TIPS FOR INTERVIEW SUCCESS
As with all interviews, it is important to prepare fully in advance. Follow these five tips below to give yourself the best chance of having an effective video interview that gets you through to the next stage of the application process:
1.Make sure that you set up everything you need well before the interview is scheduled to start. This includes turning your computer on at least ten minutes beforehand, and checking your webcam and audio recorder. Also check your battery and internet connection, and make sure that you’ve got any notes or documents you might like to refer to (such as your CV) close to hand.
2.Ensure that you won’t be disturbed. It is a good idea to warn the people you live with in advance and maybe put a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door. Close down all of your other applications on your computer, and turn off your phone (you don’t want to be distracted with emails or other alerts during your interview).
3.Consider the ‘set’ for your interview. Where are you going to sit? Is there anything in the background that you might not want to be there? A plain white wall is often the best background. Check carefully what else is in shot and remove anything that is not compatible with the image you may wish to project. Check your lighting levels: as a rule try to ensure that you’re not sitting with your back to a bright window as it can cause your face to be in shadow.
4.Choose your clothes carefully. Dress just as professionally as you would for a face-to-face interview. Try to avoid busy prints, as they often don’t come across well on video. While only your top half is likely to be visible to the interviewer, it is not a great idea to wear something inappropriate on your lower half. Dressing appropriately will help you get in the right mindset for the interview. Similarly, make sure your hair looks neat, and if you're a man without a beard, shave beforehand (though not immediately beforehand, in case you cut yourself). Check your appearance in your webcam beforehand.
5.Choose a sensible Skype name. You don’t want to be poorly judged before the interview even starts because your username is inappropriate. A video interview can feel dauntingly unfamiliar, though many of the same tools and techniques for success apply, such as ensuring you are answering the question that has been asked, and not going off on a tangent. For automated video interviews in particular, you must keep your focus as you may only have a minute or two to reply. Keep these five guidelines in mind when conducting you for a video interview:
1.Remember that your interviewer has less peripheral information about you, as what they can see is limited to their screen; This makes what you present on that screen extra important. Check your posture (don't slump). Keep hand gestures to a minimum (practice answering questions beforehand into your webcam, and then replay it to see how you come across and what habits you have).
2.be aware of your body language and facial expressions. Ensure you make lots of eye contact with the interviewer, as this can help build rapport. Try to relax and smile, even if you feel uncomfortable.
3.Speak clearly and concisely, and remember there may be a slight lag between you and the interviewer. Make sure that you are giving them time to speak and not interrupting them.
4.Don’t try and do anything else while you’re being interviewed (such as searching Google to find the answer to a question, for example). The interviewer will almost certainly notice and it may ruin your chances of success.
5.Make sure that you actually answer the question being asked and try to use the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Results) to give structure to your responses. Remember to use “I” rather than “we” in your answers.
Practice Makes Perfect
It's always useful to practice your interview technique - and one of the real advantages of video interviews is that you can record yourself, watch it back and enhance your performance. Asking someone else to interview you via video can be even more useful, as you can get their feedback too. Another helpful exercise you might wish to consider is to practice interviewing someone else over video, as you get to see what it looks like from the other side of the table. This can be a useful way to see what works and what doesn't.
Telephone Interview
Although a telephone interview is relatively straightforward, even highly capable candidates can be rejected at this early interview stage if they are inadequately prepared or not used to speaking in a professional manner over the phone. For many candidates, the whole situation can feel unnatural - without eye contact it can be difficult to build rapport and display a strong personality with your interviewer.
Practice
Practice is useful, especially if you haven't worked in an office or used a telephone to talk to clients in previous jobs. If you can, try getting friends or family members to call you and ask interview questions. Candidates who don't think they'll have any trouble with this style of assessment are often the ones that have difficulties.
Research
It is important to find out as much as you possibly can about a company, and a job role, before any type of interview; a telephone interview is no exception. You may receive some information from your prospective employer, but make sure you also visit their website, competitor websites, read relevant trade press and keep aware of current industry specific commercial awareness issues. Be aware of the size of a company, its structure, its products and services, its markets, competitors and future plans.
Plan
Plan for possible questions you may be asked before your interview. Consider answers you can give, including good experience examples for competency based questions. Also spend time thinking up questions you would like to ask your interviewer. Asking your own questions shows you are interested in the company and job role. For example, ask questions that are relevant to you, but not questions that it would be easy to find out the answers to with a little research on a company website, during your telephone interview.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Research suggests that most interviewers' first impressions of candidates are based around assessments made in the first few minutes of an interview. Creating the right impression early on is vital if you want to impress your interviewer.
Make sure you:
• Smile.
• Shake hands confidently.
• Introduce yourself.
• Speak properly.
• Be polite.
• Do not try and be funny, cocky or egotistical. It will backfire. You are there to work and to learn; be enthusiastic.
• Don't make excuses, even if you are late. Only apologies if you have to.
