Recruitment Life Cycle – Different Stages of Recruitment

The recruitment life cycle refers to the complete process of recruitment from start to end. Hence it is also known as a 360-degree recruitment process or end-to-end recruitment process. From scratch till the end, that is the final recruitment, the process of requirement employs several stages. This entire cycle is known as a recruitment life-cycle.

Recruitment is an integral part of Human Resource Management. Recruitment is a hiring process where firstly the staffing and organizational needs of the company are identified. After that, a potential pool of candidates for the required staffing is attracted. The pool of candidates is generated by firstly identifying these candidates. These can be done by both internal and external sources. Next, the recruiter should attract these candidates to apply for the job. This can be done by extensive advertising in job sites, campus drives, reaching out to potential candidates from the company database, etc.

Recruitment is such an important process because it serves as a pre-math for selection. Recruitment is a deciding factor on the correct candidates being chosen in the selection process. Hence, attracting a better pool of candidates in the recruitment process proves to be extremely beneficial.

The process of recruitment largely varies due to the size of the organization. A small or medium-sized firm may have only one person as a recruiter or a hiring manager. However, a larger company is most likely to have a whole dedicated team of recruiters to carry on the process effectively. A well-framed recruitment process helps both the company and the applicants. The company gets to generate a potential pool of candidates, whereas the candidates get potential employment opportunities.

However, in every organizational setting and every differential organizational need, the recruitment life-cycle large remains the same. There are namely 6 major steps in the recruitment life cycle:

  1. Preparing
  2. Sourcing
  3. Screening
  4. Selecting
  5. Hiring
  6. Onboarding

Recruitment Life Cycle Stages

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1. Preparing

Preparation is an essential component for the success of any process. The recruitment process also has a comprehensive preparation process which serves as a foundation for the proper functioning of the later stages in the life-cycle. 

The first step to preparation is creating a candidate persona. This means that the recruiter has to define the traits or skills or experience that a candidate has to have to be eligible for the recruitment process. Drafting an appropriate candidate persona increases the possibility of an appropriate hire.

The second step to preparation is drafting a job description. The job description is responsible for attracting potential candidates in the recruitment process. Hence, an unattractive job description will be a thumbs-down to the process. However, an employer cannot publish wrong or misleading information. The job description has to be accurate and state the responsibilities that it entails. It should most importantly include the salary, perks, and other benefits provided by the company.

2. Sourcing

The second stage is establishing the sourcing for the candidates. This means creating awareness about the job in various sources and hence generating potential candidates from those sources. Professional recruiters choose to do the recruitment on multiple sources to achieve maximum results. The different sources of recruitment are listed below:

Internal Source: Internal sources of recruitment can be not only effective but also economical. It is cost-effective for the company, and an ad also economizes on a lot of time. Internal sources of recruitment mainly include promotions and transfers of employees intra-organization. In addition to that, intra-organization employee referrals also largely contribute to the internal sources of recruitment. Utilizing the company’s database to recruit former employees and candidates can also be a good choice.

External Source: A company can recruit through external sources via employment agencies. This is the common and surest source of recruiting eligible pool of candidates. The company can also conduct campus drives in various schools, colleges, and universities, thereby facilitating recruitment. Apart from that, the recruitment procedure can be advertised in multiple media sources to have a greater reach and therefore attract a greater pool. Utilizing various labor unions in the recruitment process is also something that the company can do.

E-sources: The e-sources of recruitment are gaining quick popularity in today’s times. Recruitment ads can be posted on agency websites. Also, online job boards can be used for the recruitment process. However, the chance of attracting a large number of unqualified candidates works as the biggest disadvantage in this case. Its easy availability and much higher reach still make it a popular option. 

3. Screening

The third step is screening all the applications that have been generated from all the sources. Sourcing attracts a large number of candidates, and not all of them have the required skills and traits needed for the vacant job. Hence screening is important to list out the ineligible candidates based on their resumes, portfolios, etc., and take the eligible candidates to the next round of screening which is generally a telephonic interview process. Candidates who pass the telephonic interview round are chosen for the face-to-face interview.

4. Selection

This is the most critical stage of recruitment life-cycle. This is because, in this stage, the final selection of the candidates is made for the said job. The resumes and cover letters, in most cases, seem a lot more eligible than the candidate himself/herself. Hence face to face interviews or tests should be well-drafted to test the candidate on all aspects and then make an informed and educated decision.

