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Careers for Women
The nineties is undoubtedly the decade of the women. There is no avenue she has not
trodden on, no obstacle she has not overcome and no job that is still taboo for her.
Today’s women has scaled every peak, both literally, and figuratively.
Barely two decades ago, most women did not work unless it was to while away the
time before getting married,or for financial reasons. But today most women pursue a career
not for these reasons, but for the challenge and satisfaction a job provides. There are no
taboos any longer against working women. It is this transformation in the social scene
that has enabled women to rightly take their place as contributing partners in the
workplace, pouring into the economy an immense flow of brain power and energy. Despite the
progressive attitudinal change, it is significant to note that barely 32% of the total
working population are women. Here too, it may come as no surprise that a large percentage
constitute unskilled labour, and less than one percent of the total working women’s
population in India holds coveted corporate job.
Higher
Education
A recent survey reported that twice as many women work full time and part time now
as compared to ten years ago. Perhaps what is even more indicative of the trend, and what
illustrates the ambition of young women today, is that there are many more girls enrolling
for college education today that ever before. It is also an education with a goal in
mind-most young women anticipate a life that will bring an interesting and financially
rewarding job. What is of importance is that their expectations of job opportunities are
remarkably similar to those of young men with the same academic achievement.
Higher education has continued to play an important role in preparing women meet
entry level requirements for jobs. Young girls recognise the fact that college or
university attendance is a necessary prerequisite for most of the sought after careers.
Due to gender stereotyping or societal influences, most girls still opt for
subjects that are less vocationally relevant. As a consequence, many girls do not opt for
courses in physical sciences and engineering. The numbers of girls in engineering colleges
is still minimal, although this is changing too.
Traditional Career roles
Traditionally the careers for women have been largely in the hospitality sector, in
personal services, as air hostesses or beauticians, in teaching, catering, selling and
clerical jobs, where the intrinsic personal qualities of women are among the requirements
for the career. Whatever the field, it remained mainly a job and not a career which could
be fulfilling and satisfying. But in recent years, women have pushed for greater
challenges, making progressively strides in enlarging the scope and ambit of these
careers, and entering areas which hitherto were largely male domains.
Hoteliering today for both men and women covers wide range of specialised jobs from
housekeeping and cooking, to the more high profile hotel management, and guest relations.
Other successful careers for women have been in personal services. These include beauty
and hairdressing, which no longer is contained within the environs of a beauty parlour.
With the growth of the fashion business, and the spurt in marketing, advertising and
television, beauty today is big business . Fashion shows, fashion photography, theatre,
exhibitions , presentations, wardrobe and makeup for films and television and so on have
catapulted beauticians and hair-dressers to exalted heights and those with talent and
perseverance can have extremely rewarding careers. In addition, with a growing awareness
of health and fitness, beauty specialists are enlarging the scope of their services by
setting up health clubs, fitness gyms and clinics.
The fashion world gives full play to creative instincts and where it is combined with entrepreneurial instrincts and financial
skills, women have been able to complete effectively with men in this arena. A case in
point is Modeling, where women have proved to be indispensable.
Careers in Mass Communication :
An area of about equal prospects for both sexes is journalism. Journalism is ideally
suited to those women with a flair for writing, an ability to express ideas concisely, and
a curiosity about people and events around them. Of course a certain resilience and courage is necessary, but that is
often acquired on the job.
In an age when image consciousness holds the key to success, public relations is
yet another area where women can do extremely
well. Public Relations is an image building exercise that can apply to anything from
companies and products to people, projects or
ideas. Its main components are social contact
and communication. Perhaps for this reason it is perceived as a glamorous career and has
attracted imaginative and ambitious young women. However, it is in some of the
non-traditional areas that women have made significant strides. Advertising was once a
male preserves, but offers today an exciting and challenging career to any young,
hard-working and ambitious women. This is an industry where rewards are directly
commensurate with initiative displayed and results achieved. Ambitious women can therefore
rise quickly to the top.
Financial careers
Until a few years ago, banking and financial
services were male-dominated careers, where few women made it beyond middle level
executive positions. However, as more women choose to pursue professional studies, the
ratio is beginning to change. Private sector banks, merchant banking departments and
corporate financial services are areas that have accepted trained and competent women,
particularly in the marketing sections where the emphasis is on the ability to relate to
customers, identity their needs and promote the banks services. As more female students
enrole in professional financial training programmes, careers like chartered accountancy
are offering attractive prospects for women with numerical ability and financial acumen.
