BUSINESS AND HUMAN COMMUNICATION
Interview Etiquette
1st September, 2022
SEC 06
SUBMITTED TO :
Feihan Ahsan
SUBMITTED BY:
GROUP – 05
Nizbath Ahsan - ID: 20101227
Sadman Dewan - ID: 20101176
Mohammed Shakib - ID: 20321029
Haminur Rashid Samin - ID: 20204059
Md. Sifat Kamal - ID: 20101231
Zohara Kamal - ID: 20321040
Introduction
Interview etiquette means some rules and regulations which a candidate should follow during the
interview. Interview etiquette prepares one for formal performance, behaviors, manners, or the
way to speak in any interview session of any company or organization. So this paper gives an
overall idea regarding interview etiquette. To begin with, it describes the importance of interview
etiquette while describing the essentiality. In addition, it prefers or recommends the ideas of
skills that one must show for proving their qualification while preparing themselves for the
interview. This paper also demonstrates the right use of act by pointing to the do’s and don'ts
behavior one must follow. As Interview étiquettes upgrade a person in his career life to behave
politely and work actively in his workplace. Moreover, it helps a person to learn social skills
like: punctuality, discipline, being confident, patience, and more. These are the learning gained
from interview etiquette. In addition, it is mentioned how one should be mentally prepared for an
interview session by following the rules and regulations. In an interview, not only decent
academic results and skills matter but also a good impression matters a lot to the interviewer. By
following the etiquette a candidate can make a significant impression on the interviewer which
can eventually end up getting the job to the candidate.
Importance of Interview Etiquette
Interview etiquette is a crucial part of a person in his career. The interview is a face-to-face
conversion where oral communication happens between interviewer and interviewee. When a
person goes for an interview session here etiquette plays a great role here by showing the
personality of the candidate in front of the interviewer. Interview etiquette helps us to learn about
time management, dressing sense, and body language. Without interview etiquette, a person will
remain in the darkness of unfamiliar skills. So skills are very important for a person to prepare
himself as a good skilled person for developing a good career life. Starting with time
management, punctuality is considered important for the employment system. The dress holds
the personality and culture of a person. Personality and Culture are important in an interview for
seeking jobs. Making a good impression on a potential employer can be ensured by adhering to
the right interview etiquette guidelines. During this phase, it's critical to show that you are
dependable, professional, and committed to joining the organization for which you are applying.
When a person goes for an interview in any company or organization then etiquette represents
their own self in the front interviewer. Sometimes in most cases the interviewer judges a person
with etiquette.
Etiquette is the term for good manners that assist a guy to become a gentleman. To be respected
and admired by others, one must conduct themselves well in public. It's crucial to act in a way
that is accepted in society. Interview etiquette not only helps a person to upgrade himself in an
interview session but also develops in cultivating the good habits of a human which will later
help him to work in the workplace. It will help him learn how to behave formally in formal
places and maintain good adherence to society. Interview etiquette helps a person in his personal
life to solve any problems in his life.
At work, one should take themselves seriously and act a little sanely. A person cannot act the
same way at work as he does at home. Etiquette-challenged individuals are never taken seriously
by their coworkers.
It is challenging for an individual working alone to survive in the workplace. To stand out at
work, one must be an effective team player. To come up with better solutions, he must
communicate with and share ideas with his coworkers. To produce results more quickly and
effectively, employees must cooperate. As one spends the majority of his or her time at work, it
is crucial to establish positive connections with coworkers. So etiquette is very essential for
them.
Interview etiquette includes the codes of etiquette which teach a person to perform social
interaction in time of working with a large group of people in the workplace or anywhere. This
networking is very important to get adjusted to a new environment with new people.
So interview etiquette is the foremost principle to be followed by a person in his career life.
Without it, a person is incomplete though having formal documents including CVs. or any other
academic documents in an interview session. So one should acquire knowledge about interview
etiquette for their own betterment to make a golden future in his career.
Skills Required for Interview
Interview is a face to face dynamic method of communication between the job candidates and
the employers. More than any other selection method, interview is the central means for selecting
a qualified employee for a job. The most important factor that influences the hiring decisions is
the candidate’s performance during the interview.
During this dynamic communication the employer can access many aspects of the job relevant
skills and understandings of the candidate but job relevant skills and qualifications are not all
that matters in such circumstances. For example, depending on the job, its content and its
structure, the interview can be used to assess basic knowledge, personality, morals, ability to
work under pressure and capability to work with others. In the competitive market of this
generation a potential employee needs to master some basic set of skills which aren’t required for
his job or work directly but will present him/her to the employer or interview board in a manner
that will give him/her a greater chance at getting hired. These are no major skills of his/her
profession but some basic skills that will express the professionalism in him/her which will give
him/her an edge in front of the employers.
