Bpo

��the bpo industry is booming��

boasts yesterday�s newspaper for the nth time.

industry sources say that 750 candidates are being recruited every day (actual figures are more than that). and, by 2008, there will be demand for 35 lakh callcentre or bpo professionals ! so, this industry is here to stay unless an armageddon happens. some leading bpo players genpact wns wipro bpo hcl bpo services icici onesource ibm daksh infosys bpo aegis bpo services exl service holdings 24/7 customer over the past few years, i had the opportunity to show my attractive leg (cv, you naughty) and attend interviews at reputed bigwigs like accenture, convergys, allianz cornhill, mphasis, icici onesource and infosys bpo (formerly called progeon). based on my experiences, kindly allow me to spill some useful nuggets into your waiting hand on how to breeze through the usual gates in a bpo interview. note :- i might switch from saying bpo to call-centre . a bpo has varied functions including customer calls while a call-centre , as name suggests, deals with only customer calls. but there�s no harm in interchanging between these 2 terms. gate 1 - voice/passage reading you will be given a passage or a simple topic to speak on. required - high fluency in english . remember, the keyword is ��high��. they look at your ability to converse easily without much grammatical erros, stammers & other pauses. don�t put on a fake foreign accent to impress them (you can be rejected on-the-spot). on selection, they give you the requisite accent training. so, simply speak in a neutral accent without excess mti (mother-tongue influence). watch ndtv news anchors (not the reporters on the field) for practise. gate 2 - written test multiple choice questions consisting of english language, numerical ability, logical reasoning and computer awareness. english language - basic grammar, antonyms, synonyms and so on. numerical ability - simple maths like selling price & cost price, ratios, percentages and so on. computer awareness - basic internet knowledge and there may be a typing speed test too. don�t fret if you�re average here. you will be trained after selection. gate 3 - listening test a tape will be played once. you will be listening to a simple english conversation by 2 persons. you are given a multiple-choice question paper based on the conversation. for each question, tick the most relevant choice. you will not get another chance to listen to the tape note - this�s another very important qualifying round. be very attentive and do your best.

final gate 4 - the hr interview this ultimate round can either be direct face 2 face meeting or via telephone. 2 of the hr (human resource) personnel will interview you, asking you about yourself, your earlier work experiences (if any) and your general views on bpos. either way, please remember, your english will be checked. keep a neutral accent and act confident. usually, they are of your age (25-30, not a grandpa). but, don�t let their youth fool you. they�re like hawks eyeing your body language and ever-alert to every word you say. dress - light-colored formal shirts (preferably full sleeves for men, women-please enquire), mild deodarant (the interviews are usually in air-conditioned rooms. your scent will circulate within the room for hours...), formal shoes and a pleasing smile . always wish the female interviewer first. after you�re seated, stop the constant shaking of legs (typical indian habit). lean slightly forward & keep your hands on the lap (not on the table). you may use your hands occasionally to express a point. when person-1 asks the question, look at him first while answering, look at other interviewers occasionally and finally end with person-1. same applies to person-2, 3 or 4. avoid too many errs..., stammers or pauses in your sentences. if you�re not sure about an answer, say ��i don�t know�� outright instead of mumbling something silly or fake. be short & simple, without any complex vocabulary. no question of theirs require an essay. 4-5 lines is more than enough. if there�s too much silence after your answer, don�t get nervous and say something (only to regret later). instead, ask ��sir/m�am, is there anything specific you wish to know about....(whatever question they asked)?�� some questions they ask may tempt you to pounce & wring their necks ! again, they are just testing your attitude. so, whatever the provocation, be cool & paste permanently that bollywood smile ! here are some commonly asked questions # why are you here?! (never say ��to attend this interview!��. say something like ��i�m here to seek the position of.....in......��) # tell me something about yourself (always asked. never say what�s already mentioned in your cv. you may talk about your birthplace, your family and your personal interests. keep the entire answer to 5 or 6 lines maximum). # what are your strength and weaknesses? # what is your work objective? # in one sentence, tell me something about your personality. # when do you get angry? # how quickly do you react to a decision? # tell me something about your earlier company and your role in it. # are you willing to work night-shifts? # what is a bpo? # distinguish between inbound and outbound calls # what does ��customer-satisfaction�� mean to you? # give me a instance when a customer appreciated your service. # why do you want to work in a bpo? # what is the biggest challenge facing the bpo industry today? # what, according to you, is the most important requisite of a call-centre executive? # why do you want to work in our company? # why should we employ you? # what do you know about our company? # what will you do if you�re not selected for this job? phew! long, wasn�t it? but, it�s always better to be prepared. regularly practise mock-interviews before the mirror. you�ll be able to notice your flaws and

