Personal Interview is one of the tests at the SSB Interview, which uses observational techniques to evaluate the candidate. It’s a regular communication or a talk between the Interviewer and the Interviewee for the exchange of ideas and information. The Interviewer creates an atmosphere for the interviewee in which they can interact freely. The interviewee does the majority of the talking while the interviewer puts up some questions or asks questions from their answers.
Through the responses of the interviewee, the interviewing officer tries to gauge their
- Thought process
- How they think
- Planning skills
- Reasoning and analytics skills
- Communication skills
- How they react under pressure
- Organizational skills and team spirit
- Emotional stability
The Interviewing Officer has a keen watch on the body language and the facial expression of the interviewee, which adds to their evaluation parameters and provides additional information about the candidate. In short, they evaluate whether the candidate is suitable for the job or not.
So, now let’s understand how we should prepare ourselves for the personal interview
How to prepare for the SSB Personal Interview?
Just like any other personal interview, the personal Interview of the SSB also doesn’t have a fixed syllabus. However, there are certain repeated types of questions. Other questions form their basis from specific points, which you can prepare to perform your best at the Interview. We have identified those points for your interview preparation.
Before starting to read these points, we must understand why these questions are asked and the underlying meaning of that questions. Every question will be formed around our personal life and us.
List out your accomplishments
You should write all your achievements – even the smallest according to you in all fields of life like academics, sports, Extra-circulars activities, or any personal achievement. You should also mention any position held in school, college, sports team, or any other such field in the past or present. If you have cleared any prestigious exam, then you should also mention that.
If you are a working professional, you should also mention any special recognition given by the organization.
These achievements are like recommendations that you have done good work in the past. They also give more weight to extracurricular activities and sports as they want a candidate who is good in all spears of life. Any position of responsibility held shows your leadership and managerial skills. Any achievement requires hard work and dedication, and they are looking for such candidates.
Make a timeline of your own Life
The Interview will revolve around your life events and decisions taken you in the past. There will be questions about your life and they will try to introspect as to why you took that decision. There might be further cross-questions on any topic like – how, why, what, when, and where. So, it is better to be well prepared about our life events, why to took that decision, and what happened after that.
You should make note of your major life events after your 10 standard – as major decisions about your life are taken after that. Questions like – which stream you opted for after the 10th, what you did after your 12th, why you gave or didn’t give any competitive exam, etc.
Your answer to these questions should be logically backed with solid reasons. These decisions also show your level of maturity and your seriousness towards your life.
Introspect yourself
Knowing yourself in detail is one of the main points assessed in the personal interview. Only the people around you like your family members, friends, colleagues, and teachers can assess some of your qualities. Combined responses about what you think about yourself and what they think about you can give a holistic assessment of your qualities. Such type of Introspection will help in understanding your weakness and strength. You can use these for your further overall growth.
Know people around you
There will be questions about people around you and how well you know all of them. Questions will be based on your family members, friends, colleagues, teachers, or boss. So, try to know as much as you can about the people around you.
Know your surroundings, city & state
There will also be questions about your city or the state from where you come. They can any basic details about your city, any famous place/festival/dish, or anything that fascinates the interviewing officer about your city. Further, in the PIQ form, you have to mention the approximate population of your city. Thus, be prepared for any question on your city/state.
Start questioning yourself
Once you have detailed all your life events, you must also be ready with questions like why you took that decision/whether that decision was good/what effect it had in your life/how it changed your life, etc. Answers to these questions will help in developing your thought process. These answers will also help when the interviewing officer cross-questions from any of your answers.
Know your weakness & Strength
Everyone has some strengths and some weaknesses. The interviewing officer is interested in your weakness and strength, why you think that is your weakness or strength, and what are you doing to improve that. You must respond to these questions very cautiously. Your weakness should be such that it doesn’t affect your selection – while you should also not lie about the same. Thus, do a thorough brainstorming about your weakness and strength and about these questions. Hiding your weakness will have a negative impact on your Personal Interview. The Interviewing officer will also be more interested in your efforts in overcoming your weakness.
Your Hobbies & Interests
Hobbies and Interests seem to have a similar meanings, but there is a difference between them. Things that we pursue seriously and perform on a regular basis can be termed as hobbies, while casual inclination about anything can be termed as your interest.
If you don’t have any hobbies, develop one. If you have a hobby try to get as much information, as you can. If you really follow that hobby on a regular basis, then you might be knowing it’s nitty-gritty. Be ready to face any question related to your hobby because if you have passion about anything then it is expected to know it in detail. So, don’t try to make any of your habits your hobby.
Have Basic General Awareness and use your Common Sense
Future Officer is expected to have knowledge about their surroundings and what is happening in and around the world. In addition, a basic level of general knowledge in the field of Indian History, polity, foreign affairs, and Indian geography – is also necessary for an SSB aspirant. Questions on current affairs are common in the personal interview of the SSB.
Further, you should also use your common sense in the tricky questions if asked any.
Be honest unless it doesn’t hurt you
In the personal interview of the SSB, you will face some questions which you don’t like to answer. In such situations, don’t lie – as they are masters in their job and can make out from your body language and facial expression. Try not to reveal any such grey area in your life. Even if they ask questions on any such topic, be cautious in answering and speak as little as you can. But never try to make a false story about any topic.
PIQ Form is not just a form, it’s the Syllabus of your personal Interview
PIQ form is one of the most important pieces of documents in terms of your Personal Interview. In PIQ – you have to mention in detail all your personal, educational, and professional along with details of your earlier SSB attempts. This information forms the basis of 90% of the questions asked in the personal interview. Thus, you should have complete information about what you have written in your PIQ form. You should also prepare in advance as to what you are going to write in your PIQ form.
To get answers to some of these questions, you can take the help of various resources available on the internet. Avoid directly copying their answers, but use your common sense to frame those answers on your own.
PIQ Form at SSB Interview -Importance and Tips on How to Fill the Form
Now let us see some of the Dos & Donts of the SSB Personal Interview
Do’s of SSB Personal Interview
While preparing for your personal interview are as below:
- Dress neatly according to the dress code mentioned in your SSB Call letter or as instructed by the JCO of the SSB.
- Look happy, smart, and enthusiastic.
- Be calm and respond respectfully to the IO’s welcome statement.
- You should be clear and audible.
- Be relaxed throughout the interview.
- Always wait for the Interviewer to complete the question before replying to the same.
- Maintain your posture and sit straight and comfortably. Avoid making hand or leg movements.
- Speak confidently by having eye-to-eye contact all the time when you speak.
- You can politely ask for clarification of any questions or ask to repeat if the question was not audible.
- Try to remember the sequence of the rapid-fire questions.
- Be aware of general awareness and current affairs.
- If you have mentioned any hobbies or sports in your PIQ – then you must have adequate technical knowledge about that topic or sport.
- Read the newspaper daily when you are in the SSB Interview.
- Be honest and truthful in your responses.
Dont’s of SSB Interview
- Avoid being dressed in a shabby manner.
- Never come under stress during the personal interview.
- Never ever try to make a false story or lie in response to any question.
- Never mug up any response given by any recommended candidate or any answer available on the internet. Be true to yourself and respond accordingly.
- Never make a guess in answering something. If you don’t have any answer – politely say that I don’t know sir and I will find it.
- Never keep or wear a watch or mobile phone, etc during your personal interview.
Hope this article would have helped you in understanding what is Personal Interview of SSB is and how you can prepare for it. If you have any queries regarding your SSB Preparation – you can mail them to [email protected].