• Don't be late, always be early.
Ultimately you are trying to create the impression that you are a professional person who is more than capable of communicating to a high level in an interview situation. Interviewers will be assessing whether you are responsible enough to deal with clients, and likeable enough to work on their teams. People who impress at interview impress clients. If you make a good impression, you will be hired. Dressing formally is a necessity for anyone going to an interview.
Dress
Always dress well for interviews, you need to be smart. There is nothing wrong with looking good. Even if an office is 'smart casual', you should dress in a suit for the interview day.
Men
Gentlemen should wear a dark blue, black or grey suit that has recently been pressed. Your shirt is a matter of personal preference, but most of the time its best to keep things simple. You can't go wrong with a crisp, well-ironed, white shirt. Very light pastel shade shirts are also acceptable.
Your tie should also be simple and well-ironed. It shouldn't be too shiny. Stick to a strong simple single color such as blue or brown to give the impression that you are confident, professional and reliable.
Women
Women should stay professional for interview and never wear anything revealing. Dark blue, black or grey trouser suits are highly effective interview tools. Keep jewelry and perfume to a minimum. A single piece of bold jewelry can be a good way to express assertiveness and confidence.
Colors
Color can dramatically affect the first 5 second impact on your interviewer. Wear a red tie and you run the risk of being seen as a highly assertive, dominant and possibly even cocky candidate. Wear a yellow or orange tie and you may be seen as a quirky, off-the-wall character and not taken seriously.
For some professions a red tie may be useful. For example, sales companies are often interested in overly confident candidates as they generally make better salesmen. Accountancy firms would be less interested in candidates with red ties. Prospective accountancy candidates should wear more conservative colors such as blue, grey or brown, indicative of sensible, hardworking, conscientious personalities
Being better dressed will not turn a poor candidate into a good one, but it will help you make the 'right' impression on the day. You need to prove to your interviewer that you can represent their company in a professional and appropriate manner in the future and you should dress accordingly at interview.
We recommend wearing a dark suit with a blue or brown tie for jobs in Accountancy, Law and Consulting and a dark suit with a red tie for jobs in Sales and Investment Banking.
HOW IS DRESS COLORS PERCEIVED!
Blue: Confident, reliable, and honest. Wearing a strong blue tie is a good idea for interview!
Brown: Confident, resilient, boring. Brown can be an excellent choice for an interview situation, but be careful. Some brown ties can look terrible, and your interviewer will pick up on this. Make sure you get a second opinion on how you look before you step out.
Red: Assertive, bold, and confident. Be aware that this may make you appear overbearing, over assertive, cocky or arrogant in an interviewers eyes.
Yellow/Orange: Quirky, unusual, off-beat. These colors will get you remembered, but not necessarily for the right reasons. More suited to creative/media jobs.
Black: A black suit will always look good, but you should never wear a black tie to an interview.
Grey: Stylish, but can be dull.
Green: Not a good color for interview, unless it’s a pastel shade. Green is often associated with trust worthiness and deceit.
Striped: Be careful when wearing stripes. Too many stripes will make you seem slightly unhinged and may make your interviewer nervous.
Behavior
You should be on your best behavior in the interview. Candidates should be polite and respectful, responding to the interviewer and his/her questions. Candidates should be assertive and confident, but not interrupt the interviewer and only ask questions when there is a natural break in the conversation or when invited to do so. Never use slang or colloquialisms in an interview. Always speak as you would expect someone in authority to speak to you. If you do make a mistake, quickly correct yourself.
Body Language
Try to remain calm and relaxed, to instill a sense of confidence in your interviewer. Constantly changing your sitting position, moving your hands, arms and feet or changing the position of your head will give the impression that you don't feel comfortable in the interview situation. Although this may be true, it is not something you want your interviewer to be aware of. Instead of thinking about your body, try concentrating on your breathing. By focusing on maintaining a slow and steady breathing rate you will forget about other body movements and consequently move less. Obviously when in interview, make sure you focus on the task at hand. Try and keep your hands and feet out in the open. Don't sit on them and try not to cross arms or legs as this may be seen as defensive and a sign of introversion or fear by your interviewer.
Mirroring
When people are comfortable around other people they tend to mirror their movements, body language, voice and even breathing. In social situations groups of friends tend to move easily among one another, whereas groups of strangers are more uncomfortable around each other. Mirroring your interviewer can be a good idea, to give the impression that you are comfortable around them. Try to sit in a similar way to your interviewer, hold your hands like they hold theirs or even try tilting your head in the same way they do.
Voice
Under the intense pressure of an interview situation your vocal pace is likely to speed up. If you notice this happening, try and slow down. Speaking normally gives the impression of confidence and assertiveness, which is what they are looking for.