Even though in most cases, the stage of selection is defined by an interview process, in some instances, different forms of test can also be employed. These can be personality assessments and written ability tests, to name a few. These can also go hand-in-hand with the interview process to finally select the candidate or candidates for the job.

Interviews can also be of various types depending upon the discretion of the employer/recruiter. These can be unstructured interviews where different candidates are asked different questions and judged. These can also be structured interviews where a standardized set of questions is asked to every candidate, and then they are judged. Interviews can also be behavioral interviews or stress interviews to test how a candidate reacts or behaves under stress.

Under any circumstance, before the final selection is made, a background or reference check must be done on the candidate.

5. Hiring

After the selection is made, it is time to hire the candidate, that notifies him/her about his/her selection. The hiring stage of the recruitment life-cycle generally consists of two parts.

The first part is notifying the candidate about the job that is making the final job offer. An offer letter must be sent to the candidate. An offer letter must be accurate and consist of all the necessary information regarding the job. It should contain the working hours, the benefits, the compensation as well as the starting date of the job. If the job is contractual, the details of the contract must be mentioned. 

The second part of the hiring process is negotiation. After a candidate receives an offer letter, he/she has to accept it. However, not all selected candidates will select the offer letter right away. They might want to negotiate with the HR on various terms. The most common terms of negotiation are the working hours and salary. Negotiation is important so that a mutually acceptable employment contract can be reached between the candidate and the employer.

6. Onboarding

The recruitment process does not end with hiring the candidate. Onboarding is an important part of the recruitment life-cycle because it plays a great role to determine if the candidate can fit in the company culture and hence work productively. A proper onboarding procedure includes steps like introduction, orientation, and training of the employee. Henceforth the recruitment life-cycle ends, and the employment starts.

From layman’s eyes, recruitment might seem like a very simple process of just hiring candidates. But in reality, it is complex and comprehensive and is very much responsible for the productivity and success of the company. Hence trained professionals carry out the process with a minute focus on each stage so that the most eligible candidates are finally onboarded for the job.

How to Make Interview Evaluation Form with Sample Templates

Interviews are one of the most challenging tasks that many people face in their lives. That stressful time, with the interview panel sitting in front, sweaty palms, nervous thoughts, and the added pressure of delivering an excellent performance. An experience that everyone must go through to make it to their dream companies. An interview is just the place for you to showcase your skills and talents and project yourself as the ideal candidate for the company. The better you pitch, the more likely it is for you to get your dream. So, leave the nervousness aside and bring out her A-game!

Though the candidates have their struggles, on the flip side, so does the interviewer. Any recruitment process is a cumbersome process with various rounds attached to it. The steps involved in the process may vary from company to company, but roughly they are:

  • A screening process where candidates are generally shortlisted based on their resume.
  • A selection task can include a group discussion procedure, some submission, depending upon the profile offered.
  • A telephonic interview, which is just a mini-interview conducted, for the selection of candidates for the final round.
  • The final interview, which is the final step, where the conversation that you have in the interview hall, decides your fate!

The entire recruitment process is tiring for the interviewer as well. The responsibility of selecting the perfect candidate for the job that serves as the right fit for the company, the person that can add value to the company in the long run, the requirements are enormous. So, there are specific tips for the interviews for the interviewers on how to gauge a candidate. Some of these are:

  • Do a background check of the candidate before taking the interview.
  • Read the resume before diving into the question-answer mode.
  • List down the questions that you want to ask the candidate.
  • Make a structured plan for the interview process.
  • Ask situation-based, out-of-the-box questions, and gauge the answers accordingly.
  • Give the candidate the chance to speak more.
  • Along with verbal communication, observe clues from non-verbal communication as well.

Interview Evaluation Form – What Is It And Why Is It Used?

An interview evaluation form will aid immensely in carrying out a fruitful interview. An interview evaluation form is a document where the interviewer can evaluate the candidate’s performance in various areas and even comparing it with other candidate’s performance. So, this document comes handy when hiring someone for the job. An interview evaluation form is useful for the following reasons:

  • This form also helps in interviewing in a structured manner as it allows the interviewer to have an organized interview framework ready before-hand. 
  • As all the candidates are interviewed according to a pre-defined format, it also promotes fairness in the evaluation pattern. 
  • It also offers more precise and more in-depth insights regarding the candidate. 
  • Having data on the candidate, it also helps in the future training of the candidate.
  • Evaluation biases are reduced because every candidate goes through the same evaluation process. So, having an exact interview evaluation form makes the interview process a little smoother. 

