How should I prepare for my first interview?

I find the best way to effectively prep for an interview is to have answers to the below five questions. Having good answers to these questions will ensure that you have done your research adequately.

1. "Walk me through your resume."

Have a succinct answer to this (2-3 minutes). You can start with the "headline". e.g., "If you look at my experiences to date, you'll see that I'm very focused on building exciting, user-focused products in a scalable way."  Make sure your answer has some interesting stories.

2. "Why do you want this job?"

A good way to structure this answer is to answer in two parts. "So first let me talk about why I am passionate about [company] and then I'll explain why I think [role] is an ideal gig to set me up to make a massibecinrricutiom."

Major point of advice:  Do NOT play too-cool-for-school. be passionate about the company. I've seen a lot of talented friends get dinged by not showing a sincere level of enthusiasm. Why is this so important to get right? First, it's flattering to the interviewer (who already works there). Second, it is absolutely going to be a check mark in the process. It doesn't matter if the company is pursuing you every step of the way, you need the interviewer to like you and most often the person interviewing you won't know all that context.

3. Why should we hire you?

Once again, they won't ask you this, but helps you tell your story. With examples.

One effective structure for an answer goes something like this: "From what I understand about the company and role, it seems you are looking for someone with x, y, z. If you look at my experience and interests, I think you'll find strengths in all three of these areas. For example..."

4. Give me some example of when you have done [exactly the skill they are looking for] in the past.

People are so skewed to wanting someone who has done this before. Like exactly this. It hugely decreases the time you'll need to get up to speed, and decreases the chance that you'll completely suck.

Prepare 2 or 3 interesting stories about when you've demonstrated a similar  project in the past. Make sure they are interesting. People see past success as a huge indicator.

5. How would you go about doing [thing you need to do]?

Eg for a PM: tell me some product ideas? How would you change feature x?) (eg 2 for a Brand Marketer: "how would you write a creative brief?") (eg 3 for BD;: What's the most impactful BD we can do next year? How would you get it done?"

5. Do you have any questions for me?

If you haven't already, get the interviewers background. Have two or three insightful questions about the company, which demonstrate why you are passionate about the place. Then end with one of these "what are you most proud of since you've started working here?", "where do you see this team/company in 5 years", or the best: "how would you describe the ideal candidate for this position?" (if they remotely like you they will describe you.)

The Night Before

Listen to 2-3 videos of the CEO talk about the company. You'll pick up verbiage unique to the company (for example- do they call the people who use their service users? Customers? Riders? Pinners?) which will make you seem like you speak their language. Subtle but powerful.

How to Dress?

Dress comfortable and when in doubt look at the executives on the about me page. Dress like that.

Things to remember (before, after, and during the interview):
- Be passionate about the company. This is so important. Resist the urge to be aloof and cool.
- Be interested in the interviewer.
- Be positive.
- Be honest. (I've often asked candidates for BD: "I noticed you were CEO of [blank], but did you actually do deals?" "Yes, definitely." "So you drove the deal and signed if?" "Yes." "What's an indemnity?" "[stunned silence]"
- Relax and have fun.
- Be thankful for people's time.

- Write thank you notes. I know, I hate those too. Most people don't care, but 1/10 is offended. Not worth it, just write it. That night or <23 hours.
- Remember that all you can do is give it 100%. If you try as hard as you can and still don't get the offer, that's life.

What is the interview process phone and in-house ?

Your first contact will be one or two phone interviews. A member of the team you’re interviewing with will contact you. Phone interviews last around 30 minutes and include questions about your experience and domain knowledge. Engineering interviews include technical questions about data structures, algorithms, and software engineering.

If the phone interviews go well, it's time to come to Palo Alto to meet our team. Interviews are generally on Mondays and Fridays. If you're a fly-in candidate, no worries—-we’ll handle all of the logistics.

