1. You leave your cell phone on.
When the ring of your phone cuts short a critical
conversation about the job you covet, guess what it does to your chances?
One hiring manager in Manhattan says she sees this often
– and she’s always amazed when she does. “The job candidates will say, ‘Oh,
gee, I’m sorry,’ and reach to turn their phones off. But why didn’t they think
of that before they walked in the door? To me, it shows a lack of preparation.
It’s also inconsiderate.”
And if you actually pick up that phone or send a text
during your interview, as some people do – don’t wonder why you weren’t called
back.
2. You’re too focused on yourself.
If you overuse the “I” word during the interview, hiring
managers may see a big ego standing in the way of a job offer. “Many candidates
talk about themselves ad nauseam, with little or no relevancy to the job
opening at hand,” says Manciagli. “Whether this is due to nerves, or a lack of
self-awareness, or naiveté – people hurt their chances of getting the job.”
If you can’t clearly articulate how you can help the company succeed or solve its problems, you’re probably
not a top candidate. “It’s critical you know the specific skills and background
required,” says Manciagli. “This is basic and speaks to preparation, but plenty
of people don’t do it. You should say succinctly during your interview, ‘From
my understanding of the job, you’re looking for these skills. Here’s how I can
help.’ Then be very specific.”
3. You’re desperate – and it shows.
Some people have been out of work so long or are so
desperate for the job they’ll say almost anything. That over-eagerness and
anxiety, however, is a red flag. “They’ll say, ‘Sure, I can do that,’ to just
about anything that comes up during the interview,” observes Michele Woodward,
a career strategist in Arlington, Virginia. “The reality is they’re thinking
more about paying their mortgage or affording a summer vacation than about the
staffing problem the company’s trying to solve.”
People also tend to ramble on and on when they’re
anxious. It’s a much better plan to have short, concise answers to common
questions prepared beforehand. Once you say them – smile, make good eye
contact, and be quiet.
4. You can’t answer basic questions about your qualifications.
It’s one of the most common interview questions: “What
are your strengths?” Yet hiring managers say far too many job candidates flub
their answers.
“Even at high levels, people will give a rote list of their previous jobs, or cite clichés like ‘I’m a workaholic and like to get things done.’ Not good enough,” says Dana Manciagli of Seattle.
“Even at high levels, people will give a rote list of their previous jobs, or cite clichés like ‘I’m a workaholic and like to get things done.’ Not good enough,” says Dana Manciagli of Seattle.
Use this opening to your best advantage. “Companies want
to know why you’re a great fit for the job they have. They want details, skill
sets, accomplishments. You might say, ‘I’ve exceeded my sales goals every
quarter.’ Or, ‘My division brought in five new accounts in six months,’ or ‘We
created three new ad programs and drove X amount of revenue.’”
And when you hear, “What’s your biggest weakness?” that’s
an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. Rehearse it in advance. You
might say, “In the past I’ve tended to take on too much, but by delegating I’ve
been able to accomplish twice the amount.”
5. You’re late to the interview.
“I’ve heard every excuse in the book,” says one human
resources professional. “‘I got stuck in traffic.’ ‘I couldn’t find the building.’
‘The campus is so big I got lost.’” Whatever the case, it means you didn’t give
yourself enough time. “I tell clients that if they’re not in the lobby 30
minutes before the interview, they’re late.” It bears emphasis: Allow extra
time.
6. You know little or nothing about the company’s culture.
Do some research. Reach out to friends and colleagues in
the business. Surf for information. Ask career coaches. Is the company ultra
conservative? Do staffers dress in business casual? Learn what you can – then
dress for the interview accordingly.
“I can always tell when a candidate hasn’t done basic homework about the culture,” says one seasoned
hiring executive, “based on the way he or she looks.” When in doubt, dress up.
7. You badmouth a previous employer.
Negative attitudes attract no one – that’s the bottom
line. It’s also a small world. Be careful what you say about previous places of
employment, especially when your guard is down. No matter why you left a job or
what your experience was, there are diplomatic ways to explain an unfortunate
circumstance, even if the atmosphere (or boss, or pay, or company) was rotten.
You can say you’re interested in new responsibilities, a variety of challenges,
more authority, a different location – or simply that the current job posting
appealed to you so strongly you couldn’t resist reaching out.
We hope you find this
information helpful!
Joe Wenum: joe@wenumandassociates.com
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