How to Make Interview Evaluation Form?

An interview evaluation form is one of the essential HR tools used during the recruitment process. Different job profiles would evoke various evaluation forms depending upon the type of characteristics required by the company. But any evaluation form will roughly contain the following fields:

Basic Candidate Details: Some basic but mandatory details that include: 

  • Name of the candidate 
  • Position applied for
  • Name of the interviewer 
  • The date of the interview was conducted.
  • Contact details (may or may not be included) to have a clear record of the candidates interviewed.

Past relevant details: This includes the education details of the candidate, which can be relevant to the job profile applied for. It may consist of college degrees and any certification if done that enhances the chances of obtaining the job. This tab also includes the previous job experiences that may aid in the current job profile.

Candidate Evaluation Criteria: Now, this is the section that will be included in the form, but the parameters may vary depending upon the company, it’s requirements, the job profile, and many more. The main section of the form is used for evaluating the candidate’s performance based on interview performance, overall experience, and knowledge. 

This part generally has a pre-defined grading system, where the candidates are given grades in various fields. The most commonly used grading pattern is a range of 1-5, where 1 generally indicates the “non-possession of the skill” and 5 indicates “extremely proficient in the skill.” Some of the evaluation criteria can include: 

  • General personality skills like working in teams, the ability to adapt to various situations, verbal ability skills.
  • It is differentiating skills that answer the classic question of “what makes you different?”. Skills like leadership, time management, creative thinker, and many more. The skills that can put you one step ahead of your peers in the interview round.
  • Skills that the job profile demands, like for a marketing job profile, communication skills, customer management skills, technical skills, etc., are mandatory. So different job profiles command different kinds of skills.
  • Whether the employee is a fit to the organisation’s culture, the most important criteria as an organization fit are something that matters the most. 

Overall review and comments:  After evaluating the candidate on various skills, the decision of the interviewer is supreme. Here the interviewer writes about the impression formed of the candidate. Comments relating to whether the company should hire the candidate, reject or put the candidate on hold, comprise this section. 

Sample Interview Evaluation Forms

These are some of the basic criteria each evaluation form should have. Some of the sample interview evaluation forms are provided below:

Sample 1:

Basic details:

Name of the candidate: Mr ABC
Profile applied for: ABCDE
Date of the interview: DD/MM/YYYY
Interviewer name: Mr XYZ

Evaluation criteria (Tick as per requirements):

Criteria Excellent Strong Average Weak
Relevant education background *
Relevant work experience *
Communication skills *
Leadership skills *
Job-specific skills *
Match to company’s values *

Review and comments:

(Give the comments according to the interview process and evaluating criteria).

Sample 2:

Basic details:

Name of the candidate: Mr ABC
Profile applied for: ABCDE
Date of the interview: DD/MM/YYYY
Interviewer name: Mr XYZ

Evaluation criteria (Scoring as per interview):

Here a rating scale of 1-5 is used for the evaluation of criteria.

Where, 1= Poor, 2=Below Average, 3=Average, 4=Good, 5=Excellent.

Skills Rating Comments
Is the candidate’s educational qualification suitable for the job? 12345 ……..
Can the candidate highlight their strengths? 12345 ……..
Prior work experience 12345 ……..
Situational questions 12345 ……..
Aspirations of the candidate 12345 ……..
The motivation for the job? 12345 ……..
Prioritization 12345 ……..
Interest in the company 12345 ……..

Sample 3:

Basic details:

Name of the candidate: Mr ABC
Profile applied for: ABCDE
Date of the interview: DD/MM/YYYY
Interviewer name: Mr XYZ

Evaluation criteria (Scoring as per interview):

Here a rating scale of 1-5 is used for the evaluation of criteria.

Where, 1= Poor, 2=Below Average, 3=Average, 4=Good, 5=Excellent.

Educational background: Does the candidate have the relevant educational knowledge required for this post?

Rating:

Comments:

Prior Work experience: Is the prior work experience of the candidate suitable for the current position?

Rating:

Comments:

Technical Qualifications: Does the candidate have the necessary technical skills required for the job?

