Four Job Interview Mistakes That Can Torpedo Your Chances of Success
What are the worst mistakes job hunters make? It turns out there are four big ones. These four mistakes turn up repeatedly when executives responsible for hiring talk about the reasons why someone didn't get a job offer. If you make even one of them, you'll drastically reduce your chances of getting selected. Interview mistake #1: Thinking like a job hunter The only reason why an employer hires you is because they want you to achieve certain results for them. Or solve specific problems. In other words, you have something of enormous value to offer the employer. Yet, most who turn up for a job interview think that the only one with anything worthwhile to offer is the employer. Result -- they treat a job interview as a one-sided affair where the interviewer holds all power. To be successful at interviews, it's essential that you become a full participant in the meeting, retaining equal power. Just as the employer must judge if you're the right person for them, you must judge if this organization offers the right opportunities for you. Go in with clear objectives of what you need to know about them, while putting your best foot forward in responding to their questions. Obviously, this does not mean being rude or arrogant. It does mean that you are proactive in directing the conversation and getting the information you want. This is very different from the traditional job-hunter's mentality. It's about developing an assertive, confident mindset that'll get you results. Try it. Interview mistake #2: Getting lost in generalities When you are asked what you do at work, does your reply sound like a dull recital of an official job description written by a committee? If so, you're losing a big chance to score at the interview. Yes, employers do want to know what your responsibilities are. But they're more interested in hearing what results you achieved, your specific accomplishments and skills. To put it another way, they want to hear how you performed at a task rather than just hear about what the task was. Use actual stories with names, products, places and so on. Make sure you prepare beforehand, outlining specific accomplishments in brief story form. Convey slices of life rather than dull job descriptions. Interview mistake #3: Not knowing enough about your target organization It's not enough to read just the job description in an advertisement before you walk into an interview. All other candidates have that same information. If that's all you know, you won't be able to distinguish yourself nor be able to tailor your responses to what they're really looking for. Do your research. Tap your network, online sources, the company's website, people who currently work there -- in short, use any lead that can give you information about the organization and the job. Apart from basic facts about the organization, find out a bit about their culture, what the position you're applying for is actually all about, the people you'll be working with and more. This kind of information serves two purposes. One, you'll get a feel for whether this organization will truly fit in with what you're looking for. Second, it helps you prepare better for the interview. You'll be able to fine-tune your responses to anticipated questions. Both are critical to success in your job search. Interview mistake #4: Not being natural A remarkable thing happens during job interviews. Someone who's normally down-to-earth, genuine and personable transforms himself into someone else who's formal, stiff and obviously on his best behavior. He sits with an erect posture, dutifully answers all the interviewer's questions and in general, tries to do everything just right. By not acting naturally, he ends up not connecting with the interviewer. When that connection doesn't happen, he will lose out. Irrespective of how much research he has done or how well he has prepared his responses. That's why one of the best pieces of advice for job interviews is -- be yourself. Stay clear of these big interviewing mistakes and you'll automatically better your odds or winning. Mary Brent is an expert on job interviews and careers. Her numerous articles offer valuable job interview tips, answers to tough questions, effective ways to write thank you letters and more. | | | | RELATED ARTICLES Get a Life Why Dont Ya?! It's okay to take your job seriously, to be a stickler for professionalism, and sure it's wonderful to take your responsibilities seriously. However, you have to be a bit careful when you allow your job to become your LIFE. Career Tips: How To Start A New Career These days most people accept that jobs are not for life anymore. People are more mobile and much more likely to change jobs every few years and even careers a number of times throughout their lives. And it is increasingly common that we may also find that we need to change jobs because of retrenchments, redundancies and closures. Having confidence in your skills and experience and your ability to deal with the challenges of starting over can give you a greater sense of confidence about your career, and whatever life brings your way. Are You a Nice Person? What Companies are Looking for in Recruiting and Retaining Great People Hal Rosenbluth, author of The Customer Comes Second, states; "In our selection process, kindness, caring, compassion, and unselfishness carry more weight than years on the job, an impressive salary history, and stacks of degrees." Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself! Interview Question, "Tell Me Something About Yourself?" Searching for Employment Searching for a job can be a daunting and confusing task for anyone, whether he or she is just entering the job market, looking for a better job or find him or herself without a job after several years with one employer. A job search can be successful when the person looking for a job knows exactly what they should and should not do when looking for a new job. Once a person has located a job that they desire, the applicant needs to get their resume ready and avoid the most common mistakes that job seekers make while looking for a job. What is Contract Programming? An Alternative to the Conformity of Everyday Employment What is contract programming, you ask? Well, when companies need specific computer programming expertise, for temporary periods of time, they generally hire a contract programmer or an employee of a consulting firm. Contractors almost always have a higher hourly wage than a salaried employee and are often paid for overtime. Contracts can last from one to three months to many years, depending on the situation. A contract programmer generally does one thing: program (code) for the duration of the contract. So, contract programming is just an area of computer consulting. Other areas of computer consulting include custom developers, network consultants and information technology (IT) consultants. The contract programmer can work via two forms of contracts: 1) "W-2 " contracts and 2) "1099" contracts. To Get Hired or Get Promoted, Attitude Is The Key When you're looking to get hired or get promoted, what do you think is your most important asset? Your experience? Knowledge? Skill? Talent? A Workplace Romance Can Be Detrimental to Your Career Over 70% of single employees will become romantically involved with someone they work with at some point in their career. The workplace has become the new single's bar. The workplace has also become the number one place for cheating spouses to meet affair partners and conduct extramarital affairs. Dazzle Interviewers With Your Achievements Attention Job Seekers: Tasks and Responsibilities are Boooring Competency Based Interviews - 6 Steps to Success! Competency based interviews are intended to get the best from you, the candidate, whilst also fulfilling the needs of the organisation to get the very best person for the job. There are some easy steps to make the most of yourself and have a much better chance of success. Ten Things To Do When You Really, Really Hate Your Job 1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape. When you find yourself sharing the latest horror story, stop in mid-sentence and say, "What I want to have is..." Loving What You Do Man is a social animal and survival is his major need. There are needs that he needs be fulfill. The needs can be physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. A common thread that connects all the above need is a means to sustain physically. He can barter his skills to sustain himself. Stay At Home Moms No Longer Struggling To Make Ends Meet It is hard to be a stay at home mom. You deal with a lot of pressures that most people would not understand. Aside from the cooking, cleaning and kids, you also have the feeling of inadequacy, if you are anything like me. I Love being able to stay at home with the children and I no longer mind the household chores, but I still feel like I am not holding my own. Im sure it's the independent me that strives to do it all. I want to do all that and still make my own money. 5 Steps to a New Job The economy is picking up, budgets are new, positions are open and companies are hiring. Now is the time to rev up your job search efforts. Use these tips to dramatically improve your results. Business & Career: Know Your Ruling Star! "Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. He finds more luck in one office or position than in another, and all though his qualifications are equal or even identical. Let each man know his luck as well as his talents. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it. Know how to transplant yourself. There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make one's value felt."- Balthasar Gracian, (Spain, 1600's) The 5 Ps Of A Job Search Step One - Plan: Career Change - Creating Wealth & Happiness Whether you have a business idea or not, here's what I want you to do? Look in the Mirror Take a moment to step outside yourself. Now, be honest with me here? If you could be your own boss, how would you rate your own performance in the last three months? Would you get a raise, a day off as a treat, or would a big and brawny security guy kindly escort you to the parking lot? In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted, nor can you control the outcome. But you can influence it greatly by the way you present your personality and your skills. Are You Suited for Self-employment? A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Businessshowed that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans have consideredstarting their own business. In fact, of more than 2,200 adults surveyed, over half (51 percent) said they wouldlike to launch their small business within the next 5 years.
|