I’ve been doing a lot of interviews this week, trying to find the best fit for an available position. Some interviews went well, others not so much. Here are some tips on what to avoid, unless you want to sink your chances:
I’ve
been doing a lot of interviews this week, trying to find the best fit for an
available position. Some interviews went
well, others not so much. Here are some tips on what to
avoid, unless you want to sink your chances:
1. Calling
the contact listed on the job posting. The person who posted the
position is probably a very busy person and does not have time to talk to you
before you submit your application. In particular, do not call if you
are planning only to “confirm” that you should send your resume as instructed
in the job posting. Doing this just
tells the interviewer that you can’t read and follow instructions.
2. Having
no weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses – be prepared to
talk about them. If you can’t think of any, ask your friends. Ask your employers, your family, your
neighbors, anyone! Learning about your weaknesses or areas for improvement and
planning how to overcome them is something that everyone should be doing, no
matter what career stage they are in.
3. Not
practicing your answers. There are some interview questions
which you are bound to be asked. Be
prepared by thinking about them ahead of time.
Examples include: Where do you see yourself in 5 (or 10) years? What
made you interested in this job? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
4. Getting
defensive. If you don’t know something, just admit you
don’t know it. Likewise, if you misspeak, don’t try to supply reasons – this
just makes you look defensive and hard to work with. Instead, just acknowledge
what you don’t know (or the mistake you made) and move on.
5. Trying
to control the conversation. Most interviews start by the
interviewer asking the candidate to tell a little bit about themselves. Then the interviewer will continue with a
list of prepared questions. At the end
of the prepared questions, the candidate will have a chance to ask their
questions. Jumping in with questions
before it is your turn shows that you don’t recognize hierarchies.
6. Ending
the interview early. Sometimes it is obvious early in the
interview that the candidate is not a good fit.
Even if you feel like you want the interview to end, it is not your
place to do so. You never know when the interviewer might have another position
available (or soon to be available), and ending the interview early takes you
out of the running for any future consideration at that organization.
If you are just trying to get a job
(any job), then you probably won’t be successful. You likely won’t even get to
the interview stage, and even if you do, it probably won’t go well. It’s a much
better strategy to spend some time thinking about what you are looking for in a
job, in your ideal job. Then, when you see a job posting, it should be
obvious how aligned the job is with your skills, interests, and desires. Apply
only if there is some alignment, and obviously the more alignment, the
better!
In this situation, your resume and application
will shine over the others received for the position. Plus, your interview will go much better as
well. Not only will it be obvious to the
interviewer how well your experience aligns with the position, but you will be
better prepared for the questions that might be asked as well.