Management
It is the area of business management that is currently generating the maximum
appeal. Female enrolment in MBA courses in some institutions is as high as 40% of the
total classroom strength. In this achievement oriented
profession where results count more than anything else, women managers with their inherent
inter-personal skills are being slowly accepted and appreciated. Among the various
functional areas of management it is marketing and human resource development where women
tend to be more successful. This could be largely due to the fact that women have some
intrinsic qualities, such as a better understanding of human nature, and a greater empathy
with others, an interest in social and economic trends, good communication skills and an
ability to get along with people that leads to a better handling of the job.
Careers in
Government Services
The civil services has always provided equal opportunities for all, due to the
guarantees provided in the constitution. There are also special provisions for women in
support of their joining the work force. But the number of female officers in the civil
services is still comparatively low, although often the toppers in the civil services
examinations are women. These services provide excellent, secure and satisfying career
opportunities for women with the right attitude.
As the civil services cover practically every field of enterprise, from
administration, education, welfare, accounts, railways, information, to science and
technology forestry, trade, commerce and international relations, it provides vast
opportunities for women with a sense of responsibility and idealism and an ability to
handle power and authority and take decisions that can affect the lives of millions. The
career levels in the civil services are formally structured and follow a system of grades
and seniority. It takes time and experience to get to the top ranks. However, in many of
the services the early years of an Officer’s career are spent in postings to places
they would never ordinarily get to see, handling vast responsibilities and living a
lifestyle that in most other careers would be impossible at a junior level. From examples
of women who have joined the civil services and made it to senior posts, it is evident
that the country needs many more women with motivation and commitment in the civil
services.
Although women have been traditionally recruited in the armed forces in the medical
and nursing corps, today all three services offer a satisfying career in other fields too.
There is a women’s Special Entry Scheme (officers) for women graduates in specified
subjects and between 19-27 years of age.
The Indian Navy was the first among the services to induct women in its
noncombatant cadres. Unmarried graduate women are eligible for the Short Service
Commission of 7 years, extendable for 10 years, in the logistics, law and air traffic
control cadres in the Executive branch. There are opportunities for women in the
educational branch for which the academic requirement is a Master’s degree.
There are increasing numbers of women in non-combatant areas in the Army too,
including the Army Service Corps, Ordnance Corps, Education Corps, Signals, Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers, the Judge, Advocate General’s branch and the Army Intelligence
Corps. Women are selected after graduation and through the Services Selection Board
followed by medical tests.
The Indian Air Force accepts women into certain branches, such as the technical and
ground duty branches. Since 1992, women pilots have also been inducted into the airforce
on non-combatant duties. Selection for pilots is through a pilot aptitude test as part of
the SSB interview exercise. For those with a penchant for flying, here is a career where
only the sky is the limit.
Careers in non-traditional
fields
Another highflying career for women is as a commercial pilot with a civil airline.
In recent years, the national and international airlines have been recruiting women pilots
for their commercial aircraft’s. Becoming a pilot is an expensive exercise, and can
cost anywhere from around Rs.6-15 lakhs for professional training and the compulsory
flying experience. But this expense can be considered an investment for those wishing to
make flying a career, as once employed, most pilots are paid handsomely enough to recover
the investment. One of the largest organized economic activities in the country is
building and construction which has not attracted many women, but could provide another
lucrative career. The construction industry sustains one of our basic needs that of
shelter – and so commands the highest employment potential. This is an industry which
involves architects who design the buildings, town and country planners who ensure the
best utilization of land, civil engineers who convert the architects, designs into
reality, as well as contractors, draughts men, surveyors, and a range of skilled craftsmen
for setting up and finishing the building. So far women have confined themselves to the
role of architects. But as the construction industry becomes more organized, and there is
sufficient work in urban centres, job options in the building and construction industry
are becoming more attractive for women, particularly in the area of self-employment.
Interestingly the careers that have always been widely accepted as male-preserves
are those in which women are doing rather well. These are the engineering and technology
options - Particularly, in disciplines such as computers, information technology,
environmental engineering, dairy technology and food processing, plastics and
telecommunications. However, while the number of women in engineering colleges has
improved, career wise, women engineers appear to prefer going into academics and research
rather than into industry. But this too, is slowly changing.
Dairy technology and food processing in this age of processed foods has been on the
upswing in the changing socio-economic environment and growing demand for convenience
foods. Women with their basic domesticated attitudes fare well in an area which requires
planning, improving, supervising and handling various foods both in their raw and packaged
forms. The industry therefore provides ample opportunities to women with an academic
background in chemistry, biotechnology and dairy technology, particularly as it has
attracted the third largest investment after the power and oil sectors and will continue
to need trained professionals.
