 Thank you so much for keeping it wye in the morning. My name is Ram Magukul and in time for the very last conversation of the day. Now today we are going to be focusing on career talk how to prepare for an interview. How is it that you can prepare for an interview? What are the things that you need to do to win in an interview? This particular morning, this conversation is all about you. I know you've just finished your campus, you finished your courses, you want to apply for that job but you need to know the mistakes most people do or most people make when they go for interviews so that you do not make the same mistakes. This conversation is for you. I'm joined by John George Simil. He is an author, he is a trainer and he is a HR consultant. Wana George? Yes. Erubsana. Thank you so much and good morning. It's been a long time since I last met you. Ah yes. Is it a year or 20 years? No, just a month. Thank you for providing time to join me my brother. You're welcome sir. Remember the hashtag is only this one in the morning. Give us your take, give us your comments, questions at Ram Maguko at Y254 channel. The hashtag is Y254 at 4. Make sure that you give us your thoughts in regards to this conversation. Now even as we continue towards the tail end of this show we will be awarding the winner of the competition that we had last Friday. So what we did was remember why Y254 is turning 4 and for being our loyal viewer we gave out different gift vouchers for different people, bags, airtime, t-shirts. We gave out a lot of things for you. Now today we shall award airtime for one of our viewers, one of our listeners who has been participating with us. And the question that we had asked was simply to name why in the morning presenters she did that and today we shall call her towards the end of this show to award her. So you have to continue the conversation with Simu here about airtime and we have to confirm because maybe you think it is a lie today we shall show you the renewe why Y254 is the place to be for all youths. And as we continue this conversation for youths as we talk about it preparing for interviews ask your questions George is here to answer your questions as we proceed. Now Bona George. Yes sir. Let's start with the steps to take before you go for that particular interview. And here we are assuming the interview has been confirmed. At Nasema you have been called for a Monday morning interview. Now you are in the house let's start from there. From the house we will be able to figure out what your rooms are. Which house? Your house. No your house. We will be there. Do we have any particular outfits for different interviews? Do we have colors that people need to look out for? Do we have any moods that people need to look out for? Preparing from the house from the onset. Amazing. Let me just maybe start from this point that a good application does not land you in a job but just on an interview. Let's start from there so that you manage your excitement. If you call for an interview you just need to be aware that well you're a good letter you're a good CV and all other testimonials that you've attached or have been asked to send in they only land you into that job in an interview. Not the job itself. Not the job itself. So we may to interview with Furai. Yes. We haven't got a job yet. No no no. Use your job. Use your job. You've just been invited to present yourself and now from there is now what will determine you leave the interview room as an employee or are still seeking for a job. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what makes the difference. Key things we need to do before and during and after I think that's what we just here to mention a few things. Yeah yeah. Before, during and after. And after. Let's start before. Yeah. There are quite a number of things we always need to do before we go for that interview and that is one to do some research about the organization. Yeah. Do you know the organization that is its values, its products, services, values, objectives, strategy and anything that concerns this organization because that's where now you begin to be relevant to anyone who is going to interview you. And that's how you can be able to know how you can chip in your effort where your input can be. Yes. Yes. So before you go into that interview I think you really need to do that. Just do some background check or get some information and just do that. Very important. And that entails making a few calls, Google searching that particular organization. Most of the information is online now. That organization perhaps it has a website. You can go there and do some things or maybe you have some people who have been or rather worked in that organization. They can share with you some important information. So those are some of the things you do before you go into the interview. Also prepare your outfit as you mentioned when you started. Think of how light dress this is the organization I'm going into. So what I think is so important to them. So how you dress is very important. I plan about that. Also make sure that all the required documents are ready. Like if they mentioned. For documents original copies or just a photocopy of that. Well all the employers if not most will always mention to you that when you come in for the interview bring us maybe the original copies of you. Something like that of your documents. It's needed at some point. So if they did mention that please carry it. But also if even they don't there's no harm have them because at some point somebody will want to verify that they look at these documents. Well there's another verification that will happen after that. Bring the background check of you. But still just come with the original documents. Now George. Yes. We've checked your mic. I believe you're good now. So you're saying in regards to these colors. Yeah how we dress matter or how we dress into interviews matter because one it shows how serious you are about this job. Yeah. I wonder why you should not take it much serious or anyone and realize these are serious kind of engagement you're going into. One you have to think about what you'll put on. And this goes with the outfit. The accessories and things like that. The colors that you're going forward. You don't go into an interview