Interview Mistakes (Killers)

Fundamentals:

• Following the rules helps more when job market conditions are not really good

• Is there exact science behind the questions asked? It depends:

  - There might be a novice as scared as you are about the situation

  - There might be an Interviewing Pro playing with you

• People hire to satisfy their needs, not yours. Position yourself as a solution to their problems

• We come to the interview to:

  - let them make sure you they want you for the job

  - interview them to make sure you really want that

Career Builder Statistics:

• 51 percent listed dressing inappropriately

• 49 percent cited badmouthing a former boss as the worst offense

• 48 percent said appearing disinterested

• Arrogance (44 percent)

• Insufficient answers (30 percent)

• Not asking good questions (29 percent)

Summary of Trouble  Areas:

• Looking disinterested (Indifference)

• Being unprofessional:

• Negativism

• Lack of preparation

• Not sounding naturally

• Being Self-centric

• Behavioral problems

• Lack of confidence

• Non-Verbal Communication

Looking disinterested (Indifference)

• Being unprepared.

• Not asking questions

• Failure to ask for the job (openly express your interest) at the end of interview

• Not following up with email, letter, phone call

• Unwillingness to work after official hours

• Be unwilling to start at the bottom; expect too much.

• Refuse to work in a team.

Being unprofessional:

• Never ever have a spelling error in a resume

• Overemphasizing money. Asking about compensation and /or benefits too soon.

• Coming for an interrogation instead of the business conversation

• Being late

• Using slang language during an interview

• Failure to connect yourself to the job offered

• Talk professional terms language to techies only

• Keep your philosophy to yourself

Negativism

• Bad-mouthing your present/former employer, boss, anyone

• Complaining, looking as a complainer

• Being intolerant and showing strong prejudices against others.

• Don't be tactful and be blunt about everything.

• Not tolerating any criticism

Lack of preparation

• Research failure: company, position, your qualifications (What are the company goals, current events, annual report , Web site, current media coverage, Standard and Poors Corporate Records, Services and/or products, Competition, Sales, New products/services available from the company, International operations, etc.)

• Not being ready to answer standard questions such as "What's your biggest weakness?" "Why do you want to work here?" "Tell me about yourself." "Why did you leave your last job?", “Why should we hire you?”

• Sloppy paperwork, letters, resume, forms, etc.

Not sounding naturally:

• Dishonesty, lying. Admit you don't know the answer and then explain how you would go about finding a solution

• Using prepared speech

• Using classic book answers to the standard questions

• Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive

Being self-centric:

• interrupting the interviewer

• asking too many questions

• not answering the question asked

• Being arrogant, overaggressive. Know-it-all attitude

• Asking for more money than what the position is really worth

• Rambling. Talking more than listening. Telling your interviewer more than they need to know. Your stories should be 60 to 90 seconds long and they should have a relevant point.

• Don't show appreciation for interviewer's time

• Being overly familiar. Interviewer is not your brother or best friend

Behavioral problems:

• Getting emotional (over emotional)

• Being too needy, too desperate

• Discourtesy. Be nice. Don’t be rude, haughty or pretentious. No bragging.

• Inappropriate Humor: Jokes, sarcasm, and funny comments don’t mix well with interviews. What is funny to one person may be offensive to another individual.

Lack of confidence:

• No happy face. Make one when talk and when listen

• Limiting yourself primarily to Yes, No or I don't know answers

• Make excuses, and be vague at every possible occasion

• Not asking to clarify the question. Do not make assumptions.

• Not participating in the interview as an equal. Behaving rather as a subordinate

• Extreme nervousness. Not smiling.

Non-Verbal Communication:

• Handshake. No light delicate or powerful over-the-top controlling handshake. Make it firm, full-handed with either both male or female.

• Avoiding eye contact

• Appearance

  • Not properly dressed

  • Not being well groomed and looking sharp

  • Not having your shoes polished

  • No heavy cologne or perfume!

  • Poor Posture and Body Language.

Real weird stuff:

• Talking on the cell phone at the time of interview (turn it off)

• Chewing gum

• Smoking at the time or prior to the interview

• The job seeker asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.

• Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss. 

• During a phone interview the candidate flushed the toilet while talking to hiring manager.

• The applicant took out a hair brush and brushed her hair

• Scratching head or body parts