As per any Employment Scripture, mental preparation before the big meet is a very important segment that needs to be tended to.

Here are a few things you could tell yourself before and during your preparations.

Remind yourself that you are just trying to find out how good you are, however hard the scrutiny maybe. In many cases of failures due to nervousness, the person does not loose the opportunity because he/she was incompetent. It mainly is based on the lack of confidence that puts off the employers. At the same time fake confidence would clearly be shown or may even portray a picture of overconfidence depending on how well you are faking it. Your fear will be screaming out loud to the employer's eye. Remember only those who are wrong, fear and that is the general impression you might be showing. With your fear, an employer may suspect that the details provided by you on the resume aren't true or valid.

Courage is not the absence of Fear, rather it is the presence of fear and yet the strength to fight with confidence and to trust in yourself.

If you have your fears, they would actually help if you can learn how to use them to avoid mistakes and plan more carefully.

• Who and what you are as a person who knows the job?
• As an organizational person how would do you fit in an office environment?
• As an aspirant what are your needs and wants?
• How would you handle any potential problem (technical/organizational) and what preventive steps would you take?
• Half your interview would be smooth if you could answer yourself these problems.

Before an interview, talk to a new friend. Watch how you communicate to their questions/queries and how do you express yourself. Ask a friend to watch you in silence. Let your friend give you feedback on how you conducted yourself. This will give you an idea of how you look from an interviewer's eye.

While sitting there waiting, remember you might be watched. So from the moment you enter the organization to the time you walk into the interview panel, you need to maintain your poise. Wagging your legs like there was is an emergency for "Nature's Call" is a taboo. So is fiddling with the pen or any accessory, worse a small hole or crevice on the sofa. Keep calm and if the wait is long, try to read something, not necessarily something related to your field.

Before your mouth can start talking your attire would, creating that first crucial impression? Planning ahead on how you are going to look would require you to have a clear understanding on the nature of job and your prospective employer. I'll look upon other interesting details too, such as the climate, the time of meeting and how am I representing myself. What am I going to be? A Strategist? A Highly Refined Corporate? A Creative Thinker?

Before an interview I'd do my little shopping. What I'd be looking for...

I'll go in for good brands if not for the top in line, probably the mid-ranged ones.

Each design leaves a touch that will add you a little more character.Unless you are confident of whom or what you want to represent it is better to take the usual thumb rule... of being conservative and very generic, which would be as follows.

It's better to be overdressed in the first meeting than to be underdressed and look like a castaway. Try dressing for a notch higher than the position you are applying for. Not that it would make you get the higher post, but it sure would make you look eligible for it. And make you seem like you are prepared to have a larger scope in the organization.

Most dressing is all based on the message you want to communicate. The point at an interview is not to appear ravishing or provocative; rather it is to make a powerful impression. Show you are a thinker, planner or strategist. Get a nice well crisp dressing up. I would suggest corporate brochures or manuals more than magazines to pick my ideas from. Most magazines portray very trendy dressing that may not suit probably the Indian culture, pardon me if I may be wrong. Unfortunately they may also not match with all body types.

• Plan ahead on how you want to look get a few dressing rehearsals done with a neutral review panel.
• Trim haircut and well-controlled facial hair.
• Avoid heavy jewelry. Keep your tattoos and pierced body parts covered, away from your employer's eye; sometimes they may be too obtrusive for comfort. Keep a clean face - no pierced tongue, no pierced lip or nose; 'officially they should not exist'. Not more than one ring on each hand. Lock away those that have flashy gems that are too obvious.
• Minimal and a very light cologne should do the trick. There's a good chance you might not leave that 'Musk' feeling.
• Pockets free of bulges. Maintain a neat flow of your dress tracing your body. Better have not smoked before an interview. No (chewing) gum or candy.
• Well-done nails (or manicured), not longer than your fingertip. (Women - use a mild or light color or better yet just the gloss and no color. Men, please don't dare.)
• Please do not wear Meander on such occasions too. They offer only the simplest distractions, but still better off in this case.
• Carry a nice, not too large briefcase to carry your documents.
• If you are wearing a belt let it match with your shoe (most applicable for men). Keep a plain and simple belt latch.
• Most suitable colors for the occasion are dark or maybe pastel. This would be considering the fact that you are going generic. You could always experiment with other colors, but plainly avoid choosing colors out of a Hawaiian tourist.

• Keep your bare minimum from a formal half sleeve to a full suit. Jeans are best avoided. At the same time your dressing should make perfect sense.
• Pick a nice conservative patterned tie. Avoid blurry or too glossy ones. Soft silk ties are best. Use a complimentary but not too gaudy tiepin/holder if necessary. How to Tie a Tie.
• Men, please avoid pink. It may communicate aversion for you.
• Slip on some non-flashy, smart-looking accessories like cufflinks or tiepins if required.
• Wear simple designed, probably non-textured, laced (recommended) shoes and obviously well polished with matching socks (if not just go for black).
• If you are carrying a moustache, its' best when trim.
• Wear your belt just below your navel. Above it would break the symmetry and look like your pants eating your torso.

