A face-to-face interview is the most stressful part of the job search for many individuals, but it is also a critical component of the recruiting process. Up until this point, you have been able to hide behind your resume and cover letter. As the selection process starts to draw to a close, though, it’s time to impress the hiring team. A large part of a successful interview is avoiding potential pitfalls that can undermine your ability to impress the hiring team.
The top ten critical mistakes that people make when interviewing for a position are:
Arriving late to the interview
Arriving late makes a strong negative first impression and will raise questions in the interviewer’s mind about your reliability and punctuality. Always ask for directions to the interview site and double-check a map so that you know where you are going. Don’t forget to allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseeable events.
Poor dress attire and grooming
Remember that professional companies are looking to hire professional individuals, not the beach bum who just shook the loose sand from his hair. Dress conservatively in a well-fitting suit and keep jewelry, makeup, and fragrances to a minimum. It’s also important to always take a shower, brush your teeth, and comb your hair before an interview as well to present to clean, polished image.
Failure to do research about the company prior to the interview
Show you are interested in the company for by doing some outside research before the interview. This attention to detail sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are serious about the position and are willing to go the extra mile. This research will also help you determine if the company’s industry, products/services, and culture are a god match for you.
Failure to give specific examples of your experience and measure your skills against the position
Interviewers want to know more than just the bare bones of your experience. They are interested in the specifics of task how you performed, challenges you have faced, and the methods you have used to overcome those challenges. This is especially true of behavioral interviewers. Take the time to give the interviewer specific examples of how you have performed and how these collaborate to the duties of the position. If you can draw a clear parallel between your work experience and the position you are interviewing for, you have a much higher chance of being successful in the interviewing process.
Not taking the opportunity to ask intelligent questions about the company and/or position
The interviewing process is not just an opportunity for the company to evaluate your fit for the position; it’s also your opportunity to evaluate how well the company and the position match your ideal job. Asking questions not only helps you determine how well-suited you are for the position (and it for you), but also clearly indicates that you have done some basic research about the organization. Don’t ask questions just for the sake of asking questions. Intelligent, poorly-worded questions can frequently do more damage to your reputation than remaining silent.
Failure to practice
Even the best public speakers need to take the time to practice delivering and answering detailed questions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get with your answers and the material, allowing for a much smoother delivery.
Talking too much (or not at all)
The best answers are succinct, but detailed. Interviewees who ramble on and on come across as trying to compensate for some weakness, while those individuals who just sit there and stare appear as though they are in shellshock (and maybe in over their heads). Neither of these scenarios is ideal in an interview situation. Choose your words carefully and sparingly, but don’t be a mute.
Bad-mouthing previous managers or companies
One of the fastest ways to turn off an interviewer is to bad-mouth your current or previous employer. This raises questions about your loyalty and integrity, and labels you as unhappy and a complainer. Even if you worked in a sweatshop with no lights, running water, or meal breaks for 18 hours a day, keep all negative commentary to yourself.
Fail to explain why they are a good fit for the position (and the company)
If you leave it up to the interviewer to evaluate if you are a solid fit for the company, then you risk the chance that they might not make the decision you’d like to hear. Make it easy for the interviewer for hire you by connecting your experiences, talents, and strengths to the job description.
Don’t state that you want the job
Once the interview has concluded, if you want the job, let the interviewer know that you are still interested in the position. Since the interview is as much about your evaluation of the company and the position as it is them evaluating you, don’t assume the interviewer knows you still want the job. Reiterate your interest and inquire about the next step in the hiring process.
Tags: Beach Bum, career, careers, Comb Your Hair, Cover Letter, Critical Component, Critical Mistakes, Dress Attire, employment, Extra Mile, Extra Time, First Impression, Fragrances, Hiring Team, interview, Interviewer, Interviewers, interviews, Job, Job Search, Jobs, Loose Sand, Potential Pitfalls, Professional Companies, Professional Individuals, Punctuality, recruitment, Resume, Resumes, Selection Process
Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident that you’d performed extremely well, and then heard these dreadful words: “I’m sorry, but we feel you’re overqualified for this position.”
“Arrggh!!”
When I was told that after an interview, several thoughts went through my frustration-fogged mind… What kind of crazy excuse is that for not hiring me? So what if I’m ‘overqualified’ — don’t employers always want to hire the person with the best qualifications? If I’m willing to take this job, overqualified or not, why is that a problem? This isn’t fair! What’s the real reason they don’t want to hire me?
When interviewers say you are “overqualified,” here’s what they are concerned about:
(1) You’ll be bored in this position;
(2) You won’t be satisfied with the salary they’re offering;
(3) You’ll leave as soon as you get a better opportunity;
(4) They’ll have to go through the time-consuming and expensive process of hiring and training someone all over again.
They may or may not make you feel better about being “overqualified,” but you must admit those are legitimate concerns.
If you get the “overqualified” excuse once, you’ll be wary about getting it again. So if you apply for other jobs that may be at a lower level than warranted by your background, skills, education and experience, you may be tempted to “dumb down” your resume and omit things like college degrees. But lying about your background is not the way to go.
