Here are some basic interview tips – while nothing is certain these will make sure you don’t fall at the first hurdle.

1) Make an effort with your appearance – you are an ambassador for yourself and possibly the company. If you can’t represent yourself as smart and professional, then what chance you can do that for your future employer? If you are shaking someone’s hand, clean nails would be a good start.

2) Do some research – I’ve been in that horrible situation of going into an interview and coming out knowing I should have done more. Does the company have a website? Go check it out. Have they sent you a job description? Read it, digest it and prove that you have the skills they want.

3) Know what you want to say – some questions come up again and again no matter what the job is. Don’t have an answer that you parrot out, but think about what the key points you want to get across are. It might well be worth writing down some bullet points on cards and memorizing them. You can take them to the interview and run through them when you arrive early.

4) Use examples – anyone can say they are good at something. Only you can prove it. Like any proof, it requires evidence. Even if you are still in a job, its worth keeping a stock list of examples of your success so if the job you really want comes up you can point to them without having to think too hard.

5) Interviewers are human too – interviews can be nerve wracking. However, remember there is pressure on your interviewer(s) as well, to find the right person. They may be new to the task. If you are feeling tense, remember that they are not all seeing, all knowing gods!

The problem is that our true personalities often get overshadowed by our anxiety and nervousness. People tend to panic or become nervous when they meet their interviewers either because they start scrutinizing and analyzing every action of theirs from the interviewers eyes or they forget their own qualities and start trying to hard to impress the interviewer.

However, what they fail to realize is that when you are not being yourself, you tend to get uncomfortable and that shows! Therefore success in a job interview depends upon the confidence with you approach it. If you are self-assured your personality will shine through and you will have a good chance of making an impression in your interview. The following are two simple self-help techniques which can help you succeed in your job interview:

Visualization

You may have heard of sports persons visualizing excelling at their game the night before an important event or match. This helps them prepare their minds and bodies for peak performance. When you visualize something intensely your body and mind start behaving as if they are already facing situation being visualized, therefore when you visualize succeeding at something, your demeanor becomes that of a winner.

So, if you visualize yourself speaking confidently and expressing your opinions freely, your body language and mental state will change accordingly. Practice this visualization everyday before your interview and practice it again just before going in to meet your prospective employers.

Subliminal messages

People who become extremely nervous and tense during interviews may suffer from low-self confidence in general. This lack of self confidence may be the result of long held negative beliefs about oneself. Such beliefs tend to get firmly entrenched in our subconscious and start directing our behavior.

Therefore what we assume to be a natural trait (getting anxious in social situations or interviews) is actually a result of the beliefs stored in our subconscious. Subliminal messages can re-program your mind to get rid of interview anxiety and negative beliefs about yourself. The can make you more confident and allow your natural personality shine through in the interview.

The difference between success and failure is one’s state of mind, when you approach an interview in the right frame of mind; you are likely to bag the job you desire.

Choose a good position
At an interview, you will normally be directed to a specific seat. However, interviews can often be conducted in oversized environments.

Make sure you choose a seat which enables you to see everyone involved without having to rotate your head exaggeratedly. In most cases, it may be best to hover around to see which chairs the interviewers are aiming for before making your selection.

If there is a window, choose a chair that faces it so that your face is lit from the front, unless there is good lighting all around. If you turn your back to the window, the interviewers may see you in sepia!

Don’t be afraid to “own the space”
Just because you are under observation, it does not mean that you should recoil in a corner. It is okay to stand or sit with your legs slightly apart, and in fact, it is a sign of confidence (don’t overdo it though, it would become indecent!)

Limit your hand and arm movement
It is perfectly okay to move your arms and hands around, and if that is the way that you normally behave then don’t try to become someone else. Your personality and enthusiasm are as important as everything else. However make sure that such movements do not become distracting and do not take the attention from your face.

To achieve this, make sure that you don’t overdo it and that your movements are limited to the corridor in front of you, never higher than your chest, and never under the table. If there is no table, you can let your hands go as far down as your lap. If your hands go outside towards the left or right, your interviewers will follow them and may stop concentrating on you.

Maintain eye contact
If you don’t make eye contact, you will come across as evasive and insecure. If you stare at people too much, you will make them insecure. There are two situations here: either you are being interviewed by just one person, in which case you will have no choice but to look at them all the time; or you are being interviewed by more than one person.

If this case, then look mostly at the person who is asking you the question, and occasionally glance aside to involve the others (they will be grateful that you are trying to involve them into the conversation even if they have not asked that particular question). Beware of the props If you have a pen with you, avoid fiddling with it.