• Low necks can be very distractive to you and the communicator.
• Wear a well-polished flat/low/medium set of heels, not too flashy or decorated. Keep it plain, sleek and attractive.
• Wear a single set of plain earrings, that aren't the hanging variety. Probably you could go for something like studs.
• A single plain chain, incase of a pendant pick a small one that doesn't spell out your entire name.
• Loose hair is fine only if you can keep it in place. Or a neatly tied up hair would also go very executive. If it goes haywire, you'd end up looking like a Corporate Medusa.
• Very mild or basic makeup would be suitable. Try not to use too flashy colors; pastel colors would go just fine.
• Avoid that cute purse; instead you can carry your belongings in another compartment in your briefcase.
• Remember if you are commandeering power, you might want to prefer sharp designs rather than attractive ones.
• Slip on some non-flashy, smart-looking accessories like a brooch or hair clip if required.
• A set of bangles if you insist or may be a bracelet to go with your watch.
• And finally when you are all set to rake out a classical impression remember to carry yourself the way you appear. Or it just won't make any sense.

CV's are called a variety of things (e.g., curriculum vitae, resume). There is no universally accepted format. The most important attribute of a successful CV is that it clearly explains to the reader what it is that you can do for them. Your CV should be:

The purpose of your CV is not to get you the job. Its purpose is to get you an interview, and after your meeting to remind the person you met with about you. Remember: you are not writing a CV for yourself, you are writing it for the reader. So, as you write your CV, put yourself in the shoes of the intended reader.

This section takes you through the content and detail of effective CVs:

The decision to recruit is like a buying decision on the part of an employer. This creates a very clear picture of what a CV must include:

1. It must meet the needs of the target organization where possible. This means a single generalist CV is unlikely to be sufficient.
2. It must highlight your achievements and how they relate to the job you are applying for. It must give the reader a clear indication of why you should be considered for this role.
3. To decide what to include in your CV and where, follow these principles and guidelines:
4. Generally, the document should contain no more than 2 pages. Sometimes, a one page summary is all that is required.
5. Your CV should be honest and factual.
6. The first page should contain enough personal details for a recruitment consultant or potential employer to contact you easily.
7. Choose a presentation format that allows you to headline key skills, key achievements or key attributes.
8. Your employment history should commence with your current or most recent job and work backwards.
9. Achievements should be short, bullet-pointed statements and include your role, the action you took and a comment on the result of your action.
10. Where information clearly demonstrates your suitability for the vacancy you're applying for, and enhances your chances of being short-listed, include this information near the beginning of the CV.
11. Leave out information that is irrelevant or negative.
12. Include details of recent training or skills development events you have attended which could be relevant.
13. List all your professional memberships and relevant qualifications.
14. As we work through examples in this section, we will continually refer back to these principles and guidelines.

The ultimate test of YOUR CV is whether it meets the needs of the person making the buying decision,and whether YOU feel comfortable with its content and style.

When you submit a printed CV to a recruiter or a potential employer, it is likely to be the first thing they get to see or read of yours. Therefore, you need to present your CV well and make it user friendly. For example:

1. Use a good quality paper, typically 100gsm in weight and watermarked. In most cases, be conservative and print your CV in black ink on white paper. Covering letters should use identical stationery.
2. Lay your CV out neatly
3. Don't make the margins too deep or too narrow
4. Resist writing lengthy paragraphs - be concise
5. Careful use of bold type can be effective
6. Typefaces such as Times New Roman or Arial are fairly standard
7. Do not use a type size less than 11pt.
8. Check for spelling or typographical errors - whoever actually types your CV, errors are YOUR responsibility. Don't rely on a spell checker. If you're not sure about a word, resort to a dictionary. Sloppiness and lack of care could be heavily penalized.

Summarize the things about you that are relevant to this role. You can present the information as a list of achievements, a summary of skills, or a list of key competencies (this choice should be made in consultation with your career consultant). Give as much evidence as you can to suggest that you are suited to the career that you are pursuing. A reminder: You will find a list of your skills in the summary pages.

The one-page summary CV may also include one or two of the following sections if you consider they enhance your application.

The job market is at an all time high. Recruiters are looking all over for talents, what more could be the perfect time to make a career move? In the bustle to move over and the confidence in their talents (which apparently is required) several candidates forget the importance of their resumes.

Your resume is your piper; it attracts the opportunities in your sake, grants you the favours of the HR and lays a clean base for your meeting with the employer. It is only right you treat your resume well.

