Interview Mistakes
It's tough to avoid typical interview traps if you're unsure
what they are. Here are a half dozen to watch out for.
1. Confusing an Interview with an Interrogation.
Most candidates expect to be interrogated. An interrogation
occurs when one person asks all the questions and the other
gives the answers. An interview is a business conversation
in which both people ask and respond to questions. Candidates
who expect to be interrogated avoid asking questions, leaving
the interviewer in the role of reluctant interrogator.
2. Making a So-Called Weakness Seem Positive.
Interviewers frequently ask candidates, What are your weaknesses?"
Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight
a weakness like "I'm a perfectionist," and turn
it into a positive. Interviewers are not impressed, because
they've probably heard the same answer a hundred times. If
you are asked this question, highlight a skill that you wish
to improve upon and describe what you are doing to enhance
your skill in this area. Interviewers don't care what your
weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle the question
and what your answer indicates about you.
3. Failing to Ask Questions.
Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if
you have any questions. The worst thing to say is that you
have no questions. Having no questions prepared indicates
you are not interested and not prepared. Interviewers are
more impressed by the questions you ask than the selling points
you try to make. Before each interview, make a list of five
questions you will ask. "I think a good question is,
‘Can you tell me about your career?'" says Kent
Kirch, director of global recruiting at Deloitte. "Everybody
likes to talk about themselves, so you're probably pretty
safe asking that question."
4. Researching the Company But Not Yourself.
Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company.
Most job seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory
of their experience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a talent
inventory prepares you to immediately respond to any question
about your experience. You must be prepared to discuss any
part of your background. Creating your talent inventory refreshes
your memory and helps you immediately remember experiences
you would otherwise have forgotten during the interview.
5. Leaving Your Cell Phone On.
We may live in a wired, always-available society, but a ringing
cell phone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off
before you enter the company.
6. Waiting for a Call.
Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a
thank-you email and note to every interviewer, follow up a
couple of days later with either a question or additional
information. Try to contact the person who can hire you, and
assume that everyone you met with has some say in the process.
Additional information can be details about your talents,
a recent competitor's press release or industry trends. Your
intention is to keep everyone's memory of you fresh.
Avoid These 10 Interview Bloopers
by
Deborah Walker
We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great
on paper but who were absolute disasters in person. With fewer
and fewer interview opportunities available in this competitive
market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression.
You can learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the top
10 worst interview blunders.
Poor handshake: The three-second handshake that starts
the interview is your first opportunity to create a great
impression. But all too often an interview is blown right
from the start by an ineffective handshake. Once you've delivered
a poor handshake, it's nearly impossible to recover your efforts
to build rapport. Here are some examples:
- The Limp Hand (or "dead fish"): Gives the impression
of disinterest or weakness
- The Tips of the Fingers: Shows lack of ability to engage.
- The Arm Pump: Sincerity is questionable, much like an
overly aggressive salesman.
Even if you're a seasoned professional, don't assume you
have avoided these pitfalls. Your handshake may be telling
more about you than you know. Ask for honest critiques from
several friends who aren't afraid to tell you the truth.
Talking too much: In my recruiting days, I abhorred
over-talkative candidates. So did most of my client employers.
Over-talking takes a couple of forms:
- Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression:
This candidate just can't get to the point.
- Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering
up something or is outright lying.
To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice
answering questions in a direct manner. Avoid nervous talking
by preparing for your interview with role-play
Talking negatively about current or past employers/managers:
The fastest way to talk yourself out of a new job is to say
negative things. Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun,
never, never state your ill feelings about him/her. No matter
how reasonable your complaints, you will come out the
loser if you show that you disrespect your boss because the
interviewer will assume that you would similarly trash him
or her. When faced with the challenge of talking about former
employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin
on your experiences.
Showing up late or too early: One of the first lessons
in job-search etiquette is to show up on time for interviews.
Many job-seekers don't realize, however, that showing up too
early often creates a poor first impression as well. Arriving
more than 10 minutes early for an interview is a dead giveaway
that the job seeker has too much time on his or her hands,
much like the last one picked for the softball team. Don't
diminish your candidate desirability by appearing desperate.
Act as if your time were as valuable as the interviewer's.
Always arrive on time, but never more than 10 minutes early.
Treating the receptionist rudely: Since the first
person you meet on an interview is usually a receptionist,
this encounter represents the first impression you'll make.
Don't mistake low rank for low input. Often that receptionist's
job is to usher you into your interview. The receptionist
has the power to pave your way positively or negatively before
you even set eyes on the interviewer. The interviewer may
also solicit the receptionist's opinion of you after you leave.
Asking about benefits, vacation time or salary: What
if a car salesman asked to see your credit report before allowing
you to test drive the cars? That would be ridiculous, and
you'd walk away in disgust. The effect is about the same when
a job-seeker asks about benefits or other employee perks during
the first interview. Wait until you've won the employer over
before beginning that discussion.
Not preparing for the interview: Nothing communicates
disinterest like a candidate who hasn't bothered to do pre-interview
research. On the flip side, the quickest way to a good impression
is to demonstrate your interest with a few well thought out
questions that reflect your knowledge of their organization.
Verbal ticks: An ill-at-ease candidate seldom makes
a good impression. The first signs of nervousness are verbal
ticks. We all have them from time to time -- "umm," "like,"
"you know." Ignore the butterflies in your stomach and put
up a front of calm confidence by avoiding verbal ticks. You
can also sometimes avoid verbal ticks by pausing for a few
seconds to gather your thoughts before each response.
One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate them is through
role-play. Practice sharing your best success stories ahead
of time, and you'll feel more relaxed during the real interview.
Not enough/too much eye contact: Either situation
can create a negative effect. Avoid eye contact and you'll
seem shifty, untruthful, or disnterested; offer too much eye
contact, and you'll wear the interviewer out. If you sometimes
have trouble with eye-contact balance, work this issue out
ahead of time in an interview practice session with a friend.
Failure to match communication styles: It's almost
impossible to make a good first impression if you can't communicate
effectively with an interviewer. But you can easily change
that situation by mirroring the way the interviewer treats
you. For instance:
- If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt
to loosen him/her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and
businesslike
- If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his/her
interests. Often the items on display in the office can
offer a clue.
- If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow
up by asking if more information is needed.
Allowing the interviewer to set the tone of conversation
can vastly improve your chances of making a favorable impression.
You can put the interviewer at ease -- and make yourself seem
more like him or her -- by mirroring his or her communication
style.
Final Thoughts
Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview,
strong interview skills will win you consideration for the
job. You already know that you won't earn an interview unless
your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Similarly,
you should know that polishing your interview skills can mean
the difference between getting the job offer -- and being
a runner-up.
Start your job search with a resume that creates a stellar
first impression, then back those facts up with your extraordinary
interview skills. You will have made yourself a better candidate
by avoiding these ten interview pitfalls. And no one will
have to talk about you as the candidate who "almost" got the
job.
Source:Quintessential
Careers . By Deborah Walker |