Mirror the interviewer’s behaviour
Mirroring  to someone is an indication that there is a connection. It would normally happen normally but you may be able to influence it too, if only to give the interviewer that impression.

Telephone interviews are often conducted by companies as a first step to the hiring process. They are frequently conducted by someone in Human Resources and typically follow a standard interview format. They are meant to weed out the undesirable candidates so that the hiring manager has only a short list of pre-qualified candidates to interview. For these reasons, it is important to make sure that you are well prepared for the telephone interview.

Start by researching as much information as you can about the company and the position. Pull up the company’s website and read everything you can about the company’s history, the industry, their products, the company Directors and any articles that may be posted there. Perform a Google search on the company name and/or the Directors and you might find some additional information.

Prepare yourself for any possible interview questions that might come up including questions about your successes in your last job, your employment history, your reason for wanting to leave your current employer and salary expectations. You should also prepare yourself with some questions to ask the interviewer. This will give the impression that you are interested in the job as well as help you to evaluate whether or not you want to take things to the next step. Also, don’t ask what the job pays unless the interviewer brings it up first. If the interviewer tells you specifically what the job pays, then you can then ask for further clarification on whether there are bonuses or a car allowance for example.

Although you do not need to worry about your attire when conducting a telephone interview, it is a good idea to dress as if you are going to a face to face interview – not because the interviewer can see you but because you will respond more professionally and be more tuned in to the process.

Make sure that before the interview, you have a quiet place to take the phone call. Put your dog outside or in another room and have someone in the household take him or her for a walk. Send young kids over to the neighbors and make sure that the television and radio are turned off. Don’t chew gum or smoke while you are on the phone – the person on the other end of the phone can hear you. This may seem obvious but some people forget to get rid of their gum before interviews so it’s worth mentioning. Drink some water before the interview so that your mouth is not dry. It also serves to keep you more alert during the interview. If you have call waiting on your phone, don’t answer any incoming calls while you are on the phone with the interviewer.

Be conscious of how you sound on the phone while you are talking. The pitch of your voice can elevate when you are nervous so you’ll need to take a few deep breaths to relax. It helps to stand up during interviews because it keeps you from constricting your breathing and it also increases the energy and enthusiasm in your voice.

If you are nervous, spend some time before the interview just getting quiet and consciously slowing your breathing down. When you’re prepared, you feel much more confident and in control so make sure that you give yourself enough time to mentally prepare for your appointment.

1. Write down 3 points – You should write down three points in advance that you want to slip into the conversation. Instead of writing a whole paragraph, just write one or two words to remind you of each point. This way you can free talk about the point instead of reading it off a cue card.

2. Remain calm and focused – If you tend to get over-excite in these situations, consciously attempt to slow yourself down. If you start stumbling over words, it helps to stop for a second, take a quick breath, and continue with your point.

3. Watch your body posture – If it’s a phone interview, I prefer to stand over sitting because you tend to project and communicate more assertively. If you are sitting, find a comfortable chair and sit with good posture – no slouching. In fact, you should try to sit on the edge of the seat and lean forward slightly.

4. Give more than yes or no answers – When the interviewer asks a question, avoid giving just a quick yes or no, or a short answer. The interviewer asks questions to engage your topic. The audience will view short answers as dull. Talk fully about each point.

5. Talk enthusiastically about your topic – Nothing can ruin an interview more than not sounding enthusiastic. People respond positively to enthusiasm — It’s contagious. So in turn, the audience gets enthusiastic about your topic, too. Don’t be afraid to show that passion you have for your topic.

6. Stay on topic – When the host asks a question, staying on topic is very important. By drifting too far off topic, the audience will label you as flighty. Give a sufficient answer to each question then let the interviewer engage the next question.

7. Use lead-in statements – Some examples of lead-in statements are “That’s a great question” or “I am glad you asked that”. Lead-in statements give you time to formulate a precise answer and further engage the host and audience.

8. Keep the tone conversational – Talk to the interviewer as if you are carrying on a conversation with a friend — forget about the fact that an audience is listening. Occasionally, you should throw the host’s name into the conversation. It shows respect to the host and makes the conversation appear more personal and genuine.

9. Be graciousness – Let the host and audience know how it’s an honor to be guest and your excited to talk to them.

By observing these nine simple tips to performing a great radio or TV interview, you will project that confident and enthusiastic image that will make your interview shine. After the interview, follow the interview up with thank you note to the producer. Who knows? Maybe, you’ll become a regular guest.

