08 Jan 11 Top 10 Things People Do Wrong at Interviews, And How
Top 10 Things People Do Wrong at Interviews, And How To Avoid Them
A face-to-face interview is the most stressful part of the job search for many individuals, but it is also a critical component of the recruiting process. Up until this point, you have been able to hide behind your resume and cover letter. As the selection process starts to draw to a close, though, its time to impress the hiring team. A large part of a successful interview is avoiding potential pitfalls that can undermine your ability to impress the hiring team.
The top ten critical mistakes that people make when interviewing for a position are:
Arriving late to the interview
Arriving late makes a strong negative first impression and will raise questions in the interviewers mind about your reliability and punctuality. Always ask for directions to the interview site and double-check a map so that you know where you are going. Dont forget to allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseeable events.
Poor dress attire and grooming
Remember that professional companies are looking to hire professional individuals, not the beach bum who just shook the loose sand from his hair. Dress conservatively in a well-fitting suit and keep jewelry, makeup, and fragrances to a minimum. Its also important to always take a shower, brush your teeth, and comb your hair before an interview as well to present to clean, polished image.
Failure to do research about the company prior to the interview
Show you are interested in the company for by doing some outside research before the interview. This attention to detail sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are serious about the position and are willing to go the extra mile. This research will also help you determine if the companys industry, products/services, and culture are a god match for you.
Failure to give specific examples of your experience and measure your skills against the position
Interviewers want to know more than just the bare bones of your experience. They are interested in the specifics of task how you performed, challenges you have faced, and the methods you have used to overcome those challenges. This is especially true of behavioral interviewers. Take the time to give the interviewer specific examples of how you have performed and how these collaborate to the duties of the position. If you can draw a clear parallel between your work experience and the position you are interviewing for, you have a much higher chance of being successful in the interviewing process.
Not taking the opportunity to ask intelligent questions about the company and/or position
The interviewing process is not just an opportunity for the company to evaluate your fit for the position; its also your opportunity to evaluate how well the company and the position match your ideal job. Asking questions not only helps you determine how well-suited you are for the position (and it for you), but also clearly indicates that you have done some basic research about the organization. Dont ask questions just for the sake of asking questions. Intelligent, poorly-worded questions can frequently do more damage to your reputation than remaining silent.
Failure to practice
Even the best public speakers need to take the time to practice delivering and answering detailed questions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get with your answers and the material, allowing for a much smoother delivery.
Talking too much (or not at all)
The best answers are succinct, but detailed. Interviewees who ramble on and on come across as trying to compensate for some weakness, while those individuals who just sit there and stare appear as though they are in shellshock (and maybe in over their heads). Neither of these scenarios is ideal in an interview situation. Choose your words carefully and sparingly, but dont be a mute.
Bad-mouthing previous managers or companies
One of the fastest ways to turn off an interviewer is to bad-mouth your current or previous employer. This raises questions about your loyalty and integrity, and labels you as unhappy and a complainer. Even if you worked in a sweatshop with no lights, running water, or meal breaks for 18 hours a day, keep all negative commentary to yourself.
Fail to explain why they are a good fit for the position (and the company)
If you leave it up to the interviewer to evaluate if you are a solid fit for the company, then you risk the chance that they might not make the decision youd like to hear. Make it easy for the interviewer for hire you by connecting your experiences, talents, and strengths to the job description.
Dont state that you want the job
Once the interview has concluded, if you want the job, let the interviewer know that you are still interested in the position. Since the interview is as much about your evaluation of the company and the position as it is them evaluating you, dont assume the interviewer knows you still want the job. Reiterate your interest and inquire about the next step in the hiring process.
Tags: Beach Bum, Comb Your Hair, Cover Letter, Critical Component, Critical Mistakes, Dress Attire, Extra Mile, Extra Time, First Impression, Fragrances, Hiring Team, Interviewer, Interviewers, Job Search, Loose Sand, Potential Pitfalls, Professional Companies, Professional Individuals, Punctuality, Selection Process
02 Jun 10 How to Overcome Being Overqualified
Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident that youd performed extremely well, and then heard these dreadful words: Im sorry, but we feel youre overqualified for this position.
Arrggh!!
When I was told that after an interview, several thoughts went through my frustration-fogged mind What kind of crazy excuse is that for not hiring me? So what if Im overqualified dont employers always want to hire the person with the best qualifications? If Im willing to take this job, overqualified or not, why is that a problem? This isnt fair! Whats the real reason they dont want to hire me?