Rating:

Comments:

Leadership ability: Does the candidate have the necessary leadership skills required for the job?

Rating:

Comments:

Communication skills: Does the candidate have good communication skills?

Rating:

Comments:

Candidate enthusiasm level: Interest level of the candidate for the job?

Rating:

Comments:

Overall comments and feedback:

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

These are some of the samples of the interview evaluation form. An interview evaluation form is a great tool to conduct the interview process seamlessly. Making the process less tiresome and easy. Interviews were and always will be an indispensable part of the entire hiring process, but tools like these help to lessen the burden. Make your customized evaluation process and ace this process!

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How to Prepare for Placements?

One of the many things that keep confronting us is how are our placements going to be like. Ever since we complete school and start a search for good colleges, we pay special attention to how the placements are going to be like, what are the companies that hire and how are packages that they offer. We prepare for entrances to get into good colleges to learn and land a pleasant offer to financially secure ourselves, our dreams to get the best placement that is being offered is generally experienced by all of us.

Placements, no matter how many times we have heard it and no matter how many times we take advises seeming intimidating to students, especially if you are an introvert and have not mastered the art of articulation which means- most of us. We have curated a list of things that you need to check before appearing for interviews and cracking those placements.

8 Tips to Prepare for Placements

1. Read and Research About The Company

The most important thing that you need to ensure that you have done enough research on the companies that you will be applying to. This research includes the ownership of the company, their motto, the kind of practice they indulge it, their origin story, their expansion and what values they propagate. Too thorough, oneself with the company’s policies and values can help you in aligning your experiences and aspirations with the same while explaining your job application or any other question. 

2. Research and Read About The Job 

The companies come up with different job profiles and roles while looking for recruits in colleges or any other similar institutions. When the process of placement starts, usually the students experience havoc and get confused between companies and the multiple roles they are hiring for. Therefore, it is very important to familiarize yourself with all the roles and prevent confusion in the incoming interview. Once you introduce yourself with the roles, you will also be able to cut down on what is suitable and preferable to you.

3. Prepare Your Resume Properly

Even before you open your mouth to tell your name, the panelists have formed an opinion on you based on the Resume that you have presented on their table. This single piece of paper speaks volumes for you. Your qualifications, achievements and experiences have all mentioned the paper which makes them form a primary opinion on you. The way you have chosen to present the details, starting from resume profile to the ending where you mention hobbies also plays a crucial role in what kind of opinion they are forming, therefore, it is essential to put relevant information professionally.

4. Scale-up Your Aptitude and Logical Reasoning

There are many ways to judge your aptitude and logical reasoning and interviews are one of them. People, most of the time, remain under the impression that logical reasoning and aptitude are only judged in examinations which is a false claim. During the whole process of the interview, the panelists are looking at your logical reasoning, aptitude and problem-solving ability. They might put complex problems in a simple way or through a different type of question; you have to play smart and showcase that you honestly possess logical reasoning and problem-solving ability. It can be a deal-breaker and help you land your dream job.

5. Perfect Your Communication Skill

Communication is the key that fits every lock, not just the placement interview. It is going to come handy in every space you try to enter be it any new college, job or city. You are going to impress others with what you say and believe if you possess impeccable communication skill. If you lack communication skill, even the best of your answers are not going to help you in cracking the placement. Therefore, it is very much crucial to hone your communication skill.

Also Read: Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in India

Also Read: 7 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answers

6. Revise What You Have Learnt

Although interviews and group discussions held in placements are hardly about your academic qualifications, the panelists might throw a few textbook questions here and there to test your knowledge and presence of mind. Therefore, it becomes essential to brush up the knowledge that you have gathered in your college years. If you cannot go through all the textbooks, at least try to be as thorough as possible with the basics of your course and the academic knowledge required for the job. 

7. Appear Confident and Approachable

The most crucial aspect of your personality is judged not by your academic qualifications and experiences, but how to are presenting yourself in the interview. Face to face interaction with the employee is very much preferred by the panelists to see how confident they sound and how do they approach challenging situations. They might through complex questions and situations in front of you to check your adaptability. It is impossible to know everything about a subject, and the panelists are also very much aware of this fact, therefore, if you don’t know something, don’t hesitate to speak so.