Ram Gopal Verma became the target of critics after Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag a super flop.

Finally the verdict is out. And, curiously, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma seems to have predicted the outcome rather precisely when was asked in an interview if he would like to show the remake of ‘Sholay’ to the old gang. He remarked, “No, I don’t think it will be wise. They’ll want to kill me…”

But what Varma hadn’t, perhaps, bargained for was a similar sentiment from an overwhelming section of the audience. Even as moviegoers gave it the thumbs-down, the egoistic Varma defended his remake. “I think my version of ‘Sholay’ will appeal to three kinds of audiences — the die hard fans; those who have seen ‘Sholay’ but are not that into it; and those who’ve never even heard of the original.”

What Varma forgot was the branding of that film is so powerful that it left little scope for further interpretation. However, Varma was clear about the underlying sentiment. Said he, “See this film is simply my interpretation of ‘Sholay’. I’m just showing it in a different light and it is not necessary that mine needs to be better than the original.”

If only the audiences understand that sublime emotion, then Varma’s gamble may just about pay off.

In a ten- year- old career, he’s made movies which make you marvel. ‘Rangeela’, ‘Daud’, ‘Satya’, ‘Mast’, ‘Shool’, ‘Jungle’ and now ‘Pyaar tune kya kiya’! His motto in life being, eat movies, sleep movies, make movies. In an exclusive interview with SeasonsIndia correspondent Sanyukta, Ram Gopal Verma talks about his movies, masti, and magic!

‘Rangeela’ ‘Satya’, ‘Kaun’, ‘Mast’, ‘Shool’, ‘Jungle’ and now ‘Pyar tune kya kiya’; you have been churning out so many quality movies so fast. What’s the secret? Where do you get your motivational energy and inspiration from?
“As far as speed is concerned I feel this is basically exaggerated. I think I take as much time as anyone else the world over. There are just a few filmmakers in Mumbai who take a long time. Even big budget movies in Hollywood, take eight weeks in principal shooting. Adding songs to our films would take another twenty days. I think a seventy-eighty day shoot is a very comfortable time period we’re talking about. As far as subjects are concerned I think I’m a voracious reader somewhere, I keep meeting people, and anything that excites me at a point of time. If I feel its got material enough to make a film on it, I might set up a couple of writers on it. They will be working simultaneously on it while I do a film. So when it reaches a certain stage I decide whether I want to do the film or not. Also, apart from films I don’t do anything else. I don’t have any other life. So I guess it’s okay.”

You tried your hand at comedy with ‘Daud’. Why do you think it flopped?
“It was a very big flop. People didn’t like it. The story should have had a kind of linear-progression, which I feel I completely missed out on. I was trying to be clever in the film. I was just trying to impress. Whether it’s a comedy, an action film, a romance, it needs to have a central emotional hook at the end, to make the movie move forward, which didn’t happen. ‘Daud’ lacked it completely.”

As a horror film, ‘Raat’ was very unlike the run-of-the-mill Ramsay stuff. Do you think it was too sophisticated for the Indian audience, which is why it didn’t run?
”Raat’ was a very stupid film, very indulgent. I did it during one of my stupid state of mind. I’m embarrassed about it actually. I was watching it recently and couldn’t believe I made a movie like that.”

You come across as a modern filmmaker with a yen for making slick movies. Why haven’t you experimented with family dramas, considering they do so well?
“It’s not that I’m against family dramas, but there should be something in the subject that excites me, attracts my attention. There has to be some factor that excites me. Not just telling a simple story. There has to be some extra bit that attracts my attention, I could put my family drama in it, but not simply a family drama. Normal things between people revolt me. Husband and wife fighting, I just can’t do it; they wasting their time on simple family matters.”

As one of the producers, what was your reaction to the failure of ‘Dil Se’. Where do you think it went wrong?
“For the same reason as ‘Daud’. People didn’t like it. It’s a big myth that the director knows what people like. He’s probably the last guy to know. You’re trying to make a film over a period of one or two years or whatever. To sustain the emotional concentration for over two years, which eventually the audience is going to see in three hours, is not a joke. It’s like your child. You think your child is good-looking, whereas the others may find fault with its eyes or the nose. You keep standardizing the movie to something which is on your mind; which might not reach out to the audience at the end of the day. I think it’s a question of time alone.”

Every creative maker has an ‘inspiration’, a muse. Do you?
“I don’t think so. Not really.”