correct�em instantly. a bpo interview is no ias or iim. you can pass without any major hiccups. but be alert in the final hr interview. many stumble here. so practise, practise & practise. are you over 40? single, divorced or married? think this bpo stuff will reject you �cause you are �old�? relax, chill! there are so many like you working in callcentres today �n� enjoying. convince the interviewers that you are deeply motivated to have a career in this fast-rising industry for abc reasons. it�s usually the young who perspire the companies �cause they are more prone to jobhopping after just 3 months. so, you stand a better chance to get in. best of luck

some quick tips to be successful in interviews you can ace virtually any job interview you get, without stumbling, stammering, or being stumped by offbeat job interview questions..!! and you can learn how to master job interview skills in rapid speed time, and instead of having job interview jitters, you look forward to the job interview and even if you have a ton of competition � you know the right answers, and the right questions to land that job..!! so how can you dramatically increase your odds of winning at the job interview? when it comes to talking during an interview, sometimes less is more. as a general rule, you should speak one-third of the time and definitely no more than half of the time. the best interviews have a give-and-take atmosphere. to do this, you need to ask questions and try to draw out your interviewer rather than talking about yourself nonstop. when it�s your turn to speak, don�t hesitate to tout yourself -- just remember to stop talking after you do. not only is it ok to be nervous about an interview, but it is essential for you to accept how you feel. telling yourself you should feel differently than you do is unrealistic and just makes you feel bad about yourself. what�s the worst that can happen at an interview? for many, it would be not getting an offer. did you ever think that maybe the job wasn�t right for you? try to look at the process as a learning experience. preparing emotionally for the interview is as important as researching the company. the right mood helps you perform at your best. try these suggestions for preparing emotionally: get moving -- go for a walk, run, exercise, meditate, do yoga, stretch, dance, something -- activity gets blood flowing to your brain; sing your favorite song while driving to the interview; repeat an inspirational phrase aloud that�s meaningful for you; or simply remember a time when you felt terrific. follow these guidelines when interviewers ask, ��why did you leave (or are you seeking to leave) your company?�� succinctly describe the reason for your departure, and don�t go into details unless asked. provide references to support your reasons for leaving and job performance. stay with the facts of what happened, what you did, how you felt and what you learned. then describe how you will handle things differently in the future. if you want to spruce up your appearance for the interview but can�t afford new clothes, consider altering an outfit you already have by pairing it with a

different shirt, tie, blouse or accessory. even on a tight budget, you can find some real bargains out there. think about what you need before you go out shopping. outlet stores and resale shops offer some great treasures. for better or worse, looks can make a difference (???...!!!) always put a positive spin on your answers to difficult questions. if you lack a particular skill or don�t know a certain computer program, be sure to emphasize how quickly you learn. give an example of a time when you were able to get up to speed in a similar situation. companies are interested in people who can hit the ground running. most candidates are so nervous about answering interview questions correctly that they forget to listen. listening is one of the most underused interview skills. follow these tips: � � �

listen through eye contact -- stay with the person. listen with nonverbal expressions -- nod and appear interested. listen until the speaker is finished -- do not interrupt.

by focusing on what is being said, you can gather valuable information that will help you formulate better, more intelligent answers and questions of your own. you can often get the straight scoop about a job by asking the right questions. for example, in the job interview, ask, ��what attributes are most needed to succeed in this job?�� if the boss says, ��we need a real self-starter,�� that�s a clue you won�t get much support. after you�re offered a job but before accepting it, ask a few more questions or even ask permission to talk with your future coworkers. ask questions like these: what it�s like to work here? what can i expect in pay raises? what kind of training is offered? how�s the boss? are the products good? how many people have held this position in the past few years? why did they leave? you may not always get straight answers, but you�ll probably get enough to help you decide if you should take the job..!!! despite so much of your valuable efforts, if you are rejected, please convince yourselves that the interview was just an eye-wash (???...!!!) and bluntly walkout thanking the official interviewed you. there�s a better offer waiting for you. but please don�t get discouraged by the failures. the fact remains that every unsuccessful interview is a stepping stone for your brightest career. i wish you the best of luck �� do provide me with ur immense priceless feedbacks on the review, which has been compiled with great efforts. don�t forget to rate the review �.. because that provides me great encouragement. ur friend � mrs. jayalakshmi shyam

preparing the resume: * visual appeal, easy to read layout, and high quality reproduction; * highlights strengths and links them to employer�s needs; minimizes or excludes irrelevant experience; * presents the most important information first; * entirely free from any errors: spelling, typographical, punctuation, or grammatical; * succinct and organized; does not exceed two pages.

