It travels to important hands

Have you ever wondered when you go for an interview or go to meet your clients or your prospective groom why you dress up so carefully, keeping in mind you wear the best shirt? Because, first impression has huge impact and you want to put your best foot forward. Exactly the same thing is applicable for business card. Business card is like your identity, your face before the world. When you silently give it to someone it speaks a lot about you, sends across reflection of your taste, preference, personality, attitude. And I am sure you don’t want that person to get a wrong message about you or consider you an average daily encounter. To make a mark, you need to be different, appear appealing. Don’t forget it’s not just one person whom you reach. Recipient may give away your business card to someone else as well to contact you. So your identity travels along. If it’s appealing, you get talked about and admired.

Long stay

People generally lose business cards quite often. Have you ever thought why so? It’s because most of them look boring, so people do not show an effort to keep them with much care and simply throw inside drawers, envelopes, wallet etc. But if a business card looks appealing people make an extra effort towards not misplacing it and keep it in card holder with much care, while flashing it often before others. Such business cards are hardly lost and are recalled often, talked about and perceived in a favorable manner. If a business card looks good the person who receives it also checks it with much more appreciations and holds it for long, whereas an average business card is much ignored and people simply put them in pocket soon after getting the card.

So what are waiting for? Get rid of boring business card and find a good designer to flash an appealing business card everywhere you go.

A group discussion typically works in three phases –

• Introduction
• Body of the GD
• Conclusion

Introduction and conclusion of the GD are the most important phases, as these phases help impressing the examiner.

Introduction stage of GD is your opportunity to write your destiny. This is your first chance to impress the examiner. While you initiate the discussion you not only grab the opportunity to speak first, but you equally draw attention of the examiner and other candidates. First impression lasts for long. If you can kick-off with a good start (on basis of content, logic and your communication skill), the ball is already in your court. Don’t get numb or stuck soon after the introduction, it shows you started with a bang just for the sake of drawing attention. Maintain your participation throughout and make sure you are heard. On the other hand don’t jump into the well and start before others; if you are not confident about the topic. A hollow start brings negative marks. You are supposed to put things in the right perspective of framework. Some handy points which can help you to try a good start are –

• Definition of the topic in hand
• Related quotes
• Questions
• Shock statement
• Facts and figures (along with credible source)
• Short story
• General statement

Conclusion stage of GD is equally important. Every GD is summarized. Summarize what the group has discussed during GD, in a nutshell. It could be a conclusion either in favour or against the given topic. While concluding don’t raise new points again, avoid putting personal opinion or perceptions, avoid rigidity towards one aspect, keep your views short and crisp, don’t add anything new apart from the already discussed points.

Examiner not only pays attention towards your spoken words; but also sees through your personality traits and non-verbal communication aspects like –

• Ability to work in team
• Reasoning ability
• Communication skill
• Leadership skill
• Persuasion skill
• Assertiveness yet humbleness
• Pro-active attitude
• Flexibility
• Creativity
• Independent thinking process
• Time management
• Body language
• Patience and tolerance

When these things are taken care of, a big win is not far from you.

Although the best way to save yourself from being tardy to an interview, is to make sure you’re not late in the first place.  That means mapping out your route beforehand.  Know the territory, and leave a few minutes earlier than needed.

If you cannot avoid being late, then always call ahead immediately to notify your interviewer of the situation.  You have a cell phone for a reason.  If there’s bad unexpected traffic, or an accident, call them immediately to let them know you’ll be late.  Explain the reason, apologize, and tell the interviewer that you’ll be there as quickly as possible.

When you arrive, don’t rush into the office.  Stay calm and composed.  Turn this into an opportunity to show your grace under pressure.  Being late to an interview could be considered a huge lapse in credibility.  But you can spin that by keeping your posture confident, and your demeanor positive and courteous.

By rushing in you show nervousness, which is essentially weakness.  If you crack under the stress of getting to an interview on time, are they going to want you during a real work crises?  Show that you can stay composed and confident in any scenario.

A good tactic actually is to rush as quickly as possible to the interview, then take a few moments before you enter the building to compose yourself.  The key here is staying calm, if you can’t stay calm you’re not going to make a good impression.  You’ve already got the tardiness strike against you, so your interview has to be stellar.

Everything starts in the phone call that you receive, notifying you that you’ve been chosen for an interview.  Make sure that you write down the information on when and where the interview will be taking place.  Jot down the time as well.  Then make sure to find out any documentation that you need to bring to interview.  Before ending the conversation, make sure to double check the time and place, and the documents you’ll need.  The worst first impression you can make for an interview, is to show up late.

If you aren’t already familiar with the location of the interview, it’s a good idea to look up directions and do a run through.  See how long it takes to get to the interview site, and learn the route.  That way when the day comes you don’t risk being late by aimlessly looking for the location, or getting into unexpected traffic.

Now to the interview outfit.  It’s best to pick your outfit in advance, so that you know what you are going to wear, and aren’t forced to figure anything at the last minute.  Choose something professional, that’s clean and tidy.  An outfit that fits you well, and that is free of stains or tears.

Finally, on the day of the interview, be sure to leave early.  The worst thing you can do at an interview, is show up late.  Many interviewers won’t hire an applicant that can’t show up to an interview on time.  Keep that on time, and show up 10-15 minutes early.  That way you show yourself to be prepared, and committed to the job opportunity.