Smell
You should be clean for interview but not covered in deodorant or perfume. A light mist of a subtle smelling perfume is more than enough for the close confines of an interview room. Companies are becoming increasingly wary of employing smokers (who tend to take more breaks than non-smokers) and if you are unlucky enough to be interviewed by a non-smoker or hardened anti-smoker, you will give off a very bad impression from the very first moment. If you must smoke before your interview make sure you smoke outside, out of sight, wash your hands, clean your teeth and chew some minty gum. A smoky scent could cost you a job, so don't take the risk.
GROUP DISCUSSION TIPS
Group discussion definition: Group discussion is a methodology used by an organization to measure whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it requirements in its members. In the Group discussion Method the group of candidates is given a topic, given a few minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss the it among themselves for 15-20 minutes. Purpose of the GD is observing the candidates skills.
* Leadership skills
* Ability of Reasoning
* Communication skills
* Initiative skills
* Flexibility
* Ability to work in a team
* Creativeness
* Ability to think on fast
* Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject
How To Analyze The Topic: Once interviewer given the topic we analyze topic with in 2or 3 minutes and write main points in your paper. It is very useful information of Group discussion. These are
* We know what main Aim of the topic is
* Advantages & disadvantages of the topic
* Main causes
* Economical issues
* Political issues
* Social issues
* Legal issues
* Technological details
* Conclusion
* Political issues
* Social issues
* Legal issues
* Technological details
* Conclusion
Types of GD:
Generally Group discussions is two types
* Topic-based GD: Topic-Based GD can be classified into 3 types
1. Factual Topics
2. Controversial Topics
3. Abstract Topics
2. Controversial Topics
3. Abstract Topics
Factual Topics: Factual Topics are Sociology-economic topics; it means current Topics which an ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life. . A factual topic for discussion gives a candidate a ability to prove that he is aware of and receptive to his environment.
E.g. The Politics in India, Education in India, State of the aged in the nation.
Controversial Topics: - Controversial topics are the ones that are challenging in nature. They are meant to generate controversy. Normally in GDs given this type of Topics for observing the noise level, tempers flying, is to see how much maturity the candidate is displaying by maintenance his temper in check, by judiciously and logically arguing his point of view without getting personal and emotional.
E.g.: Women reservations, reservations should be banned; Death sentence is Correct or Not
Abstract Topics: -
Abstract topics mean theoretical topics .Abstract about intangible things. These topics test your lateral thinking and creativity.
E.g. A is an alphabet; the sky is Blue, The number 9
* Case-based GD:
Another difference is the use of a case instead of a topic. The case study is to imitate a real-life situation. Information about the situation will be given to you and you would be asked as a group to resolve the situation. . In the case study there are no inaccurate answers or perfect solutions. The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the situation from various angles.
“Most important points to be remembered for good GD”:
Another difference is the use of a case instead of a topic. The case study is to imitate a real-life situation. Information about the situation will be given to you and you would be asked as a group to resolve the situation. . In the case study there are no inaccurate answers or perfect solutions. The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the situation from various angles.
“Most important points to be remembered for good GD”:
1. Body language
2. Thinking a few minutes before starting of a GD about the Topic.
3. Don’t feel no one is better than you
4. Don ’t express your personal emotions in GD
5. BE strong about of your point
6. Speak confidently and slowly
7. Should not be emotional towards the person who are participating in the GD
8. Our points should not the against the towards government or organization
9. Points should be like a message or information
10. Try to promote the person who are not participating in the GDG confidently
2. Thinking a few minutes before starting of a GD about the Topic.
3. Don’t feel no one is better than you
4. Don ’t express your personal emotions in GD
5. BE strong about of your point
6. Speak confidently and slowly
7. Should not be emotional towards the person who are participating in the GD
8. Our points should not the against the towards government or organization
9. Points should be like a message or information
10. Try to promote the person who are not participating in the GDG confidently
Rules of GD:
GD Do’s:
* Should maintain proper body language like not Shaking of legs$ hands, Playing with pens$ external objects.
* Don’t use the word “I am telling”.
* Use “As per my Knowledge” is better.
* Your body language says a lot about you – your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.
GD Do’s:
* Should maintain proper body language like not Shaking of legs$ hands, Playing with pens$ external objects.
* Don’t use the word “I am telling”.
* Use “As per my Knowledge” is better.
* Your body language says a lot about you – your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.
Don’ts For a GD:
1. Don’t be still
2. Don’t be too AGGRESSIVE either
3. Avoid one to one discussions
4. Don’t hurry
5. Avoid national Language
6. Don’t interrupt unexpectedly – to calm down say
“you are right…………..but I Think ………..”
1. Don’t be still
2. Don’t be too AGGRESSIVE either
3. Avoid one to one discussions
4. Don’t hurry
5. Avoid national Language
6. Don’t interrupt unexpectedly – to calm down say
“you are right…………..but I Think ………..”
Current GD Topics
100% online payment system
Green channel banking
Demonetization
A Uni polar World spells failure for underdeveloped countries like India
Is Globalization Really compulsory?
Is Globalization Really compulsory?
Love marriage/Arranged marriage?
