Facing an interview

Premasara Epasinghe
(B A (Cey), Dip in Ed, Dip in Mktg, Public Relations, Management personality,
Author, Lecturer, ICC Award Winner. Served as Media Consultant – Private Sectary to a number of Ministers)

When you are called for an interview, surely there will be butterflies in your stomach. You will feel nervous and excited – that’s natural. Yes, It will be the first time you are facing an experience of this nature. The place will be an unknown territory and an unfamiliar environment. Some of the individuals that you will meet are for the first time in your life.

In ‘Interview Etiquette’, your first priority should be Neat and Clean, in appearance. One should wear neat clothes. It will enhance your physical personality. For women Indian or Kandyan attire always creates a good impression. Be simple. Be smart. Do not wear too much jewellery as if you are attending a wedding.

Before you leave home for an Interview, for Employment one’s first priority should be to check whether you have all your relevant documents i.e. The letter you received from the relevant company or organization, birth certificate, national identity card, educational certificates, character certificates or any other achievement certificates you have. These certificates should be in your file.

Another Golden Rule is one must be ‘On time never get late’ for an interview. It will be always better to be present early, at least fifteen minutes before time. It will help you in two ways. You will be more relaxed with a piece of mind and also you will get used to the environment.

When you are called to the Board Room to face the Interview, walk majestically with confidence. Then, greet the panel with a smile, wait till they request you to sit, and then sit comfortably. Do not sit at the edge of the chair or seat. It’s a sign of nervousness. Face the panel directly. If you need to overcome the stage fright, look at one interviewer. There is nothing to get nervous or excited. Think it’s a friendly chat. Think that it is not a big issue.

The first thing that the Panel will mark, will be your Physical Personality. If the panel request for your file, politely hand it over to them.

I faced two interviews in my life. Both were successful. The first one was at Bank of Ceylon in 1969 December, to join as a staff-officer. At that time, I was a graduate teacher attached to Nalanda Vidyalaya, Colombo.

The interview Board consisted of Chairman BOC, A C Gooneratne PC, the General Manager Sydney Sirimanne, Donald Perera Staff Manager and Head of the Sinhala Department Mr D Attanayake a distinguished Rajan – a Sinhala and English scholar who ended his career a few years back as a highly respected Deputy General Manager.

The Educated Panel made me very homely. Mr Donald Perera and Mr Sydney Sirimanne was very impressed with my cricket career. Mr Attanayake was interested about my educational and literary career at school. When Mr A C Gooneratne asked me “Mr Epasinghe you have a big future ahead as a teacher in your alma-mater. Its a noble profession. What made you to decide on a banking career.

I replied “Sir, I agree with you that teaching is a Noble Profession. But, its very poorly paid. I am getting a basic salary of Rs 225 as my basic salary with Rs 10 as increment. Then Mr Gooneratne smilingly asked me, “Epasinghe, are you sure or are you joking.” The entire panel was shocked to hear about the salary of a poor graduate teacher at that time.”

My all-round achievements, versatility helped me to be selected to BOC. Thank God at that time there were no minister’s lists. In a matter of a week, I got my letter of appointment for the Bank of Ceylon.

After serving 17 years an the BOC, I joined Sampath Bank as its second employee at the inception of the Bank in 1986. Mr N U Jayawardene, the great financial wizard selected me as the Marketing Executive. I was interviewed for more than half an hour.

This interview too was a pleasant experience. After retiring from Sampath Bank, I joined a leading Mercantile firm as the Head of PR and Marketing.

The President of Sri Lanka late R Premadasa requested some of the ‘Blue-chip companies’ to recruit unemployed graduates to their mercantile firms. As a person who has seen the inner walls of a university, my chairman nominated me as their nominee to meet the President and the Secretary of the Plan Implementation Ministry.

A meeting was called by the Ministry where some of the leading Mercantile Chairmen and ‘Top Senior Men’ were present. After a short briefing of the Secretary, the leading Mercantile Heads were in the opinion, they have a major issue, in selecting ‘Sinhala Medium Graduates’ and they went on expressing their views of the ‘Value of English Education.’ This was going for nearly an hour. Then, I threw a ‘Bomb-shell’. ‘Sir, I wanted to clarify firstly, whether this meeting was called by you to discuss about ‘the value of English’ or to find out ways and means to give employment for unemployed graduates. Shall we discuss about the subject proper, rather than talking about Chaucer, Shakespeare and Elliot, wasting valuable time.

As a result of this discussion, our Mercantile Establishment decided to recruit about 100 unemployed graduates.

I am relating this experience to enlighten the future young men and women how confidently, honestly, you must face an interview successfully.

The Interview Board consisted of the Chairman, a Director and yours truly. Ninety nine percent of the applicants preferred to answer in the mother-tongue Sinhala. Therefore, I was the main spokesman in the panel. The chairman and the other Director were more like on-lookers.

A neatly dressed girl walked in. I picked her application and briefed the Chairman and the Director that she possesses a ‘Second class upper – in Statistics’. The Chairman glanced at her application. I asked the girl in what medium she likes to face the interview. She said ‘Sir, I prefer to answer in Sinhala.’ Chairman smilingly uttered, ‘You have got all distinctions – including English. Why can’t you speak in English and answer our questions in English as you have got a Distinction in English.

She replied without hesitation, confidently without getting nervous, overexcited, clearly, audibly and in a very pleasant tone.

“Sir, I am sorry that I cannot reply in English. Unfortunately, we did not get the opportunity of learning English. I am a village lass from Hanwella, Samanabedda. I obtained a Second Class Upper in Statistics, about a year back. Unfortunately, so far I have not got a job. I applied to many Government Organizations and Mercantile Firms. I must thank you, this is the first time I have been called for an interview.

Then I asked her to introduce herself.

Sir, my father is a Karattakarayek. Karattadakkala Thamai Apata Kanna Denne. Ugannanne, Mage Amma Asaneepen Inne. Nangila Dennek, Malli Kenek Innawa. Hari Amaruwen Api Jeewathwenne. Mama Niwadu Dawaswala Thattha Ekka Kelani Gangen Weligodadala Thamai Paula Rakinne, Jiwithe Geniyanne.

My father is a ‘Carter’. Mother is sick and bed ridden. I have two younger sisters and a brother. We are very poor. For us, life is a big struggle. I too assists my father. I dive in Kalani River, near Hanwella, Samanabedda to collect sand. We put them into gunny-bags and sell them thats our pathetic livelihood.

Chairman interrupted her, turned to me to stop the interview. She was asked to go out and later she will be called a join.

“Epasinghe, she said something about a ‘Karattakaraya’. Can you explain at.”

I told the Chairman what she said was that her father is a ‘Carter’ but, not the ‘Jimmy Carter of America’.

Chairman burst into laughter – ‘Thats a good one Epasinghe.”

She was very honest, unassuming and frank. She never wanted to hide anything. She was proud of her father ‘A carter’ and told the panel that she is a daughter of a Karattakaraya. Physically and mentally, she conducted herself in an exemplary manner facing the interview very successfully. Spoke her heart out audibly and clearly. Also she faced the interview excellently. We were highly taken up. Infact she scored the highest marks – she was a great girl of quality and character. She was unassuming, brilliant and bold.

We selected her. After joining our company, she learnt English. Presently, she is working in the United States.