10
Ways
to
Ruin a Job Interview
by: Liz Ryan
The great thing about a job interview is
the way that it narrows the
field. If you can get in front of the people making a hiring decision,
that means that you've already moved from a group of perhaps 100
resumes to
a field of just a few serious contenders. At that point, your chance of
getting a job offer improves dramatically.
Of course, having surmounted that huge hurdle, the last thing you want
to do is blow it. To that end, here are 10 job-interview gaffes to
avoid.
1. Complaining about the parking or directions.
Don't
think it doesn't happen! As cordial and happy-go-lucky as your
interviewers may seem, they don't want to hear a job-seeker complain
that the place was hard to find or that the parking is inconvenient.
The best (that is, the worst) example of this I ever experienced as an
HR person came from the candidate who said, "Seven handicapped parking
spaces next to the front door? What, are you having a wheelchair
convention or something?" That was a short interview.
2. Bad-mouthing your previous job, manager, or company.
If
you've been laid off or suffered some other unpleasant experience at
your last job, it's easy to launch into a litany of everything the old
employer did wrong. Don't do it! The interviewer is bound to wonder
"Will this person be bashing me behind my back on some future
interview, too?" Zip it.
3. Digging into details off the bat.
The
typical selection process allows plenty of time for you to learn
everything you need to know about the company's dental plan, its
tuition-reimbursement policy, and the size of your cubicle. Don't ask
about any of these items on a first interview, when you
should be focusing the conversation on the role and the organization.
4. Groveling.
Employers
want to hire people who can do the jobs and who are enthusiastic about
the work. What's not so appealing is the candidate whose every word and
gesture conveys the message, "Hire me, I beg you!" Joblessness is no
fun, but you don't help your chances of getting the nod by presenting
yourself as a candidate whose most notable attribute is desperation.
5. Answering a question before you understand it.
The
absolute worst answer to any interview question is the response that
shows you weren't really listening. When an interviewer asks a question
that requires thought, like, "Tell me about a time when you had to
convince a team of people to change gears," you don't want to blurt
out, "Oh, I've done that a million times!" Any "tell me about a time
when" question is a question that the interviewer has chosen to elicit
a specific problem/solution story from you. Take the time to think
through the question and compose a thoughtful answer. A few minutes of
silence in the room won't kill anybody.
6. Spacing out.
Any
interviewer worth her salt will be able tell when you've zoned out. If
you're wondering whether the 5:40 train will get you home in time to
watch the playoff game, the interviewer will spot it in your eyes. If
you're really out of it, he may throw you a curve ball like, "So, who
would you say was the most effective member of Teddy Roosevelt's
cabinet, and why?" Stay in the room, with your eyes either meeting the
interviewer's or looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. Or your shoes.
7. Slouching.
We'll
throw in tipping the chair back off its front legs, resting your head
on your hand, and lacing your fingers together behind your head.
8. Cursing.
Interviewers
love to put job candidates at ease. When you reach the state of ease
that lets an "f-bomb" escape your lips, you've gone too far.
9. "Opening the kimono."
It's
tempting to share with a sympathetic interviewer the news that this job
search has been really hard, that you're not getting callbacks, and
that you've already sent out 150 resumes.
Don't do it. Smart job candidates put out a vibe that says, "I'm glad
to be here with you and this job might be fun, but I'm a capable person
who's aware of his value on the job market."
10. Doing anything disgusting.
The
long list of personal gross factors includes picking one's teeth or
nose, spitting, and other unmentionables that are best left to the
imagination. Any of these is a sure-fire interview-killer (and can we
really blame the employer for that?). One candidate asked me for a cup
of water, took a sip, swished it around in his mouth, and spat into a
potted plant. Niiiiiice!
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former
Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and
the new millennium workplace. Contact Liz at liz@asklizryan.com or join
the Ask Liz Ryan online community at www.asklizryan/group.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.
Would the following suggestions be a good (G) or bad (B) idea when
you go for a job interview?
___1. Throw in a curse word now and then to show how excited you are
about this job.
___2. Tilt your chair back on its rear legs to show that you are
completely relaxed.
___3. Zone out once in a while to give yourself a chance to take
your mind off the pressure.
___4. Let the interview know how hard you've had to look for a job
and how desperate you are for this job.
___5. Avoid long pauses of silence at all cost, even if you have to
blurt out something inappropriate or irrelevant.
___6. Ask for all the job details at the first meeting with an
interviewer.
___7. Make suggestions about how to improve the parking and better
directions .
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