* review and tailor the resume to the requirements of the job being applied for. *do provide contact information email, phone and mail address. when ever you get a interview call, start with the following: �identify the requirements of the job that you�re interviewing for. �review interview questions and identify the question you�ll most likely be asked. �build a series of practice job interviews �develop answers for both expected and unexpected interview questions �highlights the keys to interview success. dressing up for interview: �clean and polished conservative dress shoes �well-groomed hairstyle �cleaned and trimmed fingernails �minimal cologne or perfume �no visible body piercing beyond conservative ear piercings for women �well-brushed teeth and fresh breath �no gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth �minimal jewelry �no body odor 10 general questions: �tell me about yourself. * keep your answer to one or two minutes; don�t ramble. * use a ��positioning statement�� as a base to start. your positioning statement is the boiled-down story of your resume -- general goals, skills and background. �what do you know about our company? * know products, size, income, reputation, image, goals, problems, management talent, management style, people, skills, history and philosophy. * project an informed interest. ask several open-ended questions about the company�s course and the department�s goals so the interviewer can tell you about the company. let her define the business in her terms. �why do you want to work for us? * don�t talk about what you want; first talk about their needs. * you wish to be part of a company project. * you would like to solve a company problem. * you can make a definite contribution to specific company goals: identify its management talent, increase sales in the northeast region, and so on. �what would you do for us? what can you do for us that someone else can�t? * relate past successes in solving previous employer problems, which may be similar to those of the prospective employer. �what about our position do you find the most attractive? least attractive? * list three or more attractive factors and only one minor unattractive factor. �why should we hire you? * because of knowledge, experience, abilities and skills. tell what these are. �what do you look for in a job? * an opportunity to use skills, perform and be recognized. �please give me your definition of a ... (the job for which you are being

interviewed). * keep it brief and action- and results-oriented �how long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm? * very quickly after a little orientation and a brief period of adjustment on the learning curve. �how long would you stay with us? * as long as we both feel i�m contributing, achieving, growing and so on. questions if you are leaving a job: why are you leaving your present job? * refine your answer based on your comfort level and honesty. * give a ��group�� answer if possible; for instance, ��our department was consolidated or eliminated.�� how do you feel about leaving all of your benefits? * concerned but not panicked. describe what you feel to be an ideal working environment. * where people are treated as fairly as possible. how would you evaluate your present firm? * an excellent company that afforded me many fine experiences. behavioral-based interview the behavioral interview technique is used by employers to evaluate a candidate�s experiences and behaviors in order to determine their potential for success. the interviewer identifies desired skills and behaviors, then structures open-ended questions and statements to elicit detailed responses. a rating system is developed and selected criteria are evaluated during the interview. as a candidate, you should be prepared to answer the questions and statements thoroughly. �describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way. �describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. �give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. �give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it. �tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone�s opinion. �give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. �please discuss an important written document you were required to complete. �tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done. �tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. �give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision. �what is your typical way of dealing with conflict? give me an example. �tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa). �tell me about a difficult decision you�ve made in the last year.

�give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed. �give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead. �tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker. �give me an example of a time when you motivated others. �tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively. �give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem. �tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem. �describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures. �tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. �please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend. �describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low). questions on career goals where do you want to be 5 years from now in your career? what are your long term career goals? what prompted you to take your current job? where do you see yourself 10 years from now? why did you make a career change? why do you want to leave your current position? five years ago, where did you see yourself today? what is your career goal? the more we prepare, the more relaxed and confident we feel during the interview; the more relaxed we feel, and the better we perform; the better we perform, the more the chance are that we get the job! . one of the key message to be conveyed to the interviewer is that you are keen for a career in that particular field with that particular company.

it is very natural for a person to be very nervous when he or she is preparing for an interview. what many people do not know is that the one will conduct the interview (who takes the interview) is also very nervous or as much nervous as the one who gives the interview. i had a long list of interviews myself as i went through career changes in my life. finally at some point of time i myself started interviewing others on behalf of the organization i represented. if you read books like ��what colour is your umbrella�� you would know that the interviewer also undergoes lot of nervousness and as much as you , who would give the interview. and know the truth. most of these interviews and their efficacy in selecting a candidate is a big, stupendous myth. !! many researches were conducted and found that the candidates selected through rigorous interviews or by top class consultants would finally prove to be as good as anyone who could have been selected by picking lottery or flipping a coin. it was found or at least i myself observed in several cases over a few years that when technical people interview technical people finally they would select monkeys! so many times i found that managers, administrators who may not have knowledge (technical) in the areas of candidate selected good candidates who