Effect of Western Culture ON India Youth
Suggestions to Information and distribution Ministry to improve it’s services
Influence of on line social networks on our Youth
Effects of Internet
Hard working or smart working
Effect of Western Culture ON India Youth
Suggestions to Information and distribution Ministry to improve it’s services
Influence of on line social networks on our Youth
Effects of Internet
Hard working or smart working
As a management student, what could be done to control sub prime crisis?
One billion People and only one Olympic medal
Cricket telecast is a waste of time
One billion People and only one Olympic medal
Cricket telecast is a waste of time
Most people feel pressured when they’re interviewing for a job you know, sweaty palms, increased heart rate, fidgeting. It happens to all of us at one point or another. However there are tips that will help you get through an interview at least appearing to be calm and collected. These top 10 tips will help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace your next job interview.
Practice Interviewing
Taking the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview will help give you a framework for your responses and will help calm your frazzled nerves. With practice, you won’t be scrambling for an answer while you’re in the interview hot seat. Ask a friend or family member to help you, it’s one of the best investments you can make. When you’re practicing, it’s not about memorizing answers, but having the main points at the top of your mind so that under stress, you can (1) remember the point and (2) present it logically and articulately. When stressed, many people speak too fast and their thoughts can’t keep up which provides for bungled answers that under non-stressed circumstances would be completely different. The interviewer knows you’re nervous, but he or she wants to hire someone who’s confident – the best person for the job. If you’re all over the place with your answers, you risk making a bad first impression.
Improve Your Interview Technique
A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention. It doesn’t take much to make an impression – good or bad. If you haven’t taken time to dress appropriately or if you say the “wrong” thing, it will be over. Take the time to prepare your interview technique including knowing what’s on your resume, being able to present why you are qualified for the job, why you’re interested in the company, and practicing staying calm and focused. It’s important to remember that the image the interviewer has of you when he first meets you is the one that is going to last. Recruiters and employers have been surprised when applicants weren’t able to recollect the dates of previous employment or what they actually did on a day-to-day basis in the specific roles. Review your work history – and make sure what you say matches what’s on your resume. The more facts, figures and outcomes you can summarize, the better. The interviewer has read or at least skimmed your resume. Your task is to embellish (without lying or exaggerating) with anecdotes and supplementary information.
What you don’t say can – and will – be used against you in a job interview. If you go to an interview chewing gum or drinking coffee, you will already have one strike against you. Too much perfume or not enough deodorant won’t help either. Not being dressed appropriately or having scuffed shoes will give you a strike. Talking, or texting on your cell phone, or listening to an iPod while waiting to be called for the interview may be another final strike and you could be done with your candidacy before you even say a word. Your verbal communications are important. Don’t use slang. Speak clearly and definitively. If you need to think about a response to an interview question, that’s fine. It’s better to think before you talk than to stumble over your words. It can be easy to get distracted during a job interview. It’s stressful and you’re in the hot seat when it comes to having to respond to questions. That said, if you do your best to listen to what the interviewer is asking, it will be easier to frame appropriate responses. What you don’t say during an interview is as important as what you do say. What is important is to appear professional and attentive throughout the interview process.
Know about the Company
Don’t get caught unprepared. Learn as much as you can about the company before the job interview. Being well prepared means you will be able to answer interview questions as well as ask the interviewer questions to find out if you and the company and its culture are a good fit. Take the time, in advance, to search the Internet to discover as much information as you can about the company, its products, management and culture. This means going to their corporate websites, Linked In, Facebook and Wikipedia. General searches will also uncover interesting links that can reveal what the corporate culture is. You also want to tap into your network to see who you know that can help give you an interview edge over the other candidates by revealing something important and timely. Be careful if you have access to current employees that they don’t reveal confidential or sensitive information. You can determine the corporate culture by the look and feel of the website, how much information is online, the company mission statement and its history, products and services, management team and hiring processes. Many companies will have (multiple) blogs and some will have Twitter and Facebook pages. Because you need to be efficient in your research, you want to make sure you cover a general overview for the first interview and then go deeper if you are called back for subsequent interviews.
Be on Time
There is no excuse for being late, none! You don’t want a your interviewer to be annoyed before the interview even starts; so do whatever it takes to be on time. Blaming the traffic or anything else doesn’t matter (even if it’s true). A job interview isn’t a party, so arriving casually late won’t score you any points. Like anyone at work, your interviewer is most likely in the midst of a busy workday, so show them their time is valuable to you. After all, aren’t they showing you that same respect with this chance to come in and present yourself? Being late tells others that you’re self-centered, disorganized, rude or all three. Make sure you show up at least 10-15 minutes in advance and notify reception upon your arrival.