In your capacity as co-producer of ‘Shool’ you have cast Raveena and not your favourite Urmila. Reason?
“For that particular role in ‘Shool’, I thought Raveena would be more suitable for the role so I took her.”

People say that Sanjay Dutt was a trifle upset with you for that wishy-washy role in ‘Daud’. Have things been sorted out?
“I don’t think there ever was a break-up for us to patch-up. That is all the stuff created by the media.”

Post ‘Rangeela’, you seem to be doing extremely well on your own; whereas Aamir is doing fabulously well on his own. Isn’t it high time the two of you bury your differences and get-together to give us another great film?
“Aamir, I believe, has gone on to say that he doesn’t want to work with me. So I don’t think there is anyway going to be another film with the two of us together. And since the film itself is not about to be made, where does the question of a good film come from? He doesn’t like me.”

For your next project starring Shah Rukh, there is talk that instead of of Urmila you might cast Aishwarya Rai or Kareena Kapoor. How much truth is there in all this talk?
“I don’t think people understand film making. These things never happen anywhere. The hero wanting someone else, the director asking for someone else and all the industry and the press wanting someone else. I think Shah Rukh and I have reached a position where those kinds of things don’t make a difference to us at all.”

What’s your secret for transforming all your heroines into sex symbols? First Urmila in ‘Rangeela’ and Raveena in ‘Shool’?
“‘Shool’ has been directed by my assistant. I was not a part of the picture at all in terms of shooting. So this question should be asked to my assistant.”

Post ‘Satya’ we keep hearing about Manoj (Bhiku Mhatre) Bajpai. Whatever happened to the hero Chakravarthy?
“I don’t think anybody makes films with the intention of trying to promote somebody. I just take whoever I think is right for the film. I’m not in the industry to make films specifically with Manoj Bajpai or anyone else. If he’s good for a certain film I take him.”

Is your faith in your ‘Jungle’ & ‘Pyar tune kya kiya’ hero, Fardeen Khan, justified? Considering he’s got a lot of negative publicity of his arrest with a drug peddlar?
“That’s for the public to say. It was only because I thought he was really good in ‘Jungle’ that I took him again. I would have shelved the film halfway through if I realized he was not working out.Regarding his arrest, I would not like to comment on his private life. His private life is his own personal business.”

Subhash Ghai has started a new, corporate trend by having ‘Taal’ insured. Are you also planning to go the same route by insuring your films in the future?
“I’m not really very aware of the process. And I haven’t really given it a thought. But since people are talking about it, let’s see.”

What do you think about Corporate sponsorships for your movie promos? Something like what the Barjatyas have done with ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’?
“Not really. Look, I’m completely ignorant and unaware about such things. My office looks after the marketing part of the film. I make the movie and give it to them and then completely forget about it. If the film runs they give me money to make the next film.”

With most producers opting for Hyderabad and even overseas, do you think Mumbai has lost its status as the film making capital of India?
“I don’t think so. I think they shoot outside more to have a good time. Also, shooting in Hyderabad would probably cost less than shooting in Mumbai. And with shooting in Mumbai there are timing constraints. There are too many things to distract you. The other producers, the traffic, the distances. In places like Hyderabad and also abroad, the working hours are increased. That could be one incentive.”

Who is the director you admire most?
“Shekhar Kapoor.”

Mani Ratnam, Shekhar Kapoor and you came together as producers for ‘Dil Se’. Can we hope to see any such more ventures in the future?
“We had dissolved the company during the making of ‘Dil Se’ itself. We had only formed it so as to see our three names together. There are no immediate plans of us getting back in the future.”

sources : http://www.seasonsindia.com/

Hrithik, the heartthrob of millions has had a rather roller coaster ride in his career. With his debut movie giving a smash hit and then Fiza, Mission Kashmir, Yaadein and now Kabhie Kushi Kabhi Gaum, he has been on the minds of the masses giving excellent performances and improving with every new movie. Our SeasonsIndia correspondent Neha Irani caught up with him on the set of Koi Mil Gaya, a film directed by his dad, Mr. Roshan Sr.So how does it feel to be working once again with your dad after Kaho Na Pyar Hai?
Well its great. But I have continued working with him after Kaho Na too. Have shot three ad films for the coke commercials. So its not that I have not worked with him. And its great working with him. We have come very close and there are so many things that I have to learn from him. On the sets he is the director and I am the actor. Its fun working with Dad and chacha (Rajesh Roshan).