Entrepreneurship
The biggest challenge for the women of the nineties lies in the area of
entrepreneurship. It is not always possible for women to go out to work. There are
domestic demands and family pressures that have prevented women even those with impressive
qualifications from taking up a job. But staying at home does not necessarily mean dealing
with household chores alone. Women today are tapping their entrepreneurial spirit to set
up efficiently run home-based business, create and market innovative products, provide a
range of services such as tuition bureaux or placement agencies, supply plants, design
web pages, conduct cookery classes and so on, and even run manufacturing units.
While earlier, women preferred to start a business in traditional areas like
handicrafts, food products and the beauty business, today’s woman has gained the
confidence and the expertise to venture into new and lucrative fields such as
floriculture, bio-technology, agro-processing, herbal cosmetics, computer software,
leatherwear, and gems and jewellery.
In fact, this is an avenue where much support is available for any woman willing to
take the plunge. Various organizations like
the National research and Development Corporation and the Department of Science and
Technology help women develop new project ideas into viable commercial ventures. There are
also entrepreneurship training organizations such as the National Institute for
Entrepreneureship and Business Development in New Delhi, the Entrepreneurship Development
Institute of India near Ahmedabad, and the small Industry Extension Training Institute at
Hyderabad.
The training programmes involve psychological tests which help women assess their
ability to take risks and disposition for entrepreneurship. They also provide information
and guidance on how to prepare feasibility reports, fill in application forms, set up
infrastructural facilities and apply for financial assistance. Various banks and financial
institutions provide financial assistance at reduced rates of interest to encourage women
entrepreneurs, while women themselves are banding together in associations,or setting up
non-governmental organizations to help and encourage other women.
Economic liberalization and the new freedom mantra have thrown open a new world of
market opportunities for women. There is virtually no field of entreprise that women
cannot enter, and fewer restrictions and pressures. So the time is right for women to put
their skills and talents to good use and to follow their instincts in carving out a
rewarding and successful career.
By Usha Albuquereque
Published
in Manorama Yearbook 1999.
A
Career in Cost Accountancy
You enter a Department store and buy a cake soap. The sales girl collects ten
rupees as its price. Who fixed the price as ten rupees ? You would have bought a
television monitor for twenty thousand, or automobile for three lakhs. How did the
marketing executives arrive at these prices. In fact it is not the marketing executive who
fixed these prices, but a finance professional well-versed in the process of costing. This
is the province of the cost accountant. He has several other functions as well, the
details of which we shall discuss shortly.
History : In India the professional is known
as the ‘cost and works Accountant’. In several other countries the title
‘cost and Management Accountant’ is more common.
The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India had its beginning as a limited
company in 1944, under the provisions of the Companies Act. The Institute has, during its
history spread over half a century, played a signal role in the development of
manufacturing industries and commercial enterprises. In recognition of the significance of
the profession, Government of India accorded
statutory status to the Institute, through the cost and works Accountants Act 1959.
Further, in 1964 the companies Act 1956 was amended, introducing provisions for the
statutory maintenance of cost accounting records in select core industries and the audit
of such records by qualified cost and management accountants. In 1982, the central
government created an all India cadre known as Indian Cost Accounts Service to advise the
government on fiscal matters.
Functions:
The significance of the profession has increased substantially as a consequence of
the recent trends in liberalization, privatization, and globalization in India. The skills
of cost and Management Accountants can be gainfully utilized for steering the economy of
industrial and commercial enterprises through the most advantageous paths. The realm of
the profession can be extended to the emerging areas of audit pertaining to energy and
environment.
The functions of a cost accountant are not limited to keeping accounts, or
maintaining their accuracy. They cover a wide range of activities including evaluation of
worth in investments, critical analysis of financial performance of organization,
co-ordination of activities in the various departments of industrial or commercial
undertakings, and advice to management on matters of finance. Costing of products and
services, enveloping methods of cost-reduction with the help of management information
systems, modifying the styles of business operations based on principles of costing,
effective inventory control, cost audit, internal audit, and audit of plant performance
fall under the duties of cost and works accountants. Basic data for the redesigning of
plant operations and processes are often provided by the cost accountant. He has a crucial
role in project management, control of operations, and strategic management of funds.
Monitoring and analysis of data, and wise budgeting are important in ensuring quality in
corporate performance. Cost and management accountancy is intimately interwoven into the
fabric of management.