When interviewers say you are overqualified, heres what they are concerned about:
(1) Youll be bored in this position;
(2) You wont be satisfied with the salary theyre offering;
(3) Youll leave as soon as you get a better opportunity;
(4) Theyll have to go through the time-consuming and expensive process of hiring and training someone all over again.
They may or may not make you feel better about being overqualified, but you must admit those are legitimate concerns.
If you get the overqualified excuse once, youll be wary about getting it again. So if you apply for other jobs that may be at a lower level than warranted by your background, skills, education and experience, you may be tempted to dumb down your resume and omit things like college degrees. But lying about your background is not the way to go.
Heres a better strategy: address it head-on. Be the first one to raise the overqualified issue with a potential employer. If you bring it up yourself, you can discuss it openly and convince the interviewer that it
wont be a problem.
They key as with every job interview issue is to anticipate and prepare. Before you go to the interview,think about what youll say and how you will convince them that they should hire you, even if you are overqualified.
After explaining how you will be a great asset for their company, tell them why you are applying for a lower-level position. Do not say, I cant find anything else and I really need a job. Though that may be the case, this approach is a little too honest and will reinforce their fear that you will leave
at the first opportunity.
Say something like, You can tell that Ive worked at a higher level before, but this position is exactly what Im looking for. Then, depending on the job and your circumstances, explain why. For example:
* Ive always wanted to work for your company [or in this industry], and Im willing to take a lower-level position to get that opportunity.
* It will allow me to use my skills and expand my experience in a new field.
* Im looking for something a little less stressful, with fewer responsibilities, so I can spend more time with my family.
* This position provides the stability and long-term growth potential Im looking for.
* The salary is not my top priority. Id have no problem with earning less than Ive earned in the past.
Be very enthusiastic about the job. Explain how you can meet their needs now and in the future as the company grows. And most important of all, convince them that you will not quit as soon as something better comes along.
If you are convinced that this job would be worth it, you might even try this: offer to sign an agreement stating that you will stay on the job for a minimum of 12 months. Whether the hiring manager actually takes you up on that offer or not, it will definitely make a very positive impression!
If you anticipate the overqualified issue and address it up front, it will not be a drawback to your success!
Tags: Background Skills, College Degrees, Excuse, Frustration, Interview Issue, Interviewer, Interviewers, Job Interview, Jobs, Legitimate Concerns, Real Reason, Resume, Salary, Skills Education
02 May 10 How to Kill Your Chances for Being Hired
The job interview is the only chance you have to present yourself in a positive light
to a potential employer. If you fail to do that, you kill your chances for being hired.
Of course, most of us do not fail at interviews by choiceit is simply the employers
choice to hire someone else. However, some things a person may do that are
completely out of line and will kill all of their chances of being hired.
Being late to the interview
Although there may be some circumstances that are beyond your control, for the
most part if you schedule your time properly, there should be no reason for not
arriving at the interview on time. Things such as an unforeseen traffic delay or
being unable to find the employers place of business are acceptable if you have
allowed enough time initially. Do make sure to call and communicate with the
interviewer.
Inappropriate dress for the interview
In most cases it is inappropriate to go to an interview wearing jeans, shorts or
other casual attire. If this is acceptable the interviewer will tell you at the time they
schedule the interview. If you are leaving one job to go for the interview, make
sure to let the interviewer know that ahead of time in the event your current job
allows casual dress.
Taking calls on your cell phone during the interview
At no time is it acceptable to accept a phone call during an interview or to provide
the interviewers phone number to others. If you have children that may become ill,
make other arrangements for their care. The employer is going to see this as a sign
you will be unwilling to arrange care for your children and will expect to leave any
time they are ill.
Discussing personal business with the interviewer
Although the interviewer may ask you a series of personal questions during the
interview, do not offer any information that is not directly related to the job. For
instance, if you dont drive, he may ask how you will get back and forth to work if
there is no public transportation and you can say that your husband or boyfriend
will take you and pick you up, but there is no need to discuss other issues. The
interviewer doesnt care if you are buying a new house, getting married next week,
or having problems at home.
Tags: Casual Attire, Casual Dress, Cell Phone, Circumstances, Control, Interviewer, Interviewers, Jeans Shorts, Job Interview, Personal Business, Personal Questions, Phone Call, Phone Number, Place Of Business, Public Transportation, Reason, Traffic Delay
