1. A good Resume and a cover letter may have possibly given you that chance to give an interview. But once you’re in there, you have less than probably half an hour to make your mark and set yourself apart from other qualified candidates for the job. So, preparing for the pre-interview, interview and post –interview stage is imperative. Here are a few basics you need to keep in mind.

2. Good appearance: Remember, first impression is the last impression. You definitely want to leave a lasting impression on your potential employer. You can begin by appearing good. Whatever your gender, you might want to stick to formal clothing. Yes, while you’re at it, make sure they are comfortable, clean and well pressed. Guys can opt for a tie. Go with neutral or monochrome colors. Ditch the bright oranges, neon blues and the bright purples for another event!!! You might also want to do away with any body piercings you have. Girls, please tone down on the makeup! Always remember-Less is more!!! 

3. Be punctual: Punctuality is one of the main pre-requisites for many hiring managers. Arriving punctually also reduces a great deal of stress. Don’t be late, but then don’t be too early either. Make sure you reach your interview at least 10-15 mins in advance. To do this, you need to make sure you have the correct address a day in advance of the interview. If you’re driving, figure out the parking lot and the time it takes you to walk it to the nearest elevator. It could save you a good 10 minutes. If you are using the public transportation, make sure you keep record of the bus routes and train timings a day or two in advance. 

4. Sell yourself: Believe it or not-“SELLING YOURSELF” is the part which will set you apart from all those other candidates. This means you carry your credentials with you-a copy of your resume to begin with. It’s also a
good idea to carry your work from the previous employment which includes appreciation emails from clients,
thank you notes from customers, awards you’ve bagged, etc. It shows that you’ve taken the extra effort to make that mark. Show them how your skills will make your job easier for you. 

5. Body Gestures: Now that you’ve finally arrived, you want to appear professional. I don’t mean by what you wear, but how you conduct yourself. Your body gestures play a big part here. No matter what your attire is-when you enter, you must always wear a nice, BIG smile. Your handshake must be firm-not extra strong or weak and clammy. Always make eye contact-which shows that you are an honest person and you’re one that accepts feedback. Make sure you don’t turn your eye contact into an ugly glare which borders on threat. But then, don’t completely look away from your interviewer which actually shows low self-esteem. Your sitting posture is very important-sit with your back erect-No body wants to hire a slouch. While speaking, make sure you have open hand movements or gestures which show that you’re a person who is easily approachable. Don’t folds your arms which give you a closed and reserved look.

6. Ask questions: Asking the right questions is very important. These questions mainly help you clear your doubts or apprehensions about starting a new job. It could be questions related to the company (its policies, corporate ethics, pay structure, etc) or the job itself so that you’re aware of the specific skills involved. This shows your interest in being a part of the organization. Questions relating to the job also show that you want to make sure you’re an asset to the company by bringing in your skills-technical or communicative to do a good job while you’re on board!

7. Follow up-No matter how the interview goes-always follow up! You can do this a week after the interview. Always thank your interviewer for the opportunity they gave you-no matter what the outcome is. The feedback
they give you will always help you discern your strengths and weaknesses.

Talent management is a core pillar of any company strategy and one of the most important responsibilities for an Human Resources professional. I have reviewed thousands of resumes  over my career and built a system to categorize them into yes, no and the dreaded maybe buckets. The resumes that go into either the yes or the no piles are usually very easy to identify. But I often think about the maybes. These resumes get saved as a backup but in reality, never get a chance to be in the field of play.

With many resumes on job portals like Naukri, it will be harder and harder for a maybe to become a yes which is the first step in landing a new job. Great candidates with fantastic backgrounds can get condemned to the maybe pile because the resume didn’t represent them well and didn’t make an impression in the 30 seconds an average hiring manager spends on filtering a resume.

I find there are three big mistakes that usually cause an otherwise great resume to be filtered out in a screening process:

1) Focusing on the wrong thing: I often see candidates explain their responsibilities and list them in great detail, but forget to highlight their results. The unique things they did that their predecessors had not. What were their specific accomplishments and what sets them apart? The more quantitative, the easier for a screener or hiring manager to understand and select them for the next discussion. Numbers and metrics speak louder than words. Vague generalities are the kryptonite of a resume.

2) Writing a thesis when a synopsis is needed: Mark Twain once said, “if only I had more time, I would write thee a shorter letter”. When writing a resume, it is important to heed these words and take the time to really write succinctly and precisely. The longer and more dense a resume, the harder it is for a recruiter to get to the heart of your achievements and contributions. Precise, clear, factual, numbers driven resumes will always get more traction.

3) Leaving unanswered red flags: Candidates will often wait for the interview process to explain any red flags or gaps that may be on their resume, but by that time it may be too late. In most cases, they won’t make it that far if the issues are not explained on the resume, cover letter or LinkedIn profile itself. Candidates should put on the hiring manager’s hat and look at their own resumes with this filter and then proactively address any of these
issues in a clear and unambiguous way. A couple of examples of what I mean:

Let’s say someone has moved around a lot in their career. A screener may see this as an inability finish things they start or an indication that they aren’t a committed candidate. It behooves you to explain the reasons for the movement where possible. Was it a corporate change, like an acquisition, that caused the moves? Or is it an indication that you were looking for more of a challenge?

It is worth the extra effort to make your online profile rock solid. That’s the only way to convert the page views into clicks on your resume.

Oh and one other thing, in this day and age, there is no excuse for typos and grammar mistakes in a resume. Those types of errors demonstrate a lack of detail orientation and commitment, and may result in your resume going into the no bucket.

1. Get rid of the objective: If you applied, it's already obvious you want the job.

2. Cut out all the irrelevant work experiences.
If you're still listing that prized shift leader position from your high school days, it's time to move on.
Yes, you might've been the "king of making milkshakes," but unless you're planning on redeeming that title, it's time to get rid of all that clutter.

3. Take a pass on the personal stuff: marital status and religious preference.
This might've been the standard in the past, but all of this information is now illegal for your employer to ask you so there's no need to include it. It will likely only hurt your chances of getting the position more than it would help you, says Catherine Jewell, author of the book “New Résumé, New Career.” Another piece of personal information you should never include on your resume is your social security number, Sara Player, client support specialist for CareerBuilder.com, told us. Player isn't actually sure why people decide to include their social security numbers, but she knows she sees it all too often and it's unnecessary, not to mention, a little risky.