Author: Saumya Khatri

In the last few decades, private sector has burgeoned in our country, giving rise to corporate culture which some fifty years ago was unknown to Indians. The organization of corporates, the system of structure they follow and the hierarchy they exhibit might appear simple to discern but when one actually takes up the task, the outcome may tell you something different. It is not a matter of shame or lack of knowledge but simply a confusion that lingers in our mind when we are unaware of certain things and their meticulous organization.

A group of people working in a closed structure wearing similar clothes, attributing similar socio-economic belonging and performing tasks on their personal computers can be challenging for a new comer to work in or with, to find their place in the hierarchy and showcase behavior according to their position. As difficult it is to get one of those fancy jobs, it is equally difficult to make the environment your own, especially if you are a newcomer. Often times a newcomer, fresh out college who has zero years of experience in working amongst senior peers in a cubicle whose walls are barely few feet apart, finds difficult to adjust in the corporate offices which subsequently hampers their professional and mental well-being. One can only beat this obstacle if you choose to equip yourself with adequate knowledge about the work environment of corporate sector and all the know-hows around it.

And, if you are planning to get started onto the introduction of the corporate sector, you have stumbled upon the right page. We have got you covered with all that you need to know about different types of employees in an organization and everything around it.

Who are Employees?

Employees are people hired in an organization to execute the work the organization has aimed to do and many other tasks around it. When an employee is hired by an organization, it usually means they receive a fixed salary by the organization monthly or at the end of their tenure, they are obliged to follow the office time table and work under given rules and regulations. The following are different kind of employees and employment that you can find in an organization.

Types of Employees in an Organization

Permanent and Non-permanent Employees

The first criteria on which employees can be distinguished is the nature of their employability. On the basis of employability in the organization, the employees can be distinguished as permanent employees or temporary employees. Sometimes, the term ad-hoc is used instead of temporary employees. The main distinction between permanent and temporary employees is that permanent employees are hired for a tenure which will end only at retirement. The option for them to resign, the prospects of promotion, demotion and end of employment under few circumstances remain there but all in all, they enjoy employability till retirement. Temporary employees are hired for a short tenure, expanding from few months to few years. Permanent employees usually enjoy more privileges and incentives as compared to temporary employees.

Trainee/Apprentice

Trainees and apprentices are usually found in big corporates or multinational companies. These people are difficult to locate in small start-ups due to limited funding and other logistical constraints.

Trainees or apprentices are fellows working under somebody else’s guidance, usually senior in terms of experience and position/ranking. These employees assist and learn simultaneously. After completion of training and equipping oneself with considerable knowledge and know-hows they can join the company as employees or join any other company depending upon the terms and conditions of the company which varies company to company.

Full Time Employees and Part Time Employees

Full time employees and Part-Time employees are basically distinguished on the basis of their working hour devoted to the organization. Different standards of working hour and conditions are laid down by various bodies to mark the distinction between full time employees and part time employees.

To give a rough estimate, a part time employee spends around 30 hours in a week working for the organization while full time employees spend more than that. The category of part time and permanent employees overlap in most of the scenarios. Same goes for the part time employees and temporary employees.

Interns

Interns are similar to trainee or apprentice who are working in different organization to gain work experience and exposure. With the rise of corporate jobs and the stiff competition, the experience gained through internship has become a crucial criteria to fulfill since companies are looking for employees who have one or the other kind of work experience. Therefore, internships mainly help new comers and fresh out of college students who lack professional work experience otherwise.

Internships are mainly for a shorter duration of time and can be paid or unpaid depending upon the company. It can be also done side by side your college course.

Daily and Weekly Hired Employees

Few organizations due to budget restraints and organizational structure tend to hire daily and weekly workers too. These employees are often hired to do dispensable tasks, which if given to permanent or full time employees can cause over budgeting for the organization. These people, depending upon the contract receive wages at the end of the day or week after completion of the given task.

Casual Employees

Casual employees when hired by an organization do not have a fixed term guarantee of work tenure. They are basically hired according to the need of the organization. They are hired as long as the organization needs them and receive a fixed amount of salary at the end of their tenure or monthly, depending upon the contract. Unlike part time and temporary employees, casual employees can be asked to work on hours not fixed by the organization.

Whether it’s a job interview, a formal meeting, an impromptu run-into-your-senior scenario, or a seminar your introduction and identity speak a ton for you. It basically lays the foundation for the amount of attention you will get and more importantly the enormity of the impact you are going to great. In professional work sphere, especially for a new comer, the introduction begins with a simple ‘Tell me about yourself’ question, asked by a panel of senior members who will decide whether you enter the playing field or not. Your answer, therefore, determines their decision, and if the decision comes in your favor, your answer to this specific question will pave the way for the rest of your career.

It is, therefore, not a surprise that many people, people who excel in the work they want to do, get cold-feet when this question is posed. Sudden flashes hot and cold, accompanied by a personal identity crisis tend to get hold of their mind and stop them from describing the amazing work they have done in the past, the work they plan on doing in near future, and how they have ended up at this place aspiring for the said job. I may have given you the hint of what all you need to cover, nevertheless, we can surely elaborate further.