Professional Prospects: The significant role
played by the cost accountant in achieving business objectives is being appreciated more
and more. This has opened up superior opportunities to him, which can take him even to the
highest rung in the professional ladder in the corporate sector. Several members of the
Institute of Cost and Works Accountants occupy top management positions such as Managing
Director, Financial Controller, Marketing Manager, Chief Internal Auditor. Key positions
are available also in Central and State Governments. There is an all India cadre under the
Central Government – the Indian Cost Accounts Service.
Those who hold ICWAI qualification along with
a Bachelor’s Degree can register themselves for M.Phil/Ph. D in commerce or allied disciplines. Fellow mmbers of the Institute are
treated on at par with Ph.D. holders for appointment as members of the faculty in
Professional/ Management Institutes, as per the norms of the All India Council for
Technical Education.
Developing countries abroad also offer opportunities of employment to
qualified cost accountants.
A cost accountant can build up his own practice or join hands with other members of
the Institute forming partnership ventures.
Such practice can cover the under mentioned areas :
1.
Statutory
maintenance of cost accounting records in more than 40 selected industries under Section
209 (I) of the Companies Act 1956.
2.
Audit
of cost accounting records, under the statutory provision under Section 233-B of the
Companies Act 1956.
3.
Acting
as trustee, executor, administrator, arbitrator, receiver, appraiser, valuer, advisor,
Secretary, secretarial consultant, or representative for financial matters including
taxation.
4.
Practicing
as Management consultant or Tax consultant.
5.
Designing
and introduction of systems.
6.
Inventories,
working capital management.
7.
Projects-feasibility
studies, project reports, profitability appraisals, execution.
8.
Studies
of problems in capacity utilization and substitution of raw materials.
9.
Certification
of consumption for import application.
10.
Decision
of options among buying, hiring, and making.
11.
Planning
of mergers.
12.
Profitability
forecasts.
Entry To The Profession:
There are three stages in the training of a cost accountant- Foundation, Intermediate and
Final. However, if you have certain academic qualifications, you can skip the foundation
course and directly enter the Intermediate stage.
a. Foundation Course Examination : Any
candidate who has passed the 10+2 examination or the National Diploma in Commerce
examination can apply for the foundation course examination. The applicant should have
completed seventeen years of age on the date of his application.
There are four papers in the Foundation Course :
1. Business
Fundamentals and Economics
2. Management
and Organization.
3. Basic
Mathematics and Statistics
4. Commercial
Laws
The examination is
usually held in June and December each year. The examination form Should be submitted to
the concerned Regional Council of the Institute before 15th April or 25th
October respectively, along with the prescribed fee. The current rate is Rs.175.
b. Intermediate and final Examinations :
Any person who has completed 18 years of age and secured graduation in any discipline can
register directly for the Intermediate Examination. In lieu of graduation, the following
qualifications will be considered to be sufficient.
1. The
final examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
2. The
final examination of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
3. Section
A and Section B Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India), or equivalent.
4. Subordinate
Accounts Service Examination conducted by the Central/State Government Organizations.
For registration,
students should fill in Form I and submit it to the respective Regional Council alongwith
the prescribed registration fee in the form of a demand draft favouring The Institute of
Cost & Works Accountants of India”payable at Calcutta. The current rate of the
registration fee is Rs.170. After passing the Intermediate Examination, the student can
undergo coaching for the Final Examination.
A registered student
should successfully complete the Intermediate and Final Examinations within a period of
seven years from the date of his registration. The Intermediate and Final Courses can be
completed in a minimum period of 18 months each. If the Intermediate and
Final Examinations are not completed in seven years, the student can seek de novo
registration.
Addresses of Regional
Councils
1. Western
Indian Regional Council of the ICWAI, 4th floor,Rohit Chamber,Jammabhoomi Marg,
Fort, Mumbai-400001(For Gujarat, MP,Maharashtra, Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli)
2. Southern
Indian Regional Council of the ICWAI, ICWAI Bhawan, 65, Montieth Lane, Egmore,
Chennai-600008.(for AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondichery, Lakhadweep).
3. Eastern
Indian Regional Council of the ICWAI, ICWAI Bhawan , 84,Harish Mukerjee Road, Calcutta-700
025 (for Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal,
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Foreign countries).
4. Northern
Indian Regional Council of the ICWAI, ICWAI Bhawan, 3-Instituional Area, Lodhi Road, New
Delhi-110003 (For Hariyana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Delhi,
Chandigarh).
Address of the Headquarters : The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants
of India, 12, Saddar Street, Calcutta-700 016)
Structure of the Examinations : There
are 16 papers in total.
a. Intermediate
Stage I : 1. Financial
Accounting
2. Cost Accounting
3. Corporate Laws and Secretarial Practice
4. Direct Taxation
Stage II. 5. Cost and
Management Accounting
6. Auditing.
7. Indirect Taxation.
8. Quantitative Method
b. Final
Stage III 9. Advanced
Financial Accounting.