Speak politely and clearly that you don’t have any idea, it is better than fumbling giving wrong answers which depicts nothing but negligence on your part. On the other hand, if you declare that you don’t possess the knowledge and refrain from speaking ahead, the panelists will know that you know the consequences and follow up by saying that you will ask for help, to your mentor, your senior or any other person who might hold the expertise, even your junior. Indeed, this will provide you with brownie points.

8. Be Ready for Twists and Turns But Stay Calm

Panelists might through complex questions in a twisted way, don’t forget to take your time, contemplate and then give your answer. Don’t doubt yourself if you are very well aware of the concept and don’t go with false fumbling and mumbling if you are not. Cracking the placement interview is all about the right mixture of confidence, humility and openness to learning.

I hope these tips will help you to prepare for your placement effectively. If you have any queries, then feel free to mention the comment section below.

All the best.

40 Best Resume Headlines for Freshers – Resume Title Samples

The resume is one of the most important documents for any working individual. A well-crafted resume is a crucial possession that helps setting foot in the corporate world. For a fresher, building a perfect resume is the first step for getting a job. Your entire life’s achievements are crammed up in a one-page document, but organizing it requires skill. As an impactful resume will create a good first impression and will help you in getting one step closer to your dream job. So, all the elements of your resume should be on point and especially the resume headline.

A resume headline, also called the resume title, is a summary that shows the highlight of your characteristics and your career profile. The first thing located at the top of your resume must be an impressive one, as it is the first thing that the employer reads, so it should be catchy enough to hold your employer’s attention so that they can proceed further. For people with work-experience, a resume headline must comprise of their experience -but for a fresher who has no job experience, it can include some of their characteristics to align them with the kind of job applied.

Also Read: How to Write a Declaration for Resume? – With Samples

Tips to Write an Eye-catchy Resume Headline

  • Use a personalized tone while writing the headline, depending upon the kind of job profile you are applying for.
  • Use phrases instead of complete sentences. Keep it short and impactful.
  • Do not use heavy jargon as it may make your headline too cliched.
  • Use some very powerful keywords while describing your traits to make it more attention-grabby for the recruiter.
  • Include data-driven information for more impact.

Proofread the document before submitting: A resume headline must be brief and crisp, thereby pitching yourself as the ideal candidate for the job role. Highlighting your educational achievements, personality traits, specializations, to make an impactful resume title is a must. Resume headlines also vary with the kind of job profile you are applying for so, let’s take a look into some of those.

Best Resume Headlines for Freshers

Software Developer

“B.Tech in computer science. Have great coding skills in Java, C++, and PHP. A passionate professional with great interpersonal and communication skills.”

“Extensive domain knowledge as a systems architect and a software developer- analysis, development, and management of complex software solutions.”

Mechanical Engineer

“Strong technical knowledge with quantitative aptitude. A team-worker with good communication skills.”

“Proficiency in drafting and reviewing estimates and RFPs. Proficient in using the CAD software and ANSYS mechanical software.”

“Skilled in COSMOS with a huge passion for machines and machine learning.”

Electrical Engineer

“Proficient in MIS with great reporting and organizational skills. High Proficiency in drawing project reports too.”

“B.Tech in electrical engineering, with expertise in mixed-signal circuit design.”

“Expertise in electrical specifications for new system design and also well acquainted with MATLAB, Autodesk, AutoCAD, and many more.”  

Business Analyst

“Great primary and research skills accompanied by an analytical bent of mind. Excellent organizing skills with an eye for detail.”

“Research professional with an analytical bent of mind with great research skills.”

“In-depth knowledge of the retail and e-commerce industry and major customer segments, with great negotiation and problem-solving skills.”

Chartered Accountant

“Strong capability in handling all related accounting operations along with cash flow management.” 

“Extensive knowledge about GAAP, Financial Reporting, Taxation, Auditing, and industry trends.”

“Skillful in dealing with huge numbers across various accounts simultaneously.”

HR Manager

“Graduate with a human resource degree. A people-oriented person with great communication skills and understanding.”

“Well equipped with HR databases, Recruitment procedure, employee engagement, and great negotiation skills.”

“Good understanding of Statutory compliance and ability to handle employee grievances.”

Teaching Professional

“Excellent subject knowledge, with great communication skills and the ability to motivate individuals.”

“Innovative teaching methods with the ability to handle a big batch of kids at a time.”

“B.Ed degree looking for a school to put my academic knowledge and teaching methods to use.” 

“Encourage creative and higher-order thinking, thereby helping to increase student’s performance.”