So what’s the film about? As is reported is the story line is a mixture of Forrest Gump and ET.
I think these rumours are baseless. Yes, there’s this storyline of a kid and his encounter with life from another world, but that doesn’t mean its ET or Forrest Gump. It’s a very, very big budget movie. We’ve hired Marc Colbe, who did the special effects for Jurassic Park, Independence Day and Swordfish and a stunt director from Australia. People are flying down to Mumbai for every schedule. You can imagine how big this film is from the fact that dad will go into a loss while making this film. But he’s making something he feels so strongly about. I wish I could say more about the film, but at this point in time, I can’t speak anything more than this.

Apparently, your success has gone to your dad’s head. True?
False. He’s my father. Naturally, he’s proud of me. Which parent isn’t proud of his child? Obviously, he’s happy for me. Yeah, he’s affected by my success. If your son becomes a star overnight, wouldn’t you react similarly? It’s natural. My father has seen both success and failure. He is not the sort to get carried away by either.

What do you have to say about K3G the film?
I was overawed when I saw the film I had tears in my eyes. While shooting for the film, I didn’t realize the magnitude of the magnificence of the production. It’s overwhelming to see oneself in the same frame as such stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. My character in the film is so similar to my own nature that I could identify with it very easily and infact fell in love with the character the moment Karan (Johar) narrated it to me.

There was a lot of talk about tension between Shah Rukh Khan and you.
What nonsense. There was no tension between us. It was all created by the media. Shah Rukh Khan will always be a friend, an elder brother whom I’ll look up to. He’s seen me grow up. I was my dad’s assistant during Karan Arjun and Koyla. So there’s no question of any feeling of rivalry between us. I know for sure he likes me.

You are working with Amisha in Aap Mujhe Aache Lagne Lage. Will the two of you be able to create the same magic as you did in your debut film Kaho No….?
Well that you have to wait and watch. We have put in our best and now it is for the audience to decide.

It seems you have sung a few lines in the movie. Is that true?
(Laughs). Well I have not sung a song. Its just that I have sung a few lines of a shloka before it breaks into a song. One thing I cant do is sing.

Apparently, Amisha and you have done a sensuous dance number for the film. Were you comfortable doing the number?
The script demands the dance. It’s a mood-oriented and passionate number. If you share good vibes with your co-star, it’s easier to do such a number. And the chemistry is visible on screen. And at that time when you are doing the number what really matters is that whether you are looking good, whether your expressions are good and you lips are synchronising. So when these things are on your minds there is no way you will feel affected and uncomfortable.

Do you regret not doing Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai?
I do, but when Farhan approached me to do the film, I was already neck-deep with work in Kaho Na..Pyar Hai. So, in spite of wanting to work with him at that stage, I couldn’t do the film. But I would definitely look forward to working with Farhan, but no, I can categorically say, that he hasn’t approached me yet, nor have I signed his next film.

sources:http://www.seasonsindia.com

The Anti-Terrorist court which has been trying Sanjay Dutt in regards to the 1993 Mumbai Serial Blast for the last 14 years, today, pronounced a 6 year rigorous imprisonment under the Military Act for possessing an AK-56 Rifle.

Along with Dutt, Yusuf Nullawala, Kersi Adajania and Rusi Mula, were alo convicted under the Arms Act. Rusi Mula was let off on probation with a fine of Rs. 1 Lakh bond, while Yusuf Nullawala was sentenced to 5 year and Kersi Adajania for 2 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 25,000 each.

Sanjay’s Family, Relatives and the Bollywood fraternity are sad with the news and they are not happy with the sentence at all.

In an interview to a leading entertainment portal, Dutt admits that life hasn’t been a bed of roses for him. His name has been called again and again in controversies. But as a human being he is still the same and nothing has changed much in that regard. He, however got a bit mature to differentiate between near and dear ones and friends and foe.

On the passing away of his father the legendary Sunil Dutt , Dutt said: “Things are no more the same. I’m still unable to take the reality. I’m still in a haze, believing that he’ll come back to me calling my name. Even time has unable to make up for the loss in my life. I’ve realized his worth in my life after he is gone. whether it was during my drug phase or my days in jail, he was always there for me. My life has become a vacuum now.”

On Munnabhai MBBS , Dutt said: “It was a very pleasant experience. I got the chance to work with my father in the film. I also got the opportunity to team up with Vidhu Vinod Chopra . The film did well and I’m really happy about it. I had a very well etched character and that made things easy. I was doing comedy in films and there was the tragedy of the hearings happening in real life. It was stressful to manage two roles. But the film de-stressed me.”

souces: http://www.apunkachoice.com