Present a Positive Personal Image
During the job interview countless moments will come up when etiquette is required. Getting them right gives you a confidence that will be visible to your interviewer. Look your interviewer in the eye; it’s a positive gesture to which people always respond positively. Anything else is simply rude. Use engaging language. When answering a question, answer the question. Make sure your answer directly reflects the question being asked. Too many interviewees give rehearsed ‘stock answers’. When that happens, a interviewer will often cut the interview short ending your chances for advancement. Good straight posture alone can convey your interest in being there, while slouching conveys disrespect and indifference. Use your interviewer’s name; it proves you’re involved and listening. It also helps establish rapport. Decide to use the first or last name based on the rapport he or she has established with you – follow the lead given, don’t take it on your own. If you’re unsure, ask “May I call you John or do you prefer Mr Smith?” Don’t make jokes; too many people think they’re funny when in reality they’re not. A job interview isn’t the place for that. Be friendly and outgoing, save the jokes for your celebration with your friends and family when you get the job. Don’t badmouth a previous boss or colleague. That’s a huge negative; they may have been the worst boss or colleague in the world but expressing that in a job interview is never a good idea. Have goals. Maybe you don’t have any idea where you want to be in the next few years professionally but figure out something to say. If you don’t and you’re asked, you’ll appear as lacking focus and ambition, which may lead an interviewer to think that you’d be a lazy employee. Be prepared to talk about one of your proud accomplishments. It can be a professional, personal or athletic award. Don’t forget people hire people and they want to know more about who you are.
Always hold a smiling tag on face
Seasoned interviewers can smell fear. They can also see your palms sweating as you keep rubbing them against your skirt or pants. If you’re prepared for the job interview, you’ve done your due diligence, you’re looking sharp, then take three silent breaths, put out your hand confidently and smile. Really smile. You’ll feel the fear melt away.
Don’t Discuss Money
Until you’ve been offered the job, it’s often best to defer all discussions relating to money. Ideally, a job interview will focus on whether you’re right for the position. It’s not uncommon though for interviewers to bring up money so be ready to handle the question. When you’re asked for salary history, tell the interviewer you’d rather not discuss it at this time. If asked what salary you expect you can explain that you are looking for a good fit with opportunities for advancement. If you name a figure at this point, you might either price yourself out of the job if your figure is too high, or unnecessary limit your negotiating position if you name a lower figure. Tell your interviewer that you would be happy to talk about the salary after a job offer is made.
Dress for Interview Success
The first impression you make on a potential employer can make a big difference. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That’s why it’s always important to dress professionally for a job interview. Make sure you go into the job interview having showered and wearing clean clothes. If you like wearing cologne or perfume, don’t wear any on the day of the interview. What might be subtle smelling to you, may probably be overwhelming to your interviewer. At a job interview, proper etiquette dictates that your manner of dress should fit in with the scene around you, but to show your respect for the occasion you need to dress just a step above the norm of that environment. The reason is because inappropriate business attire creates an unacceptable distraction. The focus should be on you and your skills, your clothes shouldn’t be stealing the show. Just because your job interview is scheduled on casual Friday, doesn’t mean that you can show up in jeans and an unchecked shirt. Regardless of the job you’re applying for, it’s important to dress for success. Conversely, it’s also important not to overdress. Waltzing into your job interview looking like the Monopoly Man may make your prospective employer think that you’re failing to take the process seriously. Play it safe and consider these examples: if everyone at the workplace wears jeans and T-shirts, wear slacks and a long-sleeved button-down shirt. If they’re in slacks and button-down shirts, wear a coat and consider a tie.
Ask related questions
Asking the right questions during a job interview is almost as important as giving good answers. The questions you ask will show your level of interest in the job. Not asking good questions suggests a lack of interest (and poor research). For example, you can ask about the challenges of the job, what are likely to be the projects you will be working on, what skills you will need to develop once in the role and what future positions might be available beyond this position. Ask for details related to the job or role. Who will you be reporting to? Who are the other team members you will be working with? What are the goals or targets of the department you will be working in?
Take the Time to Say Thank You
Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview. You can also consider your thank you as a follow-up opportunity. Restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make contributions to the organization, and so on. Your thank you letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that you didn’t answer as thoroughly as you would have liked during the job interview. It reinforces your interest in the job. It doesn’t need to be long, just make it sincere. A couple of brief paragraphs are more than enough. If you don’t hear back from them when you expect to, call and inquire. Sometimes the process takes longer than expected. Your call shows you’re interested and raises your name again. There you have it. The top 10 best job interview tips you’ll ever get. Stick to them and you’ll be on your way to getting hired!
TIPS FOR PREPARING A PRESENTATION
First, organize your talk:
Design your slides:
Identify the important ideas
Your work (or the topic you are presenting) likely has many details, but only one or two main ideas; structure your talk around these main ideas.
Create a talk outline
Your talk should be organized in a top-down manner. You should have the following main sections in your talk:
Introduction, the big picture: what, why and why we should care, and how. Be sure to include:
a statement of the problem being solved (what)
motivation and putting the work in context (why and why should we care)
a high-level view of the solution (how)
Details of solution
Results demonstrating your solution
Critiques of the work (possibly compare to related work)
Conclusions and future directions for this work
The talk should be organized so that the important ideas are presented first, the details second, and the conclusions last. Each section of your talk should be organized in a similar manner: big ideas, details, then summarize.
