PERSONAL INTERVIEW

The PI is the assessment of the candidate by the I.O usually in the rank of colonel i.e. who is the President or Deputy President of the board. The I.O reads well the PIQ filled by the candidate on the first day, before the candidate is called inside the room. Thus the I.O cross checks the information given by the candidate in the P.I.Q by triggering some basic questions, and also triggering a series of questions at a stretch which are called as Rapid Fire Questions (RPF). He notes down the responses and checks whether the candidate is truthful with his answers. So, nothing to worry about the PI friends, just be calm and go with good preparation. It will be easy to crack the process.
How to remain cool during the whole process of Interview:-

To make the whole process a cake walk, the only way is to be honest and truthful. Do not tell a lie or try to bluff  the I.O, he has enormous experience to see through you.
The simple quote about selection process is “BE YOURSELF”, if we are truthful to the I.O, we will give our answers boldly and confidently. The I.O also expects the same from the candidates. Make sure that you anticipate the questions the I.O is likely to ask you from the information you have provided in your PIQ form and work out your answers in advance. Be reasonably conversant with the important happenings in the country and around the world.

Pay attention to the following aspects:
• First impression and Dress code.
• Conduct during the process
• Crystal clear thoughts and explanations
• Be truthful to the I.O (Not beating around the bush)
• Maintain a cheerful disposition while answering
• Don’t lose your ground even tough questions
• Analysing capability

First Impression:-
Enter the hall with a smile and calm face, as this shows that you are not nervous. Also wear a formal dress. Walk with head held high, with upraised shoulder and chest. This gives you a positive and confident look. Also, before entering into the hall, ask for permission and wait for the response, if you got the response from I.O open the door with a smiling face (the smile should be true) and march ahead into the room with confidence, and wish the officer as per the time.(good morning, evening, etc.)

Also stand behind the chair of the candidate and don’t stand in front of the chair, seeks permission from the officer to sit. If the permission is granted he should thank the officer and sit comfortably without shaking or changing the position of the chair.

Dress Code:-
It is better to wear a light color shirt and dark color trouser as this gives you a decent professional look. Also wear a tie (depending on the weather) which looks good on your shirt and pant colors.

Conduct during the process:-
Body language plays a vital role in this process. Experts says that nonverbal communication plays a main role in the process. Sit in an upright manner, also don’t shake your hands, fingers, or legs during the process. The officer matches the response with your body language. Maintain a proper eye contact with the I.O. Keep your breath normal.

Body Language for Interview:-     

Hi friends, In this post I would like to share about Body language techniques. Your body language says 93% about you to the official rather than what you are saying from your mouth. The Body Language technique is a subject in the Defence, Criminal Investigations, Master of Business and Administration (M.B.A) and in various recruiting private agencies. Let me come to the body language during the interview situation.

You should adopt the correct Body language at the following stages of the interview:-
• Waiting for your turn.
• Walking inside the room. (Entering)
• Hand Shake.
• Sitting on the chair.
• Body gestures during conversation with the I.O.
• Eye movements.
• Leaving the I.O’s room.

1)  Waiting for your turn:-
At times, the candidates may have to wait for a while before the interview commences.

While waiting for the process:-
Don’t put your arms on your cheeks or rest your face in your palms, as this shows that you are somewhat disinterested.
Never look out when two people are debating. This shows that you are not interested in the conversation. If you can converse with them it is ok, or else, take a magazine and start reading it.
Don’t shake your legs or toes, this shows that you are extra- anxious.

How to look good while waiting for the process:-
• Sit relaxed and start to read any magazine or novels, as this relaxes your
   mind and keeps you at ease.
• Try and converse with the other candidates on a good constructive topic.
   This shows that person can adopt to a new environment.
• Never discuss technical things before going for an interview as this
  creates avoidable stress just prior to the interview.
 
2) Walking inside the room (Entering):-
This is the first thing we do in the process. This includes:-

• Seeking permission to enter the room and walking inside.
• Standing and seeking permission to sit on the chair.

Seeking permission to enter into the room:-

While asking permission, be normal and need not raise your voice. Ask confidently, may I come in Sir or shall I come in Sir. After getting permission walk into the room.

Walking:-
While walking into the room, walk with head held high and upraised chest and shoulders. This shows your confidence level. If you walk with your head looking down, it shows that you are anxious or thinking about the process. Also note that while walking, don’t look arrogant or over confident of yourself.

Don’t keep your hands into your pant pocket, leave it free and walk, this shows that you want to be secured. Don’t repeatedly touch your shirt buttons, wrist watch or anything else. This shows that you are anxious or nervous. Don’t see the time before entering into the room, if you know that I.O is watching you.

3) Hand Shake:-
Do not offer your hand for a hand shake. Wait for the I.O to offer his hand for a handshake. If he offers, give a firm hand shake. This proves that you are confident person. If you offer your hand for a handshake first, it may be interpreted as that you are forcing the I.O for a handshake. It’s not necessary for the I.O to have handshakes with all the candidates who are coming to him. While giving a handshake, have a smile on your face and watch the eyes of the I.O. Don’t look at your hands. Don’t withdraw your hand first while handshaking, which shows that you are disinterested in that person.