These basic skills that every potential employee should gather are mentioned and explained
below:
·
Communication Skills: Though communication is a basic part in our lives, clear and
effective communication is a skill. It allows a person to express his knowledge and
understandings in a manner that will allow the listener to understand if not relate to them. In an
interview effective communication is a very crucial skill as it will allow the potential employee
to express his/her learnings, experience, capabilities and most importantly he/she will be able to
explain to the employers how he/she can be an asset for the company.
Body Language: Body language can be a very subtle yet significant skill that greatly affects the
interview. The candidates must maintain proper eye contact (Not staring or making others
uncomfortable), decent body posture and smart facial expressions. After maintaining these
mentioned facts the candidates must pay special attention to what he/she shouldn’t do as that
would make the employer or interviewer uncomfortable such as fidgeting, nodding excessively
or making distracting movements with their hands.
Punctuality: It goes without saying that punctuality is one of the most important parts when
interviewing for the job. The employer might delay the interview to assess the employee’s
reaction or for any other technical difficulties, but the employee must never keep the employer
waiting. It shows a major disrespect towards the senior interviewers and carelessness towards the
job.
Analytical Skills and Presence of Mind: Being analytical and having the presence of mind can
give the candidate an unimaginable advantage during the interview. Being analytical will allow
him to predict what’s to come and anticipate what the employer wants or is looking for. Utilizing
the analytical skills properly the candidate will be able to prepare possible answers and responses
about the upcoming matters or questions.
On the other hand the presence of mind will allow the candidate to answer many unpredicted or
trick questions which were meant to puzzle him/her. But a strong presence of mind will allow
him/her to stay focused and not get flustered.
Negotiation Skills: Once one passes the interview the most crucial part of the job comes, the
part of the job salary discussion. Companies want to hire the best possible candidate for the job
but with the cheaper package and it is the candidate’s job to convince the employer to hire them
at the salary they want. So, one must learn the basic rules of negotiation and be prepared for
when it will come.
All of the above-mentioned skills are very important when it comes to a job interview but there
are some different categories of skills which matter equally if not more. These are called “Soft
Skills”. These soft skills cannot be measured or very easily observed or learned, but they play a
vital role in one’s career. Whereas “Hard Skills” are technical skills or the specific skills that
allows a employee to accomplish his/her job, soft skills are the skills that compliments the hard
skills and allows a smoother and better workflow of the office. Some examples of these soft
skills are Integrity, Dependability, Team Work, Critical Thinking, Adaptability, Empathy and so
on.
How to prepare yourself mentally during an interview
Focus on both your hard and soft skills
● Review your top job-related capabilities and be prepared to highlight technical or
functional abilities such as account management, company growth, sales assistance, or
staff supervision. Soft skills, or personal qualities that set you apart from other job
candidates, also enable you to collaborate effectively with others. Utilize terms such as
"adaptable", "collaborative", "resourceful", "intuitive", "influential", and
"cost-conscious". Consider them frequently so that when you're asked, "What abilities do
you consider to be the most vital for this position?" you'll not only have an answer at your
fingertips, but you'll also sound confident.
Review your most notable achievements
● Writing out your qualifications is the first step, and you should pick your success stories
with care so that they impress potential employers. Thinking about your successes in
terms of the problem, the action, and the result might help you better organize your work.
● The interviewer will learn about your values from the accomplishment you highlight, and
their impression of your work ethic from hearing how you accomplished that
accomplishment. A potential employer can also learn what you consider to be a
successful career.
Consider the interviewer's perspective
● Imagine that during the interview, the interviewer appears distant or indifferent. Your
opportunity to sell yourself is dwindling. Recognize the situation and switch gears;
consider what questions you would ask a prospective employee if the roles were reversed.
This shift in perspective is not simple, but it will help you be more persuasive and
concise, and it may even revive the interviewer's interest.
Do your homework regarding the company
● If you have any questions regarding either, jot them down and bring them up in the
interview. During the interview, be sure to inquire about any aspect of the position for
which you are lacking information. Going into an interview prepared with thoughtful
questions is always a plus. It demonstrates that you took the interview seriously and
worked hard to prepare. Be wary of asking questions for the sake of asking them. No
fooling the interviewer. Your questions should be real and relevant.
