How to Prepare for an Interview.

How to Prepare for an Interview.

By: Tasawar Bosal
Assistant Director Anti - Corruption.

Dear Fellows!

                       Interview plays a highly significant role in one's selection. Whether the job be through PPSC, FPSC or through Departmental Selection Process, interview always proves to be a determining factor in final recommendation. Except for CSS and PMS in almost rest of the recruitments, most of the times, interview possesses more marks and weight than the written examination. For instance, traditionally for a PPSC job, the written test has the share of 50 marks in final selection, while an interview carries 100 marks. While , generally in FPSC interview is of 200 marks and written test possess 100 marks 

On the basis of my personal experience and observation, here, I am going to share what in my opinion needs to be prepared for an interview. My analysis is based on my first hand experience which I obtained by appearing in one CSS interview, two PMS interviews, few PPSC/FPSC interviews, including the interviews for Assistant Director Intelligence Bureau,  Assistant Director Anti-Corruption , Assistant Director Civil Defense, Labor Officer, Labor Inspector, Excise Inspector, YPIP interview in State Bank of Pakistan and interview for Assistant’s post in Foreign Office . Besides this, I got the privilege of listening to CSS/PMS/PPSC/FPSC interview experiences of few successful friends.

Fellows! In an interview mere one's knowledge is not examined, rather one's personality, eagerness for the job and one's  communication skills are also kept in observation along with one's confidence. However, as well as confidence is concerned, if one has prepared the areas explained below convincingly, and one's communication skills and expression are good , confidence creeps in by itself automatically.

The very first impression is created by the appearance. Therefore one should be formally dressed . Next, greeting the panel in a decent, confident and a civilized manners creates an impact and makes the conditions favorable further for the candidate and leads to a good beginning .

As well as PPSC and FPSC interviews are concerned broadly speaking, the following are the broader areas which usually come under discussion in these interviews.

1- Introduction

2- Domicile District Profile.

3- Qualification Related Questions, Largely regarding subjects in graduation and Masters, Particularly about the Major subject in one’s final degree.

4- Job Nature and Department Related Questions.

5- Opinion and Information on Contemporary Issues.

6- General Knowledge based Quiz Type Questions mostly from Pakistan Studies and Islamic Studies.

Here I briefly explain these areas one by one.

1 - Introduction.

After the formal greetings, the FPSC/PPSC member who is presiding over the interview panel usually asks the candidate to introduce himself with the Panel.

Introduction should be brief and precise but comprehensive at the same time and presented in such a way as it generates an interest of the panel in the candidate.  Remember both content and presentation matter here. Attracting the interest of the panel is highly important. For capturing the interest of the panel, don't forget to mention any of your specialty, distinction or achievement which may distinguish you from others and catch interest of the panel. For instance when I have to introduce myself, in order to attract the interest of the panel , I particularly mention my specialty that often my writings on socio-political issues find space in mainstream English Newspapers like Dawn , The News , The Nation and The Express Tribune etc. Besides that , my Article also made its place in World Times Magazine and I have my blog where all of my writings published in English Newspapers ,I have gathered on one palace . Now this is most likely to catch the interest of the panel and they may start asking about my writings and about which I definitely can answer impressively. My whole of the Interview of Assistant Director Civil Defense revolved round one of my writing which was published in The News and this proved instrumental in getting me selected  as Assistant Director Civil Defence . Complete story of my A.D Civil Defense Interview can be read by clicking on the underlined. It also contains the specimen how I introduced myself in that interview. Even in my interview of Assistant Director Anti Corruption the panel was impressed when I told about my writings and here also I was able to get selected.

Secondly, I always tell my achievements that I qualified CSS once and PMS twice. Qualifying CSS and PMS , where on one hand speaks about a sort of achievement and signals towards competence ,on the other it tells about the struggle also which I have been making and that also not bad one. Now, they may ask questions on these also which obviously one can answer comprehensively. Like in my interviews, I have been asked about my CSS/PMS subjects and about my experience which I have always been answering comfortably . 

2- District Profile

Now the second phase is knowledge about one's district. They usually ask about famous personalities who hailed from your village or area or the district who made their mark on national or international arena. Besides that, they also ask about the famous or historic places in that District. Moreover, they also are expected to ask what is the history of the city, how it has been named and what are other popular and interesting facts about the District. For example in my district Alexander fought against Prince Porus and Second Anglo-Sikh War was also fought here. Secondly, it has been named after A Saint Bahauddin and it got the status of District in 1993. Moreover, one of the famous Personalities of my districts is acclaimed Writer and TV Host, Mustansar Hussain Tarar. So, one has to be cognizant of this sort of facts about one’s district. I have been asked all these things in my various interviews including CSS Interview and the Interview for the post of Assistant Director Anti- Corruption which I am currently holding  . 

