Tells Nokia… Why Interview Clear Aapne Na Kia? — JOBNET March 2004

Why Intelligent, Qualified Candidates Fail Interviews

In this engaging article, Anil Mahajan explored why capable professionals lose opportunities — not because they lack competence, but because they struggle to communicate their achievements, connect their experience to business needs or inspire confidence in interviewers.

The article introduced three powerful concepts — the BEWARE Factor, the Alter Ego Tool and the Handle Tool — that continue to shape how interview success is understood today.

Article Transcript

Tells Nokia… Why Interview Aapne Clear Na Kia

Originally published in JOBNET — March 2004

The BEWARE Factor

What a Nokia Ad Revealed About Hiring

What we discussed in the last issue on "The Beware Factor" has been amply demonstrated in a recent TV ad by Nokia. The power of negative imaging generates fear in the hiring manager — a power abundantly and universally present among professionals.

Interview: 10.00 AM What if… I hire him… He wins Pitches… Mr. Popular… He Takes my Job!!! So, I better not hire him.

Hiring managers therefore tend not to select people who appear better than them. One notable exception was Henry Rockefeller, who when asked the secret of his success said: "I always select professionals better than me."

The stark reality is that almost cent per cent of hiring managers go for a professional appearing a shade or a couple of shades lower in ability. The hiring manager is not the owner of the organisation, and he doesn't want to have nightmares about losing his job. He finds the easiest solution: REJECT THIS MAN under one pretext or another.

Three Interview Tools

The Psychographic Toolkit

The Alter Ego Tool

Appear like the interviewer's alter ego — a shade lower in perceived ability. Being a hiring manager's alter ego needs careful research of the interviewer both offline before the interview and online during the interview. Narcissism is present in everybody — you see your face everyday in the mirror and never hate it.

The Relating Tool

Continuously Build Common Ground. The more comfort level you can generate in the mind of the hiring manager, the better your chances of selection. He is looking for comfort because he would find himself comfortable generating results with you as a subordinate.

The Handle Tool

Turn unknown missiles into known missiles. Ask a small question or make a statement early on so that the subject of discussion revolves around your expertise. If you are exceptionally good in network marketing, mention the company's weak points in that area — most questions will then fall within your core competence.

In the final analysis, you don't get a job — you pick one.

You must develop an attitude of not falling prey to unpredictable situations but instead fostering development of a situation favourable to you. Interview companies for your job — don't let them interview you.

Salary Strategy

The Art of Salary Negotiation

"How much do you expect?" is the most frequently asked question in an interview. Giving a figure right at the beginning to HRD gatekeepers doesn't help. Try to delay answering this question until the interview with the hiring manager is over.

Phase 1

Deflect the salary question with HRD — they may bid you goodbye feeling you are expensive before the hiring manager understands your worth.

Phase 2

Allow the hiring manager to develop a strong conviction that you are the right person — that you alone can solve his specific business challenge.

Key Moment

Once the hiring manager is on your side and pleading with HRD to hire you, play your "Taking Advantage of the Situation" card. Now you ask for a higher salary and get it.

Warning

Job seekers who give "yes, but…" excuses for accepting less than they're worth suffer from Negotiating Impairment Syndrome. Don't settle for peanuts out of desperation.

Mr. Disaster Continues

Three More Interview Mistakes

✗ Fidgeting. When asked about a gap in his employment, Mr. Disaster started tapping his foot furiously. It is criminal to indulge in fidgeting — playing with hair, clicking pen tops, tapping feet or touching parts of the body. Rejection in the interview is guaranteed 100%.
✗ No eye contact. You must build chemistry with the interviewer by looking him in the eye. Don't stare — that shows aggression. Occasionally glance at the interviewer's hand as he speaks. Constantly looking around the room conveys a lack of confidence or discomfort with what is being discussed.
✗ Unexplained CV gaps. Check your CV for possible gaps. Make sure you know exactly how you are going to explain time gaps. Write down and practise possible questions — doing so will make it easier to remember under pressure.

Neither being nervous nor being incoherent helps. Both these unwanted traits drive the final nail into the coffin.

Take a deep breath and remember: you've already passed the first test — a screening of your resume by a placement consultant or HRD. They're interested or they wouldn't be taking time to interview you. Go into the interview knowing you've already got them on the hook. Be confident, yet not boastful.

No two interviews are the same, so you can't plan exactly how the interview will go — but it is important to have an Interview Strategy. Face the interview as a selling meeting: build personal chemistry and establish an open dialogue for free information exchange.

Success is not necessarily what you say,
but how you say it.

Why Excellent Candidates Still Miss Opportunities Today

Today's professionals may participate in AI-assisted screening, virtual interviews, leadership assessments, business case discussions and multiple rounds of executive interviews. Yet one reality has not changed — many highly capable candidates are still rejected not because they lack competence, but because they fail to communicate their value effectively.

Employers are no longer looking only for people who have performed a role. They are looking for professionals who can clearly demonstrate how they made a difference — across:

Business impact Leadership achievements Problem-solving capability Strategic thinking Decision-making approach Collaboration and influence Adaptability to change

2004 → 2026

Then — 2004

Interviews focused largely on qualifications
Candidates often repeated information from their resumes
Interview preparation centred on expected questions
Communication skills were important but underestimated

Today — 2026

Interviews evaluate leadership capability and business judgement
Behavioural interviewing has become common practice
Business storytelling demonstrates experience more effectively
Executive presence and communication influence hiring decisions
Organisations hire professionals who connect experience to challenges
Relevance is often more persuasive than presenting more information

The Modern Executive Interview Journey

At every stage, candidates are evaluated on their ability to communicate experience, demonstrate leadership and create confidence.

Executive Profile

↓

AI / ATS Screening

↓

Recruiter Discussion

↓

Behavioural Interview

↓

Business Case Discussion

↓

Leadership Assessment

↓

CXO / CEO Interview

↓

Final Selection

What This Article Established

Technical competence alone rarely secures leadership opportunities
Communication transforms experience into credibility
Business achievements should be supported by measurable outcomes
Interviewers remember relevant examples more than lengthy explanations
Preparation improves confidence and clarity
Leadership interviews reward professionals who connect experience to organisational needs

Before Attending an Interview, Ask Yourself

Can I explain my biggest achievements in simple business language?

Do I have examples that demonstrate leadership, problem-solving and decision-making?

Have I researched the organisation's priorities and challenges?

Can I connect my experience to the role I am seeking?

Am I answering the interviewer's questions — or simply describing my career?

Have I prepared thoughtful questions that demonstrate curiosity and business understanding?

Interviews are not about proving that you know everything. They are about helping the interviewer understand why you are the right person to solve their business challenges.

Capability Is Not Enough Without Communication

Artificial Intelligence will continue to change recruitment, but leadership hiring will always remain a human decision. The professionals who consistently succeed are those who combine expertise with clarity, confidence and authenticity.

Opportunities are not lost because capable people lack knowledge — they are often lost because capable people fail to communicate their value in a way that is meaningful to the organisation.

That is the central lesson of Tells Nokia… Why Interview Clear Aapne Na Kia? — remarkably relevant more than two decades later.