With knowledge many candidates also seem to inherit the resume formats of their experienced friends or colleagues. The convenience has lead to carry on the same mistake of the earlier resume if not outdated.

Objective, Name, Address, Permanent Address, Father's Name, Mother's Name, Passport Number, Education, Experience, Salary Expectation, Reference and Declaration - is the usual flow or format of more than 70% of the resumes.

Unfortunately, this format has been dead for years - completely outdated.

Rather use a simple resume format. Open with a crisp and strong Objective, followed by a Summary of Skills and Work Experience in reverse chronological order. Provide your Mobile Number, E-Mail id and keep your personal details to a minimum.

Spelling, Grammatical and Syntax Errors, the most glaring and annoying mistakes a candidate could ever make. Resume Hygiene is a golden rule of Resume Writing. Your Resume is the single most important Career Document. A resume with bad hygiene would annoy the HR professional enough to reject. It also goes as far as regarding you as a person carrying an indolent attitude, and that's something they fear would be carried into the new job. Please remember every word uttered in the resume should enhance your image.

Resume hygiene also includes choice of format and font. Preferably use a single font through out. Use common fonts; uncommon fonts may not be available at your employers' console and your carefully edited format might end up looking like gibberish. Choose a neat and legible font and use a single colour through out.

Do not use tables or shaded boxes. Not only it looks unprofessional, they do not print well especially the shaded ones.

Even if your language is fantastic, it's best to avoid flowery or superfluous language. Make the content simple, direct and crisp. Long paragraphs can make the reader skip lines or even ignore important points; use bulleted points instead.

Start your resume with a strong and crisp Summary of Skills or the Objective. Your Objective should be industry-oriented and very specific.

Important note for Freshers: Present your projects or work in a clear and concise manner. Mentioning the methodology and the role you played in the project provides the closest real-time experience. It also previews your character role and helps the HR imagine your place in the organisation.

Avoid subjective references like "I am Hardworking, Smart & Talented, etc." These are qualities that are expected by default in a candidate, mentioning them is unnecessary.

For candidates moving up from middle rung to management sector it is wise to avoid 'task-oriented' terms. Your resume should slant more towards managing a project, creating processes and delegation of tasks. This portrays your readiness to move to the next level.

Do not overload your resume with unwanted content that would be very obvious or irrelevant. Though it shows your profound and wide nature of participation, it would not relate directly to your professional profile. Avoid mentioning every little task in your work experience. You will run the risk of being repetitive and silly. Mention only those that enhance your image.

Sales and Marketing resumes are looked up for figures more than facts. Since a marketing or sales success is about hardcore percentiles, mark your performance by providing actual figures rather than descriptions. E.g.: Reduced inventory by 30 to 50%, increased productivity by 25 to 35% and reduced lead-time by 30 to 50%.

Like the piper, your resume can attract several opportunities your way. Taking good care of it could astound you with the results. The employer knows and learns you from your resume and then sets his frame of mind based on what it says. Your resume can determine the interview's success well in advance. So, the moral: Pay your piper his due attention and care.

Walk-in Interviews are a different ball game altogether and you will need all the extra preps you can lay your hands on. Unlike the normal interviews, here your interviewer would have no premonition about your potential or working style and would bank entirely on your resume to draw an image of you. However, the manner of your appeal and presence would act as your self-summary, pushing forth decisions in your favour. To paint the perfect strokes, I believe in the 3Ls Strategy.

From the moment we read the ad till the moment we land there, we have to keep a keen ear. Collect as much as details about the organisation possible. The Internet and media can act as a 3rd, 2nd and 1st sources of information. Besides these it would be best to retrieve information from sources already working in the organisation. If I had an interview for a job at a bank, I could walk in as a customer and OBSERVE (only) or safer to ask a friend who has familiarity with the organisation. Provided the time, it's a solid groundwork that's worth every effort of it.

With all the information at hand, the next part is to understand and relate it to our current level or state. We can find a perfect place where we would fit in that scenario. Understand all the given challenges and strain your prospective position would carry. Imagine yourself being there and how would you conduct yourself.

Chart out the basic questions and ask yourself, how you suit them, as far as technicality goes which would answer your problem solving abilities and result orientation. Other than that most reviewers would be looking for your skills in Team Player or Leadership Qualities, Communication Skills and how you can handle yourself at any given situation, mostly tight spots. Though they may never ask you a direct answer, your responses would give them a pretty general picture.

With all these in head, you should be able to think clearly before answering questions. Abhor aimless rambling at all costs rather take a second or two before answering.

It also helps by understanding a fact that Employers look for talents as good as what they have already, but that's only their minimal expectation, in the obvious truth they prefer for the better. By making yourself look like one of their perfect employees your chances to snatch the seat are pretty slim especially at heavy competitions. I strongly believe "It's better to be overdressed than to be feeling naked", if you are lucky, people might treat you with compassion and kindliness only out of sympathy and that's just about it.

