of your business appears to
be _________ .”
“I know enough to say that this is an exciting place to
work. It is fit for my career goals.”
—————————————————————
What is your weakness?
I get really frustrated with my co-workers when they
whine about everything.
I don’t “toot my own horn”. I like to go in and get the
job done and I don’t dwell on who gets credit.
I don’t think I have a weakness.
—————————————————————
How would you characterize your work style?
I am a very driven person. I make a list of what needs
to be done and then tackle the items until I’ve
completed the job.
I show up whenever I’m scheduled to work.
I haven’t held a job yet so I don’t know what my work
style will be.
—————————————————————
What are your strengths?
“I am good at giving constructive criticism to my
co-workers. This honesty is something I’m very proud of
and have found essential to having open working
relationships.”
“I consider myself to be very consistent. I have proven
myself to be someone who can be counted upon to do what
is expected.”
“I would have to chose between two skills. I am very
proud of my determination and ability to get things
done. At the same time, I am very proud of my analytical
abilities and problem solving skills. These skills
combine to give me a unique ability to solve problems
and then implement the solutions.”
—————————————————————
How would co-workers describe you?
“They perceive me as a leader. The people who have
worked with me learned great deal and accomplished in
many cases more than they thought possible.”
“My employees would tell you they got direction when
they needed and the room to work when it was
appropriate. I believe a measure of a good manager is
how much he is able to get done through others.”
“They perceive me as someone who cared about them
personally and had high expectations. I get a great deal
of satisfaction from helping others do their best. My
former employees would highlight three of my priorities
which are to build loyalty and a team environment,
obtain results and develop people.”
—————————————————————
What did you like and dislike about college?
I didn’t like the tremendous amount of homework some
professors assigned us. I liked those professors who
realized, I had a life outside of class.
I liked the opportunity to be involved on campus. It was
a small campus that allowed students to take
responsibility, organize events and be a part of the
planning team. I can’t really think of anything that I
disliked, college was a wonderful experience.
I liked having Wednesdays off. I think the thing I
disliked most was living in the dorms.
—————————————————————
Are you willing to relocate?
No.
I’m open to opportunities within the company so if that
involves relocation I would consider it.
I’d move, but I know your headquarters is in Alaska and
that’s too cold for me.
—————————————————————
What are your short term goals?
“Short term, I just want a job.”
“Bills are beginning to pile up. In the short run I need
to find work so I can keep up with my obligations.”
“Short-term, I’d like to find a position that is a good
fit and where I can contribute to a company’s bottom
line. The position we are here to discuss today would
appear to be such an opportunity.Could you tell me more
about it?”
—————————————————————
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
I haven’t really thought that far ahead but I think I’d
want your job.
“If selected I would hope to meet my goals and take
advantage of opportunities to learn so I will be
considered for other positions within the company. I
hope to build my career with a company such as this one.”
“I hope to start my own business.”
—————————————————————
Describe a situation you’ve encountered with a difficult
customer.
In my last job I dealt with customers at a retail store.
One customer wanted to return an item she had obviously
bought several years ago, which was against store
policy. I talked to her calmly and explained our
policies and encouraged her to shop and I would exchange
the item however I could not give a refund.
I rarely encounter a difficult customer because of my
excellent customer service.
I had a customer once who claimed her steak was not
cooked correctly….I picked up a knife and cut it open
and explained that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Before we go any further, what kind of money do you need
to make?
“My salary requirements are negotiable. Your firm has a
reputation of compensating employees fairly and I trust
you would do the same in my case. I am very interested
in finding the right opportunity and will be open to any
fair offer when I do so.”
“Money is not very important to me. I need to be able to
pay the bills but the work environment is far more
important to me.”