Stress-management
● Prepare in advance so that you can enter the interview day feeling relaxed and energized.
As much as possible, try to concentrate on the task at hand that day, and if you're feeling
nervous, try deep breathing exercises or meditation to calm yourself
● An additional simple strategy that can help you relax before an interview is to not use
your GPS. Then, make it a priority to get there twenty minutes early, and then use the
first ten minutes of that time to motivate yourself and get your thoughts in order before
entering the room.
Imagine yourself in the job role
● This activity can be performed at any point throughout your employment hunt. Find a
peaceful location, sit comfortably and close your eyes. Imagine yourself in the position
you desire. Imagine yourself at your desk, conversing with coworkers and working with
your team. Consider yourself to be happy! This form of positive visualization is
beneficial and can increase confidence and sincerity during the interviewing process.
Interview dos and don'ts (Rules & Regulations)
It shouldn’t be an astonishing fact that getting a required job depends on a good interview
initially. Individuals can do better if they remain more confident and well-prepared for the job
interview beforehand.
Things one should always do before or during an interview
1. Do your homework.
Don't let yourself down before the interview because preparation is the most important
part of the procedure. Preparing for the meeting by researching the firm will reflect your
interest in the industry and give you an advantage.
2. Make a good first impression.
If anybody is going to a face-to-face interview, make travel arrangements, practice there
if it's in a new place, and arrive a few minutes early. Arriving late for a job interview is
unacceptable. Bring your resume and make sure you are familiar with the dates and other
facts so you can go over it confidently. Make sure that you have an overall idea of your
current situation and prepare yourself onward for your upcoming challenge.
Additionally, It's also important to look the part, and a well-fitting suit is almost always
the best choice. Your attention to detail in your presentation reflects your interest in the
position and is dedicated to creating a positive impression on them.
3. Listen and respond accordingly.
Clients frequently complain that candidates do not provide clear, concise and brief
answers to questions. Instead of ignoring the questions, listen to them and react correctly.
As perspectives vary person to person so try to make them understand your point of view.
You may use examples from your own experience to back up your points.
4. Prepare smart, open ended questions to ask the interviewer.
Remember that an interview is a two-way street; demonstrating your interest in the
position and the firm by asking questions can help you stand out from the crowd.
Remember, “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” quoted by Dr.
Benjamin Spock. So be confident and it will also assist you in determining whether this is
the appropriate company that you would like to star working for
.
5. Sell your strengths and expertise.
Make sure to clearly, honestly, and factually describe your skills to the interviewer.
Things you should not do at an interview1. Don't speak poorly about your present or former employers.
If you leave the interview and doubt your professionalism, the interviewer will infer that
you will do this to them. This is a significant warning flag for anyone doing a job
interview.
2. Don't falsify information.
Respond to questions as truthfully and briefly as possible. Explain and briefly define your
personality attributes that are relevant to the position being offered and appropriately
reflect your previous experience. If you are asked about a flaw, be honest and tell the
interviewer that you want to learn more about it or work on it and you are ready to turn
that into strength. You should also describe how you want to improve your abilities in
this area. Immediately following that, identify any advantages you may have in a
different industry.
3. Don't speak over the interviewer.
Being a smooth talker and listener are both essential. It shows your consideration for
others and your abilities in social situations. Remember that if you are conducting an
interview through a video platform, there will be a slight time delay, so don't rush to react
to a question in case your interviewer hasn't finished yet. Stay calm and focus on
listening properly then answering precisely. Do not panic and rush while answering.
4. Don’t assume it isn’t an interview
No matter what stage of the interview process you are in or who you are meeting with whether for a cup of coffee, a few drinks, or merely a last conversation - it is still used to
assess your suitability for the job vacancy.
5. Don’t let any past rejections infringe on future ones
Finding a new job might be difficult at a point, thus, treat each interview as a fresh
opportunity and learn from your previous failures. H. Stanley Judd quoted,"Don't be
afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and
go on to the next challenge.” So use your previous experience to provide a delightful
interview. Never think of yourself low, handle the situation maturely.
However, try to leave some time between interviews if you have several schedules so that
you can be at your best and concentrate on it perfectly.
“ Opportunities don't happen, you create them." — Chris Grosser said. So you’ll create
your own opportunity according to your right time.
Additionally,
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One must not lean towards the interviewer.
Avoid unwanted topics while giving answers.
Avoid discussing personal issues during that time.
Avoid using a mobile phone in the interview room.