We're a laid-back company and Palo Alto is warm and sunny, so leave the suit and tie in your closet and wear something comfortable. We focus on you, not your dress.  

Expect to interview with up to five people on-site. Interviews can include whiteboard coding, more technical questions, and use of our products. Be prepared! If we’re sold on you, you have one final step—-the founders. We still hire like a small startup, so all potential hires talk to a founder for at least a few minutes.

What would you do if your interviewer says "prove to me that you're smart" 7 WHY SHOULD WE HIRE U ?

Interviewer: Prove to me that you are smart.

Me: Sure sir.

Picks up the glass of water infront of me and drinks half the water off it.

Me: Sir, could you tell me about the contents of glass?

Raises the glass to him.

Interviewer : Confused. Ah..

Me: Well,What does this glass comprise of?

Interviewer: Oh,Well I would say that this glass contains half quantity of water and half quantity of air.

Me: Grins Sorry, sir but this glass (raises the glass to him again) , or any other glass for that matter is made primarily of a chemical compound known as silica, which is mixed with limestone and soda ash and heated at 1700 degree celcius. That is what glass comprises of.

Interviewer : Interesting.

Me: In a buisness like tone. Now to answer your question, being Smart is a relative phenomenon, there is no actual way to measure smartness. A fox is considered smart in the animal kingdom but it is nothing infront of the hunter who traps him. I think I will consider myself smart if I can outsmart the gentleman infront of me into believing me. Smirks.

Interviewer :Hmm..

Me: Also, what you answered was correct, glass does indeed contain water and air, but not exactly in the proportion you mentioned. Smiles.

Interviewer : Welcome aboard.
***

Interviewer : you left the job of business analyst, and came here to be a banker. Why should we hire you?

Me: An assistant manager job at bank is no different from business analyst work. I used to bring business to my past company, by negotiating projects with client from all parts of the world, and made sure that the client and my company gets mutually satisfied with work and pay. That's what is needed in bank. I can bring business by sanctioning loan to the deserving so that it can't turn npa and can communicate with any sort of customers at any time with smile on my face forever. I am going to prove myself as an asset.

Interviewer: we need this energy in a candidate, god bless you beta.

That's how I won both the opportunity.

Sneak in my profile for all amazing helps.

How HR recruiter shortlist the resume & how do they reject it?

I am a Recruiter myself and I will give you my understanding of shortlisting the resumes as well as rejecting them.

First I will go with rejection, below are the points:

a) Grammatical mistakes (these can play a huge part even if you’re perfect candidate). Not all of us are great writers even I can make mistakes, but the most common mistake is - spelling mistakes, make sure your resume is error-free.

b) Nowadays many resumes get rejected due to the reason that you have to travel an hour, so by looking at your address or place, HR would probably reject you, avoid adding the address.

c) Lying - such as, when you saw the job posting you tried to change your resume and added some skill set or pointers in which you do not have any experience or just know the basics. And while pre-screening when Recruiter/HR asks you something, in particular, you went blank or didn’t able to answer it properly.

d) Your resume is way lengthy, trust me HR gets loads of resumes and if you’re going to make it look like short-novel I suggest hire some professionals to make your resume.

e) Applying too late, trust me this plays a huge factor in getting the job. If you’re currently in the market and looking for a job apply quickly at-least within hours. Sometimes we only have a 24-hour window to full-fill the position.

f) Some genuine reasons for getting your resumes rejected:

1. Relocation

2. Sometimes companies try to promote internally

3. One has to understand hiring process is subjective and can change as per the requirement, you might have submitted your resume for something in particular and the requirement of the job got changed.

4. The project gets the red sign and won’t be making any hiring

5. Lack of funding

6. You’re not as suitable as you think

7. Job hopper

Reasons to shortlist the resumes:

a) Excellent Cover letter with neat and precise Resume, nicely formatted with bullet points and a positive objective.

b) Adding your achievements

c) Certifications - for example - a Project Manager with PMP certification will get shortlisted first then who do not.

d) Done Coaching and Mentoring to your juniors or subordinates

e) Good experience

f) You’ve come through referral

g) Have desired skill-set

h) Creative resume and good online presence

These are some of the few reasons to shortlist as well reject the resume.

