Personal Interview
A FEW CRUCIAL POINTERS THAT WILL BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE SSB PERSONAL INTERVIEW
- Be prepared on your PIQ.
- Do your homework about the Army.. Try to link your interests and experiences to it and how it would benefit you as well as the org & what you potentially bring to it.
- Brush up on your general awareness about current affairs and happenings. Interest in one’s environment is an essential quality. Make a habit of reading newspapers and general interest.
- Make a mental list of questions you would like to ask.
- Answer honestly and never lie.
- Do not take more than a few seconds before answering and do not cut off the interviewer’s question mid-way. Make sure that your answers are sound and acceptable.
- Greet the IO with a genuine smile and shake hands firmly, when extended. Show enthusiasm.
- Wait until you’re offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright in your chair. Avoid leaning on the table or slouching.
- Maintain eye contact when you are speaking.
- Look interested and be an active listener. Make effective use of body language as it speaks louder than your voice.
- Avoid answering in monosyllables like ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Moderate your answers and be open about telling the interviewer more about yourself and your experiences.
- While answering about your strengths and weaknesses, provide specific examples, to help you fulfill the interviewer’s expectations. (It doesn’t really ring true when you say you’ve got “excellent leadership skills”. Instead, say “I think I’ve acquired super leadership skills through a combination of effective communication, delegation and personal interaction.” Put across your area of weakness in a way that it comes across as an ‘opportunity’ you have worked upon and overcome.
- Make sure that your good points get across to the IO in a factual and sincere manner. Only you can sell yourself to the IO, so help him realize the need for you in the org.
- Never make any derogatory remarks about your present/former superiors, units
- Salary/holidays/benefits should not find a place in your answers.