proved to be extremely useful to the organization later!! why? it is because technical people do not simply understand the limitations of person�s knowledge and the actual requirement. some times technical managers feel disgusted with the candidate who could not answer a question which the interviewer considers as ��most important�. the administrators prove to be useful in these areas. they concentrate on the experience statistics and his previous record and the attitude of the candidate. they can easily smell whether the candidate has a worth or is he or she least valuable? for them selection is that much and no more. if you keep these things in your mind before going to interview your nervousness would melt away. when you speak take care that your speech should be clear. it should be slow and clear so that it should exhibit your complete confidence. in interviews like ias, ips (first class officers for civil service) the interview would be sometimes just 5 minutes or even less. one career magazine some years ago even released audio tapes of upsc interviews for civil services. i was very surprised when i studied printed version of these interviews. sometimes only two questions were asked. for example for a candidate with ifs as the first preference they asked like this �what would you say about india when you are asked to speak to a foreign country audience?�� . the candidate answers by saying �i would say that india is unity in diversity�. and another question to the same candidate �what are all the small irrigation projects taken up in your state?�� the candidate spoke about an irrigation project. and the interview was over!! i advice you to study your subject perfectly well and have clear ideas about everything you know. it means that you should be satisfied with your own answers. the type of questioning needless to say depends upon the type of job. if it for an administrator�s job they will most probably try to find out who you are? how do you speak? etc., but the most inevitable one is to find out whether you are perverted in your thinking? and whether you suffer from bouts of depression, uncontrolled anger etc. if you are a technical candidate they will try to know what you did in the recent past. for example in the recent past how did you solve problems and what sort of problems you have faced, challenged and solved? if you are a financial guy they would give a practical problem regarding a financial issue and ask your opinion and observe as to how would you solve it. but if you ask me what is a common thread in all these i would simply say clarity of thinking! just have clear ideas about everything you know, you have read and you have faced in your life. if they ask a text book like question on a subject matter it would be mostly to test your dedication to the subject. so they would concentrate on dead issues, older versions, how they worked etc., it would be like walking back in to the history. since the person is seeing you for the first time you have to dress up in good cloths and appear neat. do not smoke even if they offer you. don�t show any casual approach to your job. any employer would be simply scared to employ an easy going person even if it means employing a tea boy.

the dictionary meaning of interview is �face to face meeting of two person� or somewhere it is �in-person examination of an applicant�. so, it�s all about your personality test, �face reading�, �way to handle questions�, �confidence�, �eye contact�, and �willingness�. there are two set of preparation to crack the interview.

before going for interview 1.

well prepared resume

before going for any interview, prepare your resume well formed as per the requirements of the organization. be honest and put only those things, which you know thoroughly because most of the questions will be asked from your resume only. 2.

good sleep

one night before going for any interview, have a healthy sleep of at least 6-8 hours. it will make you look fresh at the time of interview. you won�t be looking tired there. 3.

well dressed

it is said, �first impression is the last impression�. so, try to make your first impression very nice by having proper dressed up, good color combination of cloths and properly shaved. the most formal combinations are shirts of lighter color and pants of darker color. the color of belt and shoes should be same, like black belt with black shoes or brown belt with brown shoes. a light perfume can make you feel fresh so, have some light perfumes. during interview 1.

keep smiling

a gentle smile makes you and your interviewer very comfortable. it will also help to have a nice delighting environment and will generate a positive energy. 2.

be polite

during interview answer each and every question very politely. never ever be rude or frustrated because sometimes interviewer intensely create such situations to judge your patience level. 3.

be confident

confidence can help you to crack the interview whether over-confidence can through you out. so, always be confident during interview and avoid over-confidence. answer the questions you know and politely say no to those questions, which answer you don�t know. if your interviewer is not satisfied with your answer try to explain your answer once again and if then also he is not agree then just say �that�s what you know about the subject�, but never argue with them. some most frequently asked questions and their probable answers q: tell me about yourself?

answer: the most frequent asked question but generally people don�t prepare for this question. this is a key question, which gives you the chance to show your talents, skills. start with your qualifications, family background, and experiences but don�t put your strengths and weaknesses here. this question gives you nice opportunity, so utilize it to the max. remember, �you will never get second chance to make your first impression�. q: what do you know about this organization? answer: you should do some research on the organization before going for interview. prepare for the question like �what are the working areas of the organization�, �growth prospects and current issues of the organization�, �major players in the organization�. answer all these questions and show your knowledge and interest in the organization. q: why should we hire you? answer: pint out how your knowledge, skills meet with the requirements of the organization. never compare yourself with other candidates. it will have a negative impact. now, prepare for a good interview and try to crack it. wish you all the best !!!

every man and his dog will be able to tell you exactly what you should do when sitting an interview for a post you most desire. the �make eye contact�, �do background research on the company�, have good references�, �remove spinach from teeth� etc. but what i�m about to tell you is the stuff they don�t mention, the stuff which is of the up most importance�now read carefully on �what not to do when being interviewed�. if you follow my instructions i can guarantee that you will get the position you desire. please note, the guarantee that i have just made is the type of guarantee an insurance company makes, that is if anything goes wrong, i shall not be held liable. with that in mind, i shall now continue with the list. 9: refrain from challenging your interviewer to a hand wrestle to prove your �interpersonal strength�. 8: remove headphones from your ears before entering the interviewing room so that you can at least pretend you have some idea of what they�re talking about. 7: if you wear a hairpiece, make sure it is held firmly in place and does not flap when you walk or shake hands with the interviewer. 6: try not doze off during the interview�it does not leave a very good impression. 5: abstain from telling the interviewer that you will prove your loyalty to the firm by having the company logo tattooed on your arm�you may have to go through with it.

