Are You Interview Ready - Say the Right Thing to the Interviewer
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#037
The word “VISA” generates excitement, and at the same time, there is plenty of fear surrounding it. Before the visa, you are toiling with paperwork, but that paperwork work is fine, and many of us will happily do it. We are accustomed to forms, stamps, and miscellaneous paperwork. But never comfortable with the idea of INTERVIEW. The very word brings a chill down the spine and we are at sea. Flabbergasted, to say the least.
Even the confident one, who is good in academics, can solve difficult mathematics problems, perhaps reciting Shakespeare would be confused when the interview starts.
" Preparation is half the battle won. "
So with a little guidance, the students can go a long way. Global Degrees regularly conducts a mock interview. This would help the students to prepare for the final round. It is similar to net practice in cricket. The more you practice the better prepared you are for the match.
Before you jump into the nitty-gritty of an interview, it is important to demystify the consular officer. To understand the consular office is like getting a holy grail. Over-preparation will never work in front of the consular officer. Understanding the interviewer and being confident, NOT overconfident really matters. Also, preparing bullet points really matters. People living in foreign countries, especially America, speak slowly. We Indians have a high rate of speech.
Our vernacular languages and regional languages have a high rate of speech. Therefore, the consular officer will not understand us if we are nervous, because nervousness will increase our rate of speech. There is a high possibility of our visa getting rejected.
Rehearsing in front of the mirror for practice is fine. But practicing the right way is what matters. Therefore, mock practice at the counselors’ office matters. Global Degrees will arrange plenty of mock interviews to show the right way, so that the students receive the right training, and they will be successful in the final round.
In crux, the consular officer is looking for a real purpose, will you return to your home country, financial stability, the right documentation, and are you qualified to get a visa for the country that you are applying to?
1. The precise time that you are looking to stay?
The officer of few words speaks very little, but he observes everything and looks for precise answers. He is only interested in cold facts, not your stories. Thereby, those narrating grandmother tales would be rejected. Your answers should be precise and clear. To the point, answers will be appreciated.
2. What Places will you visit during your stay?
When a consular officer from the USA enquires about the places that you will visit. He is not thinking about logistics. The question is catered to test you and decipher your response. The intention is to psychologically analyze you in every way.
From your response, the officer will deduce that you are a wandering traveler, perhaps looking for some globetrotting. A thoughtful response should have precision.
- How long will you be in a specific place?
Numbers of years, days, and months, really matter.
Therefore, precision is important.
Any sort of ambiguous answer will never be entertained by the officer.
3. Do you own property in your home country?
The question is asked by the US consultant to find out the stability, and your stake in the country.
This question is asked to ensure that trust is established. Land is a premium worldwide and if you own a land in your home country will guarantee 100% trust.
Everyone does not have land in India. Their perennial dependence on fathers’ jobs mattered most. Indeed, they received all their education through their father’s earnings. Therefore, their response should be clear – No confusion will be tolerated. Yes or no will create more doubt in the interviewer’s mind.
If you own something say it clearly, but if you don’t own then be clear about it. Honesty will matter in this situation.
4. Do you have family members who will remain behind in your home country?
The consular officer is a seasoned interviewer and he has seen several students like you. He is immune to your nervousness, and no matter how much you try to hide it, your nervousness will be exposed. The old cliche is true; acting smart in front of the interviewer will never work.
The inquiry is obtaining more information about you, whether you tick the embassy checkboxes to get a visa. The question is to find out if there are any dear ones like husband/wife/children in the home country. This would establish trust. A trust that you will return to your home country to take care of your spouse. Don’t give vague answers about a distant relative. This answer would have a negative influence on the interviewer.
If your answer is “I have some relatives in Delhi and a cousin in Canada and a grandmother somewhere in Tamil Nadu, I think.”
This, frankly, is the equivalent of telling the consular officer: “If given the chance, I shall vanish into the void without looking back.”
5. Are you Financially Stable?
The counselor is bound to ask, “How will you finance your trip?”
Consular is probing about your finances.
When you are in a foreign country, how will you take care of yourself?
They will ensure that you are not a liability. A strong financial background would indicate trust. In this century money is not merely for the exchange of goods. It is about establishing trust.
But here is the catch, if you say, “ I have enough money.”
The answer is useless and will not impress the consul. The amount that you have in the bank is not important.
What is important is traceability. Can your financial resources be linked to lawful income, stable employment, to a narrative that fits within the global order of legal, economic movement?
Transparency is very important if you say that you have kept $8000, and the amount to be spent is $5000. That will create consistency. Consular are looking for it.
A weak response — “My friend will pay” — suggests outsourced responsibility and a lack of personal agency.
Conclusion
Hope this article will give you some clarity, and how US consultants think, and how we should respond. These questions would help you to crack the interview.
Contact Global Degrees for more information. We conduct mock interviews which would help you further in cracking the final round.