4) Sitting on the Chair:-
Most candidates don’t care about this aspect while going for the process. But this plays a major role in non verbal communication of the selection.

After entering the room and walking near the official table, there will be chair offered to you to sit for the conversation. In this scenario, you have to ask permission to sit in the chair. You should not stand in front of the chair. The best thing is stand behind the chair and wait for the I.O to give permission. If the permission is not granted then politely ask permission with a smile to sit.

5) Body gestures during conversation with the I.O:-
 This part is a very important part of the selection. As this shows many of 
  your qualities to the I.O. I say some of the do’s and dont’s.

• Never use fingers to scratch your eyes, nose or mouth while talking to the
   I.O, which shows that you may be lying.
• Try to look towards the I.O.
• Don’t shake legs, hands during the conversation.
• Don’t look towards the exit door, as this shows that you are eagerly
   waiting to close the conversation.
• Never insert your legs inside the chair, this also shows your disinterest in
  the process.
• Place your hands over your knee area and avoid unnecessary
   movements.

6) Eye Movements:-
During the conversation with the I.O, try and keep an eye contact with I.O. Avoiding an eye contact indicates a lack of self confidence. Moreover, when a person is telling a lie or tries to manipulate an answer, he would find it difficult to keep an eye contact.

7) Leaving the I.O’s room:-
• Don’t move the chair while leaving the seat.
• Do not look down while leaving the room, as it shows low self confidence.
  Instead, walk with head held high and upraised chest. This shows your
  confidence.
• If the I.O offers his hand for a handshake, do shake his hand with a firm
  grip.
• Close the door of the room slowly, and don’t bang it while leaving the
  room.

Think and express clearly:-
Answers coming from the candidate should be unambiguous. If the I.O asks a question, the candidate is required to think about it and make a clear answer with explanations. Never give yes/no replies to the answers. If you have limited knowledge of the topic, tell the I.O accordingly and he would appreciate your intellectual honesty.

Keep Smiling:-
A genuine smile shows that you are not under stress, but a fake smile will do avoidable damage. Also, a fake smile is easily noticeable.

Don’t lose your ground even while answering tough questions:-

It’s not easy to win over an argument with the I.O, as they have considerable experience. To avoid this situation, don’t argue with the I.O. The I.O expects that the candidate should not lose his ground, and face situations tactfully. If you have sound knowledge of the subjects then give positive replies and don’t lose your grounds. Tackle the questions with presence of mind and show your knowledge and positive approach with your replies.

Presence of mind and Analysing capability:-
The analysing capability is an important quality of an officer and most candidates have this ability. But an I.O checks whether you are using your analysing capability while handling tough situations. He does this throughout the process by triggering various questions at different situations.

During the interview, the following broad based and open-ended questions are generally asked:-

1). Introductory questions or calm down questions:-

Usually these type of questions are put to the candidates immediately after their entry into the room. The I.O asks some basic questions which can be easily anwered by the candidate and the candidate feels at ease with the I.O.

These questions may be:-

a) Which place you are coming from and tell me something about that
    place?

b) Tell me something about your name and What is the meaning of your
     name?

c) Tell five things about your native place, Which you like most or dislike?
     How to answer?

For the first question, answer should not be like this, Sir I am from Chennai.
But the answer should be Sir I am from Chennai,a northern district and coastal city of Tamil Nadu which is also the capital of Tamil Nadu. The population is about………………….. and the main occupation of the people are…………………… It is famous for………..

Like this the answer should cover major activities of Chennai. This gives a broad of approach of your answer and it shows your awareness also.

The answer given to the I.O should be crystal clear and optimistic (positive) and truthful. It is quite easy to answer the introductory questions.

2).   Questions on Educational Background:-

a)    How much did you score in your tenth, twelfth and graduation?
b)    Why is there decrease in the mark level and what did you do to
       overcome the weak areas?
c)    Which subject did you like more and why?
d)    Which subject you did not like and why?
e)    Achievements during your student days?
f)    Tell me all something interesting about your school and college
g)   Which teacher did you like most and why?
h)   Which teacher you don’t like and why?
i)    Why have you chosen to study this branch of engineering etc.
j)    Whether you have chosen a particular branch of study on your own or
       your parents asked you to do so?
k)   Why is there some gap in studies between inter college and graduation.
l)    What do your friends and teachers think about you?
m) How do you think about your friends and teachers?

3). Questions about family background:-

a) How much pocket money did you get in your college days and how
    much of it you could use?
b) Did you help your mother and father during your holidays?
c) You are close to, father or mother, and why?
d) What do you like about your sister and brother?
e) Whom you like most and why?
f) Which person other than in your family and friends you like more and
    why?
g) How are your parents utilizing their income and are you satisfied with
     that
h) If your family is totally dependent on you, or how do you plan to help
     your family?