10. Information Technology.
11.
Operations Management and Control
12. Project Management and Control.
Stage IV : 13.
Advanced Management Accounting - Techniques
14. Advance Financial Management.
15. Advance Management Accounting – Strategic
Management.
16. Cost Audit.
Compulsory Coaching : Students should necessarily undergo postal or oral
coaching
Before they are
permitted to appear in the Intermediate or Final Examination. Oral coaching has to be
taken in such colleges, institutions or organizations as are recognized by the Institute.
No student shall be allowed to undergo oral and postal coaching simultaneously.
But, there is no objection if a student, while undergoing postal coaching, voluntarily
undergoes oral coaching on payment of additional fees; coaching completion certificate in
such cases should be obtained from the postal coaching authority.
Students should get themselves enrolled for postal or oral coaching on or before 30th
April (i.e. Ist November to 30th April) for appearing in the December term
examination. They should get themselves enrolled before 31st October (i.e. Ist
May to 31st October)for appearing in the June term examination. The normal
period for completion of postal tuition for Intermediate or Final Examination is 18
months. This may be extended by three months at the discretion of the Director of Studies.
There is a modified version of postal coaching for postgraduates, graduates with
Ist class, MBA, and those qualified through All India Service Examinations. This is
applicable for Intermediate students only.
The fee for postal tuition is Rs.1800 for Intermediate and Rs.1900 for the final,
if paid as a lump sum.
The tuition fee covers the following :
i.
Supply
of tutorial literature such as study notes and test papers, including postage.
ii.
Assessment
of answer papers of tests.
iii.
Postage
(one way) on correspondence, answer papers, etc. from Regional Council to the address of
the student.
Other
related items : Continuous record of the student’s progress is maintained by the Directorate of Studies/Regional Councils, and periodical
reviews made.
Fees for both
Intermediate and Final Examination have to be paid at the prevailing rates within the
stipulated dates – 15th April for the June Examination and 25th
October for the December Examination. There are 69 examination centres in India and eight
centres overseas.
Membership A person who has passed the Final Examination can
enroll himself as a “Graduate of the Institute” and use the title Grad.
CWA”. A pass in the Final Examination and three years of practical experience enables
a candidate to seek admission to Associate Membership. This practical experience may be
acquired prior to or after passing the Final Examination, or partly before and partly
after passing the Final Examination. The experience has to be in the relevant field,
acceptable to the Institute. An Associate Member with five years of practice or experience acceptable to the
Institution can apply for advancement to Fellowship.
Management Accountancy Examination :
This is a post-membership examination. Members with at least on year’s Associateship
can apply for this.
The examination
comprises two parts. The areas covered include Management Accountancy, Advanced Management
Techniques, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Marketing Organisation and
Methods, Economic Planning and Development. There is a paper for each one of these areas,
in the part I Examination. Submission of Thesis and Viva Voce Test are elements of part
II. The examination is held annually. Applications are to be submitted before 25th
October each year.
Fields for Practice The following industries are statutorily
covered under cost accounting and cost audit.
Cement, cycle,caustic
soda, tyres and tubes, room airconditioners, refrigerators, automobile batteries, electric
lamps, electric fans, electric motors, motor vehicles, tractors, aluminum, vanaspati, bulk
drugs, sugar, infant milk foods, industrial alcohol, paper, jute goods, rayon, dyes, soda
ash, polyester, nylon, cotton textiles, dry cell batteries, sulfuric acid, steel tubes and
pipes, electric cables and conductors, engineering, bearings, malted milk foods,
chemicals. Formulation, powerdriven pumps, mini steel plants, insecticides, fertilizers,
soaps and detergents, cosmetics and toiletries, shaving system, footwear, industrial
gases.
Further, cost
accountants are entitled to certification jobs of import/export documents under the EXIM
policy, excise audit under section 14A of the Central Excise Act and Special Audit
regarding MODVAT credit.
A career for Whom ?
If you are fascinated by the charms of the finance professions, cost accountancy
offers a good option. You do not have to go through the mill of entrance examinations or
even attend classes in a regular college. After 10+2, you can start the training through
the postal tuition of the Institute, and self-study. Undergoing oral coaching is optional.
You should have love for numbers, logical approach, innovative mind, persistence,
determination,and an ability to get along with people. Career possibilities are immense.