4: do not inform the interviewer that your long-term goal is to replace them. 3: if you feel intimidated because you are not as qualified as the other applicants, don�t panic and tell your interviewer that you never finished high school because you were kidnapped and kept in a closet in mexico. 2: if you don�t know the answer the question, avoid calling your therapist and asking for advice. 1: refuse the impulse to bring a royal bengal tiger to your interview�be considerate, the interviewer may have allergies. ******************************************** so if you listened to my advice and got the job, hearty congratulations to you. however, is all as good as it seems? if you see any of the following statements in your progress reports, be aware that something foul is afoot. 8: employee sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them. 7: this employee had illusions of adequacy 6: works well when he is cornered like a rat. 5: this employee has hit rock bottom and started to dig. 4: this employee would be out of her depth in a puddle 3: this employee is depriving a village somewhere of their idiot. 2: his men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity. 1: i would not allow this employee to breed *********************************************** so when these �constructive criticisms� start to infiltrate into your progress reports, there is really only one option that is left open to you. have a good time with lots of laughs before they fire you. here are some tips. 10: schedule meetings at 4:14 pm 9: hi lite your shoes and tell people you haven�t lost them since you did this. 8: name all your pens and ask your boss if he wants your paper work to be done in �bob or ophelia. 7: page yourself on the intercom (don�t disguise your voice) 6: develop an unnatural fear of staplers and tape dispensers. 5: sit with your keyboard on your lap under your desk and type away. after a while, start complaining loudly about bad work conditions. 4: keep looking at invisible bugs and try to swat them. 3: type frantically, often stopping to peer evilly at the person sitting next to you.

2: walk into a room, sit on the chair and fall off, laugh, and sit down again. find excuse to get up, and when you go to sit down, repeat the process. repeat the process a third time, except when you fall down, look at your chair accusingly and say sternly �this isn�t funny anymore.� 1: laugh uncontrollably for about 30 secs and then look suspiciously at everyone who looks at you. -------------------------------------------------------------------i hope you found this to be an informative read. please don�t hesitate to comment on how my review has changed your life. cheers dee

the title says it all. the interview can be likened to a market, a place for conducting a business. the commodity here is ��yourself��, the buyer is the employer and their representative is your interviewer. once this analogy is made, everything else falls in place and you are immediately presented with the challenge of convincing them to ��invest�� in you. the interview could be something that is done over a cup of tea or could be a rigorous ordeal that lasts for hours ( a la microsoft style) , however the basics are still the same. organize yourself make sure you have your papers in order, and are able to locate them quickly. a pen, some blank sheets of paper and/or a calculator are invaluable aids. you can also take a bottle of water with you, to quench your thirst. it also serves as a useful break to gather your thoughts or to slow the pace of the interview. your looks though superficial, your attire can reveal a lot about your mental makeup. it makes a strong impression. make sure you ask about the dress code (from the hr contact) before you show up in person. typically old world institutions like banks, insurance and phone companies prefer the formal attire, so a suit and tie would be appropriate. modern it companies are a lot laxer in this regard, so you can opt for the semi-formal look. unless you are a genius with a towering reputation dont show up in a hawaiian shirt or party outfit however lenient the organization appears to be. your talk it goes without saying that you must be proficient in the language enough to get the idea across. it is important that you remember the 3 p�s of speech, namely, pitch (how you modulate your voice), pace (how slow or fast you talk) and power (how loud your voice sounds) try to keep these 3 attributes in moderate levels so that you are clearly heard . keep your sentences short (7 words max) and get the point across quickly. it is ok to say i dont know rather than beating around the bush which only increases distrust in the interviewers� mind. your thinking the interviewers are basically trying to see how skilled you are, and how you will fit in with the existing team. so try to sell your skills as much as possible. if you are good at something then let them know that. every interviewer has 2 or 3 ��aha!!�� questions. these are the questions based on which the they are going to pass/fail you. they are usually asked within the first 10 minutes of your interview. identify them and answer them properly after taking your time. while most interviewers are fair and focussed, there are some who are just out to give you a tough time no matter how good you are or how hard you try. you have to retain control as long as the interview lasts, without showing signs of panic or nervousness. general attributes a. do your homework: know what the company does. do a little research on their products, recent events about their organization. know how they are organized, who their ceo is etc. b. be punctual: one cant overemphasize on this. c. be honest: do not use all the industry catchwords on your resume or when you

talk. your interview will only get tougher. e.g. if you have worked on oracle and have read about sap, dont include sap in your skill set. d. be consistent: stick to what you have said throughout the interview. e.g. dont say you have done perl programming to the hr person and then deny it in the interview. the interview panel will get together and compare notes, and you will have a black mark against you. e. be inquisitive: curiosity did kill the cat, but this is an exception. make sure you know your role in the new organization. get the expectations straight. also let them know about your working style and see if they match. post interview some ppl say that its good to write thank you letters, but i dont think thats relevant in today�s industry, unless you are overwhelmed by gratitude or your resume really sucks (just kidding). i have never done it and i dont think it really makes a difference. i guess thats it for now. hope this was helpful.