Content Writer

“Flair for creating creative content out of regular, mundane information.”

“Excellent grammar and English writing skills. Ability to present innovative ideas engagingly.”

“An English literature graduate, result-focused, analytical, and highly creative content, capable of writing content in various genres.”

Financial Analyst

“Masters in finance, highly capable of budgeting, financial forecasting, and financial modelling tools.”

“Excellent at consolidating and analysing financial data and creating dashboards.”

“A result-oriented financial analyst seeking to work in a challenging atmosphere to utilize my business development management skills.”

Sales Executive

“Adept at lead generation and maintaining good customer relationship management.”

“Proficient in using multiple communication channels for better customer service and resolving customer queries.”

“Fresh MBA graduate with internship experience in the marketing domain. Multilingual skills, with great consumer interaction skills.”

Graphic Designer

“Great at developing unique designs as per the latest trends. Proficient at Illustrator and Dreamweaver.”

“Skillful in designing various logos, web designs, banners, and many more as per the client requirements.”

“Expert in photoshop, Corel draw, and PageMaker with great innovative design ideas that can help make your brand unique.”

Interior Designer

“Degree in interior designing with proficiency in AutoCAD, 3D, Photoshop, and many more.”

“Expertise in creating aesthetic spaces for bedrooms, offices, restaurants according to client demands.”

“Ability to create great designs for commercial and residential requirements. Great presentation and communication skills.”

Travel Agent

“Skilled at planning tours for both individuals and groups. Strong budgeting and planning skills.”

“Internship experience with a leading travel company, sound knowledge about visa compliances.”

Conclusion

Creating a crisp, strong, and impactful headline is the only way to get the attention of the employer. Make sure you will be able to justify whatever you write in the headline as it makes the maximum impact and is likely to stay in the minds of the recruiter for a longer time. Be honest, express yourself impressively, and prepare for any questions related to the headline. The headline may aid, but at last, your personality, the ability to think on your feet, and the out-of-the-box thinking will help in securing your dream job. So, be passionate and keep dreaming!

Best Answers for “How Do You Handle Stress and Pressure” Interview Question

Workplace Stress and pressure are inevitable. Every employee at some point of time gets stressed due to work pressure. And honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. What matters is that how an employee handles it. Effective handling of stress means high emotional intelligence and maturity on the employee’s part. However, ineffective handling of stress and pressure leads to lowered productivity of the employee and hence affects the organisation.

Almost every interviewee is faced with the question “how do you handle stress and pressure”. To look impressive, the interviewee sometimes answers with phrases like:

  • “I don’t get stressed.”
  • “I am calm all the time.”
  • “Stress and pressure do not bother me.”

This is not what the interviewer is looking for and happens to be one of the biggest and most common mistakes that the candidates make while answering this question. Answers like these make the interviewer suspicious and make him/her feel that the candidate is blurting out rehearsed answers.

The sole reason why the interviewer asks this question is to know about the capability of the candidate. The interviewer also wants to know the past experiences of the candidate where he was exposed to stressful situations and how he dealt with them. The best way to answer this question in interviews is to firstly acknowledge that the candidate does face enough pressure and gets stressed under gruelling situations. Secondly, the candidate must state past experiences where he/she got stressed, and the steps are taken to overcome it. 

Tips to Answer

A proper answer to “how do you handle stress and pressure” should be well-articulated. In addition to that, it also has to be authentic and genuine. Employers do not wish to hire someone who crumbles under workplace pressure. If a candidate, under a gruelling situation has a nervous breakdown, nobody in the organisation wants to be responsible for it.

Also, an employee unable to handle stress is most likely to evade responsibilities and pass them on to someone else. Unable to handle stressful and pressurising situations also means a lack of problem-solving skills and unsteady decision-making procedure. No employer wants these traits in someone who is being hired. Hence answering this question correctly is a very crucial part of an interview. The following listed are several tips that should be considered while answering:

1. Provide an Example

Talking in generic terms always evokes a lesser impact than talking specifically. Hence the candidate should give a real experience where he/she faced with a stressful or gruelling situation. The example should be concise but clear. It should summarise the situation and how it caused stressed to the candidate and what degree.