Slide organization
Your slides should be organized in an IEEE format which is linked below, like an outline--a few main points, with sub-points under each one. Your slides are a guide for your talk not a word-for-word copy of your talk. List specific points that you want to talk about as sub-topics of each main topic. If there are particular details that you want to discuss, outline them on the slide and keep written notes for you to refer to in your talk rather than writing all the details on the slide.
Summarize main points
You should have a summary slide of the main ideas at the end. If applicable, include a list of open questions and/or future directions of your work. It is okay to waste space Add just enough prose to present the main points and highlight the main parts of each point. Use phrases rather than complete sentences and use large fonts. You can use acronyms and abbreviations sparingly; however you should say the complete name when you talk about them.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Use figures and graphs to explain implementation and results. It is very hard to describe a system implementation without having a picture of the components of the system.
Number of slides
As a general rule, it should take 2-3 minutes to talk through the material on one slide, so for a 30 minute talk you should have about 16 slides. If there are too many ideas in your work to present completely in 30 minutes, then pick one or two (the most interesting/important parts) that you will discuss in detail, and present the other parts at a higher level. Also, you can create back-up slides for specific details that you don't plan to talk about, but may get questions about.
Prepare your presentation:
Provide a talk road-map. Tell the audience where you are going with your talk. Give audience a road-map of your talk at the beginning by using outline slides. Immediately after the title slide, put up an outline slide and tell the audience the main organization of your talk. Another alternative is to first have a few slides motivating the general topic, and then put up an outline slide giving the audience a road-map of your talk. It should be clear when you start a new high-level part of your talk. Use good transitions from one slide to the next, and from one main topic to the next..."We just talked about the implementation. Now we will look at how well the system performs. “You may want to use the outline slide at other points in your talk to provide a visual transition between parts of your talk.
Repeat your point
There is a rule that says you have to tell your audience something three times before they really hear it:
Tell them what you are going to say.
Say it.
Summarize what you said.
This is particularly important for figures and graphs. For example:
This graph show how algorithm A performs better than algorithms B and C as the number of nodes increase.
The X axis is the number of nodes, the Y axis is the execution time in seconds. The red curve shows the execution time of A as the number of nodes increases.
Thus you can see that as the number of nodes increases above N, algorithm A performs better. This is because...
Talk to the audience
Don't read your slide off the computer, nor directly off the screen. It is okay to stop for a second and refer to your notes if you need to.
Practice
Give a practice run-through of your talk in front of an audience of at least one other student. Stand in a room for 30 minutes (or the duration of your talk) and talk through all your slides (out loud). This should be a timed dress rehearsal. Don't stop and fix slides as you go and don't let your audience ask questions or suggest fixes until your practice talk is over; you want to force yourself to talk through your entire talk.
You should assume that there will be about 5-10 minutes worth of questions during or after your talk. If your talk is too long, you should cut out some material to get it to fit into the time slot (your audience will not mind if your talk ends 5 minutes early, but they will mind if it goes 5 minutes over).
As a practice talk audience member, you should jot down notes of places in the talk where you have suggestions for improvements, or where something seems unclear. After the presenter is done with his/her practice talk, you should talk through the things you wrote down. It is also good to give the presenter some practice answering audience questions.
Nervousness: How to fight back
A well organized, practiced talk will almost always go well. If you draw a blank, then looking at your slides will help you get back on track.Taking a deep breath will clam you down. One trick is to try to remember to take a deep breath between each slide.
Slow down. Take a few seconds to think about a question that is being asked before you answer it. It is okay to pause for a few seconds between points and between slides; a second or two of silence between points is noticeable only to you, but if you are talking a mile a minute everyone will notice.
Bring notes. if you are afraid that you will forget a point or will forget your elegant transition between slides 11 and 12, write these down on a piece of paper and bring it with you. However, you don't want to have a verbatim copy of your talk, instead write down key phrases that you want to remember to say.
Be prepared to answer questions. You don't have to know the answer to every question, however you should be prepared to answer questions about your work. Before you give the talk, think about what questions you are likely to get, and how you would answer them. You may want to have back-up slides ready for answering certain questions.
It is okay to say "I don't know" or better yet "gee, I hadn't thought about that, but one possible approach would be to..."