Be yourself at the interview

It is a test of personality and mental alertness. Create an impression at the Civil Services Interview on February 17. Here are some pointers

The interviews for the All India Services will be held in New Delhi for 2,568 candidates. One-third of those candidates will be appointed to various services like IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS. There are 275 marks for the interview, and these marks carry much importance for the eventual selection or rejection of the candidate at this last stage of the long and drawn out examination process.

Selection process

The candidate would be interviewed by a board headed by a chairperson, and four members. The responsibility of the board is to assess the suitability of the candidate for the highest government services.

Candidates would be asked questions on matters of general interest and on the subject they had chosen for the main examination.

However, this test is not intended to be a test of specialised knowledge — this was already tested in the written examination. This is rather a test of personality, mental alertness, power of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability of social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity. The technique that is being followed is not strict cross-examination but direct and purposive conversation, which will reveal the mental qualities of the candidates.

A common question is why did the candidate choose IAS, for which the usual replies are: ‘I want to serve the nation’, ‘it is my childhood passion’, or worse still, ‘it is my parents’ dream’. This is too naive, and vague. Instead, the candidate may say that he/she was attracted by the challenges of government service and the unlimited opportunities for self-development.

Without adequate preparation, candidates may falter to answer a question like, ‘please introduce yourself’. They may not mention their names and the native places. The answer can be, “Sir, I am Arjun. I hail from Chennai. I have a post-graduate degree in English literature. My father is a teacher. I have a younger brother who is studying. I have a particular interest in government service.”

It is prudent for a candidate to do a little research on his background, like his native district, his educational institution, his previous employment, and his hobbies. His own name is significant.

Rajesh Khanna was asked about the movies of actor Rajesh Khanna, but he couldn’t recollect any of his films.

In 20 years of experience in personal interview training, I have noticed that difficulty of expression in the English language isn’t a serious impediment to score well in the interview, provided the candidate has persuasive body language and has his information accurate.

I would encourage the candidates to listen intently and understand the question before proceeding to answer it. If you do not know the answer, it is wiser to admit it rather than make a wild guess. It is a question of intellectual integrity. The candidate who is found to be bluffing will create a poor impression about himself/herself. Talking tangentially and changing the topic abruptly are viewed negatively.

If you do not know the answer, it is wiser to admit it rather than make a wild guess.

Being rude, rigid, offensive, argumentative, and quarrelsome are fatal mistakes in the civil services interview.

Studies reveal that the best technique in the interview is being oneself and not pretending to be someone else. Even when the candidate has not answered most of the questions he/she need not get upset and exacerbate his/her nervousness. He/she could still score decent marks if he/she can be cheerful and wind up the interview gracefully.

Anxiety is but a natural companion, and an over anxious candidate might forget to wish the board chairperson, or say ‘good evening’ in the morning session.

Keeping a check on emotions emotions will be easier for the candidates who have attended many mock interviews.

The author is Additional Director General of Police. He has writtenPrinciples of Success in Interview. www.sylendrababu.com.

Make the best impression

Face-to-face interviews are a good opportunity to prove that you are the rightfit for the job. Every young prospect would be called for a face-to-face interview at some point in his/her career. This is definitely thrilling news, especially when it is the first interview. However, here’s the catch: you should be well prepared, say the right things and avoid the wrong mentions to be able to eventually land the job.

Appearing at an interview can prove to be a daunting experience for first-timers. Being too excited and nervous at the same time, they may end up saying things out of context and not saying things that matter most.

So, here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you prepare better for your first face-to-face interview.

