How to be ready for Interview

(Compiled by: Neeraj Kumar Sahu, Trainee Officer-2015 Lucknow Circle)

 First of all I wish congratulations on your success in written examination and now time to overcome it completely…..
 While facing Personal Interview, be Honest, Confident, Fearless, Cool, Argue less and most important ATTITUDE.
 The purpose of any interview is to evaluate the candidates and make recommendations towards their suitability.
 Don’t panic for your ignorance about the topic. Board members are very helpful and encouraging in this matter.
 Interview doesn’t mean to check your knowledge; it is already checked in written exam. It is to check your worthiness,
confidence level, honesty, decision making skills, clarity of thoughts, listening power, behaviour and Attitude.

Dressing Style
Female Male
 Formal Dresses; like Salwar kameez / Saree  Formal Dresses; like Light Colour Shirt and Dark Paint
(Preferably Light Sky Blue / White Shirt and Dark Navy Blue
/ Black Paint. Men can try Tie also if they feel easy.
 Wear ID Card mandatorily and keep it visible.  Wear ID Card mandatorily and keep it visible.
 Ornaments, if needed, must be used simply suited to professionalism.  Wear black shoes with laces (well polished) and socks should
 Formal footwear, Avoid too much high heel sandals it may match with the colour of Paints.
adversely affect the style of walking.  Colour of Belt should mandatorily be matched with shoes’.
 Wear comfortable and fit dress.
Some Other Important Points
 Reach at Venue well in time. ENTER in the interview room only after knocking the door twice and getting the permission.
 Wish Good Morning or Good Afternoon, as the case may be to each of the members of the board heartedly. While wishing ensure to
have proper eye-contact to every members with smile.
 Don’t sit unless you have been asked / you also may ask if no body is asking you to sit. Ensure to sit on chair always from left side.
 Prepare your self for Non-Verbal Communications like nodding, shaking hands in air, eye contact, smile & Listening.
 Be aware, if question is asked in English, answer only in English. If you don’t feel easy in English take permission before
proceeding in local language.
 Ensure to present yourself as part of management and effective leadership should be reflected from your communications.
 Be practical systematically not theoretical, as questions asked in panel probably based on practical situations.
 If asked to transfer you far from your lovely place. Give node to Yes.
 Be honest to your answers, don’t try to guess or bluff the answers as the members of the board are highly qualified and have
experiences of many of such interviews.
 Listen very care fully to the member(s) of the board and they may be asked to pardon the words again if not collected at a time but
avoid to ask again & again as it may irritate the member(s).
 Answer only what is asked i.e. to the point only. Don’t ever try to explain every thing unless asked to do so. Otherwise you may invite
many more questions thereafter.
 Do not become emotional or get nervous. Be confident and patient. Try to control your unnecessary movements. Even if a question
is asked to provoke you, try to maintain your cool and never lose your temper.
 If board members know about your boss and tell/ask any negative activity about, never say any negative.
 Say THANK-YOU to every member while leaving the board room.
Some Common Questions
 Tell about yourself, your nature of job in office, your qualification. If CAIIB not done, be ready with the answer to WHY ?
 How you expend your vacant time?
 You want to take promotion it is OK but why bank should promote you.
 What can you perform like which others cannot.
 How you look the recent changes in banking industry / financial sectors like Merger, all the social schemes through bank etc.
 Your hobbies and how you take benefits from your hobbies in your job profile.
 What are the strategies followed in your branch for achieving your branch budgets.
 Why is that our Bank is giving a lot of focus on technology products and alternate channels? Is there any significance?
 How you look Cross Selling. And if you represent yourself as a selling agents like SP, CIF ACE. Be ready to sell before them, they
may ask you to give demo.
 Tell about your place of domicile / district (any thing special or famous for).
What to look before you proceed
 Questions upon your academic qualifications. Specially no. of subject, its names and knowledge about.
 Branch / Office Profile in view of business like NPA, Deposit, Advance, Cross Selling, Alternate Channel & achievements if any.
 Recent RFIA rating. Reason and remedy for improvement if rating is poor.
 Various on-going Campaigns & Bank’s OTS Scheme. NEWS PAPER OF THE DATE OF INTERVEW. (Most Important)
 Various Messages of Chairman / MDs / DMDs (through articles, videos or their interviews) Videos may be downloaded from
Statebanktimes.
 Complete Knowledge about Your seat related work. And any special role apart from your desk in the office / branch.
 For Recent Topics: Refer Banking Brief. (may be downloaded from State Bank Staff College, Hyderabad)
 Current Affairs knowledge about last 2 month specially.
 Bank’s new launches / revisions in PRODUCTS, SERVICES and FACILITIES for Staffs and Customers as well.
 Bank’s position in market in view of business (Capital wise and NPA wise) and competition.
 Bank’s last Quarterly and Annually results. Look upon POLICY GUIDELINES as it has various targets set by Bank.
 Some Topics like LOTUS, CRM, Sustainability concepts, GST, Bad Bank, Basel Norms, Job Family, CDS, Work from home, Quiz Culture.
 Your controllers’ names. Name of executives of bank specially 4 MDs and their areas.
 Recent Monetary Policies of RBI. Rates and their impacts in banking industry. What is Net Interest Margin.
 Why bank introduced minimum balance requirement once again and why reduced interest rates in Savings Bank accounts.
 Recent Awards and recognitions given to our bank.
 Practical Situations/Problems while providing services or Products. (Specially Advances, Frauds, Locker and Deceased cases).
 Concept of Privatisation of National banks. Is it in favour of Bank and its employees or against.
 Various schemes launched by Honorable Prime Minister (routed through banking channel)

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
All the best. Go and get it