15 TIPS TO WIN A CONFERENCE
Choose 4-5 topics and make a better presentation even before a presentation is announced
Choose a right partner who has zeal in doing some creative work
Have a pre-preparation on the selected presentation
When there is a call for presentation, send a mail with a good cover letter attaching the abstract on the 1st day of the call
Inform the partner to send another abstract on the next day
Respond back with a thanking mail for the presentation you are good with
Attend the secession with a clean dress and at least an hour before the start of the secession
Carry a laptop , pen drive and an empty CD to make any changes or on-time-modifications
Register your name in 7-10 slots so that we can get the information about the FAQ’s , names of the judges , panel members , college logo and other relevant information from the starting batches
Take a glass of juice to control the blood pressure at least 15 minutes before your call
Don’t hurry or panic before the panel at the time of your start
Begin the secession slowly by thanking the college for hosting the program and judges with formal greetings
Both the participants have to maintain eye-contact with the judges and the panel throughout the secession
Maintain timing for the slides and see that mutual co-operation is maintained
Never argue with the judge , though the point is not correct & thank the judges, panel and the hosting college for the suggestions & providing an opportunity
TIPS TO IMPROVE SELF CONFIDENCE
1. Before attending any Interview, Having Confidence in Yourself and believing in your abilities is the first rule for Interview Success. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you.
2. Prepare for the interview in advance is a sensible thing to do. Prepare for the interview by gaining more knowledge about the Company, its work culture, its policies etc by visiting company’s website and by reading some of its Corporate Company literature. By doing sufficient homework before the interview, you will be able to add tremendously to your self-confidence because you will be ready to answer specific questions that the interviewer may ask during the course of the interview.
3. Remember: First impression is usually the last impressions. Dress Well for the interview. What you wear and how you look can once again add to your Self confidence level. Hence, make sure that you dress smartly and project a confident and professional image.
4. In Interview communicate well. From the moment you enter the interview room and till the time you leave it, you will be under constant scrutiny. Hence, you must portray your self confidence in the way you walk, talk, sit and communicate. Build on your conversational skills so that you may not be at a loss for words while replying to questions posed by the interviewer.
5. The way someone walks, communicates, works or socializes will tell you loads of the individual’s self-confidence or lack of it. Even a simple handshake can tell you a lot about his or her amount of self-confidence.
6. Believe in yourself and have faith in your beliefs. Adopt a Positive and Confident Tone of Voice. Each time you talk, make sure that you sound interested, confident and positive. Whenever you are asked a question, take your time to think about it and then answer it to the best of your abilities. In the event that you have a doubt, clarify from the Interviewer before answering it .
Self-confidence derives from knowing that you have the right type of skills and Interesting goals to achieve. The rule of thumb says that the clearer the goal is, the higher self-confidence gets. And, truth to be said, there is little people can do without it. Even the most capable body and mind won’t do anything good without the self confidence
Interview Success Results are not always in our hands. But it is definitely up to us how well we make the effort. So believe in your abilities and have a successful interview.
7. Gain Knowledge – Sometimes people lack Self Confidence because they lack knowledge. In such a case get knowledge. Get training from good professional institute. Discuss with others. When you have enough knowledge about a subject or work you feel more confident.
8. Imagine you are succeeding – The next good step to gain self-confidence is to imagine that you are confident and succeeding. Do this exercise of imagining twice a day.
9. Act like a Confident Person- Even if you don’t have any confidence in you try to act daily that you are having it. You have to do it intentionally. Stand in front of a mirror and replace your gestures into the gestures of very confident persons. Intentionally and firmly fill the feeling of confidence in you. Try to act confidently for some time.
Follow the above suggestions till you become really very confident, and start gaining success in life. After that your sub-conscious mind will take charge and do the work of strengthening your new programming of gaining self-confidence.
TIPS FOR MAKING A C.V
A C.V has one purpose – to market your skills, achievements, professional background, academic history, and future potential to a prospective employer. It is much like a 30-second commercial; today’s resume must provide maximum data as quickly as possible and differentiate you from all other candidates, all while being presented in an attractive package. Before Creating a Resume, you must have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish in your professional life in order to maximize the impact of your resume for your targeted audience. To create a good resume, you required following some Tips Inside the Resume and also Outside the Curriculum vitiate.
Tips to follow Outside Curriculum vitiate:
Always have a .doc (Microsoft Word) format and .txt format of your resume with you. When you are filling your resume in websites, you need the text format and when you are sending resume through m
ail, it’s better to send the .doc format.
ail, it’s better to send the .doc format.
Resume Size:
10KB to 100KB
CV File Name :
Don’t give some junk names as file name for the CV. If you keep use junk names, there is every possibility that your mail will travel to bulk/trash folder of recruiter.
Your resume’s file name should ideally denote your name, experience, technology, years of experience and company name. Keep some valid name for your resume.
Example: CV_K.T.KRISHNA KUMAR _FRESHER_2017_B Tech_C.S.E.doc
E-Mail ID’s:
Use only one (or maximum of 2) mail Ids exclusively for the purpose of recruitment and Even to try to use Standard Mail Service Providers to create mail Ids like Yahoo, Rediff, Google etc.
Sending the resume to Company:
While sending the resume to any Company, preferably send it from the mail ID you have mentioned in your resume.
Subject Line While Sending the Resume:
If the company mentions that a specific Subject Line, then follow Same thing . If nothing specified by the Company, then give a proper subject line for your mail.