Do’s

Be flexible: When you are answering a question related to job responsibilities or a possible place of employment and the interviewer tends to harp on the same, you need to stress your willingness to be mobile. It will demonstrate that you have an ability to adjust with any environment and take challenges.

Demonstrate your learning: When asked about particular cases or issues, explain in detail about your internship experiences. Use the conversation and divulge more details about yourself. It is not wrong to seem more elaborate, so that the interviewer can gauge your potential and develop a better understanding about your competencies.

Showcase your knowledge: Hiring managers like to test the candidates’ knowledge about the organisation they have applied for. Make sure to check their official website and make a concerted attempt to know about the company’s business operations prior to the interview.

Access their official brand page on social media to find out basic company information and latest updates. This will show the interviewer that you take the interview seriously.

Ask how you can succeed in the job: For interviewers, the best thing during a face-to-face interview is to hear interesting questions from the candidates. Do your research well. Talk to employees in the company about the particular role on offer ensuring that you have meaningful queries at the end of the interview session. This will prove that you are keenly interested in knowing the company better.

Don’ts

Go overboard: Hiring managers are looking for passionate employees who are willing to dedicate themselves to a particular job role. They are not interested in someone who desperately wants to land the job. Answer questions succinctly and do not exaggerate or deviate. Avoid extreme openness and flexibility to adapt or else the interviewer might see you as an over anxious or incompetent candidate.

Make personal comments: Avoid praising the interviewer’s physical appearance, referring to other known employees (unless specifically asked for), asking personal questions, gossiping, and making sensational or sexist comments. These are likely to be viewed as highly irrelevant talk in a job interview and thus may lead to your being judged as being unprofessional.

Be judgmental: Refrain from making caustic or evaluative statements about people, processes, or technology in the companies that you have interned with or had worked at. Do not reveal your biases to the interviewer.

Badmouth: Do not ever badmouth your last boss or someone else in your internship or past companies. It is unethical and will send a negative signal that you may be difficult to manage.

Being invited to a face-to-face personal interview is in itself a success, but it might be only the first step of a long hiring process. The main objective of attending an interview is to send signals of assurance to your future employer that you are the right talent they have been looking for.

Ensure that your CV does not lie and avoid exaggerating experiences. Demonstrate that you have the right balance of skills, attitude, and knowledge required for the job.

Good luck with your job interview!

அருள்மிகு பதஞ்சலீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில்!

மூலவர் : பதஞ்சலீஸ்வரர்.
தல விருட்சம் : எருக்கு.
பழமை : 1000 - 2000 வருடங்கள். 
ஊர் : கானாட்டம்புலியு+ர்.
மாவட்டம் : கடலு}ர்.
தல வரலாறு :

 முன்னொரு காலத்தில், பாற்கடலில் பள்ளிகொண்டிருக்கும் மகாவிஷ்ணுவை தாங்கும் ஆதிசேஷன், சிவனின் நடனத் தரிசனம் காணவிரும்பி பதஞ்சலி முனிவராக அவதாரம் செய்தார். சிவன், அவருக்கு சிதம்பரத்தில் நடனக்காட்சியை காண வைக்கிறார். 

 ஒரு சமயம் பதஞ்சலி, நடராஜரை தரிசித்தபோது அவரை இத்தலத்திற்கு வரும்படி கூறவே, பதஞ்சலி இத்தலத்திற்கு வந்தார். சிவனை வேண்டி தவம் செய்தார். அவருக்கு சிவன் தன் நடனத்தை காட்டி அருள் செய்தார். அப்போது சிவன் பதஞ்சலியிடம், என் தாண்டவங்களை கண்டு மகிழ்ந்தீரா? இப்போது திருப்திதானே! என்று கேட்டார்.