dressed up in a like kind of you look like a Christmas tree. You know it looks funny. How do you define a Christmas tree? Amaridadi. Yeah amaridadi more but all that. With a lot of decorations. You don't need that. No you don't need that. Is it okay to be modest. Are there colors that someone should avoid. Avoid shouting colors. Kamagani. I know when I come a color blinder. There are many yellow you get it. Avoid yellow clothes. Yellow purple. Purple. Purple. Blue. Blue is cool. Red. Maybe with a mix of something but not entirely red. If a man comes with a red tie to an interview. Is that okay? That's okay. Imagine you're doing a red suit. That's enough. For a suit look for black. Yeah look at the corporate colors. Let me just put it that way. Corporate colors. Like most organizations they can always show you what are some of the colors that they really appreciate that these are that. So if you're able to really look into that then that's okay. All right. Yeah. Corporate colors we have maybe for someone who doesn't understand what you mean by corporate colors. What are these colors that appear or are corporate? Like somebody say um you never go in wrong with blue, black, grayish. Nice. Something a bit dull. Like how you dress I think that's of self. This is navy blue. I don't know if you're sure you don't mean that. I shall add navy blue. Someone told me it is navy blue. Is that okay? But corporate colors and this is grayish. Grayish? Yeah. Ini grayish, isn't it? You know there are those colors that are at some point they really draw a lot of attention on you. Like people are looking at okay look at this guy. Okay. Yes, yes. So it applies to both men and female. Men and female. Yes, sure. Okay. With us men we don't have a lot of trouble with that because actually most of the men For lady if you're doing an interview makeup do they also have any effect on it? Is it okay to go there with colors? Is there a way makeup should be especially for an interview? If today you are invited to the president to visit them how will you do it? That's the question I'm asking that lady. Yeah, you'll want to look decent your best and I think that is it. So you don't overdo it and then you don't find yourself having something that you'll think you need to maybe add a little. For someone who has certain color of hair do they have people of that caliber in that organization like if someone came here are you working with people of that type? So your best is? Yes, when you've done your background, you realize how they dress how they do their grooming and that's okay but again also goes back to the kind of a job you are applying for and those jobs they are very comfortable with it. Let's look at your CV you're preparing to go to that interview how prepared what are the things that you need to look into in regards to your CV before you go to that interview? One, know your CV before you go in that interview it's a doubt because we'll just be asking you to establish okay whatever you said in the CV is it true to some people maybe somebody prepared a CV for you and you've never taken time to look at it so you'll be asked okay Mr. Ram we've seen you've worked in this organization and you had this experience or can you please tell us a little bit about this then you're wanting okay so also this is my CV and she is in the meetings of an interview and some lie? Yes, some lie so that's why even if you remember last conversation I mentioned something that don't lie be very honest Kamu ujui ujui even in your CV that those things that people include there but they don't reflect anywhere or rather it's not them don't put them anywhere interesting thing there because that is where the problem comes in whatever you're saying is not reflecting on your CV Yes so you are appeared to be and that's how you lose the job you know your intention is to get this job Do we have should someone look up themselves in the mirror because I don't know if you do that but many people do that you know you look at yourself in the mirror you know you talk to yourself before you go to that interview to just give yourself that emotional psych in terms of psychological psychological preparation what should someone do Preparation is very important when you go in any interview how should someone want to go in a context without preparing for it how do you expect to win when you are not prepared Yeah and now I think that now takes you back to that will help you build up your confidence one of the things that make people lose this lose that job interview is one is the confidence and confidence is built up by preparation so knowing what to prepare and how to prepare is very important so part of it as you mentioned I'm just really not rehearsing because at some time even you will sound you have rehearsed your answers in an interview so it's not real you look like a robot Yeah very plastic but just really prepare well All right let's enter the room now now you're in the interview how should you handle yourself they've just told you um umagonga umlango kusamaha enter now here this is Ramaguko amengia kwa room what should someone do well um it depends with what type of interview because interviews even start from the get sometime from the watchman Yeah it could be even from the watchman you think the interview started here when you enter the door so I think you should just be careful what do you mean at the watchman okay I don't know I don't know if I watch too much movies but what will they be putting like some undercover guy there to put on that you know uniform well um somebody will be maybe just ask to comment about you how was that guy when he came in like now they were talking oh yeah you so rude he was you get it wow you get it so always been been nice Yeah been nice to everyone when you're going to to those interviews they could be the reason why you can either lose or get a job Yes because you never know maybe even whether intended or not maybe even the person and doing the interview ask okay this guy came a bit late what happened did he yeah I think of that so the interview start from for some time sometime now the interview starting at the table now when you are in the panels now you just asked now you go in the room depending with the setup also that will influence how you start yes