Tips to effectively answer the questions at Civil Services Interview

Tips to effectively answer the questions at Civil Services Interview

Intellectual knowledge makes you efficient but the way how you express yourself determines your excellence and that’s what civil services interviews are dedicated to bring out from you. You have read it all but when it comes to answering questions in the personality test; it is determined to reveal the traits that the main examination was not meant for. The way you answer the questions will decide your fate in the civil services. Here are some tips on how to effectively answer the interview:

Understand what is being asked before answering

Listen carefully to the question and comprehend the essence of the question and what the interviewer seeks to know about you from that question. If you pay attention to the interviewer when he is asking the question, you are most likely to get the hint of what he seeks to know and answer accordingly. However, it is very normal to lose attention and not understand the questions in one go. Ask the interviewer politely to repeat the question with terms like, “Pardon me Sir” or “Sir Can you please repeat the question for me”. There might be questions that you do not understand at all. Do not try framing your own answer without knowing anything about it. Simply ask the interview to simplify the question for you as you did not get it.

Take a short pause before answering

It is extremely helpful and wise to pause before you answer the question. Do not jump straight into answering once the interviewer finishes his question. Even if the question is the one you have well prepared yourself for, you do not want it to appear like you are narrating from a prepared speech. Take a pause for a few second and in that time, recollect the answer with the facts and figures that you have to specify in your answer. Even if you are sure about your answer, you can ponder for a few seconds to make it appear that you are focused on answering in the best possible way. This short pause can also be utilized for understanding the question well in order to avoid blunder of misconception. The pause can also be beneficial as it might get the interview speaking again to elaborate the question for you. Let the interviewer finish his question and then ask him if you have a doubt, take a pause, compose your thought and then begin politely.

If the interviewers take a pause after you have finished answering the question, do not take this as a hint to further elaborate your already finished answer. The interviewer might have paused to think over your answer or at times to frame the next question.

Answer with calm and politeness

Staying calm can be difficult but never impossible. You must calm yourself before starting to answer and get rid of all the nervousness to avoid blunders. At times, the questions can be confusing and meant to test your patience. You must never lose your calm even at such extreme situations. You do not want to get the conversation reach a level where it would look like an argument. Staying calm and polite is one way to ensure that you do not fail in the process of presenting your personality in a good away.
You might face a question that you know absolutely nothing of. In such a situation, be calm honest and say that you do not know the answer instead of blabbering nonsense. The other situation could get you excited like when you know the answer all too well. You must stay composed instead of ruining the opportunity with overt excitement.

Answer to the point

Calculate what the main point of the question is or what it is intended to know from you. Even if you know the concept of the question too well, the first few sentence of the answer should answer the question exactly. After the direct answer, you can proceed to the entire explanation. This will give the interview the impression that you are aware of the answer and they would be patient till you explain the entire answer. If your answers take too long to reach the exact point that was questioned, the interviewer will assume that you do not know the answer and that you are trying to evade it with made up explanation, which will lead of losing interest in your answer and prompting to the next question even before you finish with the answer. It is thus wise that you bring out the key points of the answer right in the beginning and then proceed to the explanation if required. Avoid any kind of flab in the answer.

Expressing views and opinions

Often questions asking the views and opinions of the candidates are confused to be the same. These terms differ and that has to be understood by the candidate while answering one such question, mostly based on current happenings around the country or the world. Views on a matter can be many based on the pros and cons of each view and depending on the various perspectives of different people. It is essential that when you are asked to express views on a matter, you must consider divergent views and mention them with the pros and cons of each. Opinion is the stand that you as an individual take after considering all the views. When you are asked your own opinion, you must be honest about what you actually think on that matter and answer accordingly. It is necessary that you consider all the views but stick to your opinion and reason with it.

Be honest and frank

If you are unsure about an answer, feel free to honestly tell them so instead of trying to bluff. There is no being ashamed of anything that you do not know of or do not possess, for instance work experience. If you are asked a question related to your personal profile, do not answer after considering what might sound impressive to the board; simply answer the truth that the board seeks. The board has experienced and competent people who are most likely to catch you off guards if you try bluffing so it is best to be honest and frank in your answers. Not knowing an answer or not possessing any trait is better than being found to be dishonest.

Unbiased ideologies

Prepare yourself to form unbiased ideologies that are not based on discriminations and unethical grounds. The government is supposed to have people who have moderate and balanced views who could see people as humans and not with extreme views judging them on basis of religious or regional groups. Have an open mind that could take in all shades of an opinion without neglecting the negative factors that come with them.