 அதற்கு பதங்சலி, தங்கள் நடனம் என்றும் எனக்கு சலிக்காதது. அந்நடனத்தை நான் என்றும் தரிசித்துக் கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டும், என்று வேண்டிக்கொண்டார். சிவன், அவர் விரும்பியபடியே பல தலங்களில் தான் தரிசனம் தருவதாக கூறினார். மேலும் அவருக்கு மரியாதை செய்யும் விதமாக அவரது பெயரையே தனக்கும் சு+ட்டி, பதஞ்சலீஸ்வரர் என்ற பெயர் பெற்றார். 

தல பெருமை :

 இத்தலத்தில் அம்பாள் கோல்வளைக்கையம்பிகை தெற்கு நோக்கி காட்சி தருவது சிறப்பாகும். இந்த தலத்தில் சிவன் சுயம்பு மூர்த்தியாக அருள்பாலிப்பது மற்றொரு சிறப்பாகும்.

பிரார்த்தனை மற்றும் நேர்த்திக்கடன் :

 பணி உயர்வு மற்றும் இடமாற்றம் வேண்டுபவர்கள் இத்தலம் சென்று வணங்கி வழிபாடு செய்யலாம். நேர்த்திக்கடனாக இத்தல இறைவனுக்கு அபிஷேகம் செய்து புது வஸ்திரம் சாற்றுதல், புத்திர பாக்கியம் இல்லாத பெண்கள் அம்பாளுக்கு வஸ்திரம் சாத்தி வளையல்கள் அணிவித்து வணங்குகிறார்கள்.

திருவிழா :

 இத்தல இறைவனுக்கு சிவராத்திரி, திருக்கார்த்திகை, அன்னாபிஷேகம் மற்றும் மார்கழி திருவாதிரை ஆகிய நாட்களில் சிறப்பு பு+ஜைகள் நடைபெறும். 

திறக்கும் நேரம் :

 காலை 6 மணி முதல் 11 மணி வரை மற்றும் மாலை 5 மணி முதல் இரவு 7 மணி வரை நடை திறந்திருக்கும். 

முகவரி :

அருள்மிகு பதஞ்சலீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில், 

கானாட்டம்புலியு+ர் - 608 306, 

கடலு}ர் மாவட்டம்.

போன் : + 91-4144-208-508, 208091, 93457-78863.

kanatampuliyur, cuddalore 

செல்லும் வழி : 

 சிதம்பரத்திலிருந்து 20 கி.மீ., தொலைவில் காட்டுமன்னார்கோவில் சென்று அங்கிருந்து 8 கி.மீ., சென்றால் இத்தலத்தை அடையலாம். காட்டுமன்னார் கோவிலில் இருந்து ஒரு மணி நேரத்திற்கு ஒருமுறை பேருந்துகள் செல்கின்றன

IAS Interview-II Defending Your Biodata: The Right Approach

There are many aspects to be covered while facing the IAS interview board. Apart from brushing up on significant issues on governance, economic, environmental, national, international affairs, preparing for questions and remarks raised by the board on your bio data related information, known as ‘ Detailed Application Form’ (DAF), is an essential part of  the interview process . The DAF is  taken as a kind of horoscope by the board to predict what kind of personality you possess. Since a number of information has been asked in the columns of the DAF,  it offers the board members a vast opportunity to interact with you on the information you have furnished therein. There is a real possibility that your entire interview session , or most part of it , which usually lasts for 30 minutes, is based on your DAF discussion. In fact , there can be 3- 4 different formats  in which your interview can be conducted. One, it may be dominated by questions on information given by you in your DAF, two, it may just be on some current relevant issues of general interest, three, it may be based on your home state and four, it may be dominated by your subject of specialization in college or the optional paper you have chosen for the exam. No format is exclusive in nature. Other questions are also bound to be asked in each of these formats. One thing is, however, certain during the interview, i.e., DAF based questions irrespective of the main format. Thus, taking the DAF preparation seriously and in the right earnest is what needs to be done by the candidates.