home > get ahead > careers get rediff headlines in your inbox ! your daily predictions: five steps to ace your job interview preeti vasaikar | july 01, 2005 g ot an interview coming up? feeling unprepared, nervous? as nerve-wracking as it might seem, the outcome of a job interview often depends more on your disposition, among other things. image the good news, though, is that giving interviews is a skill and, just like any other skill, it too can be developed. a good way to start developing this skill is to exercise these handy hints. if you have already been to quite a few, it would be helpful to start the next one afresh without the baggage of past failures, if any. here is a step-by-step method to prepare for an interview. * tips to crack call centre interviews step 1: finetune your application strategy always remember that an impression of you, based on your resume and job application, has already been formed in the mind of the interviewer even before you walk in for the interview. so, getting your job application right is the first step. be meticulous at this stage. ~ spruce up your resume to look good on paper. the quality, content and attitude expressed in the application are judged by the interviewer, based on which the selections would be made. it is very important that you don't lie. if you are caught lying about anything

then the fate of the interview, in all likelihood, would be sealed at that instant itself. ~ reconfirm that all details are present in the job application in a precise, logical and coherent manner and that they are relevant and match the company's requirements. ~ "in some cases, a flawless resume does more than 70 percent of the work," says nina sahoo, executive, hr recruitment, citibank. nina goes through many resumes everyday and avows that a well-presented resume, with honest information, increases the chance of the candidate being called for an interview. ~ she advises applicants to take utmost care of the resume's format, spelling errors and the logical flow of personal, academic and professional information. bonus tip: if you are certified in any domain, you can also print your resume on a watermark (a paper with a printed background of certification, institution, etc) or on executive bond paper on which the accredited logo is printed. this can make quite an impression. * 6 must-have soft skills for success! step 2: do your homework if you are applying for your dream job, a little sleuthing can go a long way. in fact, research relentlessly. ~ though most companies have an official induction programme where information about the organisation and your responsibilities will be spelt out, try to know as much as possible about the company and the job in advance. ~ use multiple recourses like the official web site, newspapers, personal resources in the form of friends, family and acquaintances, etc. ~ a favourite trick of many interviewers on d-day is to ask you specific questions, and there are instances where interviewees lie to make up for their lack of research. so find out everything about the structure of the company, its products, your job responsibilities, etc. ~ "with a zillion interviews happening everyday, it's a mundane process having to explain to the candidate about the company and interview process," says richa pillai, who is in charge of the accounts department at reliance, sewri. she mentions a particular candidate who had walked in for the position for an accountant. the candidate made a good impression by explaining the financial reports for the last three years. needless to say, he immediately got the job. "be prepared," says richa. "candidates walking in with adequate preparation are a real treat." bonus tip: find out the composition of the interview process, especially whether you are expected to give a written test. * communicate better? enhance your listening skills! step 3: crack the mock interview any activity or performance becomes successful or one of quality when the activist

or the performer rehearses several times. ~ practising dummy interviews along with a friend will give you valuable feedback on what you may be doing right and where you may need to tweak your skills. instruct your friend to watch out for, and give a candid opinion about, your speech, delivery, body language, quality of answers, diction, etc. ~ if, at the last moment, you are unsure about the feedback, go with your instincts. mock interviews serve to increase your confidence level and keep you prepared for the most unexpected questions. ~ in absence of a friend/ relative, the traditional method of looking into the mirror and practising would still hold good, except that you would have get into the shoes of both the interviewer and the interviewee. * eight leadership mantras step 4: make a good first impression ~ the mantra 'look good, feel confident' works especially well with interviews. so spruce up your appearance, dress in accordance with the company dress code or according to the diktats of your profession. it is safer to be overdressed so, if you have no clue about the company's dress code, then dress formally. ~ reach well in advance for the interview and manage your disposition from that point on. ~ don't let fellow interviewees intimidate you in any manner. maintain an 'i am the best' attitude. however, don't forget to stay humble. ~ keep all necessary documents handy. don't shuffle and fidget during the interview. avoid carrying documents in an envelope as it will take time to show them to the interviewers. arrange the documents in a folder and present them in the order that has been asked. remember to collect all the certificates given for perusal after the interview, says richa pillai. ~ keep a pen in your pocket and, yes, ensure it works. bonus tip: if you anticipate that the interview process will go on for the entire day, carry some snacks and bottle of water, suggests shweta rathor, an hr executive at a bpo. * party networking: the new mantra for success step 5: tackle the tests tests are often a part of the shortlisting process. for instance a technical test may be designed to check your technical knowledge. a copy test is a good way to judge your writing/ editing skills. aptitude/ psychometric tests are designed to check your aptitude, soft skills, etc.

