SERVICE SELECTION BOARD (SSB) STAGE 2 : PERSONNEL INTERVIEW

Part 1

STAGE 2 : PERSONNEL INTERVIEW PART 1 Introduction Evaluation Interviews are one of the three techniques used in the Services Selection Boards.

Personnel Interview is the only place where you have direct one to one interaction with the assessing officer and hence your chances of faking or making up something are bare minimum. The Interview is taken by an experienced senior officer, who can easily make out the details of your personality by the answers you give to the questions posed by him.

Pe r s o n a l I n t e r v i e w i n S S B

Pa r t 1

The type of interview is one-to-one Evaluative Interview. The interview is based on ‘behavioral approach’ also known as ‘Competency Based Interview’ in corporate world. It states that your behavior in your past can be a good indicator of your performance in the future. Therefore, you are asked certain situations of your past life and your future behavior is predicted based on your responses to the past situations. It is therefore very important to reveal your real self in the interview lest you project some different personality.

Type of Interview

• Personal, one to one

• Based on behavioral patter –

Competency based Interview

• Be Real

Personal Interview – Part 1

• Basic information about interview

• Common myths about SSB Interview

• Dress Code

• Demeanor

• PIQ Form

• Main Focus and Analysis Areas

• Methodology of Interview

Part 1 of the topic will cover some basic information on the interview, common myths which candidates have developed over the years and which are often supported by coaching academies, dress code, your demeanor during the interview, the details about the Personnel Information Questionnaire, the main focus areas of the interviewer and what all is he assessing and lastly the methodology followed for the interview.

The first wrong myth carried by the candidates is that the pattern and the questions of the interview are fixed, I am also going to be asked the same questions which the others were asked and if I can prepare those questions and questions told me in the coaching academy, I will be easily sail through the interview. This is a very wrong information carried by the candidates. Yes, there are some questions which will be common to all, but no two candidates will be asked all the same questions. Your questions will depend upon the PIQ form and the responses you give in the interview. The interviewer will ask you the questions on the behavior he wants to check in you and hence he will never follow a set pattern. Hence stay dynamic and be prepared for any question.

SOME MYTHS AND BIASES

The pattern and questions of the interview are

fixed

The sequence of questions asked will also be different depending upon your profile and responses. He may ask you easy questions in the beginning and make it tough in he end or vice versa, so be prepared for the surprises.

Whatever you did with the GTO or the psychologist will be counter checked with the interviewer during the conference. Therefore, don’t try to project different you at different places and show only your true personality everywhere.

SOME MYTHS AND BIASES

The sequence of questions will be same

SOME MYTHS AND BIASES

Whatever I wrote in psychological tests or spoke in

GTO tasks is different than what I do here

Some the coaching academies tell the candidates that the PIQ if not important and some tell that it is everything. The truth is somewhere in the between. The interviewer will ask you questions based on your PIQ form but that will be just the start point for him. To check your true personality, he will ask you follow up questions which may not be related to the PIQ.

This is another myth and many candidates spend months to be experts in GK when preparing for the interview. Just remember that the interviewer will check your General Awareness and not the General knowledge. Hence just be aware of the world around you and do not spend too much time in becoming a GK expert.

SOME MYTHS AND BIASES

PIQ is not that important / PIQ is everything

SOME MYTHS AND BIASES

I need to be an expert in general knowledge to pass the

interview

This is your first impression. You should be dressed in formal dress. A dark trouser with light shirt and black shoes are recommended. You may wear a blazer and tie if weather permits.

Regarding the posture during the interview – sit calm, comfortably in an alert but relaxed pose, be alive, smile when required and speak fluently. Don’t worry about quality of language, mix English with Hindi if that relaxes you, don’t rush, speak slowly and clearly. Don’t worry if the probing by the assessor becomes a bit too personal, the

What a

person….doesn’t

even know what to

wear for interview

Dress Code

He seems to

have great

focus

• Correct Posture

• Pleasant disposition

• Calm under stress

Demeanor

assessor maintains absolute confidentiality and your issues will never be divulged to others.

The interviewer will take inputs from the PIQ form filled by you to start the interview. He may thereafter ask follow up questions based on your responses. PIQ Form

PIQ

Input fo r Q u e s t i o n s

This is a personal interview in which information given by the candidate in the Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) form is used as a backdrop to the questions. The form has columns for basic information, your place of maximum, present and permanent residence with certain details of those places like population, state and district. This will show your general awareness about your surroundings.

