Preparing for an interview is like preparing for a rough and tough expedition. A viva voce test may sometimes prove to be a typhoon. The candidate has got to be prepared for the worst if he wants to come out successful. A candidate required much skill and energy and there exists a huge store of energy within himself waiting to be tapped if he has only the necessary will and determination. Allah has endowed every human being with capacities of thought and action. But these are useless as a machine deprived of its motion power unless they are nursed and properly exercised. Human qualities are like tender plants, feed them and they will grow, starve them and they will wither, and consequently die. A candidate should bring his suppressed store of energy to the surface and apply it to the full. By unlocking one store of energy, he will be able to quickly unlock another. Thus the candidate's mental outlook will become frank and optimistic instead of pessimistic and suppressed.
The interviews should develop in himself the following qualities:
Healthy appearance
Healthy appearance helps a great deal. A person with a shattered health cannot impress others. Artificial make-up or fashionable dress cannot compensate for poor general appearance. A person must try his level best to make himself healthy.
Smartness
Smartness is another important feature which an interviewee has to take into account. A smart person impresses a lot. Even if a person is not very brilliant, he can well make a good first impression with his smartness, and the first impression counts great deal at short interviews. Shoulders shall be well squared, arms at ease, in a natural position on the lap, and knees together, but not crossed, the eyes should neither develop a stare nor the inquisitiveness, the candidate while entering all kinds of clumsiness. The candidate's hearing should be alertly attentive. He should avoid saying beg your pardon. The candidate should equally guard against himself against being over-smart.
Mental Culture
Mental culture is equally important. A person with some inherent physical limitations can make a good impression by his mental alertness and his intellectual brilliance. Intelligence is developed with real and useful knowledge. A person must know the basic principles of science, economics, history, geography, sociology and civics, etc. In order to develop his knowledge, a candidate must read newspapers, monthlies and other important books. Travelling also helps a lot in this connection.
Dress
Dress is another important factor which helps the interviewee. A well-dressed person has an initial advantage over the ill-dressed one. The candidate must avoid to use a brand new costly suit, especially got prepared for the interview. In quite a similar manner, the candidate must avoid wearing a brand new pair of shoes and must use well-polished shoes. Brand new dresses place a person in a little uncomfortable position. It would be unwise for a candidate to suit himself in dress with which he is not familiar.
A candidate must develop a social personality. He should attend public lectures, public debates, etc. He should try to be a good conversationalist as well as a master orator.
Self-confidence
An interviewee should have self-confidence. Nervousness, palpitation and perspiration are signs of lack of self-confidence. Inferiority complex and lack of confidence are usually results of ignorance and weakness in knowledge. A candidate with a strong body, a sound mind, with a vast reading and a wide experience will seldom fear. He will be able to face the members of the board as if they are his equal.
Shake off fear
Many a candidates have failed to get into service simply because they could not come up to the mark in the viva-voce test. The main cause of their failure has always been the fear of the Interview Board. It should be remembered well that "prosperity cannot be built on fear". A candidate should have courage, and above all, self-confidence to face the whole situation in a jovial manner.
You may know the job of skating off on a cold day. You may know the delight of a fine meal after a long walk. These are real and wholesome but all such things put together cannot approach the thrill of ridding yourself of fear. The conquest of fear is one continuous, grand and glorious feeling. It is equally easy and equally dangerous -- to become a martyr to one's own fear. Rather, it must be shaken off. Have courage, cheerfulness and self-confidence in you and success is sure and your.