Tell Me About Yourself Sample Answers for Freshers

When you sitting in an air-conditioned hall, facing the panelists and posed with this tell me about yourself, the first thing you need to do is- to breathe. Breathe and remind yourself that you know yourself. Tell yourself that is not anything but merely a fancy phrase for a slightly boring word called- introduction. The introduction sounds familiar and you have been practicing this since kinder garden. The panelists are not going to judge you for your name age and hometown. Not to forget, don’t stop passing a calm smile otherwise you will come across as an unsuitable candidate, doubting themselves at crucial hours.

Things to Keep in Mind

1. Begin With Your Name, Age and Hometown

Literally there is no way of doing this otherwise. An introduction, however delivered needs to begin with your name, age and hometown. It is the first step you will claim your identity in the professional space.

2. Mention the Position You are Applying for

It is an important step, equal to your name. They will consider your attention to details and manner of approaching tasks with the way you put forward your introduction.

3. Specify Your Academic and Professional Background

Mention your degrees, bachelors, masters and any other. If you are someone who has had previous work experience(s), mention those. If not, mention that you are a new comer and the reason for it like whether you are fresh out of college or you decided to take a gap year, etc.

4. Be Smart While listing Your Qualifications, Achievements and Experiences

Often times, interviewees narrate their qualifications, achievements and experiences in a haphazard way which can lead to creating a confusion among panelists or even make you skip one or two things. The easiest way to avoid this mistake is by going with the chronology of events.

5. Give a Smart Conclusion

Conclusions speak a lot about you. It is going to tell whether you wind up your work as passionately as when you started it or whether you are one of the clumsy people who leave things with an open end. You can end up your introduction while stating why you chose to aspire for the given role or what makes you passionate while working in the given work environment/ sphere.

Few Examples of How to Answer

1. Good morning everyone, my name is ……….. . I am …… years old. I am from ………. . I am sitting in front of you for the position of ………. . I have done my bachelors from ………….. And MBA from …………. . I hold two years of work experience. My motivation to aspire for the ………… position comes from my desire to create and help the consumers in market. I wish to join your reputed organization in order to fulfill this dream of mine.

2. Greeting to all the panel members, myself ………. I am from ……… I recently graduated from ……….. . I have done my masters in ……………. I am here for the role of ………. . Since I am freshly out of college, I do not have any work experience but enormous amount of willingness to learn. Besides, I have help various position of responsibilities in college and school. I have demonstrated keen passion and leadership skills in performing those role which makes me fit for the role of ………. In your company.

3. Good afternoon Mam, I am here for the interview for the role of ……….. . My name is ………. And I belong to …………. I have done my higher education, Bachelors and Masters from ………. . I have previous job experience which is entirely different from the role I am applying for but the skills and lessons I have acquired such as adaptability, communication and time management can surely help in performing the task of a …….. .

4. Sincere greeting to everyone on the panel, here. I am ……….. . I am here for the role of ……….. . I hold expertise in various fields such as ……… , …………. And ……….. Apart from holding master’s degree from …………. . I believe with my expertise and enthusiasm to learn I can be a good asset to your company.

5. Greeting of the day Sir, myself …………. I am ….. Years old and I am from ……. . I am aspiring for the role of …………. . I hold specialization in …………. From …………… university. Apart for my love in this field I enjoy volunteering for social causes. My passion in order to work and this filed and social uplift of all makes me a suitable candidate for the concerned role.

6. Good morning respected panelists, warm greeting from my side. I am …… I am here for the interview for the role of ……….. . I have done my MBA from …… in which I was able to secure 1^st position at the University level. Apart from academics I am keenly into sports, I am a national level player of ………. . I have learnt from classrooms as well as playing grounds quite a few lessons which I believe can help me excel as the ……… of this company.

7. Greeting to all, myself ……….. . I am ……… years old. I have done my schooling from …… and higher education from ……….. . I have been into this field from past three years. I quit my previous job as I had to shift to this city, closer to my parents. I have gathered skills and qualities throughout my education and work experience which make me the best suitable candidate for the said position.

8. Good morning everyone, I am …………. And I belong to ……….. . I have completed my education in ………… from …………. College/University. I am a fresh graduate thus, I lack professional experience. However, I have done quite a few internships which have made me familiar with the work environment. I am open to learning from all sources, my LOAs can vouch for that surely. I can be a huge asset for the company of chosen for the given role.

9. Sincere greeting to all, my name is ………. . I am from …….. I am not new to this company, I have been a part of this company from past four years. However, the vacancy of this job made me realize that I should try to enhance my realm of knowledge and move higher up the ladder. My enthusiasm towards contributing in the development of the company is quite known. I believe, the same can help me performing the role of ……….. For this company.

10. Good afternoon mam, grateful to be in your esteemed company. My name is ………. I am from ………. . I hold degree in …….. From ………., apart from excellent academic record, I hold work experience of seven years in the same field. I learnt a lot about the work we do, the company and about myself too in these seven years and I am willing to learn more with your reputed company. Therefore, I am here to interview for the role of …………. In your company.