Here’s a better strategy: address it head-on. Be the first one to raise the “overqualified” issue with a potential employer. If you bring it up yourself, you can discuss it openly and convince the interviewer that it
won’t be a problem.
They key — as with every job interview issue — is to anticipate and prepare. Before you go to the interview,think about what you’ll say and how you will convince them that they should hire you, even if you are “overqualified.”
After explaining how you will be a great asset for their company, tell them why you are applying for a lower-level position. Do not say, “I can’t find anything else and I really need a job.” Though that may be the case, this approach is a little too honest and will reinforce their fear that you will leave
at the first opportunity.
Say something like, “You can tell that I’ve worked at a higher level before, but this position is exactly what I’m looking for.” Then, depending on the job and your circumstances, explain why. For example:
* “I’ve always wanted to work for your company [or in this industry], and I’m willing to take a lower-level position to get that opportunity.”
* “It will allow me to use my skills and expand my experience in a new field.”
* “I’m looking for something a little less stressful, with fewer responsibilities, so I can spend more time with my family.”
* “This position provides the stability and long-term growth potential I’m looking for.”
* “The salary is not my top priority. I’d have no problem with earning less than I’ve earned in the past.”
Be very enthusiastic about the job. Explain how you can meet their needs now and in the future as the company grows. And most important of all, convince them that you will not quit as soon as something better comes along.
If you are convinced that this job would be worth it, you might even try this: offer to sign an agreement stating that you will stay on the job for a minimum of 12 months. Whether the hiring manager actually takes you up on that offer or not, it will definitely make a very positive impression!
If you anticipate the “overqualified” issue and address it up front, it will not be a drawback to your success!
Tags: Background Skills, College Degrees, Excuse, Frustration, Interview Issue, Interviewer, Interviewers, Job Interview, Jobs, Legitimate Concerns, Real Reason, Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Jobs, Resume, Salary, Skills Education
If you are still in the job search process, it is extremely important to follow up on all contacts. It is not good to just sit and wait for results to come pouring in when you think that you’ve already done your part because your contact information has been distributed.
Consider two men applying for a prime position at a company. After the interview, the first applicant just sits around waiting to hear from his prospective employer.
On the other hand, the second applicant distributes his contact information to some people that he met in the company. Furthermore, applicant number two does a follow-up on the results of the job interview a few days later. The first applicant has not been heard from, because he just relies on the basic “We’ll call you” routine. Who do you think will have a greater chance of getting the job?
Even though the first applicant is more qualified, since he did not follow up or even send a thank you note to the interviewer, in the end, he does not get the job.
If you are still waiting for that job offer and you do not follow up on your contacts, your chances of getting hired become slimmer. In business, following up on all of your contacts is a sure-fire way to spread the word about you, your business sense and expanding your horizons.
If you are still looking for a job, here are some tips on how to follow up on your contacts:
* Send a thank you note right after the interview, ideally after a couple of days. This is a way of getting the prospective employer to hear from you again. Should you not get hired for the current position that they offer, someone from that company will likely keep your information on file for future consideration.
* Make sure that you leave your mobile and landline number, e-mail address and home address so that prospective employers will have no excuse of not getting in touch with you.
* Be accurate in getting the contact information of perspective employers. In return, when you place their information on any letter that you send out (i.e. resumes, thank you notes) avoid typographical errors and make sure that you have their names correct, to see to it that everything is in order.
* Some companies do take a look at your character references so alert the people on your list that they might receive a call from your prospective employers.
* Always be on the positive side. Should you not get hired for a particular position, you may ask the people from that company for referrals to other companies or at least keep you in mind for future hiring.
If you are currently in business, whether you are just starting out or in the midst of expanding, you also need to make sure to follow up on all important contacts. For example, you go to a corporate event and you have distributed a lot of business cards. Do not stop there. These people might eventually bring big business to your company so it is important to build up a strong business relationship with them.
Here are some tips on following up on your contacts if you are already in business:
* Send thank you notes to current and future customers. This rule does not just apply to people applying for a job. This is much more helpful for those who are already in business, as a simple thank you note would remind customers of which company they are dealing with and your brand name will be imprinted on their minds. This practice should send more business your way.
* Send follow up messages. If you are in sales, it is good to follow up on existing buyers who are most likely to purchase your products again.
You might also want to personalize any correspondence that you send out as this leaves the customers feeling as if they know you personally. This should lead you to earning their trust, which in turn leaves the customer feeling secure that you are handling efficiently whatever business it is that they throw your way.
* Make sure that you follow up swiftly and promptly. The rule of thumb is to reply fast, fast, fast. Whether it is a solution to a problem or sending out an order or replying to a letter, responding quickly to a customer is the easiest way for them to think of you and your company in a positive way.
Tags: Applicant Number, Business Sense, Couple Of Days, Current Position, E Mail Address, Excuse, Expanding Your Horizons, Few Days, Home Address, Interviewer, Job Interview, Job Offer, Job Search, Landline Number, Perspective Employers, Prime Position, Prospective Employer, Prospective Employers, Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Jobs, Search Process, Two Men