well at some point the interviewers or other the panelists will lead you on what to do should you the first thing you'll wait for instructions think that is don't do not sit I think it's just big cut is enough to ask if need for you to sit come in of course we're expecting you yeah if that is you are now in the interview room when then you please have a seat usifanya magoza kuna do na una ka too no but still you can just sit because actually I expecting you so yeah so it's it's still okay but have some cut is to wait for them to give you instructions my name is John Smith I'm here for the interviewer can I sit please say yes when it comes to answering the questions what are the common mistakes people do when it comes to answering questions in interviews most people they're not real sometimes like you you you you've crammed some answers you get it yeah those common questions that we normally expect in an interview yes but also I'll try to make them real in time you'll see an interview coach you'll tell you hey Ramu when you go there and ask this question this how you say so you'll expect that question and then good luck if it come with your way then we'll just see the way you're putting it here this guy what what do you do when they ask you about the amount of salary you are expecting because they will say okay you've come how much do you expect to be paid wow and you have no clues every person happy you cannot have missed have any information to say about that when you say you're doing background check or not actually getting some information before you went for that interview you at least have to do what we call a market research people at that level how much are being paid let me give an example for example in journalism people are paid differently not every presenter is paid in the same amount that's true so even those who are working in one particular organization not everyone is paid similarly so you will find so many different figures and you will not know which one to choose should you go for the highest it's still okay it's still okay someone's it's still okay and now that takes us back to something else well once you know how the industry is paying that's very important but number two also know your brand value you get it so that you don't should change yourself and that's why we are now mentioning that we have journalists who are being paid more than others because of the value they bring to the organization the brand their brand how much have you invested in yourself and indeed when we are interviewing we can say that indeed this guy will add value here because that also becomes your negotiating point so do you know your value best on your experience the skills you have and things like that so is it is it also okay to just you know give a value that you feel exceeds your brand you say me I'm just going to give this value well but what should you do why do that if the organization has a budget that allow and they can really see the value will bring in they can pay you that but still it goes back to if like now you see these government jobs it's already there is a structure yeah yeah yes no this person fall in job group particular job group that's different but now if now it's in the private sector perhaps that's where now you can negotiate when it comes to questions that are being asked someone asked your question but as you started you are you know you are still anxious you are panicking you are like sure and then you you give out a wrong answer and then as you are answering the next question you realize I sometimes even realize it later on after you've asked how best should someone answer a question in a way that makes them appear to be calm confident and composed wow amazing one of the things that people lose is it's not wrong to ask for the interview or the panelists to repeat whatever you'd not understand say sorry Sam I didn't get what you said please kindly do you mind to repeat okay okay so that somebody can repeat it you get it right it's not wrong it's not wrong some people will not get it and they'll just go ahead to because of fear the anxious kind of they are panicked then also if you feel you're not calm you're not composed tell them that I feel a bit nervous but I think I'll be able to really get hold of myself as we move on is there a way should stand when once you've entered the room a particular particular position stand as you're standing there how should your arms be your hands where should they be there is no standard way of standing anyway but just look modest at least look composed I think that's the best time okay composed somebody who has confidence during an interview you have been putting up in that chair and you're asked a question about your your referees and how best should you respond in regards to the referees that you put on your CV question on referees whether they are there or not yes yes well if they are there then it depends what the type of question are being asked maybe they want to contact them that's okay unless you have some issues with them that's when maybe you'll be a bit more hesitant but now that takes us back to what we mentioned when you're talking about referees okay yeah let's move on after the interview now we said it before, during now after after the interview I think that is very important for you to keep in touch with the your employer or the person who is who had an interest in you that is you can maybe even just send an email to them and tell them thank you so much for giving an opportunity to really show you who am who am I okay yeah thank you my brother I appreciate your presence thank you for coming you're welcome I think I hope we've touched on everything because of the interest of time I can no be able to read all of your comments I'm seeing questions have come and I believe we've managed to answer all of them do you have maybe can give you 10 seconds to give you to have a final word to someone who is preparing for an interview if I make that call to our winner amazing prepare well for these jobs jobs are there so what makes the difference is how prepared you are and how you sell yourself in that job interview that's what will make a difference when you leave that room as a person with the job or not the job all right thank you so much I appreciate it so