The form also has place for details of your father, mother, if they are alive or not and about your brothers, sisters or guardian, theiroccupation and income. All this data has a bearing on your personality and will lead the interviewer to the typeof questions he want to ask from you. Then the details of your education from 10th onwards are asked with marks, medium of instruction, boarding or day scholar and any achievements. A common question asked from this place is why dropped your arks from 10th to 12th or from 12th to graduation. We will discuss this question in Part 2 of this topic.

PIQ

Other than your physical data, details of your present job if you are working are asked. Also, the details of your NCC education are also filled. Games and sports project a very important part of your personality. Hence the details are to be filled in the form. Another thing to be filled here is your hobbies and interests. Just remember, that you may have interest in many things but only when you start devoting some time to that interest and make it part of your life, then it becomes your hobby.

PIQ

And lastly, the type of commission you are opting for - permanent or short service and choice of service is filled. Any interviews which you have attended previously are to be filled here. Focus Areas

PIQ

MAIN FOCUS AREAS

• 1. Your personal life, early education, marks, previous

jobs

• 2. Your parents, siblings and your relationships with them

• 3. Your environment to include knowledge of your

surroundings, neighborhood, town and country

The focus of the interviewer’s questions will be on three major aspects of your life :- Part 1. Basic Questions About Oneself. ‘Tell me about your early life, your education from 8th or 10th onwards, the schools and colleges you studied in, the options of careers that you had, your teachers, your friends, the association with teachers and friends, the percentage score at various levels, extracurricular activities including games and sports plus achievements in those areas and lastly why do you want to join the Army?’ Three or four such questions may be asked from you at one go, so stay attentive. Part 2. Questions about your Relations. ‘Tell me about your parents, brothers and sisters, their education, occupation and income, how do you relate to them? Whom are you closest to? And why? Tell me about your neighbors and your activities related to your neighborhood. Part 3. Questions about your Environment. ‘Tell me about how you spend your leisure hours/ holidays what are your hobbies, what do you read, what do you watch on TV and how do you use the internet?’. The interviewing officer will invariably ask you of your perception of your own strengths and weaknesses adding as to what are you doing to overcome your weaknesses. The interviewer will also certainly check your general awareness, therefore, be sure about the surroundings in which you have lived/ or living eg; what district, nearby towns, the present CM/ Governor, current national debates on culture/ environment/ defence/ cinema/ books etc.

MAIN ANALYSIS AREAS

• Your ability to grasp the questions posed

• Your ability to handle pressure

• Your value system

• 15 OLQs

The interviewer wants to assess the following from the questions posed to you:- 1. Your ability to grasp the questions posed. Thus, he may ask three or four questions in one go. You need to be attentive, understand them and reply in the same sequence. 2. Your ability to perform under stress and to handle pressure will be tested by him. He will ask you many probing and awkward questions to put you under stress and then see your responses under that situation. 3. He will also check your value system, the inner qualities you are carrying with you and how you are going to use them in future. 4. And most important, like at other places, the focus will be on 15 officer like qualities. So make sure your responses are in line with those qualities.

The questions will be in the form of individual or single questions. The follow on probing questions will be definitely asked on such responses. He may in between resort to rapid 4-5 questions. And last but not the least, he will ask you certain personnel or awkward questions. Don’t get stressed, the interview is conducted in confidentiality and whatever you reveal there is never told to anyone else.

METHODOLOGY OF QUESTIONS

• Simple and individual questions one after one

• Follow up and probing questions

• Rapid questions

• Personal and awkward questions

Tips to do Well Develop interest in General Awareness, sports and hobbies which will add to the quality of your Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ). Acquire skills of public speaking by practicing at home and with friends. Maintain a cheerful disposition and composure while being subjected to stressful circumstances during personal interview and give logical responses. Learn the art of filling up the Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) and mention authentic details. Incorrect information written in the PIQ may lead to rejection. You must go visiting the town in your spare time and must get back complete details and significance of what you saw; as you may be quizzed on it during your interview or the Board Conference. Prepare your own answers. Don’t copy what has been taught in coaching academies. Take permission to come in and wish the interviewing officer clearly and looking at him with a warm smile. You are expected to walk up to him and shake hands before he tells you to sit down.