4). Questions about friends:-

a) How will you find new friends?
b) What type of people you want to be friendly with?
c) How many friends do you have?
d) Out of these friends how many are close to you?
e) What all you like in your best friend and what all he likes in you?
f)  What your friend or friends talk about you?
g) What quality do you like in your close friend?
h) How do you spend time with your friends?

5). Questions for working professionals:-

a) What your co workers will talk about you?
b) What would you say about your boss?
c) What would your boss say about you?
d)Tell me about the company or organization in which work?
e) Why did you leave your previous job?
f)  What do you like most in your job?
g) What you don’t like in your job?
h) What difficulties you faced in your job and what are the steps you have
     taken to overcome those difficulties?
i)   Why are you leaving the present job?

6). Questions on Hobbies and Interests:-

a) What is your hobby?
b) Why you have chosen this hobby?
c) For how long are you pursuing this hobby?
d) What are the things that you have learnt from your hobby?
e) Why do you change the childhood hobby to this (recent) one?
f) The different types of hobbies are music, singing, blogging, reading,
    philately, photography, trekking etc. Create questions based on your
    hobby and find responses for that to get a good knowledge about them.
g) What types of news channels, TV shows you see and which periodicals
     you used to read and why?

7). Questions on Games and Sports:-

a) Which games do you like and why?
b) Why you have chosen an indoor game rather than  an outdoor game?
c) Why you have chosen an outdoor game rather than an indoor game?
d) What is your position in the team i.e., as a team member or a captain do?
e) Depth of knowledge in the Games or sports. i.e. Questions from size of
    the play ground/court sizes and rules of the game and recent world
    records in the game etc.
f)  Which player do you like most and why?
g) What do you want to improve in your team in the game/sports you play
     etc.
h) A good youth with good physique should play a game in his spare time.
    So everyone will have a game /sports to play. If you don’t have a game to
     play just join any club of your interests and start playing. Get a good
     knowledge of the game which you play.

8). Questions on checking Leadership Traits and Organizing ability:-

Leadership and organizing ability are important qualities of every officer. The IO may give a situation to check our organizing ability.

For Example:- If you are going on an industrial visit tour to the nearby industry. suddenly your coordinator meets with an accident and not able to come How will you  arrange the tour and make it successful one. I.O may create a situation like this and ask questions on that to see your reactions.
If you play a game or sports, how you will organize that game etc.

Questions on Co-curricular and Extra-curricular activities:-

The Co-curricular and Extra- curricular activities include such as N.S.S., N.C.C, Volunteer of blood donation association, Friends of Police etc.

a) Why did you join N.C.C. / N.S.S.?
b) What do you achieve by joining that activity?
c) Positions held in that organization?
d) Grade of certificates got, such as A,B,C etc.
e) Who motivated you to join the N.C.C. /N.S.S. etc.

Questions on Social problem or Candidate Solution type questions:-

In these part the I.O may ask questions based on world issues or national issues and seeks solution for those issues. Also, he checks the depth of knowledge and our approach to the issues.

For Example:- He may ask the candidate’s views on terrorism and how can we overcome this problem.

Questions on Current affairs and General knowledge:-

He may ask questions on current affairs, both national and international. For E.g.:- Tell me five important news you have read in the recent past etc.

Technical questions or Practical Knowledge questions:-

If we go to the TGC entry i.e. Technical Graduation Course and TES entry i.e. Technical Entry Scheme they may put forward some basic technical questions relating to our daily day to day life.

E.g.:- If we say that play cricket, he may ask how you will apply laws of physics  to the swing bowling etc.

Also how will you apply the pythogores theorem to the table tennis service etc.

If you are from engineering back ground the question could pertain to-

a) Basic Network questions
b) Basic physics laws
c) Engineering fundamental questions

These questions aim to find out our practical knowledge. i.e. application of our theoretical knowledge in the practical day to day tasks, which is considered essential for a defence officer.

DO’s and DONT’s:-
• Enter the room with head held high and up righted chest as this gives you
  a confident look.
• Never put your hands into your pocket, leave out casually.
• First impression is very important.
• Prefer a formal dress of good quality and properly ironed.
• Wear formal shoes.
• Have proper hair cut before the interview and comb your hair well.
• Wish the I.O while entering the room.
• Never raise your voice tone while telling about your achievements or
  reduce your voice tone while telling about your negative points.
• Have logical answers for your positive and negative points.
• Adopt a proper body language.
• Never argue with the I.O.
• Understand the questions clearly and answer that question slowly and
  confidently.
• If you feel that you don’t know the answer, just say after thinking a while,
  sorry sir I don’t know the answer.
• In case, if you didn’t get the question ask him by saying, Sorry sir, I beg
   your pardon, please repeat the question.
• Never blame anyone for your shortcomings such as low marks due to
  teacher etc. Since they don’t want people who blame others for their
  shortcomings. They want people only who take every situation positively
  and try to overcome the shortcomings with hard work.
• Don’t bluff to the I.O and be honest to yourself and the I.O. If you have
   those OLQ’s, surely the I.O will take you in.

Good luck Gentlemen.