'How do deal with rejection in an interview?'

In an online chat, Sudhanshu Arora, director, Careesma.in addressed queries on how to prepare for a job interview.

Does the very thought of attending an interview give you jitters?

Are you aware of the Do's and Dont's to follow when talking to your prospective employer?

Do you know how to dress for a formal interview?

These are just some of the many questions that you should know the answers to, before you face an interview panel.

Interviews are the windows of opportunities and you cannot afford to let anything go wrong during that time.

Though they can be pretty nerve-wrecking experiences at times, with the right preparation, they can also turn out to be a chance to prove your mettle!

Make sure that you impress your potential future employer with the right attitude and let your personality not be limited to your certificates.

A few small tips are all you need to bring out your best.

In order to help our readers prepare better for their next job interview, Rediff.com had organised a chat with Sudhanshu Arora, co-founder, director, Careesma.in on Thursday, April 3, 2014 between 3 pm to 4 pm IST.

For those who missed the live chat, here's the unedited transcript:

sujan nayak: I know that I have been selected and found fit for the job in my first two rounds of interview. Now the third round is with country head & salary negotiation. What should be my approach?

Sudhanshu Arora: Be what you are - be more specific with your answers - Truthfulness helps, show your fitment - it automatically ensures a better / competitive CTC as per market standards.

shirish: If the employer asks me to sign the offer letter right away, should i agree or ask for more time?

Sudhanshu Arora: Depends on how much convinced you are with the offer - if not fully - you have all the right to come back to them within a given / agreed timeframe.

salim: How to tackle telephonic and video interviews? pls advice

Sudhanshu Arora: A saying - 1st impression is the last impression.......so on telephonic interviews - be focussed, speak well and to the point (listen to the questions carefully) while in video conferencing all remains the same in tips you just need to be well dressed and having a good body language.

kinshuki: Hi. In a panel, when answering, do we look at the person who asks the question or towards everyone?

Sudhanshu Arora: Keep looking at everyone but more emphasis to the one who asked the particular question!!

vishal: In my last group discussion round, the question was on economics, a topic i dislike. I was at complete loss and could not contribute much. How to deal with such situations?

Sudhanshu Arora: You can never be a master at everything. But nurturing / sharpening your skill levels will be required in all stages of your [professional life. So keep doing that and do not get de-motivated at all.

Nitin Deshmukh: How do deal with rejection in interview?

Sudhanshu Arora: Just stay confident...it’s never a rejection. It’s just that you were not matching the present skill sets required at that position. Stay focussed, be positive and keep nurturing your skills.

Rahul Ruia: Sir, I have done My MBA in Finance & graduated in 2013. Being a fresher, in Finance field there were not much job openings at that point of time. I got a job in sales section in Fund Raising firm in Nov 2013. Sir I after completing 6 months I feel I am not comfortable with sales and I need to look out for profile other than sales. Is it ok that I can apply with 6 months experience?

Sudhanshu Arora: It is always good to do what you love doing. So if you feel Finance is the right sector for you, you should start applying to the related jobs.

kinshuki: Do you think professional resume services help in getting better calls for interviews?

Sudhanshu Arora: A well made resume can help you get noticed by the employer but ultimately your skills count. You can find some common CV Formats on our blog http://rediff.ly/2y8e1

Vinayak Tavade: Dear sir, how to handle this question..What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Sudhanshu Arora: Start with your personal information but keep it short and then move to your strong points which relates to the role that you are applying and expain how it can help the company in attaining the larger goal

Lalji Margasahayam: How to answer the question: Tell me something about yourself?

Sudhanshu Arora: Start with your personal information but keep it short and then move to your strong points which relates to the role that you are applying and expain how it can help the company in attaining the larger goal

Nitin Badesha: Dear sir, how to discuss salary in interview?

Sudhanshu Arora: Don't initiate this discussion till the interviewer starts the discussion about the salary. And always match your expectation with the industry standards.

Suneel Bonjani: What do to if interviewer is arrogant and cross questions me? How to maintain calm?

Sudhanshu Arora: If you feel the interviewer is arrogant, this might be because he is checking your temperament and how you react to pressure situations. So maintain your calm and try to focus on your strong points.

Nitish Chandak: Sir, I have given quite a few interviews in the last one year. No matter how much I prepare, when I enter the room, I feel nervous and fumble.

Sudhanshu Arora: Practice makes a man perfect...Just try Mock Interviews with your friends before appearing for the interviews and try to prepare for the possible questions that can be asked in the interview.It should solve your problem.

kinshuki: How does a regular HR interview goes? What are the things i should keep in mind?

Sudhanshu Arora: They try to see if you can gel with the culture of the company or not. Your values match with the company values or not. How stable were you in your previous companies, reason for leaving previous organisation etc. So be true to the interviewer and try to be calm.

chirag Cheran: What questions am i allowed to ask the HR manager in the interview?what leads to rejection?

Sudhanshu Arora: You can always ask questions related to the offered position. You can discuss the role, responsibilities ,organisational structure, career growth path

kinshuki: Dear Sir, my english weak. Will it be a problem in interview?

Sudhanshu Arora: If you want to get into a role that requires interacting with others in English...then it does and you should work on it and even if the job doesn't require it. It is always an added advantage to have command over English.

Dawar Sheth: How to find out if the new organisation is better than my existing one?

Sudhanshu Arora: No organisation is good or bad. So you need to check the culture of the organisation that you intend to work for and then decide if it matches with your temperament and style of working or not.

Kartik Dhadda: If HR asks me why i quit my previous job, what should i say?

Sudhanshu Arora: You should always be true to the organisation that you work for and also to the organisation that you intend to work. So tell the interviewer the truth.

Ankit Dave: I have an updated CV and 4 years work experience. But I'm not getting the jobs I want. Please tell me how to improve my chances?

Sudhanshu Arora: In most of the cases be the skills mentioned in the resume doesn't match with the profile that you are applying. So review your CV first and make necessary changes in it?

Gambhir Harbir: Pls advice how to negotiate for the best salary?

Sudhanshu Arora: It should always match with the profile and the salary structure of the company. So try to match your expectations with their constraints.

Jignesh Kaisth: I'm a graduate with 5 years of experience. I took a break 7 months ago to look after my daughter. Now I'm finding it difficult to find a job.

Sudhanshu Arora: This is because employers always want their employees to be in touch with the new technologies, new techniques etc and this is a perception in the employers mind that if you have not worked for 5 years then you must not be updated. So try to keep yourself updated and show that confidence during interviews, you will surely get some positive news.

Amit Shellar: Is it okay to wear denims with a collared t-shirt to an interview? Or should i go wearing shirt and trousers?

Sudhanshu Arora: It depends upon the culture of the company but it's always good to be dressed professionally for the interview.