By
B.S.Warrier
Published
in Manorama yearbook
Facing
Interviews :
Tips TO
Candidates
They say, next to taking a life companion to build
a family, the most sensitive and decisive selection is that of an employee. Just as the
world is getting more and more complicated from the point of view of the type of work
designed and the type of relationships established in the work place, the employee
selections are also getting more and more professional.
Strategies for
Selection
Today there are several strategies used by employers for deciding the quality of
personnel whom they would select. The four strategies that are common to selection of
employees, sometimes, are all used by some employers, stage by stage. Primarily, a person
gets employed on an application registered by her. The quality, content and attitudes
expressed in the application are judged by the employer, based on which, the selections
would be made. In some other cases, there is quality testing that is being arranged in the
form of a written test and whoever gets the maximum marks or score required, or the best
of them as many as are needed, from the top scorer downward, are selected. When the
employer wants to assure herself about the quality of the employee, at the level of her
ability to interact with others, a group discussion is organized and those who satisfy the
set norms are selected. An employer, who would want to make sure that an employee would
definitely be of a quality that she has set for herself, would organize a personal
interview of a candidate and based on the performance, select the candidate.
While the first three are not very difficult, though the difficulty level increases
from the first one onwards, the last is a challenge for many a candidate. Writing an
application in many cases is on the basis of a proforma and standard formats are easily
available. Tests are normally on subjects or languages or general knowledge, all of which
can be acquired through scholastic efforts. A group discussion, which is more difficult,
is also what one would have gone through many times in an educational career except that
one has to learn certain formalities. When it comes to interviews, despite academic
excellence and personal effectiveness, a candidate seems to fail and the major reason
seems to be that she is totally unprepared to face an interview because of lack of
experience as well as knowledge of the methodology itself.
Checking
Employability
While it is necessary to look at an interview as something very natural except that it is formal; for, we are all used to interviewing each
other, even strangers; it needs both knowledge and skill to answer questions that come in
a systematic manner and also to remain composed during the process. There are five areas
which an interviewer would like to check up to know whether a candidate is employable.
Knowledge, personality, sociability, attitudes and skills of the candidate decide not only
her impact on the profession but also on others who would interact with her, once
employed. Therefore, a candidate who wants to appear for an interview has got to
understand the relevance and methodology of preparing to face and satisfy the interviewer.
Checking Knowledge
With regard to the first, knowledge, there are three different areas, which an
interviewer would like to checkup: technical information, professional information and
general knowledge. Technical knowledge includes the matter studied in school or college,
possible additional reading, latest discoveries in the subject beyond classroom
understanding and the application of all the three in real life situations. The scope of
work, the designs of implementing scheduled work using available knowledge and associated
information about professional upkeep would constitute the areas of professional
information. Matters pertaining to common life, stored general information about various
subjects, a list of current events that are important, and information about specific
subjects of interest selected by a candidate and necessary details about the organization
which conducts the interview, including details of structures, functions or products, are
the areas of general knowledge.
How does one get prepared with this knowledge ? There are two divisions for this
preparation. Primarily, it is matter which has been continuously prepared by a candidate
during school, college and daily living. This is not specifically prepared for an
interview. Towards this end, any individual who ultimately wants to take up a professional
career of a higher standard has to prepare herself by studying the subject that she is
pursuing and by taking special interest in understanding the need for acquiring general
knowledge. Secondly, a candidate has to specially prepare for an interview. This can be
done by understanding the type of job that is being pursued through the interview and the
possible areas in which the interviewer will be interested. This, in turn, can be
discovered through the definitions and scope of the employment.
Checking Personality
Let us look at the second area which an employer would checkup. Any employer would
like to understand during the interview, what type of a personality, she is going to
employ. There are three areas which she would like to check up. She would like to judge a
candidate from the appearance that the latter has. In addition, she would like to know how
intelligent the candidate is. More importantly, she would like to know what sort of
character the candidate possesses. All these, she has to checkup within a short span of
the time of the interview.
How does one impress a possible employer ? One has to get ready to show various
aspects of the personality to an interviewer. This will depend upon the self-esteem that
an individual has. The development of the personality, especially the character, is not
done in a single day and therefore, an interviewee cannot prepare this after hearing about
the interview. While satisfying questions on intelligence is not very difficult,
satisfying a possible checking on character is a difficult task.
Checking Sociability
An individual’s sociability is going to decide her becoming a member of the
team in an employed situation. One’s success to melt into a group and become a member
of the team will very much depend upon one’s knowledge of social formalities,
etiquette and manners. The first two are part of the culture in which the candidate would
have grown up and the third is something which one can pick up even at the last minute.
Further, one also needs enough knowledge about the hierarchical functioning of the
organization to which she has applied.