~ "find out the exact nature of the written tests you are expected to take," says vikas prabhu, general manager, it, reliance petroleum. ~ if the tests come as a surprise, they could affect your performance and give a critical jolt to your mental balance, thereby affecting your performance in the rest of the selection process. bonus tip: these tests are crucial. an above-average performance in the tests is imperative, says prabhu. next: top mantras for interview d-day

have you been wondering how to put together an impressively-phrased powerpoint presentation? have you been wondering how to compose an e-mail that captures your strategies and goals effectively? it is time you did something about it. as a young professional in today's global business world, it is imperative that you are competent in both oral as well as written communication. important forms of oral communication at the workplace include: * building interpersonal relationships. * giving presentations and debating viewpoints effectively. you need to master oral skills for both in-person and over-the-phone interactions. similarly, important written communication includes: * writing professional e-mails (sans sms slang). * putting together concise reports. * creating visually powerful powerpoint presentations. and the key to acing oral and written communication is to spruce up your communication skills. and it is a lot easier than you think. here are some easy tips to do it on your own: 1. improve pronunciation and diction there are a few tricks to making a vernacular accent more globally understandable. ~ try making sure that 'air' comes out of your mouth when saying the letters, 't, p, k' and the sound 'ch'. ~ focus on elongating your vowel sounds. this will also automatically slow down your rate of speech. ~ sing english songs out loud!

~ watch news shows on channels like cnn and bbc. ~ the web site www.m-w.com is great for pronunciation help. ~ i would also suggest buying books on pronunciation and language that come with audio cassettes. a good book that i found really useful was better english pronunciation by j d o'connor. it is part of the cambridge series, and some of those books come with cassettes. 2. spruce up your writing skills ~ believe it or not, you have to read more! ~ well-written magazines, like the economist and india today, are great to read not only to improve language skills but also to learn more about the world. ~ in terms of books, read what interests you. the basic goal is to read as much as you can. there are a plethora of good authors who are popular today. some good writers whose language is easy to follow include vikram seth, jhumpa lahiri, paulo coelho, j d salinger, albert camus and roald dahl. ~ people tend to forget basic grammar when writing e-mails. an e-mail is nothing more than a letter which is sent electronically. make sure salutations and content are professional. use special phrases when attaching documents. for example, "please find attached with this e-mail a report on..." this helps you sound professional. 3. five exercises to practise every day! i. pretend you are a newscaster and read out the newspaper to your mirror. ii. do not read local newspapers. focus on national newspapers. iii. while reading a book, underline all the words you do not know. look them up in the dictionary. iv. make a list of these words, and make sure you use at least five of them in a conversation during the day. v. most important, make an effort to speak in english to your friends and family.

recruitment is a challenge in call center/bpo industry�competencies for recruitment professionals�measuring their efficiency and roi !!! purpose: for high growth organizations, attracting, hiring and retaining the right talent is critical. add the right players to your team and you have a key source of competitive advantage. attract the wrong talent and you will have difficulty meeting your strategic goals and objectives. "hire a wrong person�who is not able

to fit into an organization�he will leave, resulting in high attrition rate". "hire a person�give him wrong information�or misrepresent the policies of the companies and procedure and you will not even know what harm you have done to the organizations "public image" ". introduction more than anybody else in hr department the onus is high on "recruitment specialist", he is like "companies" advertising manager. he must be well versed with the "business" of the company, its strategies and policies. it is for him to keep himself updated with the latest skill sets, available in the market. it is for him to "keep" him self updated with the "business competitors" of the organization. even the onus of "retaining people is on "recruitment specialist". it is for them to find if the "person" will be able to fit into the "culture" of the organization. 4 p's of recruitment product what positions are you trying to fill? what do you have to offer to potential candidates? who else is trying to hire similar candidates and how can you gain a competitive advantage? price how much are you willing to pay top quality candidates (e.g., salary and benefits, other costs associated with the hiring process)? is this more or less than your competition? person what is your target market? who are you trying to hire? what competencies are needed for the jobs you have to fill? are these competencies valid? what does the ideal candidate look like? promotion where can your ideal candidates be found? how will you let these candidates know about your job openings and encourage them to apply? what resources can you use to generate a diverse candidate pool? searching for "right" profile 1. networking - developing relationships with institutions that have direct or indirect access to culturally diverse candidates 2. internet - searching web databases, placing ads at various career sites geared toward a diverse array of individuals, attending on-line career chats 3. resume services - purchasing a packet of resumes that match identified hiring criteria and contain a significant level of diversity. 4. direct mail campaign - systematically sending recruitment materials to culturally diverse individuals who meet your hiring criteria and organizations that have access to such individuals. 5. job fairs - participating in job and career fairs that cater to culturally diverse job seekers. 6. newspaper/periodical advertising - placing job ads in periodicals that cater to culturally diverse individuals. 7. radio & television advertising - placing job ads on shows that cater to