DAF and the Interview board: A candidate submits a detailed DAF to UPSC before writing the main examination. The DAF contains even personal information regarding her/his caste, religion . However, all the board members are not given this detailed DAF. Except for the chairman of the interview board, no one will ever know about your caste or religion through DAF. This is done to avoid any bias in the minds of the board due to factors of caste, religion etc. In other words, only the chairman knows about your caste etc and not the other members. Thus, no discrimination is possible against you or prejudices shown in your favour based on your social, religious background. But, of course, your religion will be evident from your names, surnames and one can not do anything about it.

You and your DAF: All the information provided in the DAF has been furnished by you. This makes you fully accountable and answerable to those informations. The board will assume that you have made a conscious choice while revealing your details in the DAF and , therefore, expect you to defend, analyse and elaborate on every bit of information furnished by you. So, while the board may take it kindly if you do not answer other questions convincingly, but if you are not found convincing on DAF related questions, the board will take it seriously. The board is quite justified in expecting convincing answers on your DAF because you yourself have chosen to furnish those information and you  should not look flustered about them.

Categorisation of DAF details: Put together, there are 28 columns in the DAF to be filled out by the candidate. They can be put under the following categories.

(1).Personal details like name, age and native place, parents’ name, profession and income, , choice of centre for main examination, optional subject offered. (column1 to 15)(2).Educational qualifications (column16)(3).Employment details (column 17)(4).Details of extra curricular activities, distinctions, hobbies (column 18)(5).Preference for IAS/IPS in state cadres (column 20)(6).Order of preference for different services like IAS, IPS, IFS and allied services(column 21)(7).Previous details of appearing in UPSC exam. and their results (column 22, 23, 24, 25and 26)(8).Fee payment details( column 27 and 28)

Analysis of vital details asked and given in DAF: Except for the last category relating to fee details, all others are question/remark provoking columns . Let us take them up one by one.

Personal details related column: Starting with your name and its meaning, your date of birth and its historical importance or any other person born on that day, this column can raise a number of questions. The place you were born in, the areas around it, and the state to which you belong  will be closely read by the board and questions will be raised on them. A few questions on your parental profession, your experiences from their jobs can also be asked. If you have chosen a centre of exam. which is unusual, you may have to justify it. Suppose, you have shown in your DAF that you belong to Delhi, studied in Delhi, did job in Delhi, but you have chosen Jammu as a centre, they will get curious about your choice and ask you for a convincing explanation. Finally, your optional subject may come under close scrutiny. The importance of this subject for civil services,( e.g. how Botany can be relevant for civil services), latest information about the subject, etc, can be asked.

Educational qualifications related column: This is a delicate column and the board is keenly interested in knowing about your educational achievements. They will watch for the educational institutions you have attended, and check your awareness level about these institutions. Secondly, they will see if you have any discontinuity in your educational career or any bad academic performances, and if yes, then they will look for reasons for the same. At the same time, if you have been a great achiever in academics, they will question you as to why you want to join civil services despite such a brilliant academic record. Also, if you are a professional, say , a doctor or engineer or lawyer, they will ask you why you want a change in career away from your core domain. You should always answer such questions with a fair degree of honesty. If you fabricate your answer, you are bound to be plunged into a helpless situation before the board.

Employment related columns: If you have been employed earlier , or, you continue to be employed at the time of the interview, there is no way you can escape being asked a lot on your job profile, your responsibilities, about your company, or the govt. department you are working with. The difficult part of the question on this area is going to be why you seek a job change in favour of civil services . Most of the candidates provide the same answer to this. Let us frame a question and see the standard answer offered by many.

Question: You are already employed in a higher post with good prospects. Why then you want to join civil services?

Answer: Yes sir, I do agree that I am already placed in a comfortable job. But the status, prestige, diversity and challenges offered by civil services attracts me.  Or

Yes sir. True. But I want to serve the country and the society which has given me so much.