Checking Attitudes
No one can create an attitude after getting information about an interview where a
possible job is being offered. The attitude that a person projects depends on her belief
systems or what is technically called values. As one possesses these, one is sure to
exhibit them except that one can take a cautious path to avoid projection of an attitude
which may go against the employment. One has no escape from exhibiting one’s genuine
attitude.
Checking Skills
An interviewer also would like to check how skilled a candidate is. Technical,
conceptual and human relations skills can be checked through different methods. While
technical skills are easy to develop, conceptual skills are more difficult to acquire. The
most important, human relations skill, will definitely be tested by any interviewer
because in most employment’s people have to relate to each other. Therefore, ability
to interact, co-act or even counteract need to be assessed by the interviewer.
Skills are developable and therefore, a candidate can take time to develop them.
Though the intensity of these skills may differ from place to place or person to person,
the need for each person to possess the skill cannot be overlooked. A candidate can get
professional help in skill development.
Preparing for Interviews
Any activity or performance becomes successful or one of quality when the activist
or the performer prepares for it. Efforts have to be taken to impress upon a group of
people, especially experts, that the candidate is the best possible choice. This can be
done by a person who has discovered herself and feels proud of her worth, in addition to
being confident to project herself as the best.
Physical Grooming
A
large area of impression of a personality is carried by a person through external
appearance. Dressing neatly, combing the hair as it suits the face, accessories like a
bindi or a tie or ornaments can add to the personality. The styles of walking, sitting,
talking or any other activity can or may let down one’s personality. Therefore, a
candidate has to take care to present herself with the personality that will influence the
interviewers.
Intellectual
Grooming
An
individual has to have a minimum level of intellectual exhibition to impress upon the
interviewer that one is capable of intellectually interacting with others. There is no
doubt that one has to go out of one's way to show one’s cognitive resources to the
interviewer or employer. Showing does not mean exaggeration. It only asks for providing
opportunities for the interviewers to measure and assess various aspects of the
intellectual capacity of the individual so as to decide whether she fits into the job. A
candidate has to keep in mind that any slip in this matter can be disastrous. Therefore,
one has to become intellectually active by reading, studying, discussing and internalising
various things that might come up in the interview.
Emotional Grooming
There
is nothing wrong in a candidate being nervous because it is a moment of testing which will
result in failure or success. What is important here is the fact that a candidate, who is
nervous is under a certain amount of emotional disturbance and therefore, will not be able
to maintain the composure needed to answer different types of questions that will be shot
at her, Hence, a candidate has to believe that she will surely get the job and that should
this job not come her way, there will be
plenty others. A sense of desperation can totally destroy confidence. Even when a
candidate fails to give the right answer, she should say sorry and await the next question
with the hope to answer it. A candidate should know herself very well and should have a
strong self-esteem which makes it easy to be very composed.
Five Interviewee Policies
Primarily, one should believe that honesty is the best policy. An interviewee who
would try to tell lies or pretend is sure to be caught through cross questioning. A
dishonesty once established becomes not only a discredit but also an embarrassment and
loss of face by which even the succeeding questions cannot be answered. When one is
truthful one does not have to make efforts to remember what was said earlier. All answers
will be genuine. Honesty exhibits authenticity too.
In addition, if honesty is the first value, an associated value to be exhibited
alongwith it is courage. An interviewee has to be courageous enough to tell an interviewer
or a board of interviewers that she does not know an answer. This not only impresses the
interviewers but also makes the person get relieved of the tension of not knowing and its
consequences.
Further, an interviewee should use a sociable language. She should be able to use
words like ‘thank you’’ please excuse me’ ‘beg your pardon’
or’ sorry’ wherever necessary. This creates a relationship between the
interviewers and the interviewee and there is a level of trust that starts working.
More importantly, one has to avoid getting involved with controversies, especially
those concerning communal or political subjects. An interviewee has to choose a mid path
so that there is no conflict between the interviewer and the interviewee.
More important than what has been said above, is the need not to act very friendly
while care is taken to be sociable. It is possible that the interviewers are very friendly
but an interviewee has to remain serious and a sort of distance has to be maintained so
as not to say or do something that may seem to be unbecoming in a future employee.
Tips to Candidates
There are a few things that a candidate should do while there are also a few things
that a candidate should avoid doing.
Presenting
Oneself and Documents
. Use formal dress to appear for an interview.
·
Avoid
using new clothes because one may not know how to function in them.
·
It
is not wise to change usual hair styles or clothing patterns as they will inconvenience
the candidate.
·
Use
executive clothing, deep and bright colours may not suit the occasion.
