Job interviews are particularly tense, especially if the interview is for a dream which you have been building from a long long time. SSB is one such interview process. Since Armed Forces are one of the hottest career option amongst the youth of India so SSB Interviews have a lot of hopes, expectations and heart breaks associated with them. Armed forces have such a charm that we want to crack SSB and be a part of this dignifies and glorified family on all costs. While some of us join the coaching’s, rest of us spend day and night thinking and researching about how to pass this exam i.e. SSB of course.
Elements of Successful AFSB Interview
- That smile, will take you miles: When you enter the room of the interviewing officer, you should not look unduly tensed or worried. Once you wish him, wish him with a smile on your face. Trust me, it’ll lighten up the situation. It’s understandable that you are tensed, but if you’ll smile in that stressed environment, it’ll reflect a great deal of positivity. The officer will sense that you are a confident person immediately.
- The walk and talk guide: You should enter the room smartly and not slouch while sitting. Shake hands firmly, if offered, and never offer a hand shake from your side. While talking, keep an audible tone, that is your tone should be neither too loud nor too feeble. It should be just like you are talking to a friend sitting a little distance away from you. Never try to speak in a fake accent, that sounds really funny!
- When in SSB, speak the truth: Lie is a strict no for an officer to be. You can lie, if you are sure enough to defend it. But lies are caught over the course of time and also keep in mind that the person sitting in front of you is an expert. Interviewing officers are like the old and experienced mechanics of candidates, they have seen so many candidates and caught so many lies that they can easily catch yours. So make sure you never lie in the interview. This applies to the PIQ form also.
- Remember, he is a lazy guy: Every man is lazy by nature, so for every short question give a long answer. For instance, if he asks you where are you from, then give a detailed description of the place you are coming from. The more you speak, lesser questions he’ll ask, so definitely you need to speak your heart out. This way you’ll manage the time for the interview also, he’ll be satisfied to have learnt a lot from you and you’ll control your interview.
- Never beat around the bush: If you don’t know an answer for something, simply say no, rather than doing a guess work. You can guess but say that you are not sure. This shows honesty. Similarly never exaggerate anything you say. So keep your emotions under control and keep your mind open while answering, so that you know what you are speaking.
- Know yourself: Identify the real you, find out your own strengths and weakness, likes, dislikes, positive and negative points about yourself and what are you doing to turn the negatives into the positives. This process will need a real thought and good amount of time with a fair thought process.
- Brush up your knowledge: Be it about the current affairs or about your own subject (especially technical entries) brush up your knowledge about the world around you. This will include being updated on your family member’s jobs, positives, negatives as well.
- Find the reason why you want to join: The reasons must be real, valid and true. Don’t borrow others reasons. Give the honest and real answer when asked about why you want to come to the forces.
- Bring the changes deep down: Merely faking a good personality won’t bag you anything. Cultivate the officer like qualities from within; adapt them naturally in you instead of wearing them over. This will help you throughout your life whether you come to the forces or any job you land in.
- Build strong but polite opinions: When you are asked about what’s going on in the world or about any social problem in GD or Interview, they are not interested in facts and figures, they really want your opinion backed up by facts. So have strong and firm opinions, but be polite enough to present them.