Example: Resume – Dot Net – 2 Years Exp – WIPRO – Hyderabad
Resume Length:
Don’t make the resume too long. Keep it short & sweet. Try to Restrict your Resume to 3 Pages only as the HR will hardly have 1 minute to glance at your resume. He won’t have the time to read story-like resume. So, be precise, clear and straight to the point. Better use bullets for mentioning important points.
Tips to follow Inside CV:
Header & Footer:
Your CV should always have a header & footer in your resume. So that Header can contain a simple heading of your resume and Footer should preferably contain the page number.
First Page is the best page to convey all about you:
Typically the HR expects all the important details in the first page. He receives hundreds of resumes and will hardly have 1 minute to glance at your resume. The first page of resume must contain the following
Detailing:
Personal Details: Full Name, Date of Birth, Passport Number.
Current Contact Details: Full Contact Address, Contact Phone Numbers, Mail ID & Alternate Mail ID.
Work Experience Summary: All the companies you have worked so far, Company Address, Website, Dates of Duration in each Company. Don’t assume that everyone knows about your company. (You can highlight if your current company has any good quality levels like CMM/CMMI)
Job Responsibilities: Your job profile in your past companies. For example, you should highlight that you are working as ‘Module Leader leading a team of 6 people’ in your current company.
Skill Set Summary: Highlight all the technologies you know well. Don’t include any technologies you have not worked on.
Certifications: Include any relevant certifications you have. That gives you an edge over others.
Education Details Summary: Your Post Graduation, Graduation, Intermediate, 10th details, Aggregate Percentage, Year of Pass out (Most important).
Contact Details at the top, not at bottom:
Contact Details should be at the top of resume, not at the bottom. Never include the contact details in Header or Footer. They won’t be visible properly.
Always provide an alternate mail ID!
Always provide an ‘Alternate Mail Id’ also (in case your original mail Id fails, it will be useful).
Do NOT give more than 2 mail Ids in resume. The recruiters as well as you will get confused which mail Id to send/receive call letters.
Mail ID:
Check the mail Ids you provided in CV by sending a trial mail. (I have seen people giving Yahoo.com instead of Yahoo.co.in. If the mail Id fails when HR sends you call letter, no one can save you in this world. No HR will resend the call letter if your mail ID fails.)
Spell Check:
Always perform a spell check and grammar check on the resume. You don’t deserve a job if you can’t write your resume without mistakes.
There is nothing wrong in getting your resume reviewed by someone else. They might catch the mistakes that your eyes can never detect.
Educational details are important:
People (especially experienced people) think that they don’t need to give the educational details. But they are important. If not all details, at least give the highest qualification, college/university name and aggregate percentage. (Some HR people simply delete the resumes without educational details.)
Reverse Chronological order:
Your latest job profile is more important than your first one. So, always write the details in reverse chronological order (start with the latest) especially when you are listing previous company details or educational qualification details.
Avoid Irrelevant Details!
Write straight to the point and only the details relevant to the job. (You don’t need to include your family tree or how many children you have or what your wife does.) Do not write stereotype sentences like ‘I am sincere, intelligent, and hardworking’ etc. That’s childish.
Who in this world is not hard working by the way?
Use simple Language:
Use simple English. You don’t need to write complex jargon in the resume.
Write the Crux of Projects:
Don’t write all about your projects. That will make the resume very lengthy.
Write only the crux of the information. Following details would be enough.
Project Name, Team Size, Client Name, Duration of Project.
Short description of project (Not more than 5 to 6 lines).
Your role in project (This is very important).
Technologies used in project.
You should convey where you want to work:
Always include the following clearly in resume:
‘Current Location (mandatory). I have seen resumes in which there is no clue of where they are working currently. How can they expect a call letter ?
‘Desired Location’ (if you have a preference). Anyway freshers typically will not have a choice for the desired location. They better not to include it.
Experience:
Project Training done in your final academic year does not come under professional work experience. You can mention it, but not under ‘Work Experience’ section.
Always highlight your onsite (customer interaction experience) in your resume. That gives you an edge over others.
Salary Details:
Better not to include current & expected compensation details in resume. You can convey them when you are asked to provide them during interview.
You are not submitting the application for matrimonial:
Do not include any photos in the resume unless specifically asked by the company.
You are not writing a letter to friend so:
Avoid unwanted graphics: Either in resume or the covering letter, avoid jazzy graphic images,
Emotions or multiple colors
Avoid jazzy fonts: Preferably use some professional font (Arial or Times or Verdana) and use the same across. Use same font size across the resume (except for headings). Don’t write each line in a different font and size.
However, you can use some decent shades (preferably gray color), to highlight important information. That makes the resume to look good when a printout is taken.
We suggest you to not to use the following words in the C.V
Expertise
Dynamic
excellent
excellent
Strategic
Experienced
Leadership
Specialized
Responsible
Passionate
Certified
Dynamic