·
Clothes
have to be clean and ironed to represent order and discipline.
·
Carry
a pen in the pocket or in the folder.
·
Carry
all the documents in an order in a folder.
·
Avoid
carrying documents in an envelope as it will take time to show them to the interviewers.
·
It
is difficult to present the documents if they are filed, keep them loose but in an order.
·
Carry
only relevant documents. Copy of the application sent and bio-data and certificate of
qualifying examination are important documents.
·
Carrying
certificates and documents in a plastic bag will not give an impression of quality and
class.
·
Do
not present any certificate or document unless asked for.
·
Remember
to collect all the certificates given for perusal at the interview.
Entry, Seating and
Exit
·
Knock
at the door and then enter even if your name is called out.
·
Greet
the interviewers as soon as you enter, the lady first and the gentlemen thereafter.
·
Sit
down only after your are asked to.
·
Remember
to say “Thank you” before being seated.
·
Avoid
pulling a chair. Instead, lift it if necessary and always enter from the right side of the
chair.
·
Sit
without crossing legs and sit straight.
·
Look
at the interviewers instead of looking down.
·
Keep
whatever paper materials you carry on your lap, and not on the table.
·
Bend
forward while answering questions.
·
While
answering a questioner, remember to look at the other interviewers also.
·
If
you have to use a handkerchief, use it gently without making a noise, like blowing
one’s nose.
·
Avoid
fidgeting like touching moustache, scratching nose or arranging hair.
·
Avoid
carrying anything like a key bunch or pen in your hands.
·
While
thinking of an answer, avoid rolling of eyes or looking at the ceiling or outside.
·
At
the end of the interview, get up and move out only after thanking the interviewers.
·
While
moving out, step back first, then turn and walk away.
Answering Questions
·
Listen
to questions carefully to comprehend.
·
If
you have not understood a question, politely request for a repeat.
·
Give
short answers unless asked for longer ones.
·
Exude
confidence but not arrogance.
·
Be
firm when you are sure, otherwise start statements with “I think” or “As
far as I know”.
·
Mouth
all words clearly and speak loud enough to hear.
·
Answer
immediately without wasting time.
·
Avoid
being humorous or ironical in your answers.
·
Keep
looking at the interviewers and never at other things in the room or outside.
·
Give
authentic information about any details connected with your bio-data.
·
It
is discourteous to take anything from the table in front of the interviewee.
·
Avoid
tightening a tie or pulling at the dress while answering any question.
·
Answers
should not be given in a raised voice even when the question comes in that manner.
·
Answer
questions in simple single sentences.
·
Avoid
giving additional information unless asked for.
·
If
you are complimented for the answers, remember to thank the interviewer.
·
If
your answer or opinions are rejected by the interviewer, remember to say’sorry’
·
Avoid
repeating answers, phrases or words.
Demeanour and
Interactions
·
Keep
a smiling face so as to welcome any question.
·
Avoid
any disagreement with the interviewer unless it involves your belief systems.
·
If
or when an interviewee has to disagree with the interviewer do it politely after
expressing regret or asking for pardon.
·
It
is unwise to contradict an answer through a subsequent answer.
·
If
an error is brought to the notice of a candidate, she should accept the same.
·
Use
a language that is easy to understand but formal in its usage.
·
A
candidate should avoid offering her hand for a hand shake. All the same, if offered by the
interviewer, she should accept it.
·
While
a male candidate has to stand up to shake hands, a lady may accept an offer while being
seated.
·
There
is no need for requesting the interviewer personally
or formally to offer the job to the candidate.
·
A
candidate’s behaviour should convince the interviewer about the quality of
personality that the candidate has.
·
Avoid
any exhibition of emotion about an answer that a candidate considers very dear or correct.
·
The
interviewee should not condemn or deprecate any other person, group, community or nation
during an interview.
·
If
or when a candidate is asked about achievements or succcess she should take care to list
only those which can be proved with evidence.
·
There
is nothing wrong in requesting an interviewer to ask a candidate questions on a subject of
her choice.
·
Once
the subject is announced as the favoured
one, a candidate should make sure that all questions are answered.
A successful
Interviewee
A candidate who goes through an interview becomes successful not when she is
selected for the job but she is satisfied with her performance. Performance is not a
situation where all questions have been answered but state of mind where there is
satisfaction for having done what one thought to do. This type of a state of mind is
possible only when one has worked hard to perform. An interviewee should walk out of a
Board Room after an interview with an attitude which says that if this company or
organization does not appoint me they are surely going
to be the losers.
BY Prof. Sunny Tharappan
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