“A dramatically loser story” many of you may think.But it isn’t !! Surprised??? Many of those who have a sound technical seem to be a bit less in the general interview behavior..
Three things matter the most apart from your technical knowledge
1. Body Language & Etiquette
2. Communication
3. Appearance
4. CV

Now lets get into the big picture

Body Language

1. Don’t cross your arms or legs –
You have probably already heard you shouldn’t cross your arms as it might make you seem defensive or guarded. This goes for your legs too. Keep your arms and legs open.

2. Have eye contact, but don’t stare –
If there are several people you are talking to, give them all some eye contact to create a better connection and see if they are listening. Keeping too much eye-contact might creep people out. Giving no eye-contact might make you seem insecure. If you are not used to keeping eye-contact it might feel a little hard or scary in the beginning but keep working on it and you’ll get used to it.

3. Don’t be afraid to take up some space –
Taking up space by for example sitting or standing with your legs apart a bit signals self-confidence and that you are comfortable in your own skin.

4. Relax your shoulders –
When you feel tense it’s easily winds up as tension in your shoulders. They might move up and forward a bit. Try to relax. Try to loosen up by shaking the shoulders a bit and move them back slightly.

5. Nod when they are talking –
Nod once in a while to signal that you are listening. But don’t overdo it and peck like Woody Woodpecker.

6. Don’t slouch, sit up straight –
But in a relaxed way, not in a too tense manner.

7. Lean, but not too much –
If you want to show that you are interested in what someone is saying, lean toward the person talking. If you want to show that you’re confident in yourself and relaxed lean back a bit. But don’t lean in too much or you might seem needy and desperate for some approval. Or lean back too much or you might seem arrogant and distant.

8. Smile and laugh –
Lighten up, don’t take yourself too seriously. Relax a bit, smile and laugh when someone says something funny. People will be a lot more inclined to listen to you if you seem to be a positive person. But don’t be the first to laugh at your own jokes, it makes you seem nervous and needy. Smile when you are introduced to someone but don’t keep a smile plastered on your face, you’ll seem insincere.

9. Don’t touch your face –
It might make you seem nervous and can be distracting for the listeners or the people in the conversation.

10. Keep you head up -
Don’t keep your eyes on the ground, it might make you seem insecure and a bit lost. Keep your head up straight and your eyes towards the horizon.

11. Slow down a bit –
This goes for many things. Walking slower not only makes you seem more calm and confident, it will also make you feel less stressed. If someone addresses you, don’t snap you’re neck in their direction, turn it a bit more slowly instead.

12. Don’t fidget –
Try to avoid, phase out or transform fidgety movement and nervous ticks such as shaking your leg or tapping your fingers against the table rapidly. You’ll seem nervous and fidgeting can be a distracting when you try to get something across. Declutter your movements if you are all over the place. Try to relax, slow down and focus your movements.

13. Use your hands more confidently –
Instead of fidgeting with your hands and scratching your face use them to communicate what you are trying to say. Use your hands to describe something or to add weight to a point you are trying to make. But don’t use them to much or it might become distracting. And don’t let your hands flail around, use them with some control.

14. Lower your drink –
Don’t hold your drink in front of your chest. In fact, don’t hold anything in front of your heart as it will make you seem guarded and distant. Lower it and hold it beside your leg instead.

15. Realise where you spine ends –
Many people (including me until recently) might sit or stand with a straight back in a good posture. However, they might think that the spine ends where the neck begins and therefore crane the neck forward in a Montgomery Burns-pose. Your spine ends in the back of your head. Keep you whole spine straight and aligned for better posture.

16. Don’t stand too close –
One of the things we learned from Seinfeld is that everybody gets weirded out by a close-talker. Let people have their personal space, don’t invade it.

17. Mirror -
Often when you get along with a person, when the two of you get a good connection, you will start to mirror each other unconsciously. That means that you mirror the other person’s body language a bit. To make the connection better you can try a bit of proactive mirroring. If he leans forward, you might lean forward. If she holds her hands on her thighs, you might do the same. But don’t react instantly and don’t mirror every change in body language. Then weirdness will ensue.