culturally diverse individuals. 8. professional associations - becoming actively involved in a professional association that caters to underrepresented members of a particular profession recruitment: return on investment (roi) recruitment return on investment (roi) understands and compares the elements, costs and risks of a recruitment related project to the expected benefits, for example; recruitment technology, recruitment centre implementation or process reengineering. recruitment roi can assist in building a business case for the organization's decision makers to evaluate the benefits and estimated return on the investment to upgrade an organization's recruitment function. in summary, the recruitment roi process would address the following: 1. tangible and intangible benefits to the organization, including increased quality and savings in time and money through implementation 2. estimated cost of services and associated technology 3. investment/payback period of the recruitment project 4. issues and costs associated with not proceeding with the recruitment project measuring the effectiveness of recruitment process collecting data and calculating the ratios is only the first step. metrics are a tool for a larger analysis of your recruiting effectiveness. metrics don't just mean time and cost. it's about looking for every point of transaction with a candidate and tracking it from the time and cost perspectiveevery activity that pulls a candidate into the process and the path that takes the candidate through to an accepted offer. recruitment metrics measure the effectiveness of the recruitment function. these metrics deliver valuable and relevant information back to business stakeholders. their purpose and benefits are to: 1. demonstrate the real value of the recruitment function 2. gain the buy-in of business decision makers to invest in and optimize the recruitment function 3. provide an accurate picture of current costs and outcomes 4. demonstrate changes and impacts to the organization over time 5. establish shared accountability between the recruitment centre, hiring managers and/or business units 6. manage costs 7. analyze productivity 8. assist in the identification and evaluation of risks a good recruitment specialist must be in a position to answer the following questions: 1. how much time and expense does your administrative staff expend to open, respond, and route resumes to the hiring team? the best way to do this is to figure out an average cost per resume and track how many resumes you receive for each job to be able to calculate the administrative cost per job. 2. how much time does your hiring team / recruiter spend screening through resumes? this may also be an average cost per resume received for the job.

3. if your organization conducts preliminary phone interviews, how many were conducted and how much time was spent by the recruiter to prepare, conduct, summarize and communicate the results of those interviews? 4. do you have an automated applicant-tracking program? this is an indirect cost that you may choose to pro-rate across your hires for a specific period of time, somewhat like depreciating a new computer on your taxes. 5. did your hiring team or the interviewee incur any travel expenses that were reimbursed by the company? 6. how much time was spent scheduling interviews? 7. how many staff members were involved in the interviews? how long per interview? how many interviews? what is the average cost of the interviewers' time 8. how much time and what was the cost for follow-up with candidates during negotiations and to notify those that were not hired? 9. what was the cost of referral fees from a recruiting agency or an employee referral? 10. what costs will the company be paying for the new hire to relocate? some costs may include moving company, airplane tickets, hotel accommodations, temp housing, house hunting visits, assistance with sell/buy, or spouse/dependent assistance. 11. what was the cost for background investigations and/or reference checks? drug screens? 12. if there was a signing bonus, how much was it? 13. what costs does the company typically incur to bring someone onboard orientation, mentor, benefits enrollment, computers, cell phones, uniforms, etc.? 14. how long did it take to fill the position from start to hire date? what could you have done to reduce the time to hire and not have impacted the quality of the hire? 15. what was the impact on productivity while the position was left vacant? this is a very difficult calculation to conduct especially depending on the position. however, it does have an impact on the hiring manager and the organization as a whole. if it can't be quantified, at least keep it in mind. 16. how satisfied was the hiring manager / organization with the hire? this assessment can be done following the hiring but should be repeated again 3 - 6 months after the employee has been on the job to get a real sense of how successful the hire was. calculations for recruitment specialist cost per hire: (cost per hire is a calculation you can use any time you are hiring. let's say you are a consulting firm bidding on a big project. cost per hire can help you estimate the costs associated with adding new positions as part of being awarded the contract for the new project.) costs involved with a new hire [advertising + agency fees + employee referrals + travel + relocation + recruiter pay & benefits] /number of hires turnover cost: costs incurred when an employee leaves the organization cost to terminate + cost per hire + vacancy cost + learning curve loss (note: cost to terminate includes severance, unemployment, exit interviews, legal fees, temp replacements, etc) turnover rate: measures rate that employees leave an organization [no. of separations during month � Average no. of employees during the month] x 100 (note: define what status of employee you will monitor. it might not make sense,

for example, to monitor temporary employees. it could skew the statistics for your full-time staff and lead you to false conclusions. consider conducting a positionspecific analysis) time to fill: number of days from job requisition approval to new hire starts date total days to fill requisitions /number hired conclusion for a recruitment professional to be efficient and effective, there is so much to do. they can play an important role in "organization transformation", provided they are "true an fair" in their dealings. i have also mentioned in one of my "earlier write-up" that "recruitment professional" are corrupt, there is a good and bad face of each profession, all that is matter is how true you are to yourself and your integrity. i will be looking forward to your comments and feedback. feel free to shoot any question, pertaining to this article. stay in touch and take care