This question is a routine question at every board and these two answers, are also routine. The board gets fed up hearing the same logic from every candidate and wants to hear something different. By themselves, both these answers are good, but you should rephrase them to sound different from the crowd. I would suggest, you relate your answer to your inspiration derived from parents or, a role model in civil services or by account given by a dynamic, honest civil servant about the challenges and opportunities in the civil services. This will make for an interesting answer.

Hobby related columns: This column is the most sensitive zone of you bio data . You need to defend your hobbies and extra curricular activities in a such a manner that you can convince the board that you have a genuine interest in the hobbies mentioned by you and you are cultivating them well. Owing to inexperience about the interview, many candidates take this column rather easily and casually. They fill up this column with hobbies they have hardly pursued seriously and extracurricular activities they have ignored largely in real life. If you try to fake a hobby without genuine interest in it, your bluff will be called easily and you may get punished for it. For example, in a real IAS interview, a candidate had given as his hobby to teach villagers in a village in Haryana. The chairman of the board first declared it as a wonderful hobby and then started shooting questions. When asked about the time during which he would go and teach the villagers, he answered that he goes in the morning. Then the chairman countered him by telling him that how can he meet farmers in the morning time when most of them will be away in the fields or rearing their cattle or doing other farming activities. Then he tried to make another bluff and he got into a real awkward situation. He was given exceptionally low marks. So, whatever your hobby may be, you need to make a mark on the board by defending it in a most genuine way. Concocted answers about your hobbies must be avoided at all costs.

IAS/IPS preference related column: In this column, you are given a chance to state your preferences for the two prestigious jobs i.e. IAS and IPS in various states. For example, in Bihar, what will be your preference for IAS/IPS. Normally, a candidate, and quite rightly so, will give preference 1/1 for IAS/IPS for Bihar cadre if he belongs to Bihar. Then he may choose UP where IAS may be his 2nd preference but IPS his 3rd preference. Such variation in preference will invite probing questions. Generally , candidates have a subjective perception about the IAS/ IPS jobs. For example, in states affected by naxalism, IAS is given a higher choice and IPS is lowered down by the candidate. This will raise doubts about your willingness to take up challenges in trouble prone states. It is always better to offer the same choices for both the services i.e. IAS/IPS for every state. For example, if you have preference 11 for IAS in Nagaland, your preference for IPS in Nagaland must also be 11 and not 17 or 18. This will save you from explaining why you are choosing differently between the two services in the same state.

Column dealing with order of preferences for various jobs: The most standard practice to fill this column is to give 1st, 2nd. and 3rd. preferences to IAS, IPS and IFS respectively. Thereafter, IRS , Customs, Audit and Accounts and so on. The board is widely aware about the popularity level of the services and therefore, in a usual choice, they would not raise questions. But if you make some unusual preference, say, IPS over IAS or, IRS over IPS, then they will ask for a suitable reason. You must offer an explanation that the members can buy.

Details of previous attempts at UPSC exams: This is a cool column and you can very well defend it so long as you have given the real information without hiding anything. However, if you have been selected by UPSC for some job and you left it, or delayed joining its training program, then questions will arise asking you for justifications of your decision.

Some guidelines for defending your DAF:

i. Start preparing early: Don’t wait for the result. Concentrate on your DAF preparation quite early. It will require quite a lot of time to collect information about so many columns you have filled in there.

II.Prepare under expert guidance: Self preparation for interview whether on DAF or otherwise, amounts to just gathering facts and information. Unless you are interacting with knowledgeable people during your interview preparation, you are really not preparing well. So try and choose a real good mentor whose advice you can trust and follow him on day to day basis.

III. Always defend yourself with honesty: Honesty is the best policy at the interview. Be honest about what you have to say about your DAF. Only this can make your interview safe and scoring.

(S B Singh is a noted academician and IAS interview expert. He can be reached at his email: sb_singh2003@yahoo.com) View expressed are personal.