18. Keep a good attitude –
Last but not least, keep a positive, open and relaxed attitude. How you feel will come through in your body language and can make a major difference. For information on how make yourself feel better read 10 ways to change how you feel and for relaxation try A very simple way to feel relaxed for 24 hours.

Communication

* Being able to be clearly understood when you speak, and the ability to listen to and understand what others say are clearly important, particularly given that speech remains the form of communication most often used.
* As a job applicant, these skills are clearly important in interview situations, and ultimately in the workplace. The more opportunities you take to practice these skills, the more confident you will become. It is worth remembering that you will develop these skills in a variety of contexts. These include activities you undertake outside the curriculum, including any paid employment.
* Speak more slowly than you would normally. You will probably have good public speaking skills from lecturing experience and giving conference papers, but because you are unusually nervous you might speak too quickly
* If you are faced with a question that you are unsure of, admit it. Do not try to bluff your way out of it ‘politician-style’ by changing the subject or answering a different question. It is much more professional to ask the speaker to rephrase the question, or to be light-hearted and admit you don’t know the answer. Your interviewers will respect you more for being honest.
* Even if you feel the interview has gone badly, try to leave on a positive note. Thank the panel for their time and say that you look forward to hearing from them soon. Perhaps say that you have found the day very challenging but rewarding. Give a firm handshake and look the panel members in the eye. This will linger in their minds and will leave a better impression than slinking off with barely a word.

Things not to speak at an Interview

1. Non-words: Filler words such as “um,” “ah,” “you know,” “OK” or “like” tell the interviewer you’re not prepared and make you sound like a Valley Girl (or Boy).
2. “Up-Talk”: A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression and makes it sound as though you’re asking a question instead of making a definitive statement
3. Grammatical Errors: The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as “ain’t” “she don’t,” “me and my friend” and “so I goes to him” aren’t appropriate.
4. Sloppy Speech: Slurring words together or dropping their endings impairs the clarity of your message. To avoid slurring and increase understanding, speak slowly during an interview.
5. Speed Talking: While everybody is a bit anxious during an interview, you don’t want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow, and speed talkers are seen as nervous.
6. Weak Speak: Wimpy words modify or water down your conviction and in the end your position. When you pepper a conversation with “hopefully,” “perhaps,” “I feel,” “kind of” and “sort of,” the message you convey is a lack of confidence. Use power words such as “I’m confident that,” “my track record shows,” “I take the position that,” “I recommend” or “my goal is.” The language you use gives the listener an impression about your level of confidence and conviction.

Appearance
Dressing Up
Men’s Interview Attire

* Suit (solid color – navy or dark grey)
* Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
* Belt
* Tie
* Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
* Little or no jewelry
* Neat, professional hairstyle
* Limit the aftershave
* Neatly trimmed nails
* Portfolio or briefcase

Women’s Interview Attire

*
* Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
* The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
* Coordinated blouse
* Conservative shoes
* Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
* No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
* Professional hairstyle
* Neutral pantyhose
* Light make-up and perfume
* Neatly manicured clean nails
* Portfolio or briefcase

What Not to Bring to the Interview

* Gum
* Cell phone
* Ipod
* Coffee or soda
* If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home (earrings only, is a good rule)
* Cover tattoos

Interview Attire Tips

* Before you even think about going on an interview, make sure you have appropriate interview attire and everything fits correctly.
* Get your clothes ready the night before, so you don’t have to spend time getting them ready on the day of the interview.
* If your clothes are dry clean only, take them to the cleaners after an interview, so they are ready for next time.
* Polish your shoes.
* Bring a breath mint and use it before you enter the building.

Your image is the ”Home Page” of your personal web site and a web page of your company’s site. Do others click on you as having the answers? Do they see you as having the ability to get the job done, or do they surf on?

Communication statistics reveal that in only five to thirty seconds, three things are determined about you, whether accurate or false:

1) Your Socioeconomic Status
2) Your Educational Level
3) Your Desirability
__________________