Luring your recruiter to choose you can be harder than proposing to someone you love. You aren't just walking forward to impress, you are going to make a mark leaving you as the last person where their search ends.

Fishing for the compliments isn't our goal; we are trying to catch the bigger one - The Opportunity. So, it makes no point flaunting what we have learnt to show "Yeah, I know that too..." But at the same time too much modesty can dig your own grave. Here's a little tip: Don't serve yourself completely. Walk-in interviews are very time stiff, so keep your answers precise to the point. But interestingly you can close a short description with a topic opening into another strength of yours. Let the interviewer probe into that point when you can explain about it, briefly. This way you will still be calm, delivering all your strengths at your interviewer's interests. You would have shifted the planes; they would be more interested in you, than you seem to be 'desperate' about the job, placing you in a very elite position.

It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look.

Look back at speakers or teachers you've listened to. Which ones stand out as memorable? The ones who were more animated and entertaining or the ones who just gave out information? This is not to say you have to entertain the interviewer -- no jokes required -- but it does mean the conversation should be animated and interactive. If you say you are excited about the prospect of working for this company but don't show any enthusiasm, your message will probably fall flat. So smile, gesture once in a while, show some energy and breathe life into the interview experience.

And don't underestimate the value of a smile. In addition to the enthusiasm it expresses to the interviewer, smiling often makes you feel better about yourself.

Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than the verbal message you're sending.

Clean hand, well trimmed nails for men and neatly manicured for women. It is suggestive to have it professionally done before a big interview or meeting. Besides the fact that a professional manicure is a blissful experience it also leaves a lot more talking about you as much as it would avoid communicating annoyance.

Please note: They shouldn't be too short, bitten off or chipped either. They don't leave a good message either.

Sweaty Palms is the biggest taboo when it comes to handshakes. If you have hands that can water plants then take immense care to keep them dry. Don't ever try talcum powders, there's a good chance they may fail and make an excellent lubricant. A good way is to keep your hands open at all times even if fear grips. Keep your hands in the open and keep them busy with gestures as you talk. Keep simple gestures though, if you do not have the practice of doing it.

The biggest put-off before shaking your hand is the Side Wipe. The worst thing to do before shaking your hand is swiping it on your sides like a credit card you might leave that uneasy where-was-that-before feeling and you'd usually receive a half-baked handshake in result to it. Make sure your hand is clean and dry even before you enter the scenario.

A single ring is most ideal for a man and maybe 2 for a woman. If your hand is heavy enough to sink a ship, you cannot and should never make a firm shake. Avoid a heavy bracelet, bangle.

Keep a clear distance when you are near so you can give about more than half a hand's length to stretch. This rule is very important in the case of varying heights. Offer your hand heartily and not thrust it or crawl it into the space. This would mean a perfect speed of pushing your hand forward too. Step forward if you have to and try avoiding the gymnasium-pose to reach for their hands. They would come forward too.

This rule is to make the right contact before enveloping your fingers into a grip especially when it comes to giving your hand to the opposite sex. The best way to do this is make sure the point of connection of your thumb and fore finger meet the same point of your acquaintance's hand. Don't hit it too hard. Make a soft landing not too soft either. This is to make sure your hands are at evened out lengths and ready for the Big Grip.

Removing your hand from the shake is as important as giving it and the shake itself. You could destroy the complete procedure if you did not pull back right. Pulling back your hand too fast could communicate a showing of disgust. Pulling them too slow could leave an eye raiser. Keep a normal pace just a little slower than the speed your hands approached. One more thing about removing your hand, dragging or tracing along the inner palm isn't the best thing to do and the same times do not do a vertical lift off. A small rub less than an inch and pull off at a relaxed pace.

It makes no sense offering a limp hand, clear your mind of inhibitions before your offer your hand. This is a classic mess-up you find when it comes to the opposite-sex handshakes. A good communicator would clearly be able to know what's on your mind by just feeling your handshake.

The most abused and confused part of the contact is the shake itself. The golden rule is the 2-and-a-half Shake. Two firm shakes of both hands traveling an up and down distance of say not more than 2-and-a-half inches and a half shake. Making it 2-and-a-half shakes in total. Sometimes you might be in a hurry then it could be one and a half but most cordial feeling is achieved from the 2-and-a-half Shake.

The most rule is The Big Grip Rule. The main crux of the handshake is to know your hand as much as you should know your partner's. The first shake when you meet needs to be a firm but not too firm hold. Don't get squishy... Men! Please don't show your strength on the women's fingers. There are other ways. Women! Let’s put in some grip on it; you aren't offering your hand for a ball dance. Don't force yourself though.

Best would be to test and practice a few handshakes with your friends before affirming on one by yourself. Try and practice for a neutral handshake. Not too firm not too soft and with a perfect speed of offering.