What not to do in a job interview.

Recently I've been going to lots of job interviews (from the interviewer and interviewee side of things). I keep on seeing the same mistakes being made over and over again. Heres a list of things not to do:

• If it's a group interview, don't ask lots of pointless questions. - I understand that you need to get your 'voice' across in a group interview, but asking lots of pointless questions isn't the way to do it. The best way is to listen to what everybody else is saying and then ask a question which is both intelligent and relevant. Make sure you doing all your 'networking' with your future employer during the interview, not afterwards. (I.e, don't go up to the person after the interview and start asking questions.)

• When you are waiting for your interview, don't pretend to talk on your phone. - I don't know if this is some new phenomena or what. When i've been waiting for my interview to start on two occasions people have been talking on their phones and then the phones have clearly rung. WHY WOULD YOU PRETEND TO BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY? (This is happening heaps on public transport as well. Somebody needs to make a website about it.) In fact, don't bring your phone to a job interview (if you bring it, just turn it off during the whole process. Please.) If it rings during your interview, you're not getting the job.

• If you have something in common with the interviewer, don't overplay it. - Often people find out they have something in common with the interviewer (i.e, they went to the same school or they know a family friend). Bring it up once. ONCE. Don't keep going on and on about it. Somebody who goes to my university applied for a job with us recently and he continually talked about how cool it was we went to the same university, over and over again. Needless to say, this guy is still looking for work.

• You can't overdress - A lot of people under dress for job interviews because they don't want to look stupid. You can never dress up to much for a job interview (this isn't entirely true, don't wear a three piece tux to a gardening job). My general rule of thumb is to dress one level above the job you are going for. There are four main types of jobs. T-shirt and jeans/slacks, shirt and pants, shirt with tie and pants and shirt with tie, coat and pants. So if you are going for a t-shirt job wear a shirt and pants, if you are going for a shirt and pants job put on a tie. If worst comes and to worst and they call you on it "What's with the pants and tie? We wear casual dress here!" Just say you came from somewhere else (I.e, your current job, funeral or wedding.)

• Don't over orchestrate your answers - I know a lot of people will disagree with us, but don't over plan answers to common questions. For example "What do you want to be doing in five years time?" It's a good idea to have a rough idea of how you will answer these type of questions, but you can spot somebody who has written down an answer a mile way. This backfires on you in two ways. The first being that it makes you look like you've done heaps of job interviews before. Nobody wants to hire the dud nobody else is hiring. The second part of the reason interviewers ask these questions is to see how employees react on their feet. If it looks like you pre-planned your answers then we have to ask even more odd questions to see you react on your feet. One time somebody had pre-planned all the questions I asked (well 90% of them) in the end I asked him what type of food would he be and he freaked out and said a pear then proceed to list all the good things about pears.

• Relax - It's a job interview. Not judgment day. Most of the time the first interview is set up so your prospective employee can ensure you aren't a freak. If you are relaxed, it'll show and you are more likely to get a call back.

Comments

[Jeremy Weiskotten]

A few other things not to do:

- lie (if you don't have a good answer, don't make one up -- it will be obvious)
- say negative things about your current/previous boss or company or team
- casually swear, even if your interviewer does
- refuse to answer simple questions "on principle" because you feel you're above them
- ask no questions of your own

[Kit]

I think 'relax' is a good one, for 2 reasons:

1. You tend to think & speak more coherently when relaxed.
2. Relaxation allows you project your true personality. You must then trust the interviewer to make a judgement on whether you have the right sort of personality for that working environment. Then, if he decides against you, you can console yourself with the knowledge that you probably wouldn't have enjoyed it there anyway.
Kit

[John]

Definitely do not lie, including " Just say you came from somewhere else (I.e, your current job, funeral or wedding" if you are asked why you are wearing a tie. Say you read on some stupid blog to dress up for the interview. Way better to hear that then get caught in a lie trying to cover up so you don't feel stupid.

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[AEF]

Don't lie about why you are dressing up for the interview! The answer should be that, although you can see that the everyday attire is informal, and you look forward to joining the team and being able to dress accordingly, you always treat a job interview with a bit more respect.

My husband interviewed at Apple Computer years ago. First day, shirt/tie/nice pants. Second day, nice pants/nice polo shirt. He got the job. In part because he had been polite to the process on day 1, but responsive to the very informal culture he had observed so that one day 2, even though he was still overdressed compared to employees, he had responded appropriately.

[Greg P]

Don't forget to smile! It tells the interviewer a lot about you:
- confident
- relaxed
- glad to be there
- comfortable under pressure

To help remember, when you take notes during the interview (you have already asked if it is OK) have a smiley face drawn on the pad to remind yourself to smile. It goes a long way to making a memorable impression which is what you're trying to do in an interview.

[Bien Camungol]

- Don't over do the cologne or perfume.
- Always a firm handshake especially in Texas.
- Find a fine line between exaggerating and overbearing.
- Turn off the phone!!!

[Paul Clayton]

"DO YOU RENOUNCE SATAN AND ALL OF HIS WORKS?"....

This is not a good question to ask when a prospective employer asks "Do you have any further questions?"

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