Just Have A Conversation

Simrata Singh passed out from the RTV Dept of IIMC in 2006. For her first job as an intern on the general news desk of TIMES NOW she moved to Mumbai. After working there for close to two years she moved to NewsX as a reporter and news anchor. After another two years of experience at NewsX Simrata moved to STAR network’s Home Shopping channel, Star CJ Alive. She is presently working as a Lifestyle Show Host at Star CJ Alive in Mumbai.



Firstly, congratulations to all those who have cracked the written test. You are amongst the lucky few from all over India who now stand here, preparing for the final lap. Now that surely sounds flattering and I’m sure it gives you a lot of confidence. That is where you need to look at your interview checklist and remind yourself that you are almost there but still not there.

Point number one on the checklist: Confidence.

As simple as this sounds this quality is very tricky. It’s just like cooking that perfect meal. A little bit over or under and all your efforts become fruitless. The panel needs to get the impression that you know yourself, you know your goals, you know the path and you know exactly what you are talking about. But at the same time they need to feel that you need them, their guidance, their expertise and lessons from their enriched experience to achieve your goal.

Never should the panel feel that this guy is too smart for his pants. And never ever should they also feel that you are not outspoken and confident because let’s face it, you are being interviewed for a communication course. If you lack communication skills you are definitely at the wrong place.

Now to achieve this balance of confidence you need to keep a few other points from your checklist in mind.

Point number two being body language.

Dress up preferably in smart casuals and make sure your clothes don’t bother you. When you enter the interview room walk with confidence, look pleasant and happy to be there and make sure you make eye contact with each and every one sitting on that panel when you wish them. Eye contact in fact is very important throughout the interview. For every question that you answer please look at everybody. Make them all feel important.

Now as you’ve walked in, the first impression has been made and it’s time to move on to the question answer session. I am sure we all know what kind of questions to expect. Why do you choose this field? What is your opinion about this present burning current affair and so on and so forth.

For the first question, why this field, please think of an honest reply beforehand. Because if you say I want to be a journalist to change the system, you will only amuse the panelists. If you say you want to become an anchor straight up you will amuse them even more.  So think hard, why you want to do this and be as honest as possible.

After the obvious questions we now get on to discussions about various topics which we cannot predict. But if you are a smart candidate you can decide the course of your interview. Your answers will lead your panelist to ask the questions you want them to ask. So think about the issues you are most comfortable discussing and weave them in your conversation so seamlessly that you actually become the director of your own interview.

But just in case you can’t direct your interview, it’s ok!! It is not an easy task to decide how your interview goes. In that case you might just encounter a situation where you get stuck. A question whose answer you don’t know. An issue on which you don’t have an opinion. Its ok.!

Panic is the last thing you should do. Even if you have stammered, even if you’ve spoken wrong grammar, you have to tell yourself that panic will only make things worse. So what do you do? Just move on, tell the panelists you don’t know much about the issue, tell them what little you might know but don’t fake anything please. The panelists too will understand and move on to another topic where the communication is not one sided.

So well, I guess that’s it.!! Just go there and talk and discuss the way you would with people as if it wasn’t an interview. Be normal, be spontaneous and just have a good conversation. That one always works!!

All the best

Simrata Singh