You should use professional language while interviewing. Don’t talk too much and don’t
be too familiar.
Do not get distracted or remain off minded during conversation.
Give the interview with a good attitude and confidence.
Remember, your attitude plays a great role in your interview. So, there should be a
balance between your attitude, confidence, and professionalism.
Listening to the interviewer cautiously and answering him or her confidently also comes
to etiquette.
Bad personal appearance, Negative attitude, Lack of interest and enthusiasm, Lack of
preparation, Poor knowledge of the role that you applied for, having no career plan
creates a bad impression.
Learnings from interview etiquette
In every selection method, employment interviews are considered the major for the perfect and
potential employees for a company. So in an interview, it’s really important to have great
etiquette since it has a significant relationship with the hiring outcomes. It works as a tactic to get
a good impression for the hiring outcomes. In an interview basically, everything is kind of
evaluated along with the skills and academic background. Usually, in a job place, it doesn’t work
only with the academic background but also important to be a good and significant level of
professionalism and behavior. For instance: basic social skills, good communication skills, poise,
attitude towards others, ability, etc. While interviewing a person and the interviewer takes some
time to talk regarding the jobs for the mutual exchange of information and ideas and at that
moment these things are being observed. By following the etiquettes of interviews one can get
many advantages.
To begin with, having punctuality. Mostly in an interview, interviewers often come earlier and
prepared for taking the interview. It’s very common for a non-punctual person to come late to the
interview which often creates a negative impression on the interviewers. One should minimum
come to the interview 10-15 min earlier. If he/ she follows the etiquette of the interview he/she
won’t be late since not being late to an interview is included in the etiquette. So if one follows
this etiquette very seriously he or she can be recognized as a punctual person by the interviewer.
That means one can be a punctual person by following interview etiquette.
In addition, basic social skills can be learned through interview etiquette. Some social skills in
the interview can be greeting the interviewer with a handshake and a smile, communicating
politely and gently rather than being informal, Handling difficult questions with composure, and
also showing appreciation after the interview. It can be possible that some candidates can forget
or don’t show interest to do these which eventually can make a very bad impression on the
interviewer. Also, he or she can end up not getting a job by having a decent academic
background. By following the interview etiquette a person can gain these kinds of social skills.
Let's say it can be possible that a candidate came to an interview and he or she became nervous
and embarrassed by some difficult questions. Also, some people can not maintain eye contact
with the interviewer. It kind of feels difficult to look at the face of the interviewer for
nervousness or other reasons for the questions. In these situations, candidates should be
confident enough and sure about the questions. If you do not understand the questions, you
should ask for clarification. Moreover, it can happen that a person doesn’t have certain skills the
interviewers were expecting from him. At that moment he or she shouldn't apologize instead he
or she should describe to them by using his or her strength or ability what he or she can do in this
situation. Overall for these kinds of situations, a good and impressive level of social skills
matters a lot which can be gained by following the interview etiquette.
Another pertinent point is loyalty and morality. It’s very common in the interview that a person
can write in his or her resumé many uncertain skills that he or she is not capable of doing.
Moreover, they mention in the interview some lies regarding their skills and experiences which is
ethically not correct. If someone does this in the interview it can be possible that he or she will
be saved that day but one day this lie will haunt him. So it’s not wise to lie in the interview. Also,
it also happens sometimes that candidates can criticize their old jobs, institutions, instructors, or
friends. Here this is also not right to do since it can make a very bad impression on the candidate
from the interviewer. By doing this it represents that a person is not trustworthy since he or she is
not showing loyalty. So they will feel unsafe for hiring. This loyalty and morality can be gained
by practicing interview etiquette. Interview etiquette doesn’t support immorality and disloyalty.
Conclusion
Interview etiquette refers to the standards of behavior that candidates must follow when giving
interviews. In this paper it has illustrated the main topic: how to prepare, skill required,
importance of it, Do’s and don’t of interviews and lastly learnings from the interview which
shows the perfect balance of every essential point that a candidate must follow and keep in mind
before the interview and during the interview. Above elaborations stands for the necessity of
following interview etiquettes. It also stands for how important it is to follow and maintain those
with valid reasons which helps one to make sure to leave a good impression on a potential
employer by adhering to the rules of proper interview etiquette. And by Showing that the
candidate is dependable, competent, and committed to joining the organization you are applying
for is crucial at this stage.The guidelines and policies we cover in this article might help the
candidates to position themselves favorably to stand out to hiring managers and job searchers.
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