2. Explain How You Overcame It

The candidate should tell the interviewer how he had overcome the said stressful situation mentioned in the interview. The candidate has to make sure that he/she does not give this impression to the interviewer that his/her stress-coping mechanisms are unhealthy. For example, if the candidate answers that he had handled the stress by crying profusely for two hours or completely avoiding the situation, it would not make a good impression.

The candidate has to answer how he used the stress the work better. He/she can say that he/she had used the stress as a motivator to increase the pace and productivity of his/her work. It can also be said that he/she took a very little time off work to neutralise his stress and got back to work with a fresh mind. Saying that the candidate meditated for a while or tried balancing the work can also be a perfect option.

3. Stress as a Motivator

Telling the interviewer how the candidate uses stress as a motivator is by far one of the best ways to answer this question. The candidate should articulate the reason for stress and how he/she used it as a positive gateway to amplify his work performance. The candidate should mention examples like the stress of tough deadlines motivating him/her to work better and faster.

4. Skills Learned Due to Stress

Employers generally look for employees who not only handle stress effectively but also use that to learn something that might benefit them in the future and evade the possibility of further stress. Skills learned due to stress are soft skills that employers look for in potential employees. These skills can be organising work, time-management, prioritising, etc.

5. Results

The answer should engage a result or ultimate goal that the candidate was able to achieve due to the effective handling of the stress. For example, he/she can state how the artwork was completed before the client needed or the reports were submitted to the supervisor before time.

Sample Answers

Every candidate is most likely to have a different experience, different stories and other answers to give in the interviews. However below listed are the best sample answers that can be said as a response to the question “how do you handle stress and pressure” in an interview.

Answer 1: According to me, stress is a positive motivator. It teaches us a lot of skills that we cannot otherwise learn in normal situations. I try to learn something from every stressful situation. One time, I had to submit three reports in one week, and it was very stressful. However, I submitted all of them on time. This is because I balanced my workload and learnt how to effectively prioritise my workload to make the best of the current situation.

Answer 2: Stress often improves the quality of my work as it acts as a motivator for me. Since I am a content writer, I can vouch for this. I generally have to work under strict deadlines to meet with the client’s demands. However, I have noticed I deliver the best content, especially when I am working under stress.

Answer 3: As a comic artist workplace is mainly lined by stress to meet the demands and make submissions on time. Whenever I am stressed, I use that as a motivator so that I can finish my job at the earliest. Hence under stress, I have produced some of my best comics.

Answer 4: I handle stress by reminding myself of the goal or the result that I am working towards. That gives me the drive or the motivation to push through the stress and reach my goal. Once in my earlier organisation, I had to get a massive target of sales within a week. Hence I reminded myself of the ultimate target and kept working until I reached it.

Answer 5: Being in customer service can be a stressful job. Hence under stress, I make it a point to focus my reaction on the situations and not on the stress that I am feeling. For example, if I am handling a rude customer, I try to focus on the situation, which motivates me to effectively apply my communication skills to resolve the situation.

Answer 6: Being in management has taught me that a stressed team causes a great deal of stress. So in those situations, I try to communicate well with my team members to get a clear idea of what is stressing them. On doing that, we can improve the group dynamics by sharing our duties and hence reducing the pressure. This collectively reduces the entire stress of the group, and thus I cope with my stress too.

Answer 7: I handle stress by being too calculative. In my last organisation, I was assigned a task in the last minute due to a contingency, and I had to handle it on my own. The time was very less, and it was an important assignment. I chalked out the requirements of the assignment, listed what I had to do, calculated my available time, divided it into various tasks, and that led to the completion of the assignment on time.

Answer 8: In this extremely competitive workplace scenario, stress is inevitable. To deal with it, I make sure I exercise and meditate regularly. IT keeps my mind active. Meditation keeps me focussed and thus helps me work through any stressful situation.

Stress can never be evaded. Good and bad stress is a part of every workplace. Employers want to hire someone who experiences both but finds a way out of it to deliver his job nonetheless. These answers shall give the interviewer the idea that they are talking to the right candidate, and no amount of stress would be daunting enough to cripple his/her spirits.

How to Write Email to Boss of Completion of Work with Samples

Work completion e-mail is sent when to communicate the completion of a specific task, job, or project that an employee was provided with. Work completion e-mails are not a professional mandate per se. It is not under the conventional professional protocols. However, it adds to added clarity in terms of communication. It keeps the boss updated upon the current position of the job. It also provides the employee to reach out to his/her supervisor regarding his work.