3- Academic Background 

 Another area about which the panel mostly never forgets to  ask Questions is one's  your academic background ,particularly the final degree. In each and every interview I appeared , I have been asked questions on literature as I have both my Graduation and Masters in English Literature. Especially those who have degrees in Literature, History, Social work, Pol Science etc or Law, they are definitely asked questions about their subjects as everyone in the reverend panel usually possesses the knowledge of the basics of these disciplines. However, a good thing is that usually the questions asked are not very in depth ones, but sort of popular questions about the subjects. But still one needs to be prepared for every sort of the questions as the members of the panels have the discretion to ask anything.

4- Info Regarding Nature of Job and the Department

The most important portion of the interview comes next. In interview panel including Member PPSC/FPSC, who is presiding over the interview, there are three to four members in total. One of the members is the person from that department for which the job you have applied for. To win the job one needs specially to answer the questions of that person satisfactorily. For that, it is very necessary that one knows about the department and about the nature of the job. One, if is cognizant of the challenges faced by that department and reforms which one feels are needed to be incorporated, and presents all this in a lucid and precise manner, one can brighten one's prospect of getting selected. For example I appeared in an interview for the job of Labor officer in PPSC. I should have known what labor officer's nature of the job and duty is, what he has to do, and what generally the  Labor department has been made for. What are labor laws and what is I. L. O. However, I didn't prepare even a single of these. This blunder proved fatal for me. In one of my PPSC interview for Information Officer BS 17 (Planning and Development Department Punjab), when the member asked about the department and I was blank, he remarked that Gentleman is this your level of seriousness that you have come here for the interview of a 17 grade job and you have not bothered to collect even the basic information about the department? I was not selected. But I learned a good lesson. While at the time of my Interview of Assistant Director Anti Corruption, I answered the questions on this area properly and I was suggested some reforms also and resultantly I now have been selected as Assistant Director Anti-Corruption. I have keenly observed that If one performs satisfactory in this part, there are abundant chances that one may get enviable marks in Interview. Importantly, this also speaks volume for your keen interest in the job you are seeking and this leads to a favorable result for you. Preparing this section isn't a tough task. One may find all the basics regarding that department from the website of that department , very conveniently. Secondly , one should make a visit of some regional office of that department and discuss with some person working in the department regarding the nature of the job , what qualities are required for that post and what improvements are needed to be brought in the working of the department  . With these three simple steps , one may certainly put an impressive performance and may steal the show.

5- Opinion on National and International Current Issues.

Now they may also ask questions about current affairs or contemporary national or international issues. One is not expected to have a detailed knowledge of these affairs. However, one requires be abreast of the basic info regarding these matters. Beware; when they are seeking your opinion about an issue or matter, it better should be genuinely your personal opinion. One more thing is very important that you must not skip such questions and you should necessarily give your thoughts. However, if the question is regarding checking your knowledge or information you may skip by saying sorry in a polite and decent fashion . But where your opinion is sought , you need to provide that and you need to try your best not to skip opinion based question by saying sorry. 

6- Quiz Type General Knowledge Questions

Sixthly, they may ask Quiz type questions about Pakistan Studies and Islamic Studies. Like who were the members of Boundary Commission. When constitution was first abrogated. Who is the First Mujaddad. These quiz type questions may be skipped by saying sorry as one is not supposed to know each and everything.  On your answering, they may ask your opinion also. For instance, when you are able to answer the names of the members of Boundary Commission, they may ask further that whether the demarcation of Boundary Commission was based on facts ? I would again say that always respond compulsorily to the opinion based questions while you may say sorry on quiz type questions.

Usually here the interview ends.

Note: Let me make it clear that these are the broader areas which are mostly discussed in the interviews. However, the order of asking questions on these broader areas may be changed. Secondly, where in most of the interviews , the panel remains restricted to these areas,  it is not necessary that they would follow this scheme always. However, for appropriate preparation of the interview, one must prepare these areas necessarily on priority basis.
Questions and Queries are highly welcomed. .  

Best of Luck to All of You

Regards : Tasawar Bosal
Assistant Director Anti - Corruption.
Ex- Assistant Director Civil Defense .