Last but not the least, trust yourself and the process. Put on a smile, a formal outfit and you are ready to ace the interview. Good luck!

It is completely fine to experience jitters before that one job interview for which you have been preparing for months or years. It is completely fine to feel clueless and unsure about answering simplest of questions. It is completely fine if your tongues slips twice in a single sentence, or you mispronounce words or stutter here and there or even start forgetting words. It is a mark that you care about the opportunity and will do anything to save yourself from getting rejected.

One of the many reasons you might be feeling overwhelmingly skeptical about yourself is the fact that you are appearing for an interview, probably for the first time, which can break or make your future. The extent of importance that we have attached to this one particular process makes it harder for us actually go through it. None of us are blessed with the power of predicting the future, even if we did it wouldn’t have guaranteed our selection. What we can actually do to help our mind and body relax, is rehearsing the answers to the expected questions.

The questions that might be asked in the interview cannot be predicted with a hundred percent probability of being asked, but if it makes you confident then it is surely worth a try. The questions mainly depend on few things such as the kind of job you are applying for, your education, your past experiences and few personal questions regarding your achievements, background and future expectations. Based on the above criteria there are few generic questions which are repetitive in all kinds of job interviews irrespective of nature of the job. This article is going to help you in understanding the answers that are sought by interviewers, what qualities they are looking for and how to deal with tricky questions all at once.

Types of Questions Asked During Job Interview

As mentioned earlier, the questions mostly will be related to the kind of profession you are aspiring for. Not only the interviewers are going to judge your expertise in the respective field, they will also scrutinize your personality so as to determine whether you are tailored for job/position you are applying for or not. For example, if you are applying for the position of a Nursery school teacher what are your qualifications? Whether you have done a specialized course for preparatory school teaching or not, do you possess appropriate mannerisms, whether your methods of communication is easy to comprehend or not? Whether your personality is amiable, approachable and compassionate as idolized in a pre-primary school teacher.

The other aspect of interview questions might deal with your personal experiences, achievements, expectations and ambitions. Interviewers might ask questions specific to your undergraduate course/ master’s thesis, etc or it can be as generic as what are your future ambitions, how can this job help in your career advancement or what are your expectations from this organization.

7 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answers

1. Give a brief introduction about yourself.

List down your introduction, qualifications, hobbies and ambitions smartly which would showcase the perfect blend of your personality.

2. Why do you want to work with our organization in the given capacity?

Things to keep in mind: Your personality and experience should seem a perfect fit for the position. Showcase a mutually benefitting relationship constructed between yourself and the organization.

3. What according to you sets you apart from other candidates?

Be clever about your characteristic traits. Mention your achievements and experiences. This question is more about ‘the way you put your answer forward’ then ‘what you put forward’.

4. What according to you is your one strength and one weakness?

Again, be smart what you list down in your strength and weaknesses. They should intermingle and portray you as an ideal candidate.

5. What will you immediate plan of action will be if you find your team/colleagues uncooperative?

Cooperation is an integral and important part of any team/organization. Take a middle ground and suggest constructive solutions such as through dialogue and debate.

6. How do you think your academic qualifications can help in you work, if selected?

Be wise and craft out a certain way to put your qualifications forward which would make you appear an easy choice for the panelists.

7. What are some of your hobbies that you think can help you with this work?

Your hobbies determine your personality as much as your qualifications. Mention your experiences and lessons learnt through them.

How to Answer the Questions?

Given there are various number of professions distributed in various fields, your answer might be specifically curated based on your experiences, qualifications, profession and the field you are applying for. It would appear professional and confident if you enter the room with a little smile stretched onto your face, dressed perfectly professional – not like you are attending a church wedding or a Sunday brunch and nod at the panel while greeting them.

Your demeanor needs to be visibly professional, polite and positive. These three P’s can land you at the doorstep of your dream job and if not so, a step closer definitely. Your introduction needs to crisp. Nobody wants to listen to you listing your bio-data and achievements one after another. You need to narrow down the list and mention only those skills, achievements and other things which are relatable to the designated post.

Answering the questions can be a bit daunting and the questions might appear repetitive but that is certainly not the case. The questions might be overlapping but they are equally unique and needs to be dealt in a smart manner. The ability to reason, correlate and learn from experiences are being judged when the panel asks such repetitive questions. Your approach to problems, both inside and outside the professional sphere are being judged at the very moment too. Therefore it is important to be positive and approachable.

Few Tips on How to Ace the Interview

1. Dress professionally but balance your look. Ditch the casual denims or the three piece suit. A solid crisp shirt and trousers topped with a tie will help you with confidence and additional stars.
2. Keep your tone polite and positive no matter what. Any company will not agree to hire an intolerant employee.
3. Practice tongue twisters and your answers in front of mirror if you are struggling with confidence.
4. Sleep well and eat healthy before the interview. It can reduce the anxiety and help you in getting the glow you really need.
5. Take deep breathes and believe in yourself.

Hope you do well in the interview you are preparing for and every other you plan on giving in future!