It may so happen that at one point in time, the boss or the supervisor is currently occupied with other matters at hand, and the employee cannot directly communicate the information of his job completion. In a situation like this, the employee can send in a work completion e-mail to his/her boss, who can read it and revert at his/her convenience.

Things to Remember While Writing a Work Completion E-mail

1. Clarity

Clarity is an integral part of any formal communication. The sender should be clear in his thoughts and be able to communicate them the same way.

Even in the case of work-completion e-mails, clarity is very important. The employee should speak on this subject alone. He/she should clearly state the project, what it comprised of, what was the deadline, and when it was finished. The employee should state whether the job was completed before the deadline, or later than that, the possible outcomes.

2. Official

Before sending the work-completion e-mail, the employee should ensure that the completion of the work is updated officially. It should mean that the work completed should be officially documented. This is important to avoid any discrepancies in communication that might arise. This means that when the boss reads the e-mails and wants to verify it, he/she should find official documentation supporting it. Otherwise, it might cause a barrier to effective communication.

 3. Concise

Lengthy and elongated e-mails do not generally work in the professional sphere except in some cases. Hence, a work-completion e-mail should be concise. It should be time-saving for both the employee and the boss. The e-mail should contain all the necessary information in a concisely packed manner.

 4. Structured

The e-mail should follow a specific structure and should not be scattered. It should follow the format and be well drafted. All the pointers for information should be covered, and feedback should also be asked for.

Format

As stated above, a proper work-completion mail has to be well drafted. A well-drafted e-mail has to follow a specific format. It should also contain all the necessary information that the boss should know. A suitably formatted application will also preserve the essence of professionalism that the workplace demands. Below stated is the proper way of writing it:

 1. Subject

Under this head, the gist of the main subject of the application has to be written. It is advised to make the subject concise and catchy to grab the reader’s attention. For completion of work, the subject can be something like “100 percent work completion in 35 hours”.

 2. Salutation

This means writing the proper address for the leave application.

For example-Sir/Madam.

 3. Tasks Assigned

This part constitutes the body of the e-mail. Here the employee should state the works that were assigned to him. It is advisable to use bullet points to list the assigned tasks to give it a more clean and objective look.

4. Tasks Completed

Here the employee should state the tasks or projects that are completed and documented by him. It can so happen that he/she has completed specific parts of the task, and hence that should be mentioned likewise. If the entire task is completed and documented, this part of the e-mail should contain that information.

5. Possible questions

If the employee has any questions regarding any part of the work, he/she should address the questions here. They may be related to future anticipations from the project, possible continuation of the project, or a mere query regarding a specific part of the project or work assigned to the employee.

6. Asking for feedback

This is the concluding part of the e-mail where the employee asks for the feedback of the supervisor so that he/she can make necessary changes and also get on with his next assignment.

7. Signature

This means concluding the letter by stating the employee’s name and position.

Work Completion E-mail

Sample #1

Sir/Madam,

 

I have completed my tasks for the week/month, and here is a complete report of the same.

 

The tasks that were assigned to me are listed below:

*Task 1*

*Task 2*

*Task 3*

 

The tasks that are completed are as follows:

*mention in points*

 

However, I have a few queries and questions regarding a particular area.

*State the query/queries*

 

Thank you for your sincere guidance throughout the project, without which it could not have been completed with such zeal. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and the amazing team who made the success possible. Please provide your valuable feedback so that the changes can be implemented, and the next phase of work can be started at the earliest.

 

Yours sincerely,

*Name*

 

Sample #2

Sir,

 

This is an e-mail regarding the *Title* project that was assigned in October 2019.

It was indeed a huge project. The tasks that were assigned were:

 

  1. Completion of an audit of all financial documents till September
  2. Documenting the same in the software.

 

I am happy to inform you that a hundred percent completion of the task is possible and that, too, one month before the deadline. Even though we faced many challenges, due to diligence and teamwork, we could reach the completion.

 

However, I have a few queries regarding the last phase of the project.

*State the query/queries*

 

Thank you for your sincere guidance throughout the project, without which it could not have been completed with such zeal. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and the amazing team who made the success possible. Please provide your valuable feedback so that the changes can be implemented, and the next phase of work can be started at the earliest.

 

Yours sincerely,

*Name*

I hope you got an idea of writing an email to the boss of the completion of work. Comment down below if you any queries.