Last night, I came across this news report on a 'magnified' lunar eclipse to be visible across Americas and East Asia. Magnified - because the eclipse will happen when the moon will be hanging low in the horizon.i.e. when its that big spooky orange ball before setting.

I got all excited. The moon and the night sky has always interested me. I remember as I child, I used to grab a chair and sit under the starry sky, trying to discover a new constellation and hopefully, name it after me. I'd also force other kids - my sisters and neighborhood friends - to take a seat and get in to the same habit. ' These stars..look at them! They are actually THERE!And this 'gap' you see between the star and us is like thousands of kilometers!!'. No matter however I put it, they looked terribly lost and bored. But since I was the boss (as usual) they didn't have much choice but nod in agreement. B]

As I grew older, I would sit by the window and 'talk' to the moon. ( Well!). I'd tell the moon my problems, sing songs (mostly Disney's Little Mermaid ones), ask how things were up there and the like. I developed a strong relationship with the moon - as a close friend - I liked to sit there washed in moonlight (somewhere inside I felt it will make me fairer :P) and I hated it whenever my youngest sister tried to imitate me.

So coming back to the point - I'm no longer the same

(This one has been lying about my drafts for a long time, not sure why. Yesterday after staring North-East at the night sky around 3am for a while in vain without spotting a single meteor of the Perseids...I finally decided to publish this post.)

Preparing for a BIG 4 Graduate Interview?

Earlier today I was recollecting all the prep I had done before my first interview with Ms. Miranda Peters at the PWC Office in Abu-Dhabi. Having taken considerable help and advice from people around the world, I thought it was only fair that I share my piece too!

Do exactly as I say.

Google him/her (who? your interviewer!) and hopefully find a LinkedIn profile. Seeing a smiling pic can kill half the anxiety. Unless you are a paid user there is no point lingering there for long.

Remember you still have another half of that 'insomnic' anxiety to kill, so..

Go to wikijob, search for your interview questions (say, PwC Interview Questions) and Whoa! The whole recruiting process is listed in front of you!Don't be too optimistic and feel the need to read thoroughly about what comes after the First Interview.There's no harm in Bookmarking though...for future reference, if your lucky!

Open Google Docs, CTRL+C CTRL+V all the competency questions listed, including the ones asking you for real life examples. Now, while your on this, its a good idea to fully focus on it. As you may have to close your eyes and go through several flashbacks of your life to find examples when you had lead a team, solved a conflict etc etc. Be honest, because then you know that you truly deserve this job.You will also have to zoom out of all this and pen down what your career aspirations are in the long run. Like seriously. And it better be in line with this job. You can swallow your unfulfilled dream of being a pilot at this point.

The best answer to some questions like ' Tell me about yourself' & 'What are your weaknesses' may require you to google. Don't copy answers, just get the tone. Don't be too humble or too honest. The interviewer will be there for a short time and you have to sell yourself (Coz you are the best fit!)

Now that you have the answers, print them out and practice just like you would for any exam. Record your answers on your fone, listen (it can be embarrassing to hear all the bragging) and improve. Found this nice & funny app on Android Market (Play Store, bah! Prefer the old name); Job Interview Trainer. Must check it out!

In the MEANTIME: ( The following must be done throughout your prep to stay up-to-date with current affairs)

• Follow business news on BBC Business (Good idea to get the app on your phone with auto-update).
  Its normal if you can't understand what's going on, e.g Whats this fuss about rescuing Italy?, especially if you haven't been following the news, you can google 'What is the Euro Debt Crisis' or 'What caused the Global Recession' and get simple answers for them.
• Visit FT and search 'BIG4' or 'PWC' to read articles relating to and thus, recent events affecting the firm you are applying to.
  ( Some examples, Audit Reforms proposed by EC, Sarbanes Oxley,LIBOR, CoRep & FinRep)
  

Know everything about the organization. Go to their website, read and make notes on 'About us'.

Know everything about the post you are applying for. Go to the Job Description, on the page you had first applied for. This will also come handy in answering 'what are your strengths' Q, weave it around the job requirements. The logic is - they'll hire you if they think your passionate about this job and working for them. If you are really passionate then you couldn't have slept without knowing what it will be like if you got the job! Like you will have researched extensively about both the org and the job. So prove it!

Go on YouTube, watch videos on do's & don'ts, how to dress, what they expect etc on a daily basis. Videos can have a huge impact especially if you need to polish your posture and body language.

Set a status update on Facebook, asking if anyone know anyone who works at, say PwC local branch. Call them and get tips and insider info from them. It really helps!

Towards the last few days,

Plan your outfit, press and hang. Call up the HR person who gave you the Interview date to find out if there is a dress code.

Get a formal looking folder/file with a writing pad in it,  three or more copies of your resume (B/W), a nice pen, few pages off a yellow Post-it.

On the Post-its,

1. Checklist of things to take with you - stick this on your bedroom door
2. Final checklist - to be torn away just before you enter the interview room - phone off,  no gum, clothes neat, best smile on.
3. Questions you want to ask the interviewer at the end - they expect you to BTW.

On the day of the interview,

Stay cool. Read the news. Go through your answers once. If your a muslim pray Isthikhara, then you will stay calm as you know that you'll pass if this is the best option for you. Have a good breakfast, which won't leave you burping during the interview.

Arrive early at the place, use the washroom, fix your make-up. I had my ironed abhaya hanging in the car, which I wore once I got there ;)! 15 mins to your interview, walk in style to the reception with the name (PwC) written in bold letters behind. They MIGHT ask you for an appointment letter, just show them a copy of the e-mail on your phone.

Wait for the manager in style, with confidence and a smile.... and dude, you're going to shine!

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Umm..Did I make it through? Yes, Alhamdulillah! Have an AC in 3days! :)