It can be said that there are common sense interview tips have been talked about so many times that people should know them in their sleep. However, after conducting nearly 50 interviews over the last four months I have found myself shaking my head in disbelief. Our economy is only beginning to see a glimpse of recovery, jobs are still not all that easy to find, yet people make such blatant and basic mistakes at the interview that they ruin their chance of getting the job, sometimes before they even open their mouth.
If you are making one of these mistakes, correct it now; because no one will ever know that you are the best candidate for the job if they rule you out before giving you the chance to prove it.
- Dress – Let’s start by saying that even if you are applying for a position in a grocery store where you will wear jeans to work every day, do NOT wear jeans to the interview. Along with that, do not wear super short skirts, tee-shirts, wrinkled dress shirts, wrinkled slacks, sneakers, flip flops, or sandals. If it is a job that is not in management it is appropriate to wear clean, pressed dress slacks or a clean pressed skirt. Wear a nice top or sweater with clean professional shoes. If the interview is for a management level position, obviously you step it up.
- The lobby – While you are waiting to be called in for your interview, don’t think you aren’t noticed. I walked by a young candidate on my way from a corporate office to the conference room where the interview would be held. The young man had no idea who I was or that I would be involved in his interview. He sat in the lobby almost lying down in his chair. He had his arms slung down to the floor as he tapped his fingers on the leg of an end table. This young man’s body language told me that if I hire him and put him to work in his cubicle, the minute he was not being watched, he would slack. True or not, his body language screamed lazy. His chance at getting the job was over before he walked in the room.
- Beverages – If you are offered water or coffee it is okay to accept it. BUT, don’t bring a super –size coffee that you picked up from the gas station on your way to the interview. No interviewer wants your super-sized cup sitting on his/her desk while you interview. Nor do they want you slurping down a drink from a cup that hides your face in between questions. Really, this happens. And not just once in a while, it is happening more and more often.
- Place – Remember your place. You are the candidate. You do NOT have the job yet. When an interviewer asks you if you have any questions, the answer should not be, “can I use vacation before it is accrued?” It should also not be “how many paid holidays do I get?” You will have time to learn about those things. For now, ask questions that make you appear interested in the position. Things like, “what is the most important quality you are looking for in a candidate? “ Or “if you were to hire me tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would want me to get started on?”
- Listen – Interviewers are asking questions for a reason. You need to listen to the question. Don’t answer before they finish the question and don’t answer something they didn’t ask. Answer the question that they ask, answer it completely, provide an example if you can, and then shut up. You do not have to keep speaking if you have nothing more to say. You do not have an obligation to fill every void of silence. Listening is a skill. It is often a skill that a potential employer is looking for.
- Manners – Remember that if there are two or more people interviewing you, your responses to each question should be addressed to all of them, not just the one asking the question. You should make eye contact with each interviewer as you answer the question. Never focus all of your attention on one interviewer. And, on the subject of manners, don’t ask your interviewer personal questions. For example, a few weeks back I was interviewing candidates with one of my clients. He and I were team interviewing for a high level management position. One candidate asked my client (in front of me) point blank “what is your relationship with her?” It was inappropriate on about a thousand levels. It would have been inappropriate at a business lunch, let alone an interview. Think before you speak.
- Show-time – An interview is not an audition. There was a candidate a few months back who was applying for VP level position. The interview team consisted of 6 individual members of the company’s senior management team and me. The candidate walked into the conference room and announced “before we get started, I’d like to take a moment to write some things on the white board. Things that will help you all stay focused on my attributes as we progress with this interview.” Needless to say, he irritated everyone in the room and he blew his chances for getting the job within four seconds. Senior managers usually do not need assistance staying on topic for interviews. They have it figured out. Don’t be presumptuous.
- Lies – Don’t lie at an interview. You will get burned. Don’t say you are currently making 70k if you are in fact only making 55k. Don’t say you left your position because the commute was too far when you really left because you couldn’t get along with your co-workers. Whatever the truth may be, it is better than a lie. If you were let go, admit it. Tell the interviewer the truth; tell them what you learned from the incident and how you have grown. If you lie, you will get caught. If it isn’t on the first day, it will come out eventually. Tell the truth on your resume, at the interview, always.
Remember there is a fine line between appearing secure and confident and appearing arrogant. One will help you progress through the process, the other will be your ticket out the door.
Recently it seems that candidates are becoming overly confident, overly comfortable, and they treat an interview as if they were sitting at a bar having a beer with a buddy. Employers have one goal and that goal is to find the right person to fill the position. Don’t let